HIGHLANDS MOTORSPORT PARK

[Purist]

Is there a track diagram of the place readily available anywhere? The video is nice, but doesn't really tell you a whole lot about what the overall layout is like.

[mikuni]

Originally Posted by Purist

Is there a track diagram of the place readily available anywhere? The video is nice, but doesn't really tell you a whole lot about what the overall layout is like.

It's not the most detailed, but it gives you a rough idea. I really like the track concept, though I'm not sure it needs so many iterations (apparantly there are over 30 configurations possible). I like a track to be a track, with possibly the ability to split it in half to maximise usage for trackdays etc. the other annoying thing is trying to gauge progress on the car when you can't compare laptimes, as the track alters slightly every time you go out.

[NZSTfan]

yeah looks great, and lets hope it happens

its a bit cheeky though having the backing 'vocals' of an F1 car in the advert. For some reason i dont think F1 will come to NZ.......but maybe i am wrong and there is something in the future here with AGP possibly on thin ice.

At the end of the day though this is a very positive thing full stop as its another facility in NZ, and would i be right in saying the longest track?

Theres also talk of the one in Nelson going ahead too, but i dont think its nowhere near as grand as this one.

[Mr Revhead]

The nelson one is 99% go. One more little detail to sort.
There is a track plan of it on the net, looks pretty damn good. Longest straight in nz! but no karusell or cross over though

[Mr Revhead]

Here it is, note link is to a PDF file
http://www.tasman.govt.nz/document/s...t/000000184317

Latest is a lot of the other plans are not consented, but the track is.
That is dependant on the access road being upgraded. Consent for that is an other application that I understand is in the process of final settlements

[Woolley]

Looks remarkably similar to Taupo?

[mikuni]

Originally Posted by Mr Revhead

Here it is, note link is to a PDF file
http://www.tasman.govt.nz/document/s...t/000000184317

Latest is a lot of the other plans are not consented, but the track is.
That is dependant on the access road being upgraded. Consent for that is an other application that I understand is in the process of final settlements

Wow. Now that is impressive. Looks like one of the best motorsport complexes I've ever seen.

What is going on here? How will they fund this one. Is this part of an overall conspiracy to form a number of high grade tracks to break away from MSNZ, as rumours suggest they are trying to stifle motorsport at Hampton Downs???

[Mr Revhead]

Lol no nothing like that. I think the plan was to incorperate as many activities as possible to get more clubs and groups on board to spread around costs and support, as well as centralize all motorsport in the area Funnily enough the lake etc as far as im aware hasn't got consent yet.

[GHOGH]

Certainly looks like an interesting track.

http://youtu.be/ZbAn221u5ug (Highlands track)

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by mikuni

Wow. Now that is impressive. Looks like one of the best motorsport complexes I've ever seen.

What is going on here? How will they fund this one. Is this part of an overall conspiracy to form a number of high grade tracks to break away from MSNZ, as rumours suggest they are trying to stifle motorsport at Hampton Downs???

With the automotive testing "Snow Farm" nearby and manufacturers doing a lot of testing and filming of such things as car commercials nearby, I believe there is some interest in having an asphalt track to use for various purposes. That is my understanding. If I recall there is also an off road course to be developed.

If promoted and run properly, with the nearby amount of "adventure" type tourism and international tourists, I think it could do a steady trade in ride and drive days. I actually think the best business idea for that area is to run a ride business based around exotic cars, rather than V8 bangers. Here in the USA and UK, I have many other friends in the business who have seen huge growth in exotic car ride days and experiences.

The other area of big growth and demand I have seen is for off road driving(low and high speed) either for commercial or government training or driving experience business.

I've been fortunate to see first hand several great tracks and facilities get off the ground here in the USA and to see what works and what doesn't work. As long as they have experienced knowledgeable people and capital on hand to get it going and in addition are not hamstrung by local government, they'll do great.

[Puzzle]

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...type=3&theater

has track map

[Goat Boy]

It's an awesome looking circuit! Wonder if there's much elevation change? Could be just like Spa or old Hockenheim with all those trees!

[HProject]

Another aerial map of the circuit - this one I think being a touch more accurate than the last. Courtesy of a paper from the South.. What the heck is 'The Nose' Looks good though.

[Southern Man]

Some infornation from the latest newsletter:.

Many of you had questions, so we'll answer a few of them here!

What is the timeframe for completion?
The Nose (restaurant) will open at the end of 2012.
The tracks (circuit and kart track) will be sealed in November 2012. This will take 3 weeks. It will then need to set for 4 weeks so the track will be finished in January 2013. VERY exciting!
The National Motorsport Museum will be finished before Christmas this year. A team of people is working on the exhibits.

Can we see a plan of the track layout?
Yes, the plan will be posted on the new website which will be launched next week. Actually, I'll put it on the Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/HighlandsMotorsportPark. The new website (launched next week) will have a detailed description of the track!)

When will the first races be held?
The first race meeting will be in November 2013: The Australian GT Series (http://www.australiangt.com.au/) and more will follow after that.
Before that time, the track will be used for as a vehicle testing facility (by the Southern Hemisphere Proving Ground), member track days, hot laps etc.

[Axeman444]

AusGT?????? Wow

[Goat Boy]

The advantages of not having to do earthworks in the northern Waikato - you don't need to preload for a year so things can be done apparently quite quickly! I gather it got its resource consents and all that some time ago then?

