Blame game begins as Supercars exit Ipswich

First it was dismissed councillor Paul Tully, but readers are also speaking out about the racing events demise.

In this file photo Supercars Championship drivers Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup are seen here with dismissed Ipswich councillor Paul Tully. Picture: David Nielsen

DISMISSED councillor Paul Tully has lamented a lack of action from the council as the catalyst for Ipswich losing its annual Supercars event.

Supercars CEO Sean Seamer said the new five-year deal and shortened racing calendar would create an "improved offering for the fans" but it was not an easy decision to pull out of Ipswich, which has hosted a race every year since 1999.

Mr Tully, who was part of the council that promised $52million over 10 years up to 2028 to keep the Supercars in Ipswich, yesterday claimed the lack of council funding and care for the community were the reasons the Supercars pulled out of Queensland Raceway.

"This is a major loss to Ipswich. It wouldn't have happened if we had elected councillors still," Mr Tully said.

"This was one of the key tourism drawcards for southeast Queensland each year and this is a major disappointment."

"The administrator should not have allowed this to slip through our hands.

Tully wasn't the only local pointing the finger with some Queensland Times readers also speaking out on Facebook.

Geoff Reimers and Ian Townsend both felt the current administration were also at fault.

"You can blame this Council for not spending money to upgrade the facilities and the track," Mr Townsend said.

But others said that was wrong, adding that the fault lies with the owners of Queensland Raceway.

"It's not Council's fault," Veronica Belcheraid and Julie Mohr said. "This has been an on going problem for years. It's the fault of the owner. They haven't kept it up to standard."

For Steven Axe the problem went back to the days of the previous Council.

"Maybe if the elected Councillors didn't make such a mess of it we wouldn't be here, it's another example of their mismanagement and mal administration which saw them dismissed."

For Debbie Mackay Supercars was the culprit.

"I honestly think it's more than what has been said. Take a look at the two events Supercars cancelled. Both are race tracks and not street circuits.

"The two being pushed forward - Townsville and Gold Coast - are street circuits.

"I suspect Supercars see that as their future considering they have had a period of struggle for spectators."

Others were not surprised by the decision given the state of the facilty.

Chris Battersby wrote: "Queensland Raceway is one of the worst Supercars tracks."

"The venue is like a third world country," Scott Alexander said. "No wonder it's been ditched."

On a positive note Jack Conroy said its demise should be an opportunity to invest the cash into Ipswich's other major racing event, Winternationals.

But Jimmy Burke summed up the mood of many: "A mall with no shops, a town with no people and now a race track with no cars."

Originally published as Blame game begins as Supercars exit Ipswich