Teretonga Park

About this place

Teretonga Park is a permanent motor racing circuit at 86 Sandy Point Road, Otatara, roughly 8km west of Invercargill via Dunns Highway and Sandy Point Road. It is owned and run by the Southland Sports Car Club Inc, which describes it as the world's most southerly FIA-approved motor racing circuit.

### The circuit

The track is 2.62km long, sealed in bitumen, and raced in an anti-clockwise direction. It is licensed to FIA Grade 3 and National Grade 1, with a maximum field of 42 saloons and enclosed sports racing cars, or 34 single-seater and open-wheel cars. A noise limit of 95dBA applies.

Teretonga was built in 1957 at Sandy Point — the second purpose-built motor racing track in New Zealand — and extended to its current configuration in 1966. The Southland Sports Car Club itself dates from 1948 and entered international motor racing in 1956 with a road-circuit race at Ryal Bush. The New Zealand Grand Prix was first held at Teretonga in January 2001. A display of motorsport memorabilia is held in the clubrooms.

### Hire and event use

The club hires out both the track and the wider facilities; administration and circuit hire enquiries are handled from the on-site office, Monday to Friday. Beyond the club's own race meetings, sprints and motorkhanas, the venue is regularly used by other organisations. Recent and scheduled bookings listed by the club include motorcycle events, drift practice and track-hire days, the Burt Munro Challenge, cycling (the Yunca Junior Tour), triathlon and duathlon events, and Southland Harriers road championships — which gives a sense of how flexible the site is for large group activity and closed-road-style formats.

### Practical notes

A limited number of power connections is available in the pit paddock, but these must be arranged with the administration office in advance. Food and refreshments are available on every race day and during practice days for major events. Fuel is not sold at the track.

See also Invercargill venues.