Race Tracks in New Zealand
New Zealand punches well above its size in motorsport, running a full ladder from national permanent circuits down to weekly club speedway. Seven purpose-built road courses anchor the scene — Hampton Downs and Highlands lead a modern wave built since 2009, while Manfeild, Ruapuna (Mike Pero Motorsport Park), Taupō, Teretonga and Timaru date to the 1960s club-circuit boom. Alongside them sits one of the world's densest speedway networks: close to thirty clay ovals run weekly summer meetings from Whangārei to Invercargill, feeding riders and drivers into stock cars, midgets, sprintcars and speedway motorcycles. Drag racing centres on Meremere north of Hamilton, with a second strip at Ruapuna. Karting clubs affiliated to Karting New Zealand run sealed circuits in every main centre, and street racing survives at Whanganui's Cemetery Circuit, the country's last true road race. Motocross gets a national home at Woodville, which has hosted the world championship. The Toyota Racing Series and New Zealand Grand Prix, run each January, are the marquee dates on the calendar.
47 venues listed across 8 categories. Venues with a full RaceTrackWorld guide are linked.
Road courses in New Zealand
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hampton Downs Motorsport Park | Hampton Downs, Waikato | 4.1 km | Purpose-built international circuit opened 2009, host of the Toyota Racing Series and part of the New Zealand Grand Prix rotation. |
| Highlands Motorsport Park | Cromwell, Otago | 4.1 km | Modern circuit-and-museum complex opened 2013, home of the Highlands 101 and a major Central Otago tourism draw. |
| Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon | Feilding, Manawatū | 3.02 km | Opened 1973, long the national motor racing headquarters and a regular Toyota Racing Series and New Zealand Grand Prix venue. |
| Mike Pero Motorsport Park | Ruapuna, Christchurch, Canterbury | 3 km | Canterbury's road-racing hub since 1963 (formerly Euromarque Motorsport Park); shares its Ruapuna site with a speedway oval and a drag strip. |
| Taupō Motorsport Park | Taupō, Waikato | 3.32 km | Also known as Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park; opened 1966, redeveloped 2000s, and a fixture of the Toyota Racing Series and New Zealand GP. |
| Teretonga Park | Invercargill, Southland | 2.15 km | New Zealand's southernmost permanent circuit, opened 1957 and historically the final round of the summer 'Tasman' series. |
| Timaru International Motor Raceway | Timaru, Canterbury | 2 km | Coastal club circuit at Levels, opened 1966, used for South Island club racing, track days and karting. |
Ovals and speedways in New Zealand
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ruapuna SpeedwaySeasonal | Christchurch, Canterbury | — | Clay oval co-located with Mike Pero Motorsport Park, running stock cars, sprintcars and midgets through summer. |
| Waikaraka Park SpeedwaySeasonal | Onehunga, Auckland | — | Auckland's speedway oval, which absorbed Western Springs' stock car and sprintcar classes after the 2024 move. |
| Baypark SpeedwaySeasonal | Mount Maunganui, Tauranga, Bay of Plenty | — | Bay of Plenty's clay oval, part of the Baypark Stadium precinct and a regular stop on the national speedway championship rotation. |
| Palmerston North SpeedwaySeasonal | Palmerston North, Manawatū | — | Robertson Holden International Speedway, a long-running North Island venue for stock cars, sprintcars and speedway sidecars. |
| Woodford Glen SpeedwaySeasonal | Christchurch, Canterbury | — | Second Christchurch-area clay oval, historically the city's main speedway before Ruapuna's growth. |
| Cromwell SpeedwaySeasonal | Cromwell, Otago | — | Central Motor Speedway, Central Otago's clay oval for stock cars and saloons. |
| Masterton MotorplexSeasonal | Masterton, Wairarapa | — | Wairarapa's speedway oval, hosting stock car and production sedan racing. |
| Huntly SpeedwaySeasonal | Huntly, Waikato | — | Huntly Placemakers Speedway, a Waikato clay oval for stock cars and midgets. |
| Kihikihi SpeedwaySeasonal | Kihikihi, Waikato | — | Waikato speedway club oval near Te Awamutu running stock car and saloon classes. |
