‘No shortage of ideas’ to replace scrapped Adelaide 500, claims Premier, but nothing decided on

The Adelaide 500 would have run this weekend if the State Government hadn’t dumped it. It looks like any replacement is a long way off – so what’s your idea?

Darren Nayda would normally be gearing up to join more than 200,000 revheads at the Adelaide 500 this weekend.

Instead, the 55-year-old Evanston Park man is staying home after the State Government announced in October that it had axed the annual Supercars race.

The V8 fan – who was known around the track for the array of “car hats” he would proudly wear during the four-day event – said he still couldn’t believe the Adelaide 500 had been dumped.

“They’re idiots – they’re mad!” he said.

WHAT SHOULD REPLACE THE ADELAIDE 500? LET US KNOW IN THE COMMENTS BELOW

“We’ve got enough arts and the Fringe happening – (we) need street circuit racing.”

Mr Nayda has attended every Adelaide 500 – known previously as the Clipsal 500 and the Superloop 500 – since the Supercars race was launched in 1999.

Rather than heading to the city’s east end to watch his beloved race this weekend, Mr Nayda said he would be home, begrudgingly watching the Mount Panorama 500 on TV.

“I’ll be watching it but I’m not happy,” he said.

Darren Nayda wearing one of his many V8 Supercars hats – which he would’ve worn to the Adelaide 500 if it hadn’t been dumped. Picture: Brenton Edwards

So what will replace the race?

Following the decision to scrap the Adelaide 500, the Government pledged to “move swiftly to assess all options for motorsport future events”.

In mid-November, the Government announced a team of industry leaders – dubbed the Events Advisory Group – had been created to develop a series of new events to replace the Adelaide 500.

Business SA is urging the Government to quickly decide on replacement events.

It wants a Formula E race to be introduced but is worried that other states may snap up the idea if the Government does not act now.

“We can’t wait much longer to ensure that we do attract prime events like Formula E,” Business SA director of policy and advocacy Andrew McKenna said.

Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas said Premier Steven Marshall had failed to fill the void left by the Adelaide 500.

“Due to Steven Marshall’s decision to axe the Adelaide 500, hotels are missing out on guests, restaurants and pubs are missing out on customers and scores of contractors are missing out on work,” he said.

“Where are the major events he promised?”

Some of the different car bodies Darren Nayda wears on his V8 Supercars hats. Picture: Brenton Edwards

Mr Marshall said the Government was “100 per cent” committed to boosting SA’s events calendar to create jobs and increase visitation.

“There are no shortage of ideas which have come through from the Event Advisory Group or direct to the South Australian Tourism Commission and accordingly, we are undertaking a comprehensive review of a number of proposed events,” he said.

“This work is ongoing and we look forward to making some announcements in due course.”

Mr Marshall said the Government was looking to create more events, spread across the year “rather than focus on one major event over one weekend a year”.

The Government announced in October last year that it had scrapped the Adelaide 500 following a recommendation from the South Australian Tourism Commission.

Rising costs, falling crowds, declining commercial interest and the coronavirus pandemic were blamed for the event’s demise.

The 2020 event generated $38 million in economic benefit, compared with $45.9 million in 2019.

Meanwhile, the number of interstate and international visitors decreased during the same period from 15,200 to 11,906.

Labor has pledged to bring back the event if it wins the 2022 State Election.