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Post by jonesy on Oct 1, 2011 7:06:12 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 1, 2011 11:40:44 GMT 12
That will go down well with the people over the fence who complain about aeroplane noise, now they'd have car noise too.
At least most of Hamilton will be glad to see this race gone, the amount of disruption it causes has been very evident and many people complain about it being stuck in the middle of the city. I cannot see why they don't use Taupo or Hampden Downs, both top class tracks.
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Post by flyjoe180 on Oct 2, 2011 10:28:18 GMT 12
T I cannot see why they don't use Taupo or Hampden Downs, both top class tracks. Population and ease of access I would imagine. I usually watch Bathurst and a few other V8 Supercar races every year but I haven't been into it as much in recent times. In my opinion it has gone the way of F1, too much of a rich man's sport and too many rules to make the cars even. The Japanese manufacturers, should they get access to the series, will bring back some excitement. Then Ford and Holden fans will have a common enemy  |
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Post by Peter Lewis on Oct 2, 2011 10:36:29 GMT 12
There have been a number of motor races held at Whenuapai.
The Thoroughbred & Classic Car Owners Club held some quite large meetings there back in the 80s, so there is a precedent.
The track will also be a lot smoother now, when the cars won't be jumping from hex block to hex block.
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Post by flyjoe180 on Oct 2, 2011 10:39:58 GMT 12
Those hex blocks would probably doom a modern V8 Supercar's suspension in a few laps. The upside of the loss of the Australian series is the opportunity for the NZ V8s and utes to shine.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 2, 2011 10:59:51 GMT 12
I think the V8's are the most boring car racing there is. Holdens and Fords both suck! Even the hallowed Bathurst race is boring since Brocky died.
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Post by flyjoe180 on Oct 2, 2011 11:01:12 GMT 12
What do you drive Dave?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 2, 2011 12:49:28 GMT 12
Nothing. I don't drive. But I still like decent motorsport. I was referring to the races, not road cars which is a completely different issue. I don't fly either but I love aeroplanes.
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Post by beagle on Oct 2, 2011 13:32:57 GMT 12
Take it you don't like watching 1 day cricket either.
Sundays was aways my Bathurst day, st back and watch the whole race. Now I work bloody sundays except today.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 2, 2011 13:58:52 GMT 12
I used to always watch one day cricket before Sky stole it. What's that got to do with it??
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Post by guest on Oct 2, 2011 14:09:07 GMT 12
Those hex blocks would probably doom a modern V8 Supercar's suspension in a few laps. The upside of the loss of the Australian series is the opportunity for the NZ V8s and utes to shine. What Hex blocks? My understanding is that they have all but gone with the major earthworks there. Also, seems like it has gone from three runways to two, so would be a pretty boring track?  ? www.aip.net.nz/pdf/NZWP_51.1_51.2.pdf |
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Post by jonesy on Oct 2, 2011 14:30:19 GMT 12
My area of concern is-thats an operational base, and would it just be shut down for a week or more to appease petrolheads? (dont get me wrong-I'm as much a motor fan as any).
Just wondering how the logistics would work...
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 2, 2011 15:08:20 GMT 12
That is an angle I thought about, and if it is like Hamilton then it would be more than a week, they spend well over a month disrupting the city with their set up.
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Oct 2, 2011 15:38:12 GMT 12
The Thoroughbred & Classic Car Owners Club held some quite large meetings there back in the 80s, so there is a precedent. One could say there is also a precedent for operating domestic and international airline services from Whenuapai too, but the current government are dead against that ever occuring again, so presumably they'd also be dead against motor-racing occuring on the air base. |
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Post by 30sqnatc on Oct 2, 2011 19:57:33 GMT 12
With the current government if they thought it would turn a buck, regardless of the operational effects, they would probably support it under the guise of Value for Money.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 2, 2011 23:31:06 GMT 12
Hamilton thought it would turn a buck too, but I don't know if it worked out that way.
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Post by kiwiinoz on Oct 3, 2011 6:44:22 GMT 12
There was a great track at Wigram, but that's now being ripped up for houses.
It was the home of the NZ GP and the Lady Wigram Trophy the winners at this great track reads like a who's who of F1 and open wheeler racing.
No worries about security with it not being a operational base any more.
Just a bit late with the timing.
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Post by flyinkiwi on Oct 3, 2011 7:42:39 GMT 12
The big problem is, the Aussie governing body don't want to race on a track in the middle of no where or Hampton Downs would be the automatic choice. They want to pander to their corporate sponsors so they want a street circuit. I am not a huge fan of V8 racing but you have to wonder why the HCC sold all their kit (barriers, scaffolds, pit garages) for almost 40% of it's actual value. Someone over the ditch is laughing all the way to the bank.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 3, 2011 8:00:50 GMT 12
It makes me wonder how Hampton Downs and Taupo tracks keep going. Taupo was built with the idea of attracting F1 back to NZ which will never happen and Hampton Downs the A1GP, but that's now sadly dead. Is there really enough money in the smaller club races to keep two world class tracks going. and still retain Pukekohe as well?
Why don't the V8's go back to Pukekohe? It's still there, and hasn't been built on like Wigram. There's also Ardmore, I don't know how they would feel about reopening their track though.
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Post by Peter Lewis on Oct 3, 2011 8:18:34 GMT 12
Pukekohe can be complicated. It's basic function is a horse-racing track.
Back when I was involved in motor racing (admittedly many years ago now) there were two restrictions on the use of Pukekohe:
- by agreement between the horse racing clubs, no club could host any public event at their track if any other club within a certain distance (50 miles?) was holding a horse race meeting at their venue. Thus if Ellerslie, Greenlane or Avondale held a horse race meeting, you could not have motor racing at Pukekohe on that same day.
- there was a set number of days ( 20? ) when public motor racing could be held on the Pukekohe track. These available days were divided up between the three car clubs who initially financed the track development - Auckland Car Club, Northern Sports and NZIGP. If you wanted to hold a motor race meeting at Pukekohe you had to basically talk one of these three clubs into giving up one of their days.
As I say, the whole thing may now have changed, but I suspect it is still not just a matter of booking a day or so and setting up the track.
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