Christchurch will be a hot destination for elite car racing this weekend, but it is restraint from speeding that will earn the plaudits on busy roads.

From Friday 17 April to Sunday 19 April, the city will host the first-ever Supercars event in the South Island, at Ruapuna Raceway/Euromarque Motorsport Park on the western outskirts of Christchurch between State Highways 1 and 73.

“It’s exciting for Christchurch to see these professional Supercar drivers in action,” says Mark Pinner, area manager in the central South Island for New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).

“But we want to see the high speeds staying on the racetrack, and people sticking to the speed limit on the roads as they travel to and from the event, or to other destinations around the South Island during what’s left of the school holidays.”

“Speeding is one of the leading contributors to deaths and serious injuries on New Zealand roads. For the 12 months to 30 September 2025, there were 580 deaths and serious injuries where speeding was a contributing factor. This represents around 21 per cent of all deaths and serious injuries for that timeframe.”

“Our research shows that there are certain triggers that can lead to speeding behaviour, like being spurred on by mates in the car, tailgated, or running late.”

Increased traffic volumes are expected on State Highway 1, north and south of Christchurch, as people travel to the Supercars event. Some rain is currently forecast for the weekend, especially on Sunday, which may add to the crash risk.

Temporary closures and traffic management will be in place on local roads (not state highways) around Ruapuna Raceway. A free park ‘n ride service will be running from the Canterbury Agricultural Park to the venue, while a paid 'Super shuttle service' will operate from central Christchurch.

All Super Rugby roads leading to Christchurch

After the Supercars weekend, the groundbreaking events continue in Canterbury, with the first-ever full round of Super Rugby Pacific hosted in New Zealand, being held at the brand new One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch.

Five Super Rugby Pacific matches will be held over three days of the long Anzac Day weekend from 24 to 26 April (with the public holiday being observed on Monday 27 April), including a sold-out clash between the Crusaders and NSW Waratahs on the Friday night (24 April).

“We can expect plenty of people travelling to Christchurch for this festival of Super Rugby and to experience the new stadium, on top of the local attendance,” Mr Pinner says.

“With it also being a long weekend, it means a lot more activity on the roads. We encourage people to drive with care, pay constant attention and to be tolerant of others on the road.”

Those travelling on the state highways may strike roadworks and delays as the last of the work in the current road maintenance and construction season is completed.

“We know these delays can be a frustration for people trying to get to their destinations, but we appreciate their patience as we work to keep the roads in a good condition for all users.”

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