The Pukekohe 500 was an endurance motor racing event first held in 1963 at Pukekohe Park Raceway, Pukekohe, New Zealand.
History The Pukekohe 500 had its origins in the Wills Six-Hour race that was first held in 1963 as a production car race, soon after the circuit opened. From 1967, the event mandated that New Zealand-built production cars can only be entered into the race. Through the first decades of the race, the event became recognised as the second most significant race on the New Zealand motorsport calendar behind the New Zealand Grand Prix. In the early 1980s, a three race endurance series was held with races also at Bay Park Raceway and Manfeild.
In the mid-1980s, the race rose to international prominence when it adopted Group A touring car regulations and was linked with the Wellington 500 street race. The two races attracted Group A racing teams from Australia, Europe and Asia though until the end of the Group A era in the early 1990s. The 1988 round was part of the Asia-Pacific Touring Car Championship with Wellington, the Bathurst 1000 in Australia and the Fuji 500. The 1993 and 1994 events were held to Super Touring regulations before dropping off the calendar altogether with the demise of the Wellington 500.
From 2001, the predominant touring car event at Pukekohe was superseded by the Auckland SuperSprint, a round of the Australian Supercars Championship series held at the circuit. However, the Pukekohe 500 name was revived in 2012 as a V8SuperTourer endurance event, albeit held over three races. The meeting proved popular with large crowds attending. Greg Murphy rekindled his success from the V8 Supercars era at Pukekohe by winning two of the three races. The V8SuperTourer series folded in 2015 and with it the running of the Pukekohe 500.
The event was revived in 2019 as a production event. In 2020, Mark Leonard and Peter Sprague, descendants of Leo Leonard and Ernie and Gary Sprague who won the race a combined 14 times, entered the race. After the 2021 race was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was held for a final time in 2022 prior to the circuit's closure in 2023.
Winners
YearDriver/sCarTeamReportSix hours1963 Ray Archibald Tony Shelly Jaguar Mark 21964 Jim Palmer Paul Fahey Lotus Cortina1965 John Ward Rod Coppins Jaguar Mark 21966 Ray Archibald Tony Shelly Jaguar Mark 21967 Ernie Sprague Gary Sprague Ford Zodiac500 miles1968 Leo Leonard Brent Hawes Vauxhall Victor1969 Leo Leonard Ernie Sprague Vauxhall Victor1970 Leo Leonard Ernie Sprague Chrysler Valiant1971 Leo Leonard Graeme Richardt Chrysler Valiant1972 Jim Richards Rod Coppins Chrysler Valiant Charger1973 Jim Richards Rod Coppins Chrysler Valiant Charger1974 Wayne Wilkinson Brian Innes Chrysler Valiant Charger1000 kilometres1975 Leo Leonard Gary Sprague Chrysler Valiant Charger1976 Jim Little Graeme Richardt Chrysler Valiant Charger1977 Leo Leonard Ernie Sprague Chrysler Valiant Charger1978 Wayne Wilkinson Roy Harrington Chrysler Valiant Charger1979 Rod Coppins Jerry Clayton Volkswagen Golf Mk11980 Rod Coppins Jerry Clayton Holden VB Commodore250 miles1981 Leo Leonard Gary Sprague Ford Fairmont1982 Wayne Wilkinson Neville Crichton Holden VH Commodore1983 Denny Hulme Ray Smith Holden VH Commodore1984 Kent Baigent Neal Lowe BMW 635 CSi H. Kent Baigent 1985 Neville Crichton Wayne Wilkinson BMW 635 CSi John Andrew Motorsport Report 1986 John Harvey Neal Lowe Holden VK Commodore SS Group A Holden Dealer Team 1987 Larry Perkins Denny Hulme Holden VK Commodore SS Group A Perkins Engineering Gianfranco Brancatelli Allan Grice BMW M3 Mark Petch Motorsport 1988 Andrew Miedecke Steve Soper Ford Sierra RS500 Miedecke Motorsport 1989 Dick Johnson John Bowe Ford Sierra RS500 Dick Johnson Racing 1990 Peter Brock Andrew Miedecke Ford Sierra RS500 Mobil 1 Racing 1991 Jim Richards Mark Skaife Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R Gibson Motorsport 1992 Emanuele Pirro Joachim Winkelhock BMW M3 Evolution Schnitzer Motorsport 1993 Paul Radisich Glenn Seton Ford Mondeo Si Rousesport 1994 Julian Bailey Toyota Corona Toyota New Zealand 1995–2011 colspan="4" 2012 Greg Murphy Jack Perkins Holden VE Commodore M3 Racing 2013 Scott McLaughlin James Moffat Holden VE Commodore Scott McLaughlin Racing 2014 Simon Evans Shane van Gisbergen Holden VE Commodore Team 4 2015–2018 colspan="4" 500 kilometres 2019 Alastair Wootten Greg Goudie Toyota MR2500 miles 2020 Karl Gaines Karl Weber Lance Gerlach Honda Integra 2021 colspan="4" 500 kilometres 2022 RC Racing
Notes – Two separate events were held in 1987.
Multiple winners By driver Wins Driver Years 7 Leo Leonard 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1975, 1977, 1981 5 Rod Coppins 1965, 1972, 1973, 1979, 1980 4 Wayne Wilkinson 1974, 1978, 1982, 1985 Ernie Sprague 1967, 1969, 1970, 1977 3 Jim Richards 1972, 1973, 1991 Gary Sprague 1967, 1975, 1981 2 Ray Archibald 1963, 1966 Tony Shelley 1963, 1966 Graeme Richardt 1971, 1976 Jerry Clayton 1979, 1980 Neal Lowe 1984, 1986 Neville Crichton 1982, 1985 Denny Hulme 1983, 1987 Andrew Miedecke 1988, 1990
By manufacturer Wins Manufacturer 9 Chrysler 8 Holden 6 Ford 4 BMW 3 Jaguar 2 Vauxhall Toyota
Event sponsors 1963–67: Wills 1968–84, 1987: Benson & Hedges 1988: ProMo 1989–93: Nissan-Mobil 2012: Woodstock 2013: Mike Pero 2014: Fuchs
See also Wellington 500 Auckland SuperSprint
References