Pukekohe 500-27/28 October 2012

[Club racer]

It's hard to disagree that V8ST listens to its fans - whoever you are and wherever your preferences lie. We found the volunteers and staff very friendly and approachable when we were looking round at Taupo and trying to get some autographs with the kids. I think they know the thing is not perfect, but there is a will to get there and deliver something special. They were clearly all working bloody hard, at least on Sunday when we were there. I am sure they will look at the comments, observations and criticisms and do the best they can with the resources they have. The volunteers helping out at Taupo were massively enthusiastic, the teams and drivers were and there were alot of happy people on our side of the fence at Taupo. None of that is designed to be sycophantic - it's all fact.

TV3 is a natural partner. Like the coverage or not, Shaun and the TV3 team are motorsport fans first and foremost and we should all be very grateful for that. They do a great job with all motorsport in my opinion.

Can't wait for Pukekohe. Two of us went to HD to watch Round 1 (we are just a handful of the thousands of participants Shaun mentions) and I reckon there will be 20 or more of us at Pukekohe on what is looking like a top weekend away for the boys. Got to be something in that!

A winner? Andy Booth just MUST get a result soon, so let's go for him and D'Alberto if they are running together again!

[FAS33]

Originally Posted by Club racer

It's hard to disagree that V8ST listens to its fans - whoever you are and wherever your preferences lie. We found the volunteers and staff very friendly and approachable when we were looking round at Taupo and trying to get some autographs with the kids. I think they know the thing is not perfect, but there is a will to get there and deliver something special. They were clearly all working bloody hard, at least on Sunday when we were there. I am sure they will look at the comments, observations and criticisms and do the best they can with the resources they have. The volunteers helping out at Taupo were massively enthusiastic, the teams and drivers were and there were alot of happy people on our side of the fence at Taupo. None of that is designed to be sycophantic - it's all fact.

TV3 is a natural partner. Like the coverage or not, Shaun and the TV3 team are motorsport fans first and foremost and we should all be very grateful for that. They do a great job with all motorsport in my opinion.

Can't wait for Pukekohe. Two of us went to HD to watch Round 1 (we are just a handful of the thousands of participants Shaun mentions) and I reckon there will be 20 or more of us at Pukekohe on what is looking like a top weekend away for the boys. Got to be something in that!

A winner? Andy Booth just MUST get a result soon, so let's go for him and D'Alberto if they are running together again!

being grateful and thankful is one thing, but Constructive criticism is another. and all I want in this series is better coverage and commentary. (actual guys that know what their talking about) would make this series more awesome, then it already is going to be.

[Goat Boy]

This is as good a thread as any to post this:

New class of racing launched for tin-tops in New Zealand

Monday 10th September, 2012
Author: SpeedCafe ©


"A new class of racing has been created to cater for a variety of tin-top classes in New Zealand.

The new class, to be known as XtremeSport Motor Racing Series, has been pieced together in association with the V8 SuperTourers and will compete alongside the popular category at selected events next year.

Interested competitors in the new class have been offered a one-off event, supporting the International Pukekohe 500, to be held in late October.

The XtremeSport Series is designed to cater for very fast that currently do not have high profile events to compete at.

Cars such as Trans-Ams, Sports Sedans and GT type cars, including the ex-Porsche GT3 Cup cars will be eligible for entry.

There are no technical regulations, save for the car complying with and possessing a MSNZ log book.

Entry will be by invitation only, with entrants needing to apply for a V8ST-XtremeSport Technical Passport.

To be eligible for the Pukekohe event in October, a sub-60 second lap time will be the benchmark, with each entrant needing to verify that both car and driver are capable of that time. Entries will also be accepted from those competitors who may not have raced at Pukekohe before, but can demonstrate a similar level of official lap time performance at any other New Zealand motor racing circuit."


I'd love to see Owen Evans' Lighting Direct Porsche Le Mans back at Puke, that was the most awesome beast!

[Mr Revhead]

Now that kind of class I love! Also I suspect its exactly the type of cars the public want.
Is whatisnames TVR still around?

[promax]

Originally Posted by Goat Boy

This is as good a thread as any to post this:

New class of racing launched for tin-tops in New Zealand

Monday 10th September, 2012
Author: SpeedCafe ©


"A new class of racing has been created to cater for a variety of tin-top classes in New Zealand.

