Clipsal 500 takes top tourism award

Release date: 03/03/2008 For the third time in its 10 year history the Clipsal 500 has been crowned the nations best Major Festival or Event at the Australian Tourism Awards.

In winning the award the Clipsal 500 beat an impressive line up of other national events including the Melbourne Cup and the Sydney Royal Easter Show.
The Clipsal 500 beat the cream of other states' events contesting the national awards, including the Melbourne Cup horse race and the Sydney Royal Easter Show.
V8 Supercar Spokesperson Cole Hitchcock said the award is clear indication of the Clipsal 500’s status as a truly national event.

“The Clipsal 500 continues to set the benchmark for not only V8 Supercar Series but also for all sports around the county,” said Hitchcock.

“It is now clearly one of the signature events on the V8 calendar along with the Super Cheap Auto Bathurst 1000 and the Indy race on the Gold Coast; which both have different styles but are both equally as successful as Clipsal,” he continued.

Hitchcock today praised the organisers of the Clipsal 500 and the South Australian Government for their commitment to the event.

“The South Australian Government and Clipsal 500 organising committee, led by Andrew Daniels, prides itself year on year with improving the event and does so every time,” said Hitchcock.

“Next year they will shade cloth the entire grand stand on the main straight in an engineering feat that will rival any others in the country and provide spectators with yet another reason to attend the event,” he continued.

 Clipsal 500 Adelaide Chief Executive Andrew Daniels said the event team were in high spirits after winning the award yet again.

“We are by far and away Australia’s largest (in terms of attendance numbers) domestic motor sport event, and we have always set out to be, and I believe have been recognised as being, more than just a motor race”, Daniels said.