IT'S a question about the Newcastle 500 that Topics is yet to find a definitive answer to.
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Where is the best view of the track?
After two years of the Supercars round in Newcastle, and with the third on this weekend, it's worthy of reassessment.
The street circuit that runs through the city's east end has not changed since the inaugural event in 2017 - although a realignment of the hairpin was unveiled on Friday.
The track can be split into five distinct sections: the Wharf Road main straight, Watt Street, Shortland Esplanade, historic Newcastle East and Nobbys foreshore.
Its uniqueness, apart from running beside Newcastle beach, Nobbys and Newcastle Harbour, has to be the buildings it binds.
Modern or historic, short or tall, residential or commercial - a whole range of structures are located alongside the track.
And a large majority of them present sensational viewing points you'd struggle to find on many other Supercars tracks.
Yes, the Gold Coast has its towering apartment buildings. But if your room is on level 38 - you're more likely to be watching the action on the television inside your unit.
At Newcastle, most of the buildings are either between two and six or seven storeys, or some of the higher residential complexes.
Fans are far closer to the action.
Topics and the Newcastle Herald's photographers will traverse the track precinct from Friday morning until Sunday night.
With your help, we hope to put the outstanding question to bed and find the best view of the track.
If you're watching on from your apartment verandah, have scored an invite to a trackside party or are lapping up the sun on one of the many rooftops - let us know.
Shoot us an email ahead of the event at topics@newcastleherald.com.au or tag a Herald social media account - Facebook, Twitter or Instagram - during the event.
We want to know how and where you're watching the race.
Feed the meter no longer
NEWCASTLE motorists are ditching cash and credits cards to pay for inner-city parking in favour of a mobile app.
City of Newcastle's EasyPark app has become the most popular method of payment for on-street parking.
More than 105,000 transactions were made via the app in September and October, eclipsing credit cards for the first time by 6500 transactions.
Of the 272,993 transactions overall in the period, 69,407 were made with cash, 98,651 by credit cards and 105,295 via EasyPark.
"EasyPark's popularity has been rising every month since we introduced it early last year, to the point it now accounts for about 40 per cent of all payments for on-street parking," lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.
"As we move to a largely cashless society, it's likely that more than three quarters of parking payments will be made through EasyPark within the next few years."
The app offers a 25 per cent discount on the hourly price of parking, and the first 15 minutes free in one and two-hour zones. The discounted rate was due to finish in December, but council will offer a 15 per cent discount for the rest of the financial year.
Surely the best benefit motorists have by using the app is being able to extend parking time without returning to the meter.
"If drivers find they need to stay longer than first intended, they can extend their stay via the app instead of having to walk back to the meter or risk a parking fine," Cr Nelmes said. "Or, if they return to the car earlier than expected, they can simply cancel their parking and only pay for the time that they use."
Gone are the days of having to run from a meeting or meal to feed the meter.