PUKEKOHE

[beowulf]

A couple of weeks ago a car was badly damaged at Hampton Downs. Aquaplaned and hit the tyre barriers by the pit entrance. It can happen at any track, especially in the wet. I would love to see the Aussie taxis at puke ion the wet.

[ERC]

I think that the car that hit the wall at HD wasn't through aquaplaning. The driver arrived late. Missed driver's briefing. Didn't check the tyre pressures. Having spoken to the driver afterwards, believed that one tyre was way low and came a cropper on lap one. However, the following car's in car video showed it doing a hard right alongside the pit entrance and there was a suspicion that maybe a wrong gear grabbed but I haven't heard the final result as I had to leave just as they were going through the video again. It certainly wasn't a circuit problem, though it did take 45 mins to effect repairs to the barrier and remove the car.

[Chris Read]

Raced on Puke with and without chicanes. I think I liked the chicanes better because in my opinion it added a little more skill and daring, but mostly more passing opportunities under brakes. You had to get through the back straight chicane without slowing excessively to be fast.
Many will disagree, I have no idea what it is like now. Cannot remember the last time i was even there. I guess I am luke warm about the place, but I had great success at the track, so i guess I should have fonder memories.
I loved Levin and Manfield however. Before I ever raced there Dad kept telling me stories of a magician who was very quick around Levin. He told me if I could get around there in this certain time i would be doing alright. The magicians name was Kerry Grant.
I vividly remember the first ever race meeting at Manfield. Some people were miles quicker than anyone else. Neville Bailey came and told me the apparent secret to getting around the big sweeper onto the front straight. It is actually the same secret to the carrousel at Lakeside here in OZ. It didn't take long for most people to cotton on.
The long distance races at Puke, that can get my juices going. Being able to work away for your stint was very enjoyable, especially if the pit board was telling you if you were leading the class or needed to catch other cars. Watching the split come down while catching was a study in concentration, especially in the dark. I think I have just changed my mind. I do like the place.

Always liked Puke as it was terror and skill. Grant Aitken and I did a few 8 and 6 hr B & H's in Datsuns and getting it right over the hill into the start/ finish and getting out of jail every time at the end was satisfaction especially as the tyres came in. We did what Leo did and shaved the steel belt radials down on the tyre balancer after cutting a few up to see how far we could go. Was good for 2 sec from the get go and you didn't change it until the sparks starting showing in the dark from the steel on the road. The first race we did was round the long circuit and way too tame. I did a Nissan celeb car race series with several rounds at Puke. They used tweaked Nissan Sentra's and did well except for one race when this Sentra came out looking all the norm, number and all, and started punting everyone to liven things up. It was Skaife in a hot 'Q' car which Nissan had imported and got Skaife to slip into the race to give us all a fright complete with fingers and all, as he created chaos. I enjoyed it especially when I found out but a few were a bit dark. We should have guessed as he was at the meeting along with Jim in Godzilla. Good times and I will never forget that puddle in the middle of turn one. Chris Read - Arrowtown.

[beowulf]

I think that the car that hit the wall at HD wasn't through aquaplaning. The driver arrived late. Missed driver's briefing. Didn't check the tyre pressures. Having spoken to the driver afterwards, believed that one tyre was way low and came a cropper on lap one. However, the following car's in car video showed it doing a hard right alongside the pit entrance and there was a suspicion that maybe a wrong gear grabbed but I haven't heard the final result as I had to leave just as they were going through the video again. It certainly wasn't a circuit problem, though it did take 45 mins to effect repairs to the barrier and remove the car.

Just goes to show that one shouldn't jump to conclusions. It always amazes me the drivers who arrive late, jump in the car without a basic check and head out onto the track. We all have a lot of money invested in our cars, why blow it for an extra ten minutes sleep? The marshalls did a fantastic job, it was a big hit. I am sure the red flag was out before the car had stopped. Very professional.

[ERC]

Yep. Totally agree, We have a great crew trackside, thanks mainly to the tireless and very professional work of the Motorsport Club running race control, the various flag points and the dummy grid, pit entry/exit etc.

[Kiwiboss]

Well, sounds like they wrote a few more of at Puke on the weekend(saturday) !! whether its brain fade, the track or just the conditions i don't know? i went along yesterday as "pit bitch' for a customer, and although the pit improvements stood out, it was still a gumboot wearing mudfest!! If thats 6mill spent well im in the wrong occupation!!

Dale M

[beowulf]

Well, sounds like they wrote a few more of at Puke on the weekend(saturday) !! whether its brain fade, the track or just the conditions i don't know? i went along yesterday as "pit bitch' for a customer, and although the pit improvements stood out, it was still a gumboot wearing mudfest!! If thats 6mill spent well im in the wrong occupation!!