| Stratford SpeedwaySeasonal | Stratford, Taranaki | — | Taranaki's clay oval, home ground for the region's stock car and sprintcar clubs. |
| Top of the South SpeedwaySeasonal | Nelson | — | Tahuna Beach Holiday Park speedway oval serving the Nelson region. |
| Eastern States SpeedwaySeasonal | Blenheim, Marlborough | — | Marlborough's clay oval for stock cars and speedway sidecars. |
| Sunset SpeedwaySeasonal | Westport, West Coast | — | West Coast speedway oval running a shorter summer club season. |
| Greenstone Park SpeedwaySeasonal | Greymouth, West Coast | — | Greymouth's clay oval, the West Coast's other speedway venue alongside Westport. |
| Oreti Park SpeedwaySeasonal | Invercargill, Southland | — | Southland speedway oval running stock cars and midgets in the deep south. |
| Riverside SpeedwayDormant | Invercargill, Southland | — | Second Invercargill-area oval, historically used for speedway motorcycle and stock car meetings. |
| Island Park Motor SpeedwaySeasonal | Dunedin, Otago | — | Dunedin's clay oval for stock cars, saloons and speedway sidecars. |
| Eastland Group RacewaySeasonal | Gisborne | — | Gisborne's speedway oval serving the East Coast region. |
| Meeanee SpeedwaySeasonal | Napier, Hawke's Bay | — | Hawke's Bay's clay oval for stock cars, saloons and sprintcars. |
| Paradise Valley RacewaySeasonal | Rotorua, Bay of Plenty | — | Rotorua Stockcar Club's home oval, known locally as 'The ToolShed'. |
Motorcycle speedway and short ovals in New Zealand
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moore Park Motorcycle SpeedwaySeasonal | Christchurch, Canterbury | — | Canterbury's dedicated speedway motorcycle shale track, distinct from the car ovals at Ruapuna and Woodford Glen. |
Drag strips in New Zealand
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meremere Dragway | Meremere, Waikato | 0.402 km | New Zealand's national drag strip (NAPA Auto Parts Dragway), host of the IHRA-sanctioned NZ Nationals and the National Drag Racing Championship. |
| Ruapuna Dragway | Christchurch, Canterbury | 0.402 km | Second national-standard quarter-mile strip, part of the Mike Pero Motorsport Park complex. |
Motocross and off-road in New Zealand
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodville MX Park | Woodville, Manawatū | — | New Zealand's premier motocross venue, host of round(s) of the FIM Motocross World Championship and the national MX Grand Prix. |
| Taupō Motocross Park | Taupō, Waikato | — | Dedicated motocross track alongside Taupō Motorsport Park, used for national motocross rounds. |
Karting in New Zealand
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hampton Downs Kart Track | Hampton Downs, Waikato | — | Sealed international-format kart circuit built alongside the main Hampton Downs road course. |
| KartSport Auckland (Mount Wellington) | Mount Wellington, Auckland | 1.27 km | Auckland's main club kart circuit, run by KartSport Auckland-Mt Wellington. |
| Rotorua Kart Club Circuit | Rotorua, Bay of Plenty | 1.24 km | Long-established Bay of Plenty club kart track used for national karting rounds. |
| Manawatu Kart Club Circuit | Longburn, Palmerston North, Manawatū | 0.975 km | Manawatu Toyota Raceway, the club's sealed kart circuit outside Palmerston North. |
| Hamilton Kart Club Circuit | Hamilton, Waikato | 0.865 km | Waikato's dedicated club kart circuit, used for regional and national events. |
| Marlborough Kart Club Circuit | Blenheim, Marlborough | 1 km | Top of the South's sealed karting circuit, hosting South Island karting rounds. |
Street circuits and temporary in New Zealand
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whanganui Circuit (Cemetery Circuit)Seasonal | Whanganui | 2.2 km | New Zealand's last true road race, a closed-public-road motorcycle circuit run around Boxing Day each year since 1951. |
| Paeroa Street RacesDormant | Paeroa, Waikato | — | Periodic closed-street motorcycle racing revived through the Battle of Paeroa events since the mid-2010s; not run every year. |
Closed and historic in New Zealand
