GC500 carnival 2022: Future of motorsports event revealed

The future of the GC500, the Gold Coast’s annual motorsports weekend, has been revealed after two years of cancellations.

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THE annual GC500 motorsports carnival will return to the Gold Coast in 2022 after two years of cancellations.

The three-day street circuit event will return to its long-time post-Bathurst berth in late October, according to the new 2022 Supercars Championship draft calendar released on Sunday.

It will be held from October 28-30, 2022

Supercars CEO Sean Seamer said the 2022 calendar was “a win” for fans after two years of disruption because of the pandemic.

“The 2022 season will follow an unprecedented two years for Supercars in which the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in two revised calendars – a huge achievement given the nature of the sport,” he said.

“It has been fantastic to welcome fans back to events this year, and we will continue to ensure this is done safely and in line with national guidelines as we welcome more fans back in 2022.”

This year's race, Queensland’s biggest sporting event was expected to have been held from December 3-5 but was dropped from the Supercars schedule in September because of Covid-19 restrictions and border closures.

Worth more than $55 million to the economy, city tourism and political leaders were devastated the race has been cancelled ahead of what was supposed to be its first year of night racing and the grand finale to the racing season.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate welcomed the return of GC500.

“This will be music to the ears of every Aussie motor race fan to know that the streets of the Gold Coast will light up to the sounds of Supercars in October 2022,” he said.

“I know the drivers rate the street circuit as the toughest in the calendar given the millimetres between success and a wipe out on our tight concrete canyon circuit. I can’t wait.”

GC500, which began as Indy in 1991, brings in more than 114,000 people annually for its three-day carnival in October. It became a Supercars-only event in 2009 following the failure of SuperGP.

Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the event’s return would be a boon for business.

“I know Queensland motorsport fans are ecstatic about bringing the nation’s best street circuit back to the Gold Coast in 2022,” he said.

“We’re encouraging motor racing spectators and teams coming to the Gold Coast and Townsville to add extra time to their travel itinerary and explore the many first-class visitor experiences in Southeast and Northern Queensland.”

‘Devastating’: Supercars weekend cancelled again

THE 2021 GC500 supercars weekend will be cancelled as the Covid-19 pandemic claimed the city’s biggest event for a second year in a row.

Queensland’s biggest sporting event, due to have been held from December 3-5, will be dropped from the Supercars schedule because of Covid-19 restrictions and border closures.

Worth more than $55 million to the economy, city tourism and political leaders say they are devastated the race has been cancelled ahead of what was supposed to be its first year of night racing and the grand finale to the racing season.

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The GC500 race will be cancelled again this year. Picture: Brendan Radke.

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The move has left business owners and political leaders reeling, with warnings the loss of the city’s biggest single event will deliver a devastating blow at the beginning of the summer holidays season to struggling accommodation providers and hospitality operators.

Mayor Tom Tate said talks between the state government, Supercars bosses, Queensland Health and council had been unable to find a way to safely hold the event.

“Devastating. That’s the only way to describe it,” he said.

“While I’m disappointed with the news, I support the Supercars organisation as the risk in establishing this street circuit in these challenging times was too high.

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The previously annual Gold Coast race has not been held since 2019. Picture: Brendan Radke.

“My message to every motor racing fan is this: get vaccinated so we can get back on the track in 2022.’’

It is the latest blow to the city’s economy and comes just a week after the Logies were cancelled.

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Snap lockdowns and border closures cost the Gold Coast more than $550 million in July and August, with a further $120m of events on the line between September and December.

New data released this week by the Transport and Tourism Forum revealed more than 4000 tourism jobs were expected to be lost between this month and Christmas.

Destination Gold Coast CEO Patricia O’Callaghan said she hoped the event would return in 2022.

“This is difficult news and we’re saddened the GC500 can’t go ahead, but we understand the challenges for organisers to plan and deliver a viable event in a shifting landscape,” she said.

“Not only is news like this incredibly tough for event organisers, but it’s another blow to our local tourism industry – the mum and dad family operators who rely on the Gold Coast’s busy event schedule to fill seats and sell tickets.

“We hope to welcome this amazing event back to our coastline next year.”

Gold Coast business and tourism operators are devastated. Picture: Brendan Radke.

The Bathurst 1000 will be moved to December to take over the Gold Coast’s position, under a revised schedule to be announced on Friday morning.

While the Gold Coast will miss out, Ipswich’s Queensland Raceway is expected to host a double-header, including a night race, in October.

This race will, in part, be held to make up for previous rounds which were cancelled earlier this year.

GC500, which began as Indy in 1991, brings in more than 114,000 people annually for its three-day carnival in October.

It became a Supercars-only event in 2009 following the failure of SuperGP.

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