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September 2021 News & Events

We’ve all been in lockdown and its been a bit dire. Do you chip away at the infamous list that never goes away or make a new list that’s better. Unfinished projects perhaps revisited, will they finally be completed? How deep into the project do you go, depends on what you’re working on … Life has definitely been a little different as of late. After what feels like a very long wait, Auckland has finally moved into level 3. Will it be a rush for takeaways or a rush for engine parts – I know which one I’ll be rushing to order

Well another week has come to the end and I’m definitely starting to feel the grind of another lockdown here in Auckland.  There is only so much sanding a girl can take!!!

The first few weeks weren’t so bad, Craig and I had prepped (or so we thought) for the inevitable when they started making noises about Delta and locking us down if it made it here.  I’d brought a new sewing machine and I took to learning a new skill and recovering the Heron’s seats.  Luckily we could get some deliveries when I ran out of glue to get that part of my project finished but unfortunately I’ve run out of leather to continue with the rest.  So sanding it is and boy do I have a new appreciation for panelbeaters and painters!!  I know you will have better tools to do the job than just hand sanding, but still, it will not be my favourite pass time.

It was a great shame that the final rounds of the CPS Northern Rallysprint had to be cancelled but such is life with so many of the competitors being in lockdown.  Craig and I had the car all ready to go and we were certainly looking forward to the final rounds.

So how has everyone else been passing the time?  I know fellow committee members Nikki & Wayne (Simbo) have been trying to rebuild Nikki’s engine remotely after hearing a knock at her last event and Brian Best has been preparing his car for the Waitomo Rally getting his rallysafe installed.  Fingers crossed us Aucklander’s will be allowed out to play!! 

Of you lucky enough to be outside of the boundaries and have your freedom back I hope you are enjoying it.  For the committee this only our President, so he will be flying the flag for the team and be out and about doing residents visits for our upcoming Speed Weekend which is going to be held on 20-21st November once again at Port Waikato/Limestone Downs.  Nikki has also plugged in a date for another Autocross at Mt Smart Stadium on December 11th so something for everyone to end the year. 

So the committee is still working hard in the background to try and ensure we have some events for you when we are eventually allowed back out to play this year but also preparing for the events to be run early next year.

We have also had to postpone our AGM which we did tentatively plan to have in October but obviously that can’t happen so we are moving forward to club night in November which will be the first Wednesday of the month the 3rd of November.

Please come along and share your thoughts, we do have a lot to discuss this time so your input would be much appreciated.  And as always we’d love to have some fresh faces and ideas on the committee if anyone is willing.

So until then, good luck with your projects,  hopefully everyone will rearing to go when we come out of lockdown!

Cheers

Suzie

Great to see Gooseys 4×4 Customs assisting with much needed food deliveries over lockdown. 

Deliveries coming from New Zealand growers and Groundswell Franklin and going to the New Zealand Sikh Youth.

Goose has the perfect ute for the job!

The AGM had been scheduled for October 6th, in two weeks time, however due to Covid lockdowns and tracking the Covid situation, the date has been differed to
November 3rd. 

Keep posted on Facebook for further details as we’ll start advertising soon. 

We have a lot to discuss this time round so your input would be appreciated.

Speed Weekend preparations are well underway and it’s shaping up to be another awesome weekend of hillclimb action.

We’re heading back to the picturesque countryside of Port Waikato and deep in to Limestone country. Day one is tarmac and day two is gravel, so there’s a bit of everything for everyone. There’s even accommodation onsite for those who wish to stay local. The roads definitely deliver with wide flowing sections, tight technical combinations, hairpins, drops and maximum attack. Not to be taken lightly, the roads also have undulations, pebbly tarmac, the odd pheasant and demand total focus and respect. 
This iconic two day event is our flagship club event, this year being combined as a round of the MSNZ Hillclimb Championships and Sundays event being a round of the Interclub Hillclimb Series. 

