Highlands Motorsport Park

Highlands Motorsport Park
Location Cromwell, Otago
Coordinates 45°03′33″S 169°10′13″E / 45.0591°S 169.1703°E / -45.0591; 169.1703Coordinates: 45°03′33″S 169°10′13″E / 45.0591°S 169.1703°E / -45.0591; 169.1703
Opened 30 March 2013
Major events Highlands 101
Toyota Racing Series
V8SuperTourer
Current Circuit
Length 4.100 km
Race lap record 1:30.517 (Andrew Tang, Neale Motorsport (Tatuus TT104ZZ-Toyota), 2014, Toyota Racing Series)
Website www.highlands.co.nz

The Highlands Motorsport Park is a motor racing circuit and premiere tourist destination in Cromwell, Otago, New Zealand. Opened in March 2013,[1] the facility features a 4.1-kilometre circuit, designed by drawing inspiration from some of the world's most famous race tracks. The circuit is open seven days a week, and is a 45-minute drive from Queenstown.

The circuit

The circuit can be experienced a number of ways via Highlands Action Experiences. These include hot laps in a Porsche Cayenne Turbo or McLaren 650S, and self-drive experiences in a Ford Mustang race car or a Radical SR3.

An aerial view of Highlands Motorsport Park, showing the 4.1km circuit, go kart track, Motorsport Museum and restaurant.

As well as on track experiences, Highlands Motorsport Park offers experiences off the circuit, including a popular outdoor go kart track, off road buggy adventure, Jurassic safari, sculpture park and the award-winning 'The Nose' restaurant. It is also the home of the New Zealand's National Motorsport Museum, and displays a wide range of machinery, including ex-F1 cars, famous racers from New Zealand's storied motorsport past.

In early 2016, Highlands acquired the only Aston Martin Vulcan in the Southern Hemisphere, and one of only 24 worldwide. With its 4.2 million dollar price tag, the Vulcan is the most expensive production vehicle in New Zealand. The 820 hp hypercar was unveiled as part of Highlands' third birthday celebrations, and money generated from the limited passenger rides offered during that event was donated to five separate charities. The Aston Martin Vulcan is currently on display at the National Motorsport Museum at Highlands Motorsport Park. 2016 also saw the introduction of the Highlands Festival of Speed, held annually in mid-January.

Highlands 101

The Highlands 101 is an endurance race held annually at the Highlands Motorsport Park. In conjunction with the final round of the Australian GT Championship, the endurance event serves as one of the few international motorsport events of the year for New Zealand.

Past Winners

Year Drivers Entrant Car Report
2013 United Kingdom Tony Quinn
New Zealand Fabian Coulthard
VIP Holdings Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Report
2014 United Kingdom Tony Quinn
Australia Garth Tander
VIP Holdings Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Report
2015 Australia Klark Quinn
New Zealand Shane Van Gisbergen
VIP Holdings McLaren 650S GT3 Report
2016 New Zealand Craig Baird
Australia Michael Almond
Scott Taylor Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 Report

References

  1. "'World-class' motorsport park opens in Cromwell". Otago Daily Times. 30 March 2013.


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