The first glimpse of the 2022 Repco Supercars Championship calendar has been confirmed with the streets of Newcastle to host the first round of the season on 4-6 March.
 
It’s been a long time since the picturesque coastal New South Wales town has featured, with the 2019 season finale its last appearance on the bill.
 
Having become a popular destination in recent years, Supercars CEO Sean Seamer was pleased to have the Newcastle 500 as the first event of the 2022 calendar locked in.
 
“We’re thrilled to have locked in our 2022 Championship opener as a return to the stunning Newcastle Street Circuit,” Seamer said.
 
“The spectacular shots of Supercars racing on the CBD street circuit have become images that are embedded into the minds of tens of millions of motor racing fans around the world.
 
“Newcastle has established itself as one of the most popular stops on the Supercars calendar with both fans and drivers and we look forward to seeing as many familiar faces as possible trackside in March.”
 
City of Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes was also excited for the championship to return to the city.
 
“Newcastle and the Hunter enjoy a huge racing supporter base and I’m confident they will love the promotion to the season opener and will continue to pour into the city for the three days in massive numbers,” Nelmes said.
 
“This is a welcome announcement for our residents and businesses which confirms that the Christmas and January holidays will be unaffected by work on the circuit.
 
“This timing ensures residents will have no issue accessing our pristine beaches and parks throughout November, December and all of January.
 
“Businesses can now prepare for the busy period of trading over the summer holidays through to February, with another boost in the first week of March when more than 150,000 racing fans flood the east end and Foreshore.”
 
Ticketing, broadcast details, support categories and entertainment for the Newcastle 500 will be announced in the coming months, while the rest of the 2022 calendar will also be confirmed soon.
 
The 2021 Repco Supercars Championship has five rounds remaining with the next race at Sydney Motorsport Park on 30-31 October.