Jack's Ridge: Paddon out, Big Cheese takes the tin

arcus

What a day. First time I go to a motorsport event purely to spectate and I am awestruck. The Battle of Jack's Ridge is pure motorsport entertainment and all who backed the vision can take a bow. 

First up. Andrew Hawkeswood. Nobody has made a superstage like this, not here in New Zealand for sure - and I'll go so far as to say not overseas either. Rally Oz was always a good watch while it was out west but it was manufactured and not challenging. The 'bog' at Manukau was never much more than interesting (though it DID put rallying in front of thousands of Aucklanders who might not otherwise have even known Rally NZ was happening).This new event gives fresh meaning to the term world class, and there's plenty of room to make it even more impressive.

Second: the competitors. Mad Ian Ffitch on his ATV. Sloan Cox in his hillclimb special. Marcus van Klink in his RX8. Matt Summerfield. Emma Gilmour, outgunned in her amazing wee swift but showing that gritty determination to go as far and as hard as she ever could. Mad Mike Whiddett, flinging his wee rotary offroad racer around, crowd-pleaser as always. Murph! Andrew and son Jack in their AP4 cars.

As most will know, Hayden Paddon crashed out in spectacular fashion on his way to beating his own time, enabling Shane van Gisbergen and Tauranga's Phil Cameron to advance to a final duel. People who only know SVG for his form in the V8s might have been surprised to see how quick he is on dirt but New Zealand's motorsport community was not. Talent is talent, and that fella has plenty. He's also logged plenty of dirt time over the years.

Indeed, Paddon went out, SVG (Big Cheese) took the tinware but let's trot out another cliche and say motorsport was truly the winner on the day. I think we just glimpsed a brief view of the future of motorsport in this country. 

Fast-paced, focussed on the entertainment and critically aware of the wants and needs of the 5,000 or so punters who rocked up to the Brookby Road venue. 

Great food (not just minced up random animal parts in batter on a stick), excellent coffee, cold drinks, a hillside viewing area and a big screen - though the latter was kinda dwarfed by the panorama that lay before us. 

Easy in and out, no muss no fuss, portaloos everywhere, and simple, clear walkways to the viewing area.

Magnificent.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

BMW nears the end of a 20 year journey to alternative auto power

Image
German automaker BMW has confirmed it is close to launching a hydrogen fuel-cell version of its X5 SUV. Like most new technology developments, the iX5 Hydrogen is an ‘umbrella’ vehicle, aiming to spread the word about hydrogen as a fuel using the brand’s high end 4WD and starting with demonstrations and real-road testing. The project is another instance in a developing relationship between BMW and Toyota that started with the Japanese brand adopting the BMW Z4 as the basis for its new Supra, Toyota is building the fuel cell units for BMW to fit into the iX5. The announcement is also seen by some as redefining the current push toward plain EV vehicles. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles create their own electrical power using water in a complex but effective chemical process on board the host vehicle. Emissions are limited to water vapour. Exciting news for the motoring public, though not exactly the news politicians trying to push the public onto trains and buses were needing to read right no...
Read more

Graham McRae 5 March 1940 - 4 August 2021

Image
I met Graham McRae just the once, when Michael Clark brought him down to Palmerston North to the New Zealand Grand Prix. On that occasion, there was McRae, Damon Hill and Josh Hill, Chris Amon and - if memory serves - also Howden Ganley all perched in the house bar of our hotel supping ales and swapping yarns.  I was happy enough to shut up and listen to some epic tales. This remains the biggest gathering of F1 drivers I have ever sat amongst. Travel well, Graham. It was an honour and a privilege to meet you. The image here is by good bugger and ace lensman Terry Marshall. Graham McRae 5 March 1940 - 4 August 2021 New Zealand racing driver and constructor Graham McRae has passed away. He had been unwell for some time and was aged 81. McRae was one of New Zealand’s most successful drivers and race car builders, a three-time champion of the Tasman Series, champion in the 1972 SCCA Continental 5000 series and multiple Australian Grand Prix winner (1972, 1973, 1976, 1978). Fe...
Read more

BMW Race Driver Series adds new ‘spec’ class for E46 3 series

Image
     An E46 race build under way. RCIS photo   The biggest race series in New Zealand has announced a new single-specification class for the coming season, using the E46 coupe and four door versions of BMW’s ever popular 3 Series. Organisers say the aim is to give competitors a chance to compete in motorsport at reasonable cost by limiting permissible modifications In fact the class prohibits any modification not specifically tagged in the rules. The E46 class features ‘showroom’ 320i four or two door cars with the M54B22 24-valve, twin cam six cylinder engine. Gearboxes allowed are the Getrag and ZF manual five speed transmissions used in the road cars. There are upwards of 12 cars in-build for the current season. The BMW series started in 2006 with a single-class competition for BMW’s E30 3 Series. Inspired by a similar competition in the UK, it rapidly grew to be the most successful such series in the country. It soon expanded to include a class for 2.0-litr...
Read more