The site had hosted thoroughbred racing since 1920, and the layout of the motor racing circuit was shaped entirely by the oval horse track at its centre. Auckland Thoroughbred Racing (ATR) owned the land and the horse racing infrastructure remained the primary use of the venue, with the car circuit following the outer boundary of the equestrian facility. This dual-use arrangement meant that the motor racing circuit's geometry — including its back straight, the positioning of key corners, and access roads — was dictated by the requirements of the racing stable and track rather than purely motorsport considerations.
Pukekohe Park Raceway opened in 1963 as a permanent venue, assuming the role previously held by Ardmore Aerodrome as the host of the New Zealand Grand Prix. In the early years, the circuit benefited from the Tasman Series, which brought European-based Grand Prix drivers to the Southern Hemisphere each winter between 1964 and 1975. Drivers such as Stirling Moss, Graham Hill, Jim Clark, and Jackie Stewart made regular appearances. The New Zealand Grand Prix at Pukekohe drew Formula One World Champions including John Surtees, Graham Hill, Jackie Stewart, and Keke Rosberg, with Rosberg winning in 1977 and 1978 — both victories coming before his 1982 Formula One title. New Zealand drivers also claimed Grand Prix wins at the circuit, among them Bruce McLaren, Chris Amon, Craig Baird, and Paul Radisich. International winners included Australian Frank Gardner, Italian Teo Fabi, and Brazilian Roberto Moreno.
For many years the circuit hosted New Zealand's premier production car race, the Benson and Hedges 500 Mile race, later expanded to 1,000 km, which attracted prominent Australian touring car drivers including Peter Brock, Dick Johnson, and Jim Richards. The Australian V8 Supercars Championship held a New Zealand round at Pukekohe from 2001 to 2007 before the event moved to the Hamilton Street Circuit in 2008. The series returned to Pukekohe in 2013 following a significant upgrade programme funded in part by a NZ$6.6 million commitment from Auckland stakeholders. That upgrade introduced a chicane on the back straight to slow cars before the hairpin, added pedestrian bridges, built a new race control and timing building, and improved corporate facilities opposite the main grandstand.
On 20 July 2022, Auckland Thoroughbred Racing announced that it would cease hosting motorsport events at the site, with the final regular motorsport event taking place on 3 April 2023. The Grade 3 FIA licence held by the circuit had already lapsed on 1 August 2022. ATR cited a wish to concentrate on horse racing and club facilities as the reason for ending motorsport operations.
The announcement prompted a significant response from the sim racing community. In September 2022, iRacing announced that Pukekohe Park would be laser scanned and digitally preserved for use in their simulation platform, following an online petition that collected over 7,000 signatures. The petition drew public support from Greg Murphy — known as the "King of Pukekohe" for his multiple race wins at the circuit — and three-time Supercars champion Scott McLaughlin.
Pukekohe Park Raceway occupies a central place in Australasian motorsport history. Its 29 runnings of the New Zealand Grand Prix span a period from the early Tasman era through to the dawn of the twenty-first century. The circuit witnessed the victories of Formula One World Champions and helped establish New Zealand as a participant in the international racing calendar during the European off-season. Its closure marked the end of a sixty-year chapter in New Zealand motorsport, and its laser-scanned preservation within iRacing ensures the circuit continues to be experienced by a global community of sim racers.