New Zealand Festival of Motor Racing (2014)

[Rod Grimwood]

[QUOTE=Rod Grimwood;37220]HD, you all do a great job, from the top office right to the people looking after pits, the track, cleaning toilets etc. You do it as well as is possible.




above was last week,

Sorry Guy's but this week was a total disaster for us.
Saturday we went to fit new tyres for qualifying and found that the 2 young fellas did not know how to do them, and we were told that someone would be there after 10am. Well our Qualifying was at 10:15 so stiff. Then we are told that they can not do them as the machine is not there (in Cromwell apparently) Our driver was in Pukekohe getting tyres fitted when our qualifying was on. So straight to back of grid, thanks guy's. (yes I was/am pissed with it)

We were only 1 of a heap who had problems with tyre fitting. Sorry but the 'new' outfit is not up to it and this needs to be addressed seriously. When Peter Van Bruegal was there you dropped rims to him and 1/2hr later they are done, He works of a truck with missus. Mind you he knows what he is doing, not like the (shall not name them) outfit that apparently had contract for this week end. (Interesting prices as well but thats another thing)

[Michael Clark]

Yes Rogerd - which is why I chose my words carefully!

[ERC]

I did hear an unconfirmed whisper of a couple of possible changes for next year's festival, which if they happen, may result in a much larger profile, and make it truly an Event!

I think that at this stage, some would have been confirmed but a lot of suggestions have probably not even been discussed - officially.

As always, there was lots of talk and many suggestions made but there is no doubt whatever that there is a tremendous support for the Festival and a willingness from all parties to make it successful.

I believe that there will be a stronger F5000 and FJ contingent, working on the assumption that these groups are swelled every two years and probably the Australian Muscle Cars too.

We'll just have to wait then for an official statement as to which if any of the many suggestions have been taken on board.

[Jaydee]

Thanks to all the support people who make all this possible. They did a great job even though I would rather not have been looking at the back of the towie on no less than three occasions. Not a happy time in the Escort. But it didn't detract from the event itself and I fully endorse Howard Wood's earlier comments.

Thanks also to Jim for letting me run in the Zag in the pre 78s which was great fun with properly aware drivers from front to back, which is it how it should be. And finally, thanks to big John for the great commentary job and for elevating the Zag to full works status...I only wish it was, John, but it's Rowan's car that was a works build; mine was built by RS Williams and Heritage Racing.

[Shano]

Congrats to John for the Denny Hulme award.

I have a query. I noted many of the cars had memorial stickers for Ivan Segedin and I would like to get one . Can anyone tell me where/how to get one. By pm preferably so as not to hijack the thread.

[EType]

Went out there yesterday and really enjoyed it, at least half a dozen times I saw something which made me think the price of admission was well worth it but one of the best was hearing the 3 Formula One Ferraris circulating the track - you really didn't need to see them - just hearing rise and fall of the combined wail as they circulated was enough.

One of my favourite cars, and I struggle to believe it, was a mid 2,000s? Toyota Corrolla hatchback win it's class (All Comers?) completely stock on the outside with a plain white paint job and circulating in 1 Minute 09s - talked to the driver later - 300HP and 900 kg and front wheel drive.... Maybe a few more interesting modern cars to fill the grids? One of the races only had 12 cars on the Sunday.



Stewart

[John B]

Ok, what good is it to me if i pay to get in and sit in the grandstand only to see the front part of the track.

You can move to the other grandstand and viewing areas. Moving allows you to see the entire track.

[RogerH]

Here is a YouTube clip of part of the morning Sunday Formula Junior race between three front engined cars :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOKLu...ature=youtu.be

[timbo61]

Any time you have the pit/paddock area located on the inside of the track, you are going to have problems seeing all the track from any one position. Thats OK for me, as I'm prepared to walk around the track to the various vantage points to watch the racing. I have a bigger problem though watching racing through 10ft high catch fencing, which is what happens if you sit on the grass banking on the outside of the main straight at HD. It seems to be a big problem for a lot of other people as well, as no one else seems to sit there as well. At least its not as bad as most street circuits, especially Surfers Paradise and Sydney Olympic Park, both for the V8 Supercars.
Visibility is so bad (especially for general admission spectators), you end up watching all the action on the big screens wondering why you bothered to shell out big dollars to attend the event, when you could have watched it on TV at home for free.

