Auckland Street Circuit

[fpv_gtho]

Plans are flying around for the proposed Auckland street circuit that will replace Pukekohe Park Raceway on the V8 Supercar calender for 2006. The official plan for the track was officially released for last weekend's coverage for Rnd 3 of the V8 Supercars at Pukekohe, and although in a rather rectangular like configuration, the streets of Auckland are rather sloped apparently which should provide some thrills compared to the reasonably flat circuits and street circuits that fill in the other rounds of the series. Even still, racing is sure to have its moments there as the Gold Coast street circuit that hosts the Indy 300 at Surfers Paradise is rather simple to look at but still is technical in its own right. The mayor of Aukland is all to happy to have the proposed street circuit there, and is hopeful of the extra tourism it will bring to New Zealand

[motorsportnerd]

To be honest, I'm not sure that an Auckland street race will happen. There is a fair bit of opposition to the staging of the race in the downtown Auckland area. I have heard suggestions that instead of spending millions on a street circuit, a new, permanent Grand Prix standard circuit should be built for the Auckland region as a permanent replacement to Pukekohe.
If it does happen, the proposed street layout will be a good one. Quite a steep hill will be part of the layout. And the roads are a lot wider than the Gold Coast. It would also have the backdrop of the Sky Tower building, which is the tallest structure in the Southern Hemisphere. So, it would be a much more interesting location than Canberra was. Won't have the beaches or babes like Gold Coast though.
More likely is that the Manfield circuit will replace Pukekohe. Its longer, more technical and less bumpy than Pukekohe and is up to FIA standards (a round of the World Superbike Championship was held there in the early 90s). The circuit promoters will be further upgrading the circuit. Its located about an hour and a half drive north of Wellington, so that's its downside. To far away from the nearest large city. Pukekohe is only 30 minutes from Auckland...

[fpv_gtho]

Well either way, Auckland as a city seem to really want it to happen, and AVESCO havent made any issues theyve got with it public so it could happen. It might not be long though before Tony Cochrane tries to get the series extended, i mean, some people are talking about making the Australian Gran Prix support event a proper round, then theres Symmons Plains now signed up for the next 5 years as well as Shanghai next year, and i think Cochrane wants to race in Dubai pretty soon, so that could see 15 official rounds compared to the current 14 race meets, of which 13 are official rounds

[Falcon500]

Oh yeah going through about 5 of canberra most popular atractions wasnt intresting....your obviously a kiwi How many races are staged being an old house of parlimaent,the war memorial and is within koee of damn near everything else...the reason why the street circut didnt last was because it wasnt makeing the money the goverment wanted...and avesco suggested another timewhich didnt have the freazing weather...but the pollies didnt like it because it clashed with the multicultural festival....they wouldent move it because canberra is a cosmopolitan(snob) city and v8 super cars is a blue collar sport...much like how they arnt too intrested in rugby leauge nowdays...working class sport and apprntly canberrans are above it....so it was political a decision that killed it tyvm....And just becauseit wasnt intresting to you anyone who has seen the capital wouldof found remote intrest in it...also there was the added bonus we where the only countryin the worldto hold a street cricuit race in the capital...and i wanted one of them Ambrose for PM that he wore when he met Mr sheen (John Howard)

That said im not reallybought by the aukland street circut...idont like street circuts that much and would much rather see a permant race track....

[motorsportnerd]

I'd prefer to see Manfield chosen or see Pukekohe upgraded. I'm not particularly in favour of street circuits, especially ones which soak up millions of government dollars for a few years before they disappear. I'd rather see the money spend on permanent, year round tracks which can be used for manufacuter testing, for corporate days, driver training, track days, etc, on the days where there isn't race meetings. That way there is a chance to make the circuit pay for itself. And the tourism aspects and economic benefits to the cities involved aren't lost just because its a permanent circuit rather than a street circuit.

I really wasn't fond of the Canberra layout. Too tight. Too many concrete walls. And you could hardly see the Parliament buildings behind the concrete and armco. Its a pity that the ACT Government didn't consider sinking the money into permanent facitlities, perhaps even Wakefield park, rather than a street circuit black hole. I agree with Falc's general sum up of why the street race in Canberra was canned though.
Falc, did you go to any of the Canberra races when they were held?

[Falcon500]

Was quite true very tight despite revisions...paddock sitters got an ok view for uner $100 while grandstand sitter saw a limited amount but allof that limited amount...if they removed them pine tresss i could of seen half the track (i was in the holden Grand stand) that saidi have been only the oncein 02...year after steven Johnson won a mark skaife white wash and a bitter dissapointment when ambroseclipped a wall in qualifying knocking his front splitter off...
You can also thank markskaife and its origonal sponsor GMC for the layout skaify made it GMC wantedit too looklike a drill it both their fault!