The new class, to be known as XtremeSport Motor Racing Series, has been pieced together in association with the V8 SuperTourers and will compete alongside the popular category at selected events next year.

Interested competitors in the new class have been offered a one-off event, supporting the International Pukekohe 500, to be held in late October.

The XtremeSport Series is designed to cater for very fast that currently do not have high profile events to compete at.

Cars such as Trans-Ams, Sports Sedans and GT type cars, including the ex-Porsche GT3 Cup cars will be eligible for entry.

There are no technical regulations, save for the car complying with and possessing a MSNZ log book.

Entry will be by invitation only, with entrants needing to apply for a V8ST-XtremeSport Technical Passport.

To be eligible for the Pukekohe event in October, a sub-60 second lap time will be the benchmark, with each entrant needing to verify that both car and driver are capable of that time. Entries will also be accepted from those competitors who may not have raced at Pukekohe before, but can demonstrate a similar level of official lap time performance at any other New Zealand motor racing circuit."


I'd love to see Owen Evans' Lighting Direct Porsche Le Mans back at Puke, that was the most awesome beast!

so this new exciting class is just GTRNZ's GT1 class renamed??

how original.. we've now got 3 versions of the same class what's next? pre 66? super Vsixes? NZ Sportscar Racing Super Stars? SSS2000?

[smokin'joe]

Originally Posted by Mr Revhead

Now that kind of class I love! Also I suspect its exactly the type of cars the public want.
Is whatisnames TVR still around?

Carl Hansen's car ??


Kayne Scott gonna be busy that day. i am sure part of the reasoning of this class is to get some of the old Big Bangers out, and i am sure Mr Petch would love to have a crack at the race lap record around there before the track gets changed.

will the Rotorvette/ rotomaro get to have a run ??

this class better be televised for us southerners who can't make it up there

[Mr Revhead]

That'll be the one. Pretty fast wee machine

[NZSTfan]

So a bit of a rock n race format for the Puke 500 i see......

V8 SuperTourers sign up The Feelers for Pukekohe's big weekend


Details Created on Monday, 10 September 2012 16:30
V8 SuperTourers are delighted to announce that rock group the Feelers will headline on the V8ST Super Stage on the evening of Saturday October 27th at the Pukekohe circuit for its International 500 event.

The Feelers are promising one of their best live shows yet, so fans can rest assured they will be revisiting all their biggest hits with a new found enthusiasm! The band has sold a quarter of a million albums, has five multi-platinum albums, three Number One albums, seven Number One singles and has enjoyed more radio airplay than any other New Zealand artist or band since radio stats began in 1999!

And it doesn't stop there. Former lead singer and songwriter for New Zealand band, The Exponents, Jordan Luck MNZM, is also confirmed as the major support with his Jordan Luck Band.

Anyone with track access on Saturday at Pukekohe via a Weekend Pass, GA, Grandstand or corporate can stay on for the concert, which will be held at the circuit itself. In addition, anyone wishing to just attend the evening concert can buy specific tickets from the V8 SuperTourer Pukekohe area on Eventfinder.

[promax]

they might wanna drug test and breath test Luck before the 500. everytime i've seen him sing.. he's been totally off his face. i'd rather pay money to see Jerico sing than that guy.

[Jerico]

Originally Posted by promax

they might wanna drug test and breath test Luck before the 500. everytime i've seen him sing.. he's been totally off his face. i'd rather pay money to see Jerico sing than that guy.

I do a very good version of the Rolling Stones, You can't always get what you want!

[harcey]

i am lead to believe that a 3x race format for the ST puke 500 is gonna be the go and announced soon...one race saturday and 2x sunday with a small break in between.....
am told that the technical issues found on the first 2x cars at Taupo which resulted in them able to run lower ride heights will be offered to ALL competitors for the puke event....so they 'were' cheating and a big face save for series credibility by not disqualifying them....****es me off that.(apparently better able to control the lively rear end that cursed many of the teams).
also understand that work on Puke for the improvements is gonna be a bit more difficult after engineers reports and will close down from october and open for v8ST and a couple other key events like thunder in the park.... a few events now scrambling for new venues by all accounts....i am also hearing of a chicane on the back straight AND at the top of the mountain(hill).....all armco to go..replaced by blocks with catch fence on top....longer runoff at hairpin with a small block of land bought behind the h/pin tyre wall....
anyone else got any goss on this lot...

