P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Newcastle locked in as Supercars opener
There have been doubts about the future of the event after the current contract expired this year. The local public opinion regarding the race has been divided, leading to concerns that the state and local governments may not seek a new contract. However, it has now been confirmed that a temporary deal is in place, with the NSW government committing to a one-year contract. Therefore, the Newcastle 500 will open the 2024 Supercars season before discussions continue for a new five-year contract, which is preferred by the state government. Single-year event deals are currently the norm for the government as they rebuild their funding for other major events. The future of the event is in the hands of the Newcastle City Council, who have been actively seeking the opinions of the locals.
Source: motorsport
