Reality bites - hard

Teaser time - lead-in fragment for the coming month's NZ4WD column

Disappointment. Just when the entry list was looking good and we were ready to go show people what the Giti Tyre Chev ProLite can do, that virus raises its nasty head again. For the first time in its 40 year history, the Ashley Forest Hillclimb is cancelled. I’m feeling disappointed but more so for the event and the many crews who were looking forward to tackling that high speed hill

The worst thing for us is the loss of an opportunity to spread the Gospel of Offroad Goodness to people who still think the sport is about tractors in mud wallows.

Never mind. When the alert level shifts in our favour we’ll look for some opportunities to display and demo the truck around Canterbury. People down here are hurting pretty bad, but the lack of social events is making it worse. A&P shows, community events, all the things that are ‘glue’ for people down here where they get together and hang out with neighbours, friends and even strangers have been postponed or cancelled.

We’re ‘pivoting’ now to look more closely at the start of 2021 as well. Rod Millen’s ‘driveway’ hillclimb, the Leadfoot, should be able to run; likewise there’s some great news brewing from the Counties Manukau club regarding their new international stadium raceway at Colin Dale Park near the airport. Not allowed to say exactly what, but it’s a very strong reason to plan to be at the two-round series that kicks it all off.

Anyone who’s anyone needs to plan to be at that series, and it has a New Zealand title up for grabs. In fact it has many titles up for grabs, because there will be champions crowned in every class. So the person who wins the UTV class is a New Zealand Stadium Racing Champion, as is the person who wins the truck class or class one or class three.

Kiwi race fans: there's a heaping helping of Giti Tyres offroad racing info and opinion in every issue of NZ4WD; available in all good magazine outlets. Get your copy, or subscribe; you'll get the latest update on events and new builds every month.

 


 

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