The Supercars Championship returns to New Zealand this week for the ITM Taupō Super 440. This weekend marks the start of the championship's first ever double header in New Zealand, kicking off at Taupō International Motorsport Park before heading to an inaugural event in Christchurch.
Auckland driver Matt Payne is expected to be a major contender across the April 10 to 12 weekend. The 23-year-old emerged as a star of the sport in 2025, securing victories in two of the three Taupō races and claiming his maiden Bathurst 1000 win six months later. Payne will also be defending the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy, which he won in 2025. He is only the third Kiwi to earn the honour, joining Shane van Gisbergen and Scott McLaughlin. The trophy, named for the beloved Kiwi driver who succumbed to cancer in 2011, will be awarded to the driver who accumulates the most points across both the Taupō and Christchurch events.
Pre-event festivities begin on Thursday with the free Track to Town event, where the entire 24-car field will drive from the track into the Taupō CBD. Fans can meet the drivers from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. NZST.
On-track action starts Friday with practice sessions. Saturday features two 120-kilometre races, followed by a single 200-kilometre race on Sunday. The ITM Taupō Super 440 will be broadcast live on Kayo and Foxtel in Australia, and Sky Sport in New Zealand. Tickets and corporate hospitality options are available through Supercars.com and Ticketek
Get ready as Supercars touch down in New Zealand