[fpv_gtho]

paddock sitters got an OK view for under $100????? man, i can get a full grandstand and paddock pass for the whole 3 days for eastern creek at the end of the year for $103, and just Sunday its just $63

[Falcon500]

It cost my parents a little under $300 it was my birthday present...entery for all4 days all weekend paddock and pit pass grandstand seat all 4 days and a few vouchers for drinks and food....the price i quited was for all 4 days too pits pass for one day was $10 extra all except on themain race day where it was $15 and had a time limit (not during race ) all in all not a bad price...i also got to meet Glenn seton (still kicking myself for not getting his squiggle) paul radasich and a few others and i got abused by mark skaife for standing in front of his golf kart while zooming away from fans...i was wandering along enjoying my vodka slushie and happend to be plodding along in his way.....

[fpv_gtho]

i also got to meet Glenn seton (still kicking myself for not getting his squiggle)

hehe, i got his signature hanging on my bedroom wall right next to me.......me and a couple of hundred other people that managed to catch him at the Sydney Motorshow in 2002. i never ended up getting to talk to him though..........

if i was in that position with skaife though, i think i wouldve just turned around and told him to shove it. everyone else has to watch out for people, why should he get the privelage to tell them to get out the way

[Falcon500]

It was a quick hey how you doin seto? Big fan of yours havea good weekend...the salesman from the mitsu dealeri origonally worked for has had luch with both him and bo....apprently some of the top people of the sport...always happy to see fans....my father has also seen him albeit running around the bathurst track as a young boy lol (glenn not my father)
I wish my brother was there i got up fromthe stand to do some under age drinking lol...i should of stood there and asked for his auto graph and let his fans surround him
"their just jelous because their the puclic and im warrick kaappa" Warrick kappa GAYFL star said during an interview where he threatend a coach athis sons afl game....some sportspeople think of themselves like this...i doubtskaify does but anythingspossible...

[fpv_gtho]

It was a quick hey how you doin seto? Big fan of yours havea good weekend...the salesman from the mitsu dealeri origonally worked for has had luch with both him and bo....apprently some of the top people of the sport...always happy to see fans....my father has also seen him albeit running around the bathurst track as a young boy lol (glenn not my father)
I wish my brother was there i got up fromthe stand to do some under age drinking lol...i should of stood there and asked for his auto graph and let his fans surround him
"their just jelous because their the puclic and im warrick kaappa" Warrick kappa GAYFL star said during an interview where he threatend a coach athis sons afl game....some sportspeople think of themselves like this...i doubtskaify does but anythingspossible...

well if youve seen the desks at the motor shows theyr ebloody huge, and with everyone talkign around you, you could understand why i thought he wouldnt have heard me if i said anything to him......aw well, seeimg him in the flesh and getting an autographed poster of the first BA supercar is better than nothing i suppose, even if i didnt get to open my mouth.

well skaife when he talks, he always seems to be making himself sound like an authority figure or something, like if he does a descriptioin of a lap around bathurst he'll be going something like......."you come out of forests elbow just along the inside and let the car out wide to the concrete barriers where you really start to SQUEEEEEZE everything out of the throttle and you get right up onto the limiter and the engines just bouncing off it then coming up to caltex chase you going from hard on the throttle to hard on the brakes, and if you a second too late you'll find yourself on the wrong side of the kerbing....." just crap like that, maybe a better example is how much he gets cut up about jokes on V8 Superstars

[Waatz]

Im anti Auckland Street Race,

Here are my reasons

* I think there will be more spectator viewing for corprates and less for the fans of the sport
* Im not sure the circuit will be as fast (who wants to see a slow race?)
* The roads are pretty bad in Auckland, how are they going to deal with camber in corners?
* Very worried about the access around the track, what will we see?
*I would love to see a new purpose biult venue or an upgrade of Pukekohe
* And ofcourse the Auckland traffic problems that all New Zealanders pay (extra) tax on our petrol for, a street circuit sure wont fix that.

So what do you all think?

[motorsportnerd]

I note that Paul Radisich has said that he'd prefer to see Pukekohe upgraded or a purpose built race track as well. Sounds like he's not particularly keen on an Auckland Street Race. See my earlier comments. I'm with you. If tax dollars must be spent on motorsport, they should be spent on permanent facilities that are able to provide a decent return on the taxpayer investment.

[fpv_gtho]

* Im not sure the circuit will be as fast (who wants to see a slow race?)
* The roads are pretty bad in Auckland, how are they going to deal with camber in corners?

well its things like these that give the appeal of a street race. its what sets the race apart from just a normal track with buildings around it, but by bad roads you mean full of potholes and such, then it may be wise to choose a spot elsewhere

[Waatz]

Fair enough, I dont think there are too many "Potholes" as such, just bumpy uneaven roads.
I have actualy never been to a street race and I may be plesantly surprised. I think im more scared that it will be a big "cock up" and i'll have nowhere to sit.
I must say though, if anybody has been in Auckland from about 2:30 on a Friday afternoon they will know that it's going to be pandamonium when there's an extra 100,000 people trying to leave or even move around the city. There's talk that where the circuit is potentialy going to be it will cause 4 of the Harbour bridges lanes to be closed, halving the daily flow across the bridge.
Interesting Read below.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydispl...reportid=52008