![\"Murphy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/019-Payne-EV03-26-MH6_8581.jpg\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCrowds flocked to Ruapuna. Image: Supplied <\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCrowds flocked to Ruapuna. Image: Supplied <\/p>\n
The Australian championship embarked on a long-awaited maiden NZ double-header earlier this month, venturing to the South Island for the first time.<\/p>\n
Although the Ruapuna Raceway facility is in need of upgrades, the fans voted with their feet as a claimed 65,806 packed the venue across the three days.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt rolled out as I expected it would,\u201d Murphy told Speedcafe of the inaugural Christchurch Super440.<\/p>\n
\u201cSupercars, [events manager] Phil Shaw, his team and everyone else that played a part to build and prepare the place for the event need to be congratulated.<\/p>\n
\u201cTheir canvas was not great and they created a spectacle that they should be really proud of.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was no question about the amount of people that were going to be there, that\u2019s not a surprise to me at all.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s just so many fans in this country and so many in the South Island. It was a huge success and it will continue to be.\u201d<\/p>\n
Murphy added the temporary additions to the carport structure that teams worked from is \u201cnot something that can be used again\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis place deserves better and there\u2019s people that want to make that happen, so that\u2019s fantastic,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Ruapuna\u2019s owner, the Canterbury Car Club, and the Christchurch City Council hope to have a pit building constructed by 2027<\/a>.<\/p>\n Supercars signed a three-year deal to race at the venue, announced alongside a three-year extension of its contract to return to Taupo.<\/p>\n The Supercars field battles it out at Taupo. Image: InSyde Media<\/p>\n A slide in attendance since the first Taupo event in 2024 has led to suggestions Supercars should move its North Island event to Hampton Downs, or alternate between the two.<\/p>\n Both tracks are owned by Tony Quinn.<\/p>\n Supercars landed on Taupo as a belated replacement for the fallen Pukekohe due to the NZ government\u2019s desire to drive tourism to the town.<\/p>\n \u201cI think Hampton Downs can be on the radar. That deserves a Supercar race,\u201d said Murphy.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone would love to see Supercars there, but I think Taupo has still got life.<\/p>\n \u201cBeing that the first one in Christchurch is now done, I actually really feel that people will look at what happened in Taupo with how exciting the racing was and go, we\u2019ve got two great events, with two very different venues.<\/p>\n \u201cI think we\u2019ll see support come back there. We always see a first year big hit [with a new event], then we always see it settle.<\/p>\n \u201cI think people will be more keen to be at both events moving forward, try to do two, because it really is like a festival.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re very lucky. I mean, I think the racing in Taupo is just unreal, very different because we\u2019ve got tyre deg there and great combinations of corners.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Supercars-Taupo-Saturday-308.jpg\")
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