The Roaring Season

We know that the 2017 'NZ Festival of Motor Racing' will celebrate the racing career of Kenny Smith, and the dates are 13-15 and 20-22 January 2017, but does anyone know the programme for each weekend. I'm trying to decide which dates to attend, and know that some of the races are usually different each weekend.

This from the HRC July newsletter-


14th 15th January 2017
Tasman Revival - Hampton Downs
Classic and Historic
Formula First, Historic Formula Ford, Formula Junior x1, Historic Muscle/ Saloon Cars, Sports cars/Libre, BMW x3 , Historic Sports sedans, Pre65

21st 22nd January 2017
Kenny Smith Festival - Hampton Downs
Classic HRC / IRC
International Track
AES/Arrows, , Historic Formula Ford, Formula Junior X2, Historic Muscle/ Saloon Cars, F5000, Libre or Historic single seaters , Classic Trial, Historic Sports sedan, Heritage Saloon Cars

John B wrote:We know that the 2017 'NZ Festival of Motor Racing' will celebrate the racing career of Kenny Smith, and the dates are 13-15 and 20-22 January 2017, but does anyone know the programme for each weekend. I'm trying to decide which dates to attend, and know that some of the races are usually different each weekend.

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I'd say the first weekend will be better, while the cars are all fresh and still going!!

Dale M

What are you inferring Dale?

Allan wrote:What are you inferring Dale?

Usually a few broken cars after the first weekend, some get fixed and some not so the first weekend is when you see everyone.

Dale M

I would say other way around, those who enjoyed the holiday have another week to get the car finished and ready.

John McKechnie wrote:This from the HRC July newsletter-

14th 15th January 2017
Tasman Revival - Hampton Downs
Classic and Historic
Formula First, Historic Formula Ford, Formula Junior x1, Historic Muscle/ Saloon Cars, Sports cars/Libre, BMW x3 , Historic Sports sedans, Pre65

21st 22nd January 2017
Kenny Smith Festival - Hampton Downs
Classic HRC / IRC
International Track
AES/Arrows, , Historic Formula Ford, Formula Junior X2, Historic Muscle/ Saloon Cars, F5000, Libre or Historic single seaters , Classic Trial, Historic Sports sedan, Heritage Saloon Cars

Thanks John. I hadn't managed to find this anywhere else ... not even on the NZFMR website.
Cheers,
John

Kiwiboss wrote:I'd say the first weekend will be better, while the cars are all fresh and still going!!

Dale M

I agree Dale. That's always been my rational for picking the first weekend in previous years. However sometimes the two weekends have very different race programmes, so wanted to make sure I saw the best racing.
Cheers,
John

John B- note that for second weekend - International Track.
Not mentioned for first weekend,so why the difference ?
That in itself has not been picked up on.................

I also noted that and wonder if the first weekend is on the shorter (original) track and the second on the newer longer one.

My understanding is that the first weekend is being organised by HRC and will follow the previous years' format while the running of the second weekend has/ is/ might have been taken over by Tony Quinn. If so they really will be two quite different events in many ways, obviously different fields, certainly different organisational focus.

Howard Wood wrote:My understanding is that the first weekend is being organised by HRC and will follow the previous years' format while the running of the second weekend has/ is/ might have been taken over by Tony Quinn. If so they really will be two quite different events in many ways, obviously different fields, certainly different organisational focus.

I'll second Howard's post. I emailed Jim Barclay a month or two back to clarify dates and he advised that Chris Watson was running the first weekend - I take it from that that they are two separate, stand-alone events.

I have discussed the tracks with Chris Watson and this is his reply-

There are three tracks at Hampton Downs-

Short track.

National track- this is the usual one we always use.- This is for the first weekend...Jan 14

International track- this is the new ,longer track. This will be used the second weekend.,,,Jan21.

So for me the second weekend is absolutely going to be the big event and will be making sure Historic Sports Sedans will be there in full numbers.