2022 Auckland SuperSprint
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| Event Information | ||||||||||||||
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| Round 10 of 13 in the 2022 Supercars Championship | ||||||||||||||
| Date | 9–11 September 2022 | |||||||||||||
| Location | Pukekohe, New Zealand | |||||||||||||
| Venue | Pukekohe Park Raceway | |||||||||||||
| Weather | Sunny | |||||||||||||
| Results | ||||||||||||||
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The 2022 ITM Auckland SuperSprint was a motor racing event for Supercars, held on the weekend of 9 to 11 September 2022. The event was held at Pukekohe Park Raceway near Pukekohe, New Zealand, and consisted of three races. It was the 10th event of thirteen in the 2022 Supercars Championship and hosted races 23 and 24 of the season.
The Dick Johnson Racing outfit started the weekend strong; setting the pace in the practice and qualifying sessions, and eventually resulting in Will Davison taking the first win of the weekend. Local hero Shane van Gisbergen fought back on Sunday to take a pole position and won the second race. He would also take victory in the final race in a highly acclaimed battle in the final laps with Cam Waters. With these results, van Gisbergen would capture the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy; an award given to the top points scorer for the New Zealand Supercars round.
This was the fifteenth, and to date, final running of the Auckland SuperSprint. It was also the final Supercars event to take place at Pukekohe and one of the last racing events to be held at the track before its permanent closure in early 2023. After a years hiatus, Supercars would return to New Zealand, with a new home being found in Taupō.[1]
After 60 years of operation, it was announced that Pukekohe Park Raceway would cease motor racing activities in 2023 to make way for developments on the horse racing grounds.[2] The demise of the racetrack led to a search for an alternative venue for future Supercars events. It was eventually decided that, starting from 2024, the series would resume New Zealand events at Taupo International Motorsport Park.[citation needed]
Waters sported the number 50 on his Tickford Racing car; replacing the number 6 he usually used. This was in tribute of Waters long-time sponsor, Enzed, who were celebrating their 50th anniversary as a company in 2023.[3]