Speedway News: The last nail in the coffin of the world famous speedway

The famous flat quarter-mile track has hosted a race track every year for the better part of a century, but has been facing closure for more than a decade.

In June, Auckland Council’s economic development agency Tātaki Auckland Unlimited (formerly ATEED) issued a tender including registration of interests for a single agency for performing arts, commercial sport, leisure services, land, buildings, facilities and roads. The tender ended in July.

The tender sought “expressions of interest from organizations and potential capital partners outlining their ideas for how Western Springs Stadium can best contribute to Auckland’s future sport, entertainment and festival needs.”

Western Springs is a multi-use facility whose primary users include concerts and football games in addition to speedway racing. The speedway season is limited to November to March, with the 2024/25 calendar featuring 10 events pending approval. Currently, the contract to continue racing at Western Springs Speedway expires at the end of 2025.

Several fields were prepared for the Western Springs redevelopment, and the latest venture turned the site into the home stadium of the A League’s newest club, Oakland FC.

The likelihood that Oakland will be able to redevelop Western Springs is virtually unlimited by financial obstacles: Club founder Bill Foley is reportedly worth $2.1 billion. The move must be ratified by Auckland Council.

Western Springs Speedway has come close to closing on several occasions and even announced more than five years ago that it would move its racing to a new facility at Colin Dale Park near Auckland Airport. However, this ultimately did not happen.

Auckland Council will meet at Auckland Town Hall on Thursday. Among the issues to be discussed is the “devolution of the budget for highway consolidation at Waikaraka Park”.

At a meeting on Thursday, Auckland council will consider transferring $11 million in long-term capital funding to the local council “to deliver part of the Waikaraka Park masterplan, particularly the critical works needed to develop facilities and amenities for the highway consolidation”. “

This could be the final nail in the coffin for Western Springs Speedway, as the current promoter says it will not seek a lease renewal if the financing is approved.

If the funding is approved, Western Springs Speedway racing will cease and move to Waikaraka Park in time for the 2025/26 season.

A letter of support from Maungakieke-Tāmaki Local Council addressed to Tātaki Auckland Unlimited dated 15 August supports the development of Waikaraka Park as “Auckland’s premier motorsport venue” to stabilize the future of the Auckland Stock Car and Saloon Car Club (ASSCC).

As its name suggests, the ASSCC is responsible for stock car and sedan racing. Waikaraka Park was home to Auckland tin roof racing and Western Springs was home to open wheel racing.

While the letter does not directly mention open wheel racing or Western Springs Speedway, it does mention “consolidating speedway operations in Oakland.”

Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell made big moves at Western Springs Raceway in Auckland, New Zealand. pic.twitter.com/5pjOBiQpub

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) December 28, 2019

Maungakikeke-Tāmaki Local Council is asking Tātaki Auckland Unlimited Limited to help fund the “critical works” needed at Waikaraka Park under the reserve’s management plan and master plan.

Maungakieke-Tamaki Local Council said essential work at the site needed to be completed in time for the 2025/26 circuit season.

In 2023, Tātaki Auckland Unlimited carried out its own analysis of the Auckland Speedway location, which identified 13 options. These options were narrowed down to eight realistic possibilities.

Option 4A was ultimately deemed the best option, which aims to combine speedway racing at two existing venues.

Option 4A would involve “relocating Western Springs operations and consolidation to Waikaraka Park” and investing in upgrading facilities at Waikaraka Park. Rosebank Speedway will be retained with minor improvements.

Option 4A is estimated to cost $36.76 million, with almost all of the funding going to Waikaraka Park. The track will be upgraded to a capacity of 5,787 spectators (3,769 seated, 1,724 on terraces, 294 corporate).

“The logic of consolidation at Waikaraka Park using existing ownership, favorable planning regulations and existing facilities (albeit basic) makes Option 4A the preferred option for the existing Western Springs and Waikaraka Park classes,” the “preferred path forward” findings said.

“Achieving this goal requires consolidation on a phased basis, consistent with the receipt of support for appropriate funding.

“Both Options 4A and 4B are supported by key speedway stakeholders on the understanding that a coherent funding strategy is required to achieve all desired objectives, with the Wow Local Board making a decision on Rosebank Road.

“Phase 1 of Option 4A, which allows for the development of key basic infrastructure (pit area, racecourse and stage 1 spectator facilities – estimated at $18.3 million), will need to be carried out in stages, with funding secured from a range of sources once established.

“Once key basic infrastructure is in place, ASSCC and Western Springs classes will be able to merge. Speedway stakeholders will subsequently need to find additional funding to develop the remaining spectator, corporate club and driver facilities ($16.99 million) to be able to increase patronage and attract commercial partners to improve the economic sustainability of the development.”

Letters of support for moving racing activities from Western Springs to Waikaraka Park have come from Speedway New Zealand general manager Aaron Kirby, Auckland TQ Midget Association president Michael Brough and New Zealand speedway commentator Graham Standring.

Custodians of Waikaraka Park and the Auckland Stock Car and Saloon Club have also supported open wheel racing at the site.

Perhaps the most important voice for change came from Bruce Robertson, race promoter at Western Springs Speedway.

The letter read in part: “Palmerston North Speedway Ltd., as the promoter of Western Springs Speedway, will support the consolidation of four-wheel speedway classes at Waikaraka Speedway from October 2025, provided that agreed critical upgrades are undertaken prior to consolidation with further upgrades.” will be held next off-season.

Palmerston North Speedway Ltd. will promote open wheel racing at the revamped Waikaraka Park Speedway. Once the above works are undertaken and completed on the above basis, Palmerston North Speedway Limited will not seek a further extension of the existing lease agreement for the Western Springs facility.”

Although several well-known speedway figures supported the move to Waikaraka Park, there was some unease within the New Zealand speedway community given the historical significance of the Western Springs Raceway.