2013 ITM 400 Auckland
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| Round 3 of 14 in the 2013 International V8 Supercars Championship | ||||||||||||||
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| Date | 12–14 April 2013 | |||||||||||||
| Location | Pukekohe, New Zealand | |||||||||||||
| Venue | Pukekohe Park Raceway | |||||||||||||
| Weather | Fine | |||||||||||||
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The 2013 ITM 400 Auckland was a motor race meeting for the Australasian sedan-based V8 Supercars Championship. It was the third event of the 2013 season and took place over four 100 kilometer races. Following the collapse of the Hamilton 400, this event marked the return of Pukekohe Park Raceway to the schedule and was the first running of the Auckland event since 2007.
The weekend saw the emergence of future champion, Scott McLaughlin, who captured his first win in the category after debuting full-time earlier that year. This year also saw the introduction of the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy; an award presented to the driver with the highest accumulated point total from the event. The inaugural trophy would be won by Jason Bright. It was an emotional win for Bright and his team, Brad Jones Racing. Richards had driven for the team and remained an integral part of the outfit before his death.
Not long after the V8 Supercar category started racing in New Zealand in 2001, Pukekohe's place on the calendar had remained in question. From 2004, alternative venues were explored, eventually culminating in the series leaving the Franklin venue for a street circuit in Hamilton from 2008 onwards. However, with the event reportedly costing the Hamilton ratepayer upwards of $40 million to host the event, the resulting friction between the local government and event organisers ultimately led to the series leaving the city after the 2012 event.[1] In a bid to have the series return to Auckland, a race at Whenuapai airbase was explored for 2013 onwards. However, these plans never materialised, leaving negotiators back at square one and the series' future in New Zealand, once again, unclear.[2]
After extensive talks regarding improvements to track facilities, a five-year agreement was penned between V8 Supercars, the Auckland Tourism Events and Economic Development (ATEED), New Zealand Government, Auckland Council and Counties Racing Club, to have the championship return to Pukekohe Park Raceway for 2013. Improvements to the circuit included track resurfacing, enhanced viewing areas and an additional overhead bridge between the hairpin and pit entry. The armco barriers around the circuit, which were a major source of contention regarding circuit safety, were replaced by concrete barriers, fit with catch fencing, left over by the now-defunct Hamilton event.[3] Perhaps the biggest change made to the circuit ahead of its return was the introduction of a chicane on the back straight. This was initiated to arrest the high speeds of the cars, as well as create more overtaking opportunities. The cost of all aforementioned changes to the circuit totaled $6.6 million.[4]
