Want to race in NZ?

[small bangers]

Hi everyone, I received an email from David Towe recently and thought you might like to see it. It's about the possibilty of doing two race meetings on consecutive weekends on the North Island at Hampton Downs and Pukekohe.

I don't know if you read or heard anything about the incredibly successful Bruce McLaren Revival Race meeting held at Hampton Downs, our brand new race circuit just south of Auckland in January of this year?

Basically the meeting was to celebrate the life & times of Bruce McLaren. It attracted about 400 fantastic classic cars from around the world & was hugely successful. It was followed up the following weekend by a similar meeting at Pukekohe.

In Jan 21,22,23 & then again 28,29,30 2011, we will be holding the Chris Amon Festival. This event we are hoping to be as successful & seeing as Chris is still alive & kicking, it could be even more successful.

I have been tasked with putting together a grid of Grp A / Grp N/Grp C Saloon cars from 1st Jan 1980 - 31st Dec 1989 & was hoping to entice a number of your cars to cross the ditch & come & race with the GrpA/N cars from NZ. We need a grid of about 30 & first priority goes to the genuine cars of that era. You can also promote it as having a week's holiday in NZ between race weekends, although there is probably going to be activities during the week, ie: evening sprints, hill climbs etc at the track

Can you either put me in contact with the right people, or spread the word yourself & try & gauge the interest there may be for this event.

In Jan 2012, the same meeting at Hampton Downs has already been decided to celebrate BMW Motorsport, so keep that in mind also. We are hoping to attract the biggest gathering of BMW Motorsport Race cars ever, to that meeting.

I look forward to hearing from you or others in regard to this meeting.

It's open to all Group C/A cars betwen the abovementioned dates and there will be a grid for 70s Group C cars as well. If you want to contact David with any questions or expressions of interest contact him at djtowe@pnc.com.au

It looks like we're really taking off (pardon the pun):D

Cheers
Small Bangers

[Coolvet]

Does anyone have an idea of the costs involved in getting a car to NZ? Maybe we could collectively work out how much it would cost so we can make an informed decision? I imagine some of the costs would be:
1. shipping cost to Auckland and back (how long does it take?)
2. cost for steam cleaning and fumigating to meet Customs requirements
3. air fares, accommodation and car rental
4. local transport to trailer the cars around to the tracks (or do we ship it in our own trailers?)
5. garage accommodation if we need to work on the cars
6. entry fees for the 2 meetings

What else?

[small bangers]

David has already started the process re all these questions

[cossiepower]

Just how are they offering to entice?

[small bangers]

More from David Towe re NZ. It looks like there will be grids in excess of 30 cars. He'd like more people to contact him as the more interest the better the deals we may all get. Read on..

Hi folks, a lot has happened since I last emailed you re the “Chris Amon Festival” at Hampton Downs near Auckland NZ a couple of weeks ago. I’ve had a lot of interest with many good questions. I had a meeting with the NZ organiser who advises the only real sticking point at present is alloy cages. At the moment they are not legal in NZ but Motorsport NZ (Kiwi CAMS) and CAMS are in discussions re the problem and possible solutions.

The trip was originally to take in two tracks, Hampton Downs and Pukekohe on successive weekends, but now both meetings will be at Hampton Downs. This takes away a large cost factor, that of relocating the containers from one track to the other. I’ve had discussions with a freight forwarder re the shipping costs and it would be in the order of $4,000-$4,500 return per car for a twin share 40’ container. This may be reduced if we can do a roll on-roll off movement whereby the cars are transported in/on your own trailer. The problem here is we then need to tow the trailer to the track, a trip of 45 mins. I’ll be looking at options here as well. The OZ registration of the trailer will be recognised by the NZ RTA and the it would be insured under the tow vehicle’s policy as it is here.

Initially the meeting was only open to 70s and 80s cars but the organisers have now invited all Group A and C cars. There may be some genuine FIA Group N cars in the grids as well. As you will probably already know, FIA Group N is not like the NA, NB and NC cars here, they are quality, internationally recognised production based cars with racing history and have their own value internationally. This should eliminate some of the “flamboyant” driving we’ve seen from the OZ Group NA, NB and NC cars when we’ve raced with them as these guys have valuable cars too.

I also had questions re cigarette sponsorship being allowed on the cars and the answer is as we run here ie. If it ran it in the day then you can run it now. You cannot source new ciggie sponsorship for your car! CAMS licences will be valid there. The pit area at present is gravel, but there are plans to top seal this before we arrive. The garages will be given to the F5000s and we’ll be accommodated in a giant marquee directly behind the pit buildings. I will ask about security for the total time our cars would be on site, ie Thursday to Monday of the following week (11 days) and let you know.

I have started basic communications re a possible sponsorship to subsidise the costs and will be trying to arrange air fare and accommodation deals as well. I had advice from a competitor this year who said that after all was finished it cost him $6,000 to run a Formula Ford there. I don’t know about what you guys spend on a meeting, but this seems on par with an interstate trip in OZ for one meeting not two as we’ll get in NZ.

I think that brings you up to date with most of the questions so far. I’ll provide more info as I get it. What I need now is to be able to give the organisers some indication of numbers. Who would be interested in going if we could do freight and air fares (ex Syd, Mel, Bris) accommodation and entry fees for both meetings for under $4,500 total nett?

Please send this email to anyone who you think may be interested and ask them to email me if they haven’t received it from me directly and I’ll add them to the list of interested parties. I have about 10 interested so far and we should be aiming at 15 going and a total grid of over 30 cars.

I’m keen to go and Jenny and I will have a holiday around these meetings while we’re there.

Check out http://www.hamptondowns.com/

Cheers
David
0412 209 719

PS. For the fellow BMW owners, apparently BMW Germany are keen to make the following year, “The BMW Festival” a major event on their programme and we may see some real assistance for that year from them.

[small bangers]

Time to tell you all who small bangers is...it's me, David Towe. I don't usually use false names when I post on forums, but the last time I joined the Group C Assoc. forum I was somehow refused access after a few days so I elected to keep my identity to myself this time. The problem is that my identity has been revealed by admin and I've decided to come clean. Hopefully my access will not be rescinded again.
I have forwarded many questions to the NZ organisers which will take some time to resolve. I hope to have most answers by the end of July and will contact everyone as soon as the answers come in.

[Fast Eddie]

Time to tell you all who small bangers is...it's me, David Towe. I don't usually use false names when I post on forums, but the last time I joined the Group C Assoc. forum I was somehow refused access after a few days so I elected to keep my identity to myself this time. The problem is that my identity has been revealed by admin and I've decided to come clean. .

Must have been all that "cheap wine" eh?

[small bangers]

Hi guys (and ladies), the Kiwis are very keen to have us there but my efforts to secure some sponsorship $$ has drawn a blank so far. If anyone would like to PM me or email me with some possible targets as sponsors for the whole category at the meeting please feel free to so. All correspondence will be treated with the utmost discretion. I'm also looking for a contact name at an airline for a corporate rate for the teams travlling to the meetings. Remember this could aid us all.
Cheers
David Towe

[arjay]

Dave,
If you can speak with paul stubber as he is and has been racing in NZ, He may be able to give some leads on travel, Accom, logistics,

Check out Castrol, they may help

Cheers