Dale M

I have always found Pukekohe very slippery when wet. Now there is even less room for error with those horrible "energy absorbing concrete" walls. A slow spin at the top of the hill when trying to let a faster car through and getting off the slightly dry line saw the car kiss the wall. I think there is no damage, but it went onto the trailer. The rain was not heavy but there was running water across the track at the new section with the usual water at Railway and the section before the hill. The V8's were very lucky that there was no rain when they were there. It would have been carnage. I ran in much heavier rain at HD a fortnight before and there was good grip. A couple of thousand dollars digging some sump holes, filling them with rocks could be a good investment. Great toilets, sorry toilet. Did the 6 million dollars include the infrastructure from Hamilton? The Auckland ratepayer and the NZ taxpayer got ripped off.
I will race at Puke again, but if it is wet the car will stay on the trailer.

[EType]

I really like the changed lay out - certainly helps even out the power differential but it has been poorly executed as others have said standing water on the track even when not raining heavily.

And the single seaters were bottoming out on the new ramp leading to the practice grid.

And six million and they could only build one toilet?

Also frustrating that we were supposed to start at 9.30 but didn't get away till 10.15 - i'm assuming this was at least partly horse related.

But easily the worst part is the freaking concrete barriers - why? I haven't seen an answer yet.

[Rod Grimwood]

Mate the horse's have caused shit (literally) for years out there, and they only survive on motorsport money. Different people entirely. Holy, follow them on the road with their flash trailers doing 60-70ks in middle of road, hair all done in bun like the horse's tail, they wear funny pants and things, just not right.
They know when things are on but just dick around. I love watching my dog eat his dog roll.

[Carlo]

Mate the horse's have caused shit (literally) for years out there, and they only survive on motorsport money. Different people entirely. Holy, follow them on the road with their flash trailers doing 60-70ks in middle of road, hair all done in bun like the horse's tail, they wear funny pants and things, just not right.
They know when things are on but just dick around. I love watching my dog eat his dog roll.

Grimme, A race horse must be the strongest animal in the world, just look how many people can be taken for a ride on one, and all at the same time too.

[Rod Grimwood]

Love it Carl

[ERC]

The horse training facility based at Puke means they are allowed to train until 10am - which of course, they do. Then the track has to be swept where they cross, so the chances of getting started before 10:15 are very slim, unless prior arrangements have been made.

First practice on Saturday started at 10:21am.

However, the horse fraternity owns Pukekohe, the motorsport fraternity doesn't. I was told Saturday that the land can only be used for both sports and is therefore unlikely to be sold off for housing. We all want Pukekohe as a local race track, but surely, the powers that be need to look beyond one weekend a year?

[John McKechnie]

I really like the changed lay out - certainly helps even out the power differential but it has been poorly executed as others have said standing water on the track even when not raining heavily.

And the single seaters were bottoming out on the new ramp leading to the practice grid.

And six million and they could only build one toilet?

Also frustrating that we were supposed to start at 9.30 but didn't get away till 10.15 - i'm assuming this was at least partly horse related.

But easily the worst part is the freaking concrete barriers - why? I haven't seen an answer yet.

If you saw the bottom hinges on the gate, they are not good and it took them 20 minutes just to close a gate.

[Ricky]

Here is some in car from a Honda Cup car from Saturdays wet meeting, most of us found the river on the exit of the new section very challenging.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nv1AcaaEAFI

[EType]

That's crazy, nothing the driver could have done (well at least if I was driving) and two other cars already parked there.

Stewart

[nzeder]

2 cars already parked there + right at the end another one goes in further up - look at round 48second in and around 1:01 the camera jumps which make you think he was hit while sitting there also.

[RogerH]

2 cars already parked there + right at the end another one goes in further up - look at round 48second in and around 1:01 the camera jumps which make you think he was hit while sitting there also.

Here is a clip from the car that went into the car in the previous clip :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsNp_gJ_Kq0

[Carlo]

One would expect that the yellow flag was being displayed and if so then two drivers have produced evidence that they ignored it and in doing so exposed other competitors and trackside officials to risk.

[Oldfart]

One would expect that the yellow flag was being displayed and if so then two drivers have produced evidence that they ignored it and in doing so exposed other competitors and trackside officials to risk.

There are a lot of questions to be answered given the video clips!

[RacerT]

Sad outcome for the Honda Cup cars with 9 of their cars damaged and two written off on saturday. BMW suffered a similar fate the week before with 10+ cars damaged. It’s a pity some of the $6.6 million ‘upgrade’ wasn’t spent on drainage. Let's hope its fine for the V8 SuperTourer meeting in two weeks.