Our volunteers are the absolute backbone of the event. Thank you goes out to the volunteers who aid with the running of the event. We simply cant do it without you! 
Please reach out if you can help us volunteer at this event
secretary@pukekohecarclub.co.nz 

Competing cars must have a rollcage, this is a great event if you’re a seasoned professional or a weekend warrior. 
We’ll track the Covid situation and current restrictions leading up to the event, we hope to deliver another top notch weekend. 

Keep posted on FaceBook for event details.

The committee is working to bring you another exciting tarmac autocross event at Mt Smart Stadium on 11th December.
Our first event held there in June, saw a solid field of 25 attend in the rain, wind and squally conditions. The volunteers had stern faces as the rain set in early morning then smiles snuck in as the rain eased to clouds as the day progressed. Little did we know a devastating tornado was unfolding a few suburbs away.

Our competitors enjoyed wet slippery surfaces changing to dry sections with puddles.
The event date is being finalized and from past feedback, it’s an event not to miss. Centrally located and plenty of room to work with, this venue offers a large space to test your skills. It’s also got great spectating beneficial to watch others navigate the coned course before getting into it.

Keep posted on FaceBook for event details. 

That’s a wrap – Dam you Covid, you have taken Hoddle Road from us again!

MBOP are still running the Kaharoa tarmac rallysprint on 26th Sept, so those outside of the Auckland region get into it and enjoy! Entries close today. 
MOTORSPORT BAY OF PLENTY INC :: Kaharoa Tarmac Rallysprint (mbop.org.nz)

With 4 rounds on the series table and the final round not counting towards points, the points tables have now be updated and a prizegiving date is being sought. 4 of 6 rounds run this year, we’ll take that.

We are in the process of securing a date for a prizegiving and it will likely be held at the South Auckland Car Clubrooms, a central place for all the clubs competitors to meet.

The CPS Northern Rallysprint Series finalized 2021 points tables are accessible below..

2021 CPS Overall Drivers Points – CPS Northern Rally Sprint Series (nrss.co.nz)

The 2022 series dates are being secured now & we look forward to another year of Rallysprint action!!

This series has been running successfully for a number of years and it goes hand in hand with the rallysprint series. The same car clubs that put on the rallysprints also put on the hillclimbs. The series is historically well supported, although it does often tend to fly under the radar regarding publicity.

It offers hillclimbs that are run on gravel and tarmac, all are superb and run on great roads, cheap to enter and yet are very competitive. It does not quite attract the calibre of entrants as its big brother Rallyspint series but it still provides fantastic grassroots competition, the atmosphere is a little more relaxed than the rallysprints and leans more to the entry level motorsport. It’s run prior to Christmas although this year will flow over to the new year and so the weather is normally great, the rallysprints and rally seasons are normally done and dusted and it’s a series that’s just real fun to do.

While the start of the series was disrupted with Quine Road running during the Auckland COVID lockdown and therefore not able to count for points. Northland Doctors Hill Road has been put on ice as well and it looks like the Hibiscus Coast Motorsport club’s Tahoa Road hillclimb will be the opening round this year, returning to the venue for the second time.

             This year the events are:

                     Round 1 – HCMC      7 Nov, Tauhoa Road, Gravel
                 Round 2 – PCC   21 Nov, Port Waikato hillclimb , Gravel
                    Round 3 – NCC  TBA Jan, Doctors Hill Road, Tarmac
                                Round 4 – SACC   TBA Jan, TBA, Gravel
                               Round 5 – TVCC  TBA , Tarmac
The Interclub Hillclimb Series information will be added to the CPS Northern Rallysprint Series website as a sperate tab to access. 

The series is completely separate to the Rallysprint series, however it needs a home for people to go to a central point to access  information. It’s currently underway and will ready soon, so keep posted.

Get behind NZ’s only dedicated rally magazine, subscribe to A Little Bit Sideways and keep up to date with some of the countries best rally action. 

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Northern Rallysprint Series 
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Co Driver Event Reports 
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