[Goat Boy]

Originally Posted by harcey

also understand that work on Puke for the improvements is gonna be a bit more difficult after engineers reports and will close down from october and open for v8ST and a couple other key events like thunder in the park.... a few events now scrambling for new venues by all accounts....i am also hearing of a chicane on the back straight AND at the top of the mountain(hill).....all armco to go..replaced by blocks with catch fence on top....longer runoff at hairpin with a small block of land bought behind the h/pin tyre wall....
anyone else got any goss on this lot...

As a civil engineer this does not surprise me at all, and I would say they will be pushing hard to get this fully designed, consented and built in time for the V8SC. If for some reason it doesn't happen in time there will be hell to pay - and now who is betting that it blows the construction budget too.

Now that Tony & co. at HD have their 50,000 a day resource consent then ATEED will look pretty silly if it all goes to custard...

[Blackpearl]

Originally Posted by harcey

i am lead to believe that a 3x race format for the ST puke 500 is gonna be the go and announced soon...one race saturday and 2x sunday with a small break in between.....
am told that the technical issues found on the first 2x cars at Taupo which resulted in them able to run lower ride heights will be offered to ALL competitors for the puke event....so they 'were' cheating and a big face save for series credibility by not disqualifying them....****es me off that.(apparently better able to control the lively rear end that cursed many of the teams).
also understand that work on Puke for the improvements is gonna be a bit more difficult after engineers reports and will close down from october and open for v8ST and a couple other key events like thunder in the park.... a few events now scrambling for new venues by all accounts....i am also hearing of a chicane on the back straight AND at the top of the mountain(hill).....all armco to go..replaced by blocks with catch fence on top....longer runoff at hairpin with a small block of land bought behind the h/pin tyre wall....
anyone else got any goss on this lot...

Concur, and it is true. I can add the big plan for puke was to place concrete walls with out any footings, thing is all of that land moves during the day and the walls would fall down because of that.

[Speedwayracer44]

Originally Posted by harcey

i am lead to believe that a 3x race format for the ST puke 500 is gonna be the go and announced soon...one race saturday and 2x sunday with a small break in between.....
am told that the technical issues found on the first 2x cars at Taupo which resulted in them able to run lower ride heights will be offered to ALL competitors for the puke event....so they 'were' cheating and a big face save for series credibility by not disqualifying them....****es me off that.(apparently better able to control the lively rear end that cursed many of the teams).
also understand that work on Puke for the improvements is gonna be a bit more difficult after engineers reports and will close down from october and open for v8ST and a couple other key events like thunder in the park.... a few events now scrambling for new venues by all accounts....i am also hearing of a chicane on the back straight AND at the top of the mountain(hill).....all armco to go..replaced by blocks with catch fence on top....longer runoff at hairpin with a small block of land bought behind the h/pin tyre wall....
anyone else got any goss on this lot...

Harcey, I dont believe your comment re cheating is correct. Some leading competitors found a grey area and as a result a bulletin was issued before the race and those in question were re checked post race and had conformed to the ruling. This cleans up the grey area as we all are trying to find a competitive advantage and this bulletin also helped other teams to understand what the top guys were doing. In my opinion a good immediate outcome and this will also help close the field again. Better this than having the governing body go on a witch hunt and hold secret meetings in their hotels at night and determine how they will "Get Them" and create a rod for their own back and then protests and hearings and court drama etc etc because a rule wasnt written correctly in the first place. What you reckon?

I have also heard about the chicane to get the track over a minute. Have also heard about the amount of visits the track is getting from the hitler from the council re noise. I understand that there is a meter on the back straight and have heard second hand that some private residence that face the road back to the track from the hairpin area have their own noise meters as well. How on earth are V8SC going to adhere to 95? I am glad that V8ST are quiet and are under the 95 otherwise there may have been a stoppage of races by the green people of pukekohe.

[harcey]

Originally Posted by Speedwayracer44

Harcey, I dont believe your comment re cheating is correct. Some leading competitors found a grey area and as a result a bulletin was issued before the race and those in question were re checked post race and had conformed to the ruling. This cleans up the grey area as we all are trying to find a competitive advantage and this bulletin also helped other teams to understand what the top guys were doing. In my opinion a good immediate outcome and this will also help close the field again. Better this than having the governing body go on a witch hunt and hold secret meetings in their hotels at night and determine how they will "Get Them" and create a rod for their own back and then protests and hearings and court drama etc etc because a rule wasnt written correctly in the first place. What you reckon?

