New motorsport event set to deliver boost to Tasmanian economy

Tassie’s newest major sporting event will bring thousands to the state next summer and inject millions of dollars into the economy, as details of the motorsport festival are revealed >>

The thundering Trans Am Series cars will race in Tasmania in 2021 at both Symmons Plains and Baskerville.

TASMANIA’S newest major sporting event will bring thousands of people to the state next summer and inject millions of dollars into the economy, say organisers of the motorsport festival.

In a boon for the state’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, the Australian Racing Group will bring four motorsport categories to Tasmania for back-to-back race weekends in January _ Symmons Plains near Launceston on January 24-26 and Baskerville Raceway near Hobart on January 30-31.

ARG boss Matt Braid said the TCR Australia Series, S5000 Championship, Touring Car Masters and Trans Am series would be great for the state.

TCR Australia touring cars and V8-powered S5000 single seat racers will roar into Tasmania in January next year

The event, along with the return of the V8 supercars in November, and the 76th Sydney to Hobart yacht race between Christmas and New Year, will produce much-needed stimulus to the economy.

“We will have up to 700 people who are participating in, or running the championship, come into Tasmania for almost two weeks,” Braid said.

“On top of that, thousands of people will come to Tasmania to watch the racing, and in between they have a look around at your beautiful state.

“Because we haven’t run this motorsport festival here before, we are not sure how much money it will bring into the state, but it would be in the millions.”

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Braid said it would rival the supercars event _ Tasmania’s biggest sporting event, drawing crowds of more than 50,000 each year.

“This motorsport festival will be sensational,” he said.

“Supercars are the biggest sporting event in Tasmania, but with these two events going back-to-back, plus tapping into Hobart with a major motorsport event for the first time in a long time, it could become the state’s biggest sporting event and we would love it to be.

“There has not been a high-profile event at Baskerville for many years so this is a great opportunity.”

A pack of S5000 cars.

The short nature of the Baskerville circuit _ Australia’s oldest continually run motor racing circuit _ would be a drawcard in itself.

“The track has a natural amphitheatre and from a crowd perspective it is going to be absolutely amazing,” he said.

“Over two weekends it could become the biggest sporting event in the state.”

The festival has the backing of Motorsport Tasmania and the State Government.