SuperGP: Inside the disastrous 2009 failed attempt to replace Gold Coast Indy
A plan to revamp the Gold Coast’s motorsports weekend went disastrously wrong, causing international embarrassment and fears for its future. THE FULL STORY
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The engines are revved and the Gold Coast is ready for another weekend of motorsports delights.
The annual Gold Coast 500 will see more than 200,000 people pack into the Surfers Paradise street circuit to watch the Supercars engaging in high-octane action.
The 2024 race, which will occur amid the state election, is the 15th year of the Gold Cold Coast’s motorsports weekend with the Supercars as the headline act.
Back in late 2008 Indy was declared dead after its record-breaking race weekend with the state government declining to continue it, citing its high cost.
But Premier Anna Bligh claimed she had an ace up her sleeve – an agreement to bring the A1GP to the Gold Coast.
The open-wheeler racing series, founded in the Middle East, was touted as the “world cup of motorsports”.
But less than a year later it all went terribly wrong and city’s annual motorsports event, known as SuperGP, was in tatters.
A1GP had become troubled under the leadership of chairman Tony Teixeira and there were warning signs that the Gold Coast event, due to start the 2009-10 season, was in doubt.
Multiple teams had pulled out, proposed legs of the competition failed to materialise and there were concerns about the financial viability of the series.
The Bulletin had closely followed the story for months but had repeatedly been assured by race bosses it would go ahead.
However, a week out from the October 2009 race, Teixeira was forced to bow to the inevitable and announced the UK wing of the series was in liquidation.
It became clear that the A1 cars would not have been able to take part in the event at all because they were still in London.
State Sports Minister Phil Reeves was forced to call a rapid Saturday press conference to confirm the event was dead and a plan B was being developed.
But this announcement was met with outrage from the State Opposition.
‘‘Anna Bligh should come back and demand the head of Terry Mackenroth and Phil Reeves on a platter,’’ said Surfers Paradise MP and Opposition Leader John-Paul Langbroek.
‘‘They assured us it would go ahead and now they have egg on their faces and we are an international laughing stock … the event is in absolute disarray.’’
Greg Hooton, who was the vice president of event underwriter IMG as well a member of the Gold Coast Motor Events Corporation board which selected A1GP to replace Indy, was clearly worried his head also would be on the chopping block.
But he maintained his only focus was on salvaging the SuperGP.
‘‘My future here is concentrating on the event … I haven’t even considered the fact people might infer I should resign,’’ he said. ‘‘That is not even in my thought process.’’
He defended his decision to choose A1GP, saying the series met all the criteria required for an international open-wheeler series.
He said he did not think he was gullible for believing A1GP chairman Tony Teixeira’s assurances.
The V8 Supercars came to the rescue, announcing a rapidly expanded schedule of four races rather than the usual two.
And some of Australian motorsports’ best-loved figures, including Dick Johnson and three-time Formula 1 world champion Sir Jack Brabham were roped in to appear with some of their vintage vehicles from their 1950s-1980s heyday.
While crowds were down, the event proved to be a success despite the chaos.
The one and only SuperGP went down in history as one of the Gold Coast’s most infamous events, and was replaced in 2010 with the inaugural GC600.
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