I have also heard about the chicane to get the track over a minute. Have also heard about the amount of visits the track is getting from the hitler from the council re noise. I understand that there is a meter on the back straight and have heard second hand that some private residence that face the road back to the track from the hairpin area have their own noise meters as well. How on earth are V8SC going to adhere to 95? I am glad that V8ST are quiet and are under the 95 otherwise there may have been a stoppage of races by the green people of pukekohe.

i understand where you are coming from......if it was a grey area that had been exposed i would probably have told Tech guys we will sort it in the stewards room if i thought i was correct....fact that the cars were back to original spec for the race tells me that they were not in fact running legally through qualifying and probably should both have been relegated to the back for the two races.......at least...
If you modify a car because you think you have found a loop hole in the rules you normally carry it right through and are prepared to be challenged through normal proceedures.

[BackSeat Driver]

Heard a good rumour today, Some teams were running Octane booster for the first race as it was common knowlage that the top 4 cars were to be weighed only due to time constraints after the first race (because of the 20 min turn-around for the second race).

What else could you change on the car in 20 min?

[Mr Revhead]

How locked down are the ecus though?

[Goat Boy]

Originally Posted by BackSeat Driver

Heard a good rumour today, Some teams were running Octane booster for the first race as it was common knowlage that the top 4 cars were to be weighed only due to time constraints after the first race (because of the 20 min turn-around for the second race).

What else could you change on the car in 20 min?

Doesn't matter how level you try to make the playing field, does it? There's always going to be someone who tries to tip it in their favour. Used to happen in NZV8's too, didn't it? So probably not surprising...

Anyone remember the ingenious Toyota Celica turbo inlet cheat from the 1980's? Or was it the early 90's... Joe would remember I bet!

[Mr Revhead]

90s on the ST205 celicas. Seriously clever and well designed intake cheat that pulled the restrictor away from the turbo allowing air around it

[Goat Boy]

Originally Posted by Mr Revhead

90s on the ST205 celicas. Seriously clever and well designed intake cheat that pulled the restrictor away from the turbo allowing air around it

Took them a lot of hunting to find it, didn't it? Serious cheating, when the design team comes up with it. Small wonder they were banned for so long, never been a force again either even after they returned briefly.

[nistfan]

Originally Posted by Goat Boy

Doesn't matter how level you try to make the playing field, does it? There's always going to be someone who tries to tip it in their favour. Used to happen in NZV8's too, didn't it? So probably not surprising...

Anyone remember the ingenious Toyota Celica turbo inlet cheat from the 1980's? Or was it the early 90's... Joe would remember I bet!

I think it was 1995

[Mr Revhead]

Yeah it was activated by the clamps holding the intake pipe on was definitley a carefully designed part. I recall reading that the fia inspector commented on how well it was made and hidden. He only spotted it by chance

[promax]

Originally Posted by Goat Boy

Doesn't matter how level you try to make the playing field, does it? There's always going to be someone who tries to tip it in their favour. Used to happen in NZV8's too, didn't it? So probably not surprising...

yeah.. but it's meant to be a kit set formula. everyone hands over their money.. and in return they get boxes of identical parts. wasn't that part of the attraction to move away from the older NZV8s? all cars being identical?

[Goat Boy]

Originally Posted by promax

yeah.. but it's meant to be a kit set formula. everyone hands over their money.. and in return they get boxes of identical parts. wasn't that part of the attraction to move away from the older NZV8s? all cars being identical?

Just my point though, it doesn't matter how level you try to make the palying field, there's always someone who will try to tip it...

[MalcolmC]

Originally Posted by Goat Boy

Took them a lot of hunting to find it, didn't it? Serious cheating, when the design team comes up with it. Small wonder they were banned for so long, never been a force again either even after they returned briefly.

The Corolla WRC was pretty competitive, including winning the '98 Rally NZ (the one with the Kiwi painted on the side) and the '99 WRC Manufacturers Championship. I think they're returning to WRC in a couple of years with the Yaris!