State Government confirms NTI Townsville 500 Supercars support for next three years

The city has officially been given the green light to host the NTI Townsville 500 Supercars event for the next three years.

Scenic action during the NTI Townsville 500, part of the 2024 Supercars Championship Series at Reid Park, on July 06, 2024 in Townsville, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)

The city has officially been given the green light to host the NTI Townsville 500 Supercars event for the next three years.

The State Government today confirmed an extension of its support until at least the end of 2027, with Premier Steven Miles calling it “a huge win for motorsports fans and a huge win for the visitor economy”.

The biggest sporting event on North Queensland’s calendar, this year’s event at Reid Park drew crowds of more than 126,000 for the main weekend, which included a Saturday concert featuring Tones and I and G Flip.

Townsville Enterprise estimated the 2024 event drove more than $35 million into the local economy, as well as putting the city on the map via the worldwide coverage.

“These events will deliver more than 280,000 visitor nights and inject approximately $100 million into Queensland’s economy for each year of this extended deal,” Mr Miles said of the Townsville and Gold Coast events.

“These Supercars events are some of the biggest events on the Queensland calendar bringing visitors to the host destinations from far and wide.

“I am committed to keeping Queensland on the grid with world-class events that benefit our communities and drive significant economic returns.”

Matt Payne wins the 2024 NTI Townsville 500, Event 06 of the Repco Supercars Championship, Reid Park, Townsville on July 7, 2024. Picture: Mark Horsburgh/EDGE Photographics.

Townsville MP Scott Stewart said securing the Supercars for another three years was “fuel in the tank for our city”.

“This event brings visitors, boosts our economy and puts Townsville on the national track,” Mr Stewart said.

“Townsville is the events capital of Northern Australia and having Supercars locked in helps cement this status.”

Supercars CEO Shane Howard echoed the benefits the major event brought to both Townsville and Gold Coast each year.

“These events not only bring significant tourism and economic benefits but also create local jobs and showcase Queensland to a vast television audience, both in Australia and abroad. They’ve been incredibly successful by all measures,” Mr Howard said.

“Our teams, drivers and fans love these events, and we’re excited to have them locked in as core parts of our calendar for the years ahead.”

2024 NTI Townsville 500, Event 06 of the Repco Supercars Championship, Reid Park, Townsville, Queensland, Australia. 4 Jul, 2024. Photo: Mark Horsburgh/EDGE Photographic

Townsville City Council this year provided $300,000 in funding, as well as in-kind support, with councillors voting to extend their partnership with the event for future years.

The date for Townsville’s 2025 event is set to be announced in early October.

Originally published as State Government confirms NTI Townsville 500 Supercars support for next three years