[YouandMe Cromwell]

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...f&notif_t=like

[NZSTfan]

Originally Posted by Goat Boy

The advantages of not having to do earthworks in the northern Waikato - you don't need to preload for a year so things can be done apparently quite quickly! I gather it got its resource consents and all that some time ago then?

Dont want to get too techy here GB, but i know you work in the enginnering field, so you'll understand my spiel below. There are subgrade issues on the alluvial fans in that area. Youre right about the waikato being pre-loaded to de-water and compress the peat subgrade, but in areas like cromwell they can have issues with silt dilatancy as the subgrade is either alluvial or glacial (especially if water table is high, which i would doubt in that particular area). There are also issues with aggregate used (there is a Downer and Fulton Hogan quarry just down the road) which is usually river run, although there are better pits around Queenstown now that crush 100% of the stone. Freeze-thaw is another issue, but this can be tackled these days with Foamed Bitumen Stabilizing - would be interested to see if this is being done as it has worked well on the crown range and other roads in the area.

Anywhere you go in NZ there are regional and seasonal variations in the subgrade, and if constructing subbase and basecourse layers through winter or wet periods there can be issues with hitting 98% of MDD (as per TNZ B/2), which i would imagine would be their target, unless of course they go for deflection under an 8.2T axle with a Benkelman Beam (my preffered method of testing compaction of granular materials) Or they go for a simple AP65 subbase with a structural A/C as is common on motorways

Subgrades can be treated as well with lime or lime and cement mixes to reduce dilatancy or shrink-swell if clays are present.

[Goat Boy]

Yeah the rounded aggregates are a real problem aren't they, you just can't get interlock. Drainage of the subgrades is usually pretty good though, depending on where you are so freezing of trapped moisture is probably going to be less of a problem.

How elevated is the track, do you know?

[NZSTfan]

Originally Posted by Goat Boy

Yeah the rounded aggregates are a real problem aren't they, you just can't get interlock. Drainage of the subgrades is usually pretty good though, depending on where you are so freezing of trapped moisture is probably going to be less of a problem.

How elevated is the track, do you know?

Yep your bang on the money there GB, they have to crush their river run aggs to produce 70% broken faces to provide that interlock.

Couldn't tell you what elevation the track is at, but imagine its on the very large river terrace that covers that entire area.

If they can get their granular bases down during summer they should be ok re: drainage

[Goat Boy]

I've got Terraview on my workstation, will see if I can find the exact location then should be able to get some contours

[Goat Boy]

Just had a look, it is on a flat and very close to the river, elevation about 22m so not that high up really.

[NZSTfan]

Originally Posted by Goat Boy

Just had a look, it is on a flat and very close to the river, elevation about 22m so not that high up really.

yeah that doesn't surprise me GB, most, if not all of Cromwell sits on an eroded river/glacial terrace.

In summer the whole place dries out like nowhere else in NZ, hence why Alexandra (just up the road) is known as the dustbowl of NZ. Very small annual rainfall in that area.

Winter on the other hand is a diifferent animal all together. Hence why i mentioned Foamed Bitumen stabilsing as it can reduce freeze thaw in the subgrade, subbase and basecourse (if they choose to build a conventional 2 layered pavement). But i would expect that they will go for a structural A/C (normally about 100 - 200mm thick) and thus replaces the need for an AP40 basecourse. My experience with structural A/C's as the wearing surface shows that it costs more, but lasts waaaay longer (i.e 30 years plus design life)


And then of course comes surface texture...do they go for and OGPA (open graded porous ashpalt) or SMA (stone mastic asphalt) or a closed matrix A/C. If they go for OGPA or SMA it will drain well but wont provide much lateral grip when on slicks, but will chew the tyres.

Closed matrix A/C's provide more surface contact with the tyre, therefore better for slicks, but then surface drainage can become a problem. However if they camber in the right places they should be right.

Will be intersting to see the final product and design methodologies

[Goat Boy]

Originally Posted by NZSTfan

yeah that doesn't surprise me GB, most, if not all of Cromwell sits on an eroded river/glacial terrace.

In summer the whole place dries out like nowhere else in NZ, hence why Alexandra (just up the road) is known as the dustbowl of NZ. Very small annual rainfall in that area.

Winter on the other hand is a diifferent animal all together. Hence why i mentioned Foamed Bitumen stabilsing as it can reduce freeze thaw in the subgrade, subbase and basecourse (if they choose to build a conventional 2 layered pavement). But i would expect that they will go for a structural A/C (normally about 100 - 200mm thick) and thus replaces the need for an AP40 basecourse. My experience with structural A/C's as the wearing surface shows that it costs more, but lasts waaaay longer (i.e 30 years plus design life)


And then of course comes surface texture...do they go for and OGPA (open graded porous ashpalt) or SMA (stone mastic asphalt) or a closed matrix A/C. If they go for OGPA or SMA it will drain well but wont provide much lateral grip when on slicks, but will chew the tyres.

Closed matrix A/C's provide more surface contact with the tyre, therefore better for slicks, but then surface drainage can become a problem. However if they camber in the right places they should be right.

Will be intersting to see the final product and design methodologies

I would have thought the closed matrix A/C would be the go, because they will no doubt do most of their racing in the dry season, plus the track should be contoured in such a way that surface water stays below say 2mm - they would not get the deluges that we get up here even when it does rain, I suspect.

Agree re the structural A/C, design life is the way to go but let's hope they don't decide to race bloody trucks on it!

[Southern Man]

http://www.cromwell.org.nz/about-cromwell/climate.aspx

Hi GB / NZSTfan, this may help with you deliberations re the circuit seal, finding your posts on the subject quite interesting.