Businesses adapted to make the most out of Supercars with most traders the Newcastle Herald approached inside the track, and on Hunter Street Mall, saying trade was positive over the weekend - or at least held a silver lining.
Kieran Sheather, the venue manager of Bar Petite, said that while there were less customers than previous years, disruption to trade in the weeks leading up to the event had lessened - delivering an overall positive result for the bar behind the track.
"The first two years the disruption outweighed the business. I'm hoping this weekend is a turning point," Mr Sheather said.
"You're not going to quantitatively see the benefits unless you're thinking mid to long term. You just have to be a bit faithful. For us, being next to the Novotel it should be pretty good in the future, not just from this event, but from tourism as well."
He said the bar's staff had to adapt to the venue being a convenient choice for Supercars patrons rather than a "destination bar".
"We are in a prime spot during Supercars, whereas usually patrons come here specifically for us. It's an interesting feeling, it's a bit more pub-like, but different isn't always bad," Mr Sheather said.
Paymasters head chef Rodney Scales said his restaurant had "fine-tuned" its offerings over the years to get the most out of the weekend. He said Paymasters had sold more than 500 bacon and egg rolls by midday on Sunday and had 400 customers through the door on Saturday.
"You've got to change your normal run," he said. "I went down through the pit-lane and I've picked up some extra catering from the pits. It's gone really well."
Lizzie Kocon, owner of East End Bar, said turnover did not match the restaurant's usual weekend trade.
"It's a different crowd," she said. "But it was better than last year. Sunday brekky was quite busy. And we're happy to stay open and serve people. The crowd has been very, very lovely."
Luigi Gerardi, owner and chef at Rosina's Pizza Restaurant on Hunter Street, said the weekend had brought a 50 per cent spike in turnover due to a buzzing dinner trade.
"It's been fantastic."
Up on Pacific Street, cafe 23hundred, The Falcon Restaurant and Edmonds & Co all reported a steady few days.
"All day, from open to close it was flat out," Falcon owner Mike Galvin said. "Last year we built up a solid following, so a lot of people come back."
Edmonds & Co co-owner Amy Ritchie, who was experiencing her first Newcastle 500, said Saturday was consistent.
"It was a really nice crowd actually," she said. "We cut [the menu] down a little bit. The things we thought would sell happen to be selling really well."
Ms Ritchie said, however, the week leading up to the event had been slower due to traffic delays in the area.
A few doors away, 23Hundred owner Peter Johnston said his cafe actually had an increase in trade in the fortnight prior as more people had used the nearby Newcastle Beach light rail stop. Mr Johnston shared his cafe's outdoor dining space with the Aberdeen Tigers rugby league club, which ran a popular barbecue.
Grand Hotel owner Mick Angus said trade had been mixed with the overcast weather, but it would still be "one of the best weeks of the year".
The owner of the Great Northern Hotel, Ben McBeath, said the pub had taken last year's successes to the next level.
"We've seen a broader representation of the community. And we could push a bit harder, we've refined the menu. We've been able to keep trade up throughout all of the day."
Outside of the track in Hunter Street Mall, the businesses that were open on Sunday reported increases in trade. Jordan Mizrahi, the owner of Ground Floor and The Basement, reported a 20 per cent increase in turnover at both venues compared to last year.
"It could be due to the events in the mall, the weather. It gets better each year I think," Mr Mizrahi said.
It was the first Newcastle 500 for Ron Sutherland, owner of restaurant and bar Vault 73, and Kristen Pridmore, owner of Kiki Fashion. They welcomed an uptick in trade over the weekend.
"This week would have been the worst week since we opened if it were not for Friday, Saturday and Sunday," Ms Pridmore said. "It's been busier than usual. We've had a few people come in and say they don't like their outfit and buy a new one. I'm really glad we maximized the opportunity and stayed open."
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