Queensland Premier Anna Bligh says that the annual Gold Coast Motor Event – the Nikon SuperGP – will continue in 2010.
After a troubled build-up to the event this year, including the loss of original naming-right sponsor Nitro Enery Drinks (August) and the demise of the A1GP category just over a week ago, the premier told The Gold Coast Bulletin that the popular race weekend will continue into the future.
“There will be a race on the Gold Coast next year,” said Bligh.
“We will have a full review of this event and the build up to it and move forward from there.”
Bligh would not be drawn into the question of whether the event would be promoted by V8 Supercar Events, after V8 boss Tony Cochrane declared his hand as a possible “saviour”.
“Everything will be looked at in good time,” she said.
Cochrane told assembled press yesterday that he would like to put his stamp on the event in the future.
“Our particular research shows that 80 per cent of people who attend this race specifically come to see V8 Supercars,” Cochrane said.
“One of the problems is we don’t run the event.
“Of the 14 rounds we run six ourselves including Bathurst.
“So we’re megalomaniacs on control and we don’t have much control and that’s one part of this week that I’m struggling with to be honest.”