[ERC]

Fair comment, but cars on straights - even if it is the start/finish line - don't appeal as much as when they are cornering. The lack of catch fencing on most of the corners at HD is a major attraction for me. The only track that I have seen that comes near in recent times is Goodwood - and that is a pre 1966 track...

All street races suffer from the limited view problem yet probably the best race I have ever seen televised, was the first Wellington Street race.

We probably have to accept that (road) race tracks are for drivers first, spectators second.

Speedway and oval racing are different forms of motorsport sport altogether.

[beowulf]

I have sent some thoughts to Jim Barclay on ways we may be able to improve it. Don't get me wrong it is a very good event. Not up to Goodwood but certainly better than Monaco Historics. Congratulations to the organisers for their efforts to promote an international event a long way from overseas competitors and with a relatively small home base. The sound of THAT Ferrari will echo around my head for quite some time. No rude comments Please.
After listening to it someone raised the question. Which was the best sound. The Ferrari, the 16 cylinder BRM, or the Mosquito?

[Michael Clark]

I suspect a lot of people who heard the V16 BRM have amplified the noise of it at a distance of six decades.

The scrap of the front engine cars in the FJ race was great however the efforts of David against the Goliaths was a real highlight.

[kiwi285]

Great sounds from all three machines. Solely depends on your own personal preferences.

[kiwi285]

Congratulations to John McKechnie for the award of the Denny Hulme trophy - very well deserved for your efforts on several fronts.

I cannot understand the complaints about spectator viewing - I spent the weekends wandering around getting photos for numerous viewing points. HD would definitely be one of the best tracks I have ever been to for spectator viewing and being able to shoot great photos. I really don't know what some people expect - a ride in the car perhaps !!!!

[Michael Clark]

In fact TRSers featured at the prizegiving - John McK as mentioned, Howard got the BMW award, and Jamie A handed over the famous Ken Wharton Trophy...who have I forgotten?

Also great to see Steve there.

[crunch]

Baypark - where you sat was what you saw.
Pukekohe - a little more if you sat in the Hill stand top southern end (just objects moving at other side of track though)
Manfield - Same as Baypark
Lakeside - Same
Willowbank - Bit like Puke - see right in front of you and objects moving across the other side.
Gold Coast - Sounds like Monaco - can't go from half empty stand to stand or in pits without extra dollar passes and see bugger all through animal cage surrounding track.

Its the same world wide so I see this as a bit of a lame complaint. What are the facilities meant to have ? Grandstands like Indianapolis where you are that far away you are watching coloured ants race?

Sorry just seems like a silly complaint - you either want a race track or you don't. Enjoy what you have. They are fast disappearing.

Tony

At Manfield Tony, where you sat you saw the WHOLE track

[Kiwiboss]

At Manfield Tony, where you sat you saw the WHOLE track

Yes, agree Crunch as Manfield is the best viewing track in NZ but has its Achilles heal in the fact no racing can be viewed from the pits unlike Hampton, all tracks have there pro's and con's but aren't we lucky we have all these great tracks here considering our population and country size. NZ is truly a "Motorsport" meca that some countries wish they had and from personal experience's the most affordable country to go racing.

Dale M

[RacerT]

Hi All.
What a great event!

We have received many positive comments for the Festival and as Richard said - "it might be a good moment to reflect on a fabulously successful event that drew some 26,000 spectators over the six days, the biggest gathering ever of Ferraris in NZ, Formula One Ferraris and a large chunk of people for whom this was their first time at a race track".

Thank you to everyone that helped to make the Festival a success, it is certainly a team effort from all concerned.

Roll on the Howden Ganley Festival. There will be a number of fabulous cars for the event.

Tony R

[crunch]

All street races suffer from the limited view problem yet probably the best race I have ever seen televised, was the first Wellington Street race.

.

Ray, that's probably because it didn't have catch fencing as such (ALL!) and a block wall waist height made of square concrete blocks was the pitlane wall. I was a flag marshall at this event at the hairpin after the start/finish line. We were stood on a 4' square concrete block on the inside of the corner and the edges of the tracks were defined by railway sleepers!

[crunch]

It was sooooo cool a viewing spot!!
The FIA track inspector had a minor heart murmur when he saw the track, and without Rob Lester there to "grease the wheels" the race would not have happened.