Tailem Bend snubbed by Supercars ahead of 2022 championship
The Bend Motorsport Park is not one of the 13 venues scheduled to host races next season.
Tailem Bend is unlikely to host a Supercars race next year after being snubbed by the organisers of Australia's premier motor sport competition.
The 2022 Supercars Championship will feature 13 rounds of racing, including a return to Auckland, Benalla, the Gold Coast, Newcastle and Perth after a two-year break.
The Bend Motorsport Park was left off the schedule, announced on Sunday.
A venue has not yet been chosen for one round of the championship, on July 30 and 31.
However, the Australian International Pedal Prix is currently booked in to race at the Bend on those dates.
A spokesman for the Bend Motorsport Park declined to comment.
State Labor’s treasury spokesman, Stephen Mullighan, said it was the first time in 52 years that South Australia was poised to miss out on hosting a round of the national touring car championship.
“Sadly, the victims are local businesses and workers who relied on the economic activity from the Adelaide 500 and the Bend,” he said.
“(The state government) have now lost the Adelaide 500 and the Bend but have been offered nothing to replace it.
“This is on top of the pain (businesses and workers) are suffering due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The Bend has hosted five Supercars rounds over the past four years, including two in 2020 as travel restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic wrought havoc with the series’ schedule.
Races were held in August in 2018 and 2019, in September in 2020, and May this year.
- More information: www.supercars.com.
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