Motorsports Auckland

[TrueBlueFlyer]

A week after arriving in New Zealand I was very warmly welcomed by Motorsports Auckland to do flag marshaling duties at Pukekohe Raceway. Events here are held on almost weekly basis and marshals are in demand, so if there's any interest through this forum, do come by!

This is going to be fun

--Russ

[Woolley]

Excellent - you beat me to the contacts - hadn't managed to dig them out yet. Enjoy.

[TrueBlueFlyer]

Originally Posted by Woolley

Excellent - you beat me to the contacts - hadn't managed to dig them out yet. Enjoy.

thanks man, everything is easy with Facebook lol

[Richard Duvall]

I regularly visit New Zealand visiting my daughter but have never got round to offering my services to marshal. As I am usually in the Hawkes Bay area, Pukekohe is probably not a suitable location for me. I'm vaguely aware that there is a circuit at Taupo and even that is a fair journey. Are there any other circuits that are close to Hawkes Bay?

[MalcolmC]

Originally Posted by Richard Duvall

Are there any other circuits that are close to Hawkes Bay?

There's no permanent circuit in Hawke's Bay. Taupo and Manfeild are the closest, both about 2hrs drive from Hastings/Napier. The local car club is very active with sealed hillclimbs and rallying though so it's by no means a motorsport free zone.

Malcolm.

[The SpeCTator]

Russ

20 minutes down the road from Pukekohe is Hampton Downs, a magnificent circuit that opened a couple of years ago, sadly I dont think there is much happening in the near term.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by Richard Duvall

I regularly visit New Zealand visiting my daughter but have never got round to offering my services to marshal. As I am usually in the Hawkes Bay area, Pukekohe is probably not a suitable location for me. I'm vaguely aware that there is a circuit at Taupo and even that is a fair journey. Are there any other circuits that are close to Hawkes Bay?

Taupo is an easy 2 hour rural drive from Napier on Highway 5, done it a few times. There is one section that is a bit higher in elevation that apparently in winter might get snow when a storm happens, but other than that it's a nice drive.

http://www.taupocarclub.org.nz/About-Us/

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by The SpeCTator

Russ

20 minutes down the road from Pukekohe is Hampton Downs, a magnificent circuit that opened a couple of years ago, sadly I dont think there is much happening in the near term.

I think they've got a pretty busy schedule for the next year.

[TrueBlueFlyer]

Originally Posted by The SpeCTator

Russ

20 minutes down the road from Pukekohe is Hampton Downs, a magnificent circuit that opened a couple of years ago, sadly I dont think there is much happening in the near term.

I got invited to an event there next weekend December 10/11, apparently last event for the year in Auckland area... but unfortunately I have to be on the South Island for a function so will have to miss it until next year.

Definitely looking forward to it though, the more the merrier! (this time I'll remember to bring sunblock... didn't realize I was burning last Sunday until I was already burnt O

[275 GTB-4]

Originally Posted by TrueBlueFlyer

I got invited to an event there next weekend December 10/11, apparently last event for the year in Auckland area... but unfortunately I have to be on the South Island for a function so will have to miss it until next year.

Definitely looking forward to it though, the more the merrier! (this time I'll remember to bring sunblock... didn't realize I was burning last Sunday until I was already burnt O

Hey Russ, didn't those Kiwis tell you about the hole in the ozone layer!! Thats why you find SPF 50 and 70 sunblock on their shelves!

Try and get to all the tracks on the Nth Island....and where will you be in the Sth?? there are a couple of tracks there as well...have fun...Cheers, Mick

[Richard Duvall]

Originally Posted by MalcolmC

There's no permanent circuit in Hawke's Bay. Taupo and Manfeild are the closest, both about 2hrs drive from Hastings/Napier. The local car club is very active with sealed hillclimbs and rallying though so it's by no means a motorsport free zone.

Malcolm.

Next time I'm over I will give some serious thought to offering my services to marshal. Co-incidentally, I usually stay in Havelock North as that is where my daughter lives.

[Shelagh]

We had a fantastic time in NZ and managed both Taupo and Pukekohe. Everybody was very kind - even if they thought we were a little bit mad - especially when we said we wouldn't be doing the final round of the A1GP at Brands because it was too far!!!

We didn't have long enough over there, so only saw some of the North Island. Definitely somewhere we really have to try to get back to. I can't recommend it enough.

[TrueBlueFlyer]

My new Kiwi driver's license looks silly... the area below my glasses is burgundy red, lol

Had a great time volunteering at Pukekohe last weekend... Friday a mixed day with a little drizzle and a lot of sunshine... Saturday was scorching hot while Sunday was freezing cold, the rain started as we manned the post in the morning and didn't finish until the racing was over... then there was a very pleasant/almost sunny drive home.

Looking forward to checking out Taupo as well... a few guys I met volunteer at both places.

[isoskim]

Originally Posted by TrueBlueFlyer

My new Kiwi driver's license looks silly... the area below my glasses is burgundy red, lol

Had a great time volunteering at Pukekohe last weekend... Friday a mixed day with a little drizzle and a lot of sunshine... Saturday was scorching hot while Sunday was freezing cold, the rain started as we manned the post in the morning and didn't finish until the racing was over... then there was a very pleasant/almost sunny drive home.

Looking forward to checking out Taupo as well... a few guys I met volunteer at both places.

Thats Thunder in the Park for you Though, I can't say I've been to one where we start the day with so many incidents (over my 5 years of volunteering so far).

[Woolley]

Originally Posted by TrueBlueFlyer

the rain started as we manned the post in the morning and didn't finish until the racing was over... then there was a very pleasant/almost sunny drive home.

That's pretty much standard up here. Sometimes I think it must be in the meeting regulations!