Townsville's Reid Park street circuit is getting its first major resurfacing in more than a decade, a $6 million project that both the city and Supercars are framing as insurance for one of the championship's biggest events.
Work begins on Monday, July 20, with crews resealing 2.08 kilometres of the 2.86km layout before an expected completion in October. The Queensland Government is funding the job through its Works for Queensland program. Drivers will not see the new surface until the 2027 NTI Townsville 500.
Townsville Mayor Nick Dametto said the timing was deliberate. "Making sure it is a safe track out there for drivers is also paramount," he said, arguing that maintenance now avoids a far larger bill later. "Spending a small amount of money now means we don't have to spend a lot of money later."
Dametto added that the event's value to the region goes well beyond race weekend. "Events like the NTI Townsville 500 are dependent on world-class infrastructure and ongoing investment," he said. "By keeping this circuit race-ready, we're not just maintaining a road — we're backing jobs, tourism and business confidence."
Reid Park has hosted Supercars since 2009 and drawn more than two million fans in that time, with the 2026 edition attracting a crowd of over 120,000. Supercars executive chairman Barclay Nettlefold rated the venue among the best on the calendar. "The venue is one of the best maintained and presented racing circuits in the country," he said.
Member for Townsville Adam Baillie called the race "a cornerstone event for the region."
The investment lands as Supercars' broader calendar enters a period of uncertainty. According to a V8 Sleuth breakdown of venue contracts, Townsville is locked in only through 2027 — the same cut-off as Symmons Plains, the Gold Coast and Sandown. Mount Panorama, The Bend, Taupo and Ruapuna are secured to 2028, Albert Park to 2029, Hidden Valley to 2030, and the Adelaide grand final all the way to 2034.
The squeeze is at the bottom of the grid. Queensland Raceway is running year-to-year and is seen as the most vulnerable venue if Supercars trims the schedule, with Phillip Island a candidate to replace it. Sydney Motorsport Park's future is also unclear, and its season-opening slot is expected to shift to a new Perth street circuit by 2028 as Western Australia commits to a $217.5 million park precinct.
The most likely shape for 2027 is a 14-round calendar, though a worst-case scenario would cut it to 12. That backdrop makes Townsville's early spend look less like routine roadwork and more like a bid to stay firmly on the right side of the ledger.
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*Originally published on [Motorsports Global](https://motorsports.global/article/townsville-lands-6m-track-upgrade-as-supercars-eyes-2027). Visit for full coverage.*