Plans to build an international standard drag strip halfway between Tauranga and Rotorua accelerated today with the presentation of a detailed proposal to a joint council committee that manages the TECT All Terrain Park.
The drag strip is proposed for a 380 ha designated motorsport area within the 1650 ha park. The feasibility study was jointly commissioned by the New Zealand Drag Racing Association and Te Matai Motorsport Inc, the body that represents seven motorsport groups aiming to build facilities in the motorsport zone.
Te Matai Motorsport chairman David Loughlin says the report, produced by Opus, confirmed a strong business case for the venue and was presented to the joint council committee to keep it informed of the development. He says the focus is now on securing funding, with the aim of beginning the two-year site preparation and development next year in the hope of hosting the first full year of events in 2015.
David says the project will be funded from a mix of commercial lending, trust grants and the drag racing association – with hopes that all funding will be confirmed by the end of the year.
The strip would offer an international standard track to attract top overseas drivers. It is expected to host 13 race meetings per year, including one international, two national and four regional events, plus other local club events and commercial activities.
He says the track will support and complement the only other dedicated drag strip at Meremere, and occasional drag racing venues at Taupo and Masterton.
The feasibility report, which was produced by Opus, costs the drag strip and accompanying development at $7.5 million to construct, but demonstrates that with its high benefit cost ratio (7.5) that the full capital cost of the development will be returned to the community within the first year of operations.
Dave says the study shows a high benefit cost ratio, returning $7.5 to the community in the first 10 years for every $1 invested – research that backs up the anecdotal belief that many visitors will bring money into the Western Bay of Plenty from outside the region.
“The money stacks up very well. But we want to stress that we are not asking for councils funds – we do not want one cent from the council, and we will actually be returning to them a portion of revenue on top of land rent.”
The park, which is currently covered by forestry and native bush, is managed jointly by the Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty councils. The park is located on State Highway 36, with access to the drag strip 29km from Tauranga and 27km from Rotorua. Resource consent for a drag strip has been granted.
New Zealand Drag Racing Association General Manager Chris Tynan says the Bay of Plenty’s sunny weather is ideal for drag racing because events can only be held when it is dry for safety reasons.
Chris says local racing events at the track could offer boy racers a chance to put their driving skills to the test in a controlled environment and cut down on illegal road racing. He says police in Auckland had noticed a drop off in boy racer problems the nights these events were held at Meremere.
“This is an exciting beginning to what will probably be the park’s largest single development.”

The NZDRA has just announced some important dates for the upcoming summer racing season and details on venues. Check out the full NZDRA press release below.

NZDRA Press Release

NZDRA is pleased to announce we have clarified our position moving forward and can post a calendar of events and at what venues they will be held.

In an effort not to send out erroneous information the Board have kept correspondence to a minimum which may have concerned some members but plans are now well underway to give racers plenty of opportunities to race their machines as a National series is discussed with the NZDRA tracks.

Taupo Motorsport Park will be the host venue for the sports biggest event the NZDRA NZ Nationals, this event over the years has been shared with other venues, most recently by Masterton Motorplex although was generally hosted by Fram Autolite. With a new approach enacted by the venue management at Taupo the Board are convinced the organisers will do this event proud. NZDRA are expecting great support for all events at Taupo by lower north island racers while work is underway on the new NZDRA sanctioned Masterton Motorplex Drag strip. (more…)

The annual Petrolhead Father’s Day Drags took place last Sunday and was bigger than ever. Crowds lined the hills around the track to watch the fastest street cars in the country battle for bragging rights on the strip.

For a full event report, check out the next issue of NZV8 Magazine.

View 230 photos from the days racing in the gallery below.

The annual Petrolhead Father’s Day Drags is the biggest and fastest streetcar meeting on the local drag racing calender and its on this Sunday (4 September). So grab your old man or drop some hints to your kids and get along to Fram Autolite Dragway to take it in all the action.

Hosted by the American Car Club the event is well organised and has real atmosphere. The competition has heated up over recent years so expect to see big horsepower machines fighting for their share of the $10K in prize money. There will be a burnout comp as well. (more…)

Last year’s inaugural Drag Combat event was a huge hit with racers and spectators alike, and this year’s NAC Insurance sponsored event it’s set to be even better!

Unlike last year where the racing was in bracket format, this years classes will be decided by vehicle tyre size, which will see imports verses V8’s, door cars versus rails, turbos versus nirous and plenty of heads up action.

As well as the racing, there will be the first ever wheelstand competition held in New Zealand. The Champion Oils Wheelstand Challenge will see the crowds on their feet and the cars pointing for the sky in a challenge to see who can go the highest for the longest. With $2000 cash up for grabs there’s already been plenty of interest and a bunch of drivers already having confirmed their entries. (more…)

Drag Racing is a fairly exact science especially at its top levels. If you want to go the fastest you need everything well sorted, the right amount of fuel, correct aerodynamics etc. There’s so much to think about it must be easy to overlook the more simple details. Want proof? Just ask American drag racer Parker Russ who had the scariest ride of his life recently when his steering wheel came off in his hands just after launch in his big power dragster.

Perhaps it was Russ who didn’t attach it properly after seating himself, perhaps he slept with the girlfriend of a vengeful pit crew member, who knows. But the video below shows the terror that comes with losing the only means of controlling a machine that’s on its way to a ferocious speed in a narrow drag strip. (more…)

Fram Autolite Dragway has just announced that it will be changing the sanctioning body of its Meremere drag racing facility. Fram will not be renewing it’s membership with the NZDRA and all track sanctioning will change to the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA).

This comes as massive news for the Meremere Dragway and for the sport of drag racing in NZ, to find out more read Fram Autolite Dragway’s official press statement below. (more…)

The big boys of NZ drag racing came out for the Nationals last weekend at Fram Autolite Dragway in Meremere. The weather was fine and the racing was tight with the smell of burnt rubber wafting through the crowd and a symphony of tyre squeals to entertain all.

NZV8 was there snapping away a few hundred photos so check out all the day’s action in the gallery below and keep an eye out for a full event report in the next issue of NZV8 magazine.