Situated just 9.3km from the next Repco Supercars Championship round at Ruapuna, Wigram Aerodrome holds plenty of motorsport history.
Located in the Christchurch suburb of Sockburn, the airbase is now being consumed by the growing housing needs in the form of an estate named Wigram Skies.
Constructed in 1916, the airbase was named after successful Christchurch businessman and politician Sir Henry Francis Wigram after he gifted the land to the Canterbury Aviation Company before later being acquired by the RNZAF.
The first motorsport event at the airbase was held in 1949 when the Canterbury Car Club organised the NZ Road Race meeting on February 26.
What became the venue’s marquee event, the Lady Wigram Trophy named in honour of the founder’s wife, was to become a prestigious event on the calendar.
Drivers including Jack Brabham, John Surtees, Stirling Moss, Bruce McLaren and Denny Hulme competed around the runways of Wigram at the height of international interest as more than 30,000 fans were recorded to attend these events.
After this era, Formula 5000s took on the Wigram circuit ahead of Formula Atlantic heading into the 1980s.
Later on, the likes of Craig Baird and Greg Murphy raced in the New Zealand Gold Star series in 1993 before moving onto illustrious careers in touring cars.
Wigram hosted its final race in 1995 and the grounds are beginning to be consumed for housing although two years ago there was a trio of open-wheelers in attendance to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Lady Wigram Trophy.
Ruapuna now hosts the prestigious award as part of the Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Trophy Championship last won by Liam Sceats in 2024.