Hamilton Street Circuit
{{Short description|Street circuit in Hamilton, New Zealand}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=April 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Infobox motorsport venue
| Name = Hamilton Street Circuit
| Location = Hamilton, New Zealand
| Coordinates = {{coord|37|47|8|S|175|16|5|E|display=inline,title}}
| Time = UTC+12:00
| Image = Image:Hamilton Street Circuit track map (New Zealand).svg
| Events = V8 Supercars Hamilton 400 (2008–2012)
Toyota Racing Series (2008–2009)
| Opened = {{Start date and age|df=yes|2008|04|18}}
| Closed = {{Start date and age|df=yes|2012|04|22}}
| Layout1 = Street Circuit (2008–2012)
| Length_km = 3.310
| Length_mi = 2.057
| Turns = 9
| Record_time = 1:22.8736
| Record_driver = {{flagicon|AUS}} Mark Winterbottom
| Record_car = Ford Falcon (FG)
| Record_year = 2012
| Record_class = V8 Supercars
|}}
The Hamilton Street Circuit was a temporary street circuit in Hamilton, New Zealand. From 2008 to 2012 it hosted the Hamilton 400 as part of the V8 Supercars championship.
From 2010 to 2012, ITM, New Zealand's largest group of independent trade building supplies, sponsored the race and it became known as the ITM 400.{{cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/motoring/news/article.cfm?c_id=9&objectid=10605502|title= Motorsport: ITM deal boosts Hamilton 400 |publisher=nzherald.co.nz|date=28 October 2009|access-date=29 October 2009|first=Eric|last=Thompson}}
Demise
Some residents of the city wanted the V8s gone, as they took over city streets and blocked residents from entering and exiting their own homes.{{cite news| url= http://www.3news.co.nz/Hamilton-resident-seeks-to-stop-V8s-race/tabid/415/articleID/249832/Default.aspx| archive-url= https://archive.today/20130413234142/http://www.3news.co.nz/Hamilton-resident-seeks-to-stop-V8s-race/tabid/415/articleID/249832/Default.aspx| url-status= dead| archive-date= 13 April 2013| work= 3 News NZ| title= Hamilton resident seeks to stop V8s| date= 10 April 2012}}
On 14 December 2010, The New Zealand Herald reported that Julie Hardaker, the newly elected Mayor of Hamilton, and some councilors appointed an independent auditor to audit the cost of the race. The figures released on 14 December suggested that a NZ$3.5m cost to change the event to a different promoter (the original promoter, Caleta Streetrace Management, was collapsed in 2010), NZ$5.1m for operational costs and NZ$20.3m for set-up costs. The sum (NZ$27.4 million) did not include "commercially confidential" amounts such as event sponsorship payments.{{cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/motorsport/news/article.cfm?c_id=66&objectid=10694295|title= Motorsport: Mayor "horrified" by cost of Hamilton V8s |publisher=nzherald.co.nz|date=14 December 2010|access-date=19 December 2010}}
The cost to run the V8 Supercar event was eventually deemed too great{{cite news| url= http://www.3news.co.nz/Pukekohe-V8s-to-feature-four-races/tabid/415/articleID/291811/Default.aspx| work= 3 News NZ| title= Pukekohe V8s to feature four races| date= 26 March 2013| access-date= 25 March 2013| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140324050519/http://www.3news.co.nz/Pukekohe-V8s-to-feature-four-races/tabid/415/articleID/291811/Default.aspx| archive-date= 24 March 2014| url-status= dead| df= dmy-all}} and the final V8 Supercar race was held on 22 April 2012; it was won by Mark Winterbottom.{{cite news| url= http://www.3news.co.nz/VIDEO-Mark-Winterbottom-wins-thrilling-final-race-at-Hamilton-ITM-400/tabid/415/articleID/251372/Default.aspx| work= 3 News NZ| title= Mark Winterbottom wins thrilling final race at Hamilton ITM 400| date= 22 April 2012| access-date= 25 March 2013| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120530135518/http://www.3news.co.nz/VIDEO-Mark-Winterbottom-wins-thrilling-final-race-at-Hamilton-ITM-400/tabid/415/articleID/251372/Default.aspx| archive-date= 30 May 2012| url-status= dead| df= dmy-all}}
The circuit
Hamilton Street Circuit was {{cvt|3.310|km|mi|abbr=on}} long circuit ran in a clockwise direction around the Frankton business district with the pit lane and main straight located on Mill Street. The circuit also went alongside the Seddon Park and the Waikato Stadium.{{cite news|url=http://hamilton.v8supercars.com.au/Circuit/tabid/695/Default.aspx|title=ITM Hamilton 400, New Zealand|publisher=v8supercars.com.au|date=n.d.|access-date=22 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100220021740/http://hamilton.v8supercars.com.au/Circuit/tabid/695/Default.aspx|archive-date=20 February 2010|url-status=dead}} It was generally a narrow race track with armco and concrete lined sides but it could be fast{{cite news|url=http://www.toyotaracing.co.nz/default.aspx?pageid=615&yearflag=2009|title=On track for competitive driving|publisher=toyotaracing.co.nz|date=n.d.|access-date=10 November 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014072855/http://www.toyotaracing.co.nz/default.aspx?pageid=615|archive-date=14 October 2008|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} and flowing.{{cite news|url=http://hamilton.v8supercars.com.au/Circuit/tabid/695/Default.aspx|title=ITM Hamilton 400, New Zealand|publisher=v8supercars.com.au|date=n.d.|access-date=22 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100220021740/http://hamilton.v8supercars.com.au/Circuit/tabid/695/Default.aspx|archive-date=20 February 2010|url-status=dead}} There were plenty of passing opportunities and those who quickly dial into the contained style of street racing had the most success. The circuit was not very forgiving if the driver got off the racing line because it was surrounded by the aforementioned fences and concrete barriers.{{cite news|url=http://www.drivesouth.co.nz/news/5607/new-hamilton-street-circuit-will-be-quick-southern-drivers-say|title=New Hamilton street circuit will be quick, southern drivers say|publisher=drivesouth.co.nz|date=18 April 2008|access-date=30 October 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718214732/http://www.drivesouth.co.nz/news/5607/new-hamilton-street-circuit-will-be-quick-southern-drivers-say|archive-date=18 July 2011|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}
Lap records
The official race lap records at Hamilton Street Circuit are listed as:{{cite web |url=http://www.natsoft.com.au/results/ |title=Natsoft ® - IT Specialists! |access-date=24 October 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120717081807/http://www.natsoft.com.au/results/ |archive-date=17 July 2012}}
| class="wikitable" |
| Class
! Driver ! Vehicle ! Time ! Event |
|---|
| colspan=5 | Street Circuit: 3.310 km (2008–2012) |
| V8 Supercars
| {{flagicon|AUS}} Mark Winterbottom | 1:22.8736 |
| Toyota Racing Series
| {{flagicon|NZL}} Richie Stanaway | 1:23.0622 |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080117090032/http://www.v8supercar.co.nz/ Official Website of V8 race]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20120420135947/http://hamilton.v8supercars.com.au/circuit/tabid/695/default.aspx V8 Supercar's info of Hamilton Street Circuit]
- [https://archive.today/20130222223821/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/event/story.cfm?c_id=1501813&objectid=10505218 Holden gets Hamilton 400 hat-trick]
{{V8 Supercar tracks}}
{{Toyota Racing Series tracks}}
Category:Motorsport venues in New Zealand