V8 Supercasrs. I see len is going to spend 21m of our money at pukekohe each year for the next 5 years what is wrong with hampto

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twink19, Jul 2, 7:32am
I see Len is going to spend $2.1m of our money at Pukekohe each year for the next 5 years, what is wrong with Hampton Downs, or is it Tony cant take all the profit and leave the bills
neo_psy, Jul 2, 7:34am
IIRC, Hampton Downs can't be made to meet Aussie V8 standards

Which, with that turn one, doesn't surprise me.
turton, Jul 2, 7:41am
good, puke needs some work on it
aragorn2003, Jul 2, 7:46am
Seems like we've been here before
patiki1, Jul 2, 8:25am
Bring on Pukekohe
clark20, Jul 2, 9:05am
Yeah, Puke is rough as,couple of weeks ago I went round in a NZV8 and it was bumpy as hell, still a big bump on the main sweeper, did a 1.03 as a passenger. It was good fun tho (thanks Tim!)
socram, Jul 2, 9:24am
Seems to be fine for Super Tourer drivers and just about everyone else who can drive!
The original design was honed by the F1 track designer and is already rated to a higher standard than any other NZ track.The new CEO will be overseeing the next stage of development of HD with the construction of the hospitality units and then the track extension.
neo_psy, Jul 2, 9:27am
I seem to recall that turn one is the issue, as far as the Aussies are concerned.

What sort of field size are the SuperTourers running! As big as the Aussie grids!
socram, Jul 2, 9:29am
HD is already rated at 46 car maximum grid size for saloons, Pukekohe is 40.Go figure!
neo_psy, Jul 2, 9:31am
Holy Monkey - could you imagine 46 cars squeezing into T1 at Hampton! Eek.

Not sure why they chose Puke over HD - I just heard the Aussies weren't keen on HD.
socram, Jul 2, 9:34am
Having been in a race there with 40 others, no problem. I take it you haven't ever witnessed the carnage at turn 1 at Pukekohe then!

Hampton Downs turn 1 is one of the widest pieces of permanent track in Australasia.
patiki1, Jul 2, 9:37am
There are only 28 Racing Entitlements Contracts for the v8 supercars.
neo_psy, Jul 2, 9:42am
I have seen carnage at T1 at Puke - trouble is, they can't seem to race to the line at HD without carnage at T1.

I thought the horse people owned Puke anyway, and they were anti car racing - I thought that was why it left Puke in the first place.

Meh - I dunno.
socram, Jul 2, 9:47am
I think that maybe you need to read a bit more about the politics of V8s and the people involved.As has been pointed out in #4, this has been done to death months ago.
gadgit3, Jul 2, 7:53pm
The apartments is one of the major reasons V8SC wont go to HD. They cant regulate or control the amount of people that can walk in and out of them. Lost revinew is all there worried about not the track. If it came down to the track then HD would have it hands down.
twink19, Jul 2, 8:22pm
they have sorted to apartment thing out, socram would know, it comes down to Tony not wanting to pay anything out, just take the profit and leave the bills
kellrae, Jul 2, 9:52pm
Here we go again - a Council thinking it knows best and the ratepayers are only told on a 'need to know basis'!

Sorry but Hamilton got done over by V8Supercars financially so why is Len Brown even thinking about it!OMG

The other thing I don't quite get ( and I could be wrong) But is the Pukekohe track actually in the Auckland Super City!If not what the heck is that about.

I can't remember the last time we went to Puke for racing as the track has not been maintained plus the facilities are behind the times as well.

Having said that unfortunately as a wheelchair user HD is not exactly easy to get about and see racing, but given time they may eventually sort that out.I just keep hassling them about it from time to time.At least when we are out there, they are very good at giving me access where necessary.
esprit, Jul 2, 10:10pm
IIRC, the apartment owners have already agreed to having guests pay to enter the apartment zone. Apartment owners can watch for free and I think there's a number of complimentary passes for guests (3 per apartment) but beyond that, entry will be via ticket admission.

It's all down to politics, Hampton Downs is fine as a track and if V8SC sign up, the track extension will be built and running by the time the Supercars get there. It's just a willy-waving exercise. Pukekohe is a horrible track, unsafe and no room to add in the necessary run-offs. Not many places for grandstands to go, 2/3 of the track is right along the boundary.

Hampton Downs is the future and should be treated as such.
twink19, Jul 2, 10:34pm
lets all email or write to Len and tell him
socram, Jul 2, 10:51pm
Correct.Some apartment owners were adamant that as freehold owners, no-one has the right to restrict access, given that the units are outside the circuit.At a meeting to discuss it, (which also includeddemands by Super Tourers), the apartment owners did agree to 4 passes and all other others had to purchase an entry ticket.

At an educated guess, I would expect the track extension to be up and running probably within 2 years and the hospitality suites completed. These will be available for an annual rent (yes I do know how much!) but with a 'clean circuit clause'for 3 events a year.That means that they would be available to the promoters to be hired by them as one
of their major income streams.Meanwhile, Pukekohe has to provide tents on top of an unfinished Meccano structure.But why bother for one event a year!
The horse fraternity (Franklin Racing Club) make most of their money from the cars, not the horses.

Both tracks need extra temporary stand seating and if there is one major complaint about the HD design, it is the lack of a covered stand.

You have to ask that if Auckland council needs to support it to the tune of2.1m a year, for 5 years, then it cannot be a profitable event and I for one would be ecstatic, if HD was never put in the position of a potential loss of 2.1m a year.Meanwhile, the promoter does indeed walk away with a bag of cash from every event.

There are several tracks in Australia that no longer want a bar of the V8s - and with good reason.In the same way, no F1 GP anywhere in the world makes money - other than for Bernie.

Seeing as cars are routinely banned from Pukekohe for exceeding the noise limit, by council officers, will they be sending the V8s home again after their first practice laps!
mopsy3, Jul 2, 11:03pm
What would you call Pukekohe if it isn't Auckland FGS!
mopsy3, Jul 2, 11:05pm
Interested in what tracks in Oz dont want the V8s socram!
xpfairmont, Jul 2, 11:16pm
I still think a street race on Auckland's waterfront would be best, if not a Wellington street race. Then I could just walk down and watch (or walk to train station and go to Wellington).
floscey, Jul 2, 11:38pm
grab your ankles Auckland , big tony coming to town .
patiki1, Jul 3, 12:15am
Len doesnt care,Pukekohe part of supercity,HD isn't.