ITM has been announced as the naming rights sponsor for the return of the V8 Supercars Championship to Pukekohe Park Raceway in 2013 in a new three year deal.

The national building supplies group has sponsored the V8 Supercar event in Hamilton for the past three years and will continue its involvement as backers of what will be known as the ITM400 Auckland, to be held at the revamped Pukekohe on April 12-14 next year.

“While the original promoters struggled from a business-sense, the events in Hamilton were well run, the racing was excellent and well over 100,000 fans attended each year,” said ITM CEO Gordon Buswell.

“We are excited at the plans and development for Pukekohe Park Raceway which has played such an integral part in the history of motorsport in this country.

“We are excited to get behind this event and look forward to the return to Pukekohe next year.”

V8 Supercars CEO David Malone said he was delighted with the announcement and ITM’s continued support of the New Zealand leg of the series.

“New Zealand is an important and integral part of the V8 Supercars Championship,” says Malone.

“More than 1.3 million fans have watched the New Zealand round over the last 12 years. Motorsport has a great legacy in New Zealand and there are approximately 140 Kiwis employed fulltime throughout V8 Supercars in all levels of our business.

“During the refurbishment of Pukekohe and when the event comes around in April there will be hundreds more New Zealanders contracted in various roles.

“We are excited to return to Pukekohe Park Raceway and we believe the event and the attractions of Auckland will be a magnet for those from other parts of New Zealand as well as Australian visitors.

“It’s great to have ITM come back in as our naming sponsor and put their support behind the event.”

Six-time Bathurst champion and Pukekohe V8 Supercar round winner in 2006, Mark Skaife is now chairman of the V8 Supercars Commission and is overseeing the upgrading of the circuit.

“I love Pukekohe and have been privileged to be successful here,” he says.

“I believe the changes we are making will not only make it a safer race track, but enhance it and provide more passing opportunities.

“The great thing about this place is the character of this race track. I am passionate about how fast it is, I’m passionate about leaving in the bumps, I’m passionate about the way the cars move around here.

“It is one of my favourite race tracks in the world. All we have to do is make it modern in terms of its safety, and in doing that we are going to make it more exciting.”

The ITM400 Auckland is also backed by Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED), with further sponsors to be announced in the coming weeks.

Tickets for the event are on sale for as little as NZ$25, with three-day general admission for NZ$100 and three-day grandstands from NZ$145.