Seeing your favorite raceway covered in weeds is probably not a pleasant sight. Remembering the high-octane beating and banging, kissing the trophies on Victory Lane, and listening to the loud roars of fans cheering – these memories offer an emotional tug at your heart. That is what Shane van Gisbergen felt when he visited a hometown track recently, which holds some dear Supercars memories for him.

Although a fast-growing NASCAR speedster at present, Shane van Gisbergen took time during the off-season to visit Auckland, New Zealand. The former Bathurst 1000 champion engaged in dirt racing events to sharpen his prowess for the incoming Cup Series career. Amidst his preparation, a slice from his sweet past left him feeling emotional.

Shane van Gisbergen looks back longingly

Pukekohe Park Raceway is a 2.91-km or 1.8-mile circuit, located approximately 40km south of the Auckland Central Business District. Inaugurated in 1963, the racetrack has witnessed several legends – Stirling Moss, Graham Hill, Jim Clark, and Jackie Stewart all raced at the venue. Besides hosting series like the New Zealand Grand Prix and the Australian Touring Car Championship, the venue also hosted Supercars – it debuted at the track in 2001. There was a short break when the New Zealand event moved to the Hamilton Street Circuit in 2008 and remained there until 2012, after which Supercars returned to Pukekohe with a series of upgrades. Along with other stars like Greg Murphy and Jason Bright, Shane van Gisbergen holds multiple trophies at the track – 5.

Now, however, Pukekohe does not host events anymore. The ITM Auckland SuperSprint in 2022 was the last. The owner of the grounds Auckland Thoroughbred Racing (ATR) announced that it would cease hosting motorsport events on 3 April 2023, citing a desire to focus on its horse racing events and club facilities.

During his home tour, Shane van Gisbergen could not help but visit his winning ground. The emotions came out accordingly, as he posted a video of the venue on X. On a cloudy, rainy day, the drenched fan stands could be seen overcome by vegetation and weeds. The racetrack itself is completely deserted, with not a single soul in sight. SVG penned down his thoughts: “Sad to see this place like this. So many good memories here.”

Indeed, Shane van Gisbergen has had his fair share of victories and memorable moments at Pukekohe. In 2014, he won the Fuchs 500, clinching the third race of the weekend by driving one lap down. His victory donut went awry, as he lost control of his V8 Supercar for a bit. Then he protected his 148-point Supercars lead in 2016, in a fierce battle with Jamie Whincup, a 6-time Pukekohe winner. Whincup made three strong efforts in the opening laps to overtake van Gisbergen. Whincup’s challenge was effectively over on lap 18 when he missed his apex at turn five.

Besides these precious memories, the most cherishable one for SVG was in 2022.

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Delivering an emotional victory

As a consistent winner at Pukekohe, Shane van Gisbergen was proud of the track’s heritage. And that pride shone especially brightly during Supercars’ final race at the venue in 2022. On lap 25, SVG emerged as a solid contender to Cam Waters. The duo staged a thrilling battle for the lead as SVG consistently tried to pass Waters at the hairpin, and the latter defended rigidly. The battle turned physical on Lap 35 when SVG got into the back right rear quarter of Waters. Three laps later, SVG finally passed Waters successfully, sliding up the inside of Waters at Turn 11 to seal the Jason Richards Trophy.

This marked a fitting end to the Pukekohe era in Supercars. When Shane van Gisbergen was booked for a permanent NASCAR seat in December 2023, he recollected his mixed memories in Supercars. And as expected, he earmarked the Pukekohe victory as the most significant. “I don’t have any regrets really, other than lots of little racing mistakes, or errors on track, but nothing big, it’s all part of it. If I had to pick one big great moment, though, it would have to be Pukekohe last year and winning that last race ever there and seeing all the fans and having my family there. That’s a moment I’ll never forget, that was special.”

Evidently, Pukekohe remains a big part of Shane van Gisbergen’s Supercars memory. The Kiwi driver is now making great strides in another part of the world based on his home ground’s winning memories.