GAWLER was revved up on Sunday when dozens of motorsport enthusiasts came from Mile End to protest the State Government’s decision to axe the Adelaide 500.

The region’s car enthusiasts descended on Princes Park to join an estimated 100 Holden, Ford and other classic car owners at the end of the protest cruise.

Member for Light Tony Piccolo, who welcomed drivers, including local resident and cruise organiser Ian Barlow, said South Australia needed more events to create and support jobs because the state had the nation’s worst unemployment rate.

“Instead, the Marshall Liberal Government axed an event which supports hundreds of jobs, and six months later, it still hasn’t announced a replacement,” he said.

Mr Piccolo said the government’s own statistics showed the 2019 Adelaide 500 attracted 254,000 people, generated $45.9 million in economic activity, created 435 jobs, lured 15,200 interstate and overseas visitors and supported 90,000 visitor nights.

In November last year, Premier Steven Marshall announced he would create the Events Advisory Group.

“But the reality is that more than six months later, the government has failed to announce one new event for South Australia,” Mr Piccolo said.

The Opposition has reached an agreement with Supercars Australia to bring back the Adelaide 500 to the streets of Adelaide if Labor is elected next March.

Mr Piccolo said to make things worse, the government had also decided to undertake a fire sale of all the Adelaide 500 assets.