| Venue | Town | Length | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pukekohe Park RacewayClosed | Pukekohe, Auckland | 2.9 km | Closed to car racing in 2023 when the site was returned to horse racing and redeveloped, ending 60 years as the North Island's leading circuit. |
| Levin Motor Racing CircuitClosed | Levin, Horowhenua | 2.4 km | Closed 1975; hosted the New Zealand Grand Prix and Tasman Series rounds through the 1950s-60s before Manfeild replaced it. |
| Western Springs SpeedwayClosed | Western Springs, Auckland | — | Closed to speedway racing in 2024 after decades as Auckland's flagship oval; its classes and the Speedway Grand Prix moved to Waikaraka Park. |
| Wigram CircuitClosed | Christchurch, Canterbury | 3 km | Former RNZAF Wigram airbase perimeter circuit, closed to motor racing in the mid-2000s when the base was decommissioned and redeveloped. |
| Ardmore CircuitClosed | Ardmore, Auckland | 3.6 km | Former RNZAF airfield perimeter road, home of the first New Zealand Grand Prix in 1954 and closed to circuit racing by the early 1960s. |
| Ohakea CircuitClosed | Ohakea, Manawatū | — | RNZAF Base Ohakea perimeter road used for occasional car racing in the 1950s before the sport shifted to purpose-built circuits. |
| Dunedin Street CircuitClosed | Dunedin, Otago | — | Historic closed-road street circuit used for club and international racing from the 1950s, revived only for occasional exhibition running since. |
Race tracks near the big cities in New Zealand
Near Auckland
- Waikaraka Park Speedway · about 25 min
- KartSport Auckland (Mount Wellington) · about 25 min
- Hampton Downs Motorsport Park · about 50 min
- Meremere Dragway · about 45 min
- Hampton Downs Kart Track · about 50 min
Near Wellington
- Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon · about 75 min
- Palmerston North Speedway · about 75 min
- Manawatu Kart Club Circuit · about 75 min
- Masterton Motorplex · about 60 min
Near Christchurch
- Mike Pero Motorsport Park · about 15 min
- Ruapuna Speedway · about 15 min
- Ruapuna Dragway · about 15 min
- Woodford Glen Speedway · about 20 min
- Moore Park Motorcycle Speedway · about 20 min
- Timaru International Motor Raceway · about 100 min
Near Hamilton
- Hampton Downs Motorsport Park · about 30 min
- Hamilton Kart Club Circuit · about 15 min
- Meremere Dragway · about 30 min
- Kihikihi Speedway · about 30 min
- Huntly Speedway · about 25 min
Near Dunedin / Queenstown
- Highlands Motorsport Park · about 55 min
- Cromwell Speedway · about 55 min
- Island Park Motor Speedway · about 10 min
- Teretonga Park · about 150 min
Major race weekends in New Zealand
| Event | Venue | When | Series |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand Grand Prix | Highlands Motorsport Park | January/February | Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Trophy |
| Highlands 101 | Highlands Motorsport Park | March | Endurance / club |
| IHRA NZ Nationals | Meremere Dragway | March | Drag racing |
| Cemetery Circuit | Whanganui Circuit (Cemetery Circuit) | December | Motorcycle road racing |
| New Zealand Speedway Grand Prix | Waikaraka Park Speedway | March/April | Speedway |
| New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix | Woodville MX Park | January | New Zealand national motocross (non-championship) |
| Highlands Festival of Speed | Highlands Motorsport Park | March | Historic / club |
Track days and driving experiences in New Zealand
Hampton Downs, Highlands and Taupō Motorsport Park all run public track days and driver-training programmes through their own booking systems, typically NZ$300-$700 depending on car class and session length. Manfeild, Ruapuna, Teretonga and Timaru host club-run track days organised by regional car clubs affiliated to MotorSport New Zealand, usually cheaper (NZ$150-$350) but requiring club membership or a day licence. Kart clubs under Karting New Zealand run practice and hire-kart sessions most weekends at their local circuits. Speedway and drag racing are spectator- and licensed-competitor-focused rather than pay-to-drive, though Meremere and Ruapuna run occasional 'run what ya brung' grudge nights open to street-legal entries.
