Winton still working on Supercars deal

The Herald Sun reported yesterday that the rural Victorian circuit is at risk of being left out of the series from next season onwards, with government assistance required to stump up the Supercars appearance fee.

The Benalla Auto Club, which runs both the circuit and promotes the Supercars race meeting, has today released its own statement on the matter, confirming that discussions are ongoing, but that there is confidence that a new arrangement will be met.

“We’re still in the process of negotiating a mutually beneficial arrangement between the Victorian Government, Supercars and the Benalla Auto Club, but I’m confident we can reach an agreement which will allow all parties to meet their objectives,” said BAC CEO Chris Lewis-Williams.

“The Winton Supercars event is very important for regional Victoria and our analysis of the economic benefits to the Hume region – conducted by Urban Enterprise – has demonstrated the event brings $8.8 million into the economy.

“For many years the BAC has borne the financial and logistical responsibilities of hosting the event, with the benefits enjoyed by a wide range of businesses and individuals throughout the region.

“We have asked for support from Visit Victoria, as we believe we should be able to share in some of the commercial benefits from hosting this sort of event as well.

“We will continue working hard over the coming days and look forward to finding a satisfactory arrangement for future years.”

There has already been a $3.5 million spend on the venue this year, with a full track resurface and a number of safety upgrades. A million dollars of that money came from the Victorian government.