2022 Auckland SuperSprint
 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (October 2024) |
| Event Information | ||||||||||||||
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| Round 10 of 13 in the 2022 Supercars Championship | ||||||||||||||
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| 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]
Background
[edit]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]
Report
[edit]Practice
[edit]The Dick Johnson Racing pairing of Anton de Pasquale and Will Davison topping the first and second practice sessions respectively.[4] Waters suffered a minor excursion in the first session, spearing off into the gravel at turn three and bringing out the red flag.
| Session | Day | Fastest lap | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Driver | Team | Car | Time | ||
| P1 | Friday | 11 |  Anton de Pasquale
|
Dick Johnson Racing | Ford Mustang (S550) | 1:02.2066 |
| P2 | Saturday | 17 | Will Davison
|
Dick Johnson Racing | Ford Mustang (S550) | 1:02.1524 |
Race 27
[edit]Qualifying
[edit]Waters clinched pole position ahead of Davison and was the only driver to set a time below the 1:02 bracket. Davison would join him on the front row, with Chaz Mostert heading the second row and De Pasquale drawing alongside.[5]
Race
[edit]Race 28
[edit]Qualifying
[edit]Race
[edit]Race 29
[edit]Qualifying
[edit]Race
[edit]Aftermath
[edit]Following this round, Supercars would not return to New Zealand shores for 2023. The hiatus would only be year-long however as an alternative venue was found in Taupō for 2024. The Taupō Super400 would be held in late April and would be the first New Zealand Supercars event to utilise the Gen3 cars introduced at the start of that year. The Jason Richards Memorial Trophy would be carried over to this event and was won by De Pasquale.
Pukekohe Park Raceway would cease operations in early 2023 and the demolition process would begin in March 2024.[12] Before the tracks closure, a public campaign was initiated to have the fabled track scanned for sim racing service, iRacing. In September 2022, it was confirmed that the track would be scanned for the service.[13] Although, while the track had been scanned before demolition took place, a release date for the track on the service is currently unknown.
Van Gisbergen carried his momentum into the next round; the Bathurst 1000. Winning the event alongside Garth Tander, and once again dueling with Waters in the dying laps.
Championship standings
[edit]
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- Note: Only the top five positions are included for both sets of standings.
References
[edit]- ^ "Dates confirmed for Supercars return to New Zealand". Supercars. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
- ^ "Motorsport to end at Pukekohe Raceway after 60 years, making way for horse racing". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
- ^ "WATERS TO RUN SPECIAL NUMBER FOR ENZED IN NZ". ENZED. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
- ^ "De Pasquale tops first Pukekohe practice". Supercars. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
- ^ "Waters claims pole at Pukekohe, Heimgartner best Kiwi in 5th". Velocity News. 10 September 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
- ^ "Supercars 2022 Auckland - Q1". motorsport.com. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
- ^ "Supercars 2022 Auckland - RACE 1". motorsport.com. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
- ^ "Supercars 2022 Auckland - Q2". motorsport.com. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
- ^ "Supercars 2022 Auckland - RACE 2". motorsport.com. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
- ^ "Supercars 2022 Auckland - Q3". motorsport.com. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
- ^ "Supercars 2022 Auckland - RACE 3". motorsport.com. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
- ^ "End of an era: Demolition begins at Pukekohe Raceway". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
- ^ "Pukekohe Park to be preserved in iRacing". iRacing. 9 September 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
| Supercars Championship | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous race: 2022 Sandown SuperSprint |
2022 Supercars Championship | Next race: 2022 Bathurst 1000 |
| Previous year: 2019 Auckland SuperSprint |
Auckland SuperSprint | Next year: none |