The roar of Supercars will return to north east Victoria next month, with the Winton SuperSprint to be broadcast to a national audience.

Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Martin Pakula welcomed confirmation of the SuperSprint series, which will promote the North East as a holiday and motor sport destination across the two-day coverage.

The Winton SuperSprint will be held on the weekend of 18-19 July and will feature the cream of Australia’s touring car ranks – it will be only the second Supercars event for 2020 following the cancellation of earlier fixtures due to coronavirus restrictions.

Supercars Australia will stage the event without crowds at Winton Raceway, near Benalla, in line with relevant social gathering restrictions and health advice. Motor sport fans will be able to tune in through Fox Sports with highlights on Channel 10.

Victoria’s High Country will be promoted through tourism vignettes incorporated into the weekend coverage.

Winton Raceway has been a feature on the Supercars calendar since 1985 when the series was known as the Australian Touring Car Championship and has attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors to the region over the past three-and-a-half decades.

Ford’s 2019 championship winner Scott McLaughlin took out both Winton series races in May last year when more than 24,000 fans flocked to the track.

The Victorian Government has been a strong supporter of the raceway, providing Regional Event Fund grants for the Winton Supercars round for the past three years and investing $1 million from the Regional Infrastructure Fund in 2015 to upgrade the track.

These commitments have helped to ensure it remains one of the country’s most prestigious motor racing venues and a tourism hotspot in regional Victoria.