Frequently asked questions
Does this list include horse racing tracks?+
No. This page covers only motorsport venues — circuit racing, speedway, drag racing, karting and motocross. New Zealand's many horse and harness racing tracks are a separate industry and are not listed here.
What is New Zealand's biggest motor racing circuit?+
Hampton Downs and Highlands Motorsport Park are the two purpose-built international-standard circuits, both around 4.1 km, and share hosting duties for the Toyota Racing Series and New Zealand Grand Prix with Manfeild and Taupō.
Is Pukekohe Park Raceway still used for racing?+
No. Pukekohe closed to car racing in 2023 after the land reverted to horse racing and redevelopment, ending its run as one of the North Island's most important circuits.
Where did Western Springs Speedway's events go?+
Western Springs Speedway closed to speedway racing in 2024. Its stock car, sprintcar and Speedway Grand Prix events moved to Waikaraka Park in Onehunga, Auckland.
Is there a permanent hillclimb venue in New Zealand?+
No. New Zealand's hillclimb and sprint events run on closed public roads at various locations rather than on a dedicated permanent hillclimb course.
What is New Zealand's only true road race?+
The Whanganui Cemetery Circuit, run on closed public streets each Boxing Day, is the country's last surviving true street road race and one of the oldest in the world.
How many speedway tracks does New Zealand have?+
Around two dozen clay ovals hold sanctioned speedway meetings each summer season under Speedway New Zealand, making it one of the densest speedway networks per capita anywhere.
Venue list checked against 18 sources. Last reviewed 2026-09-10.
New Zealand track guides on RaceTrackWorld
Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park
Address: 463 Broadlands Road Taupo 3378 NZ Website: https://www.brucemclarenmotorsportpark.com/ Email: [email protected] Phone Number: 07 376 5033 ...
Hampton Downs Motorsport Park
Address: Hampton Downs Rd, RD2 Te Kauwhata, Hampton Downs, Waikato 3782 New Zealand Website: https://www.hamptondowns.com/ Email: [email protected] ...
Highlands Motorsport Park
Address: Corner SH6 and Sandflat Road, Sandflat Road, Cromwell 9384, New Zealand Website: https://highlands.co.nz/ Email: [email protected] Phone Nu...
Levin Motor Racing Circuit
Hotels Near Levin Motor Racing Circuit Track History If you're a motorsports enthusiast seeking high-speed excitement and breathtaking racing challen...
Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon
Address: Manfeild Autocourse, Rata St, Feilding 4702, New Zealand Website: https://www.manfeild.co.nz/ Email: [email protected] Phone Number: +64 6-...
Mike Pero Motorsport Park
Address: Ruapuna Park, 107 Hasketts Road, Templeton, Christchurch 8042, New Zealand Website: https://www.ruapuna.co.nz/ Email: [email protected] Pho...
Pukekohe Park Raceway
Address: 222/250 Manukau Road, Pukekohe Hill 2120, New Zealand Website: http://www.pukekohepark.co.nz/ Email: [email protected] Phone Number: 09 238...
Taupo Motorsport Park
Address: PO Box 1022, Taupo 3351, New Zealand Website: https://www.brucemclarenmotorsportpark.com/ Phone Number: +64 7-376 5033 Hotels Near Taupo M...
Teretonga Park
Address: 86 Sandy Point Road, Invercargill 9879, New Zealand Website: http://www.teretonga.org.nz/ Email: [email protected] Phone Number: +64 3-213 ...
Timaru International Motor Raceway
Address: 418 Falvey Road, Washdyke, Timaru 7974, New Zealand Website: https://southcanterburycarclub.org.nz/ Email: [email protected] Phone Number: ...
Wanganui Circuit
Hotels Near Wanganui Circuit Track History Located in the city of Wanganui on the North Island of New Zealand, the Wanganui Circuit is a historic and...