Well-known funny car racer Morice McMilin will be out in a new vehicle this season, the Ex Mark Thomas Ford Customline Top Doorslammer. The deal came about through a bit of friendly banter (as you can find out more about in Morice’s new monthly column in our next issue) but is set to see one of the most competitive drivers in a highly competitive vehicle. While the change from funny car to doorslammer will no doubt be an interesting one, Morice is looking forward to the challenge. Existing funny car sponsor Shapes Roadies, will be on board with the vehicle for the season also. We wish him all the best for the change, and you’ll be able to keep an eye on his progress and see what it takes to run at a top level through his column.

A press release from The Shapes Roadies Team is below.

Major Changes For The Shapes Roadies Drag Racing Team

After a successful 2011-2012 season; winning the New Zealand Top Alcohol championship in the Shapes Roadies Funny Car, Drag Racer Morice McMillin will return to the track for the 2013 season once again in the Arnott’s Shapes Roadies livery.

The big difference is that the team will not be out to defend their New Zealand Championship Title they earned last season. Instead, the team from Hamilton will be joining the crowd favorite; Top Doorslammer division. The big goal for Morice is to become the first person to win a championship in both classes.

“To be the first person to win both Championships would be amazing” says McMillin of the goal. “There will be some tough competition out there so we know we have our work cut out for us.”

To achieve the goal, Morice and his young crew have teamed up with John Neilan Racing to campaign a 1956 Ford Customline powered by a 3000 horsepower Hemi V8 engine. With this package, the team will be looking for mid 6-second quarter-mile times at speeds of over 350kmh. The Customline had previously competed under the John Nielan Racing banner with Mark Thomas at the helm, who will now move into the role of Crew Chief for the team.

Of the partnership, Debbie McGowan from Arnott’s says “The Shapes Roadies Team at Arnott’s are really proud to be associated with Morice and his team after a really successful 2012 season, and are looking forward to another successful partnership in the new Roadies Doorslammer. We wish Morice all the best for the season ahead.”

Morice is naturally very excited about the season ahead, saying “I am very happy to be driving the Roadies Doorslammer for the 2013 season; to sign with Roadies for another season was huge for our team and we can’t thank Roadies enough for their support. I have always had a love of Doorslammers, so to drive a car of this quality and work with John, Mark and the entire Neilan Racing team will be a real pleasure and a great learning experience.”

The Roadies Doorslammer Team is aiming to debut at the Nostalgia Nitro Reunion in Taupo on December 29, followed by the first round of the 2012 New Zealand Dragracing Championships on January 2-3, also in Taupo.

The team will have plenty of Roadies samples and team posters to give away, so drop in and say “Hi” to the team at an event near you.
The Roadies Doorslammer team is proudly supported by Arnott’s Shapes Roadies, Digga NZ, Nostalgia Motors, Jonesy’s Garage, Haas Machinery, Century Batteries, iSign It and Pixelsaurus.

Check out the teams Roadies-Racing FaceBook page for more info.

The second round of the IHRA National Track series is on this coming weekend.

SATURDAY 24th, Gates open at 9.00am, $10 gate entry, Race entry opens 10.00am, track opens at 12.00pm, Test and Tune and 1 round qualifying at 4.00pm which is optional.

SUNDAY 25th Gates open at 8.00am, $20 gate entry,Race entry opens 8.30am Track opens at 9.00am, 2 rounds of qualifying and then eliminations.

With a host of new changes planned for the upcoming season at Taupo Thunder Dragway and the Summer season starting to roll in work could begin in earnest on the myriad of jobs to be completed before the season kicks off in late December.
The first official working bee proved hugely successful even if the weather didn’t exactly come to the party. Through driving rain Saturday the huge grandstand previously situated at the back of the Taupo Motorsport Park Venue was systematically dismantled into six huge pieces by the willing bunch of volunteers who turned up and battled the rain and enormous task ahead of them. With shear manpower the Grandstand was lifted onto a trailer and each piece driven around the circuit to its new home a few hundred feet out from the startline on the Broadlands Road side. Along with the huge new addition a smaller grandstand was erected on the pit side just behind the startline. More grandstands will be installed at a later date to create a better viewing experience for everyone involved. With rubber peeling from the concrete part of the race surface a well overdue scrape was performed, an arduous task taking the best part of both days but ultimately providing the best base possible for the Yanks when they arrive here for the Nitro Nostalgia Reunion on the December 29.
With the new scoreboards having now arrived and a few other upgrades and improvements planned the venue is set for a whole new look come summer as a new era begins at the venue, set to provide the ultimate race experience for everyone. For all the info on what is planned this summer head on over to www.taupodrags.co.nz.

The 2011/2012 NZDRA drag racing season was wrapped up over the weekend with an end of season prizegiving in Hamilton.

The evening included plenty of mentions of exciting things to come next season, and a great time was had by all.

Our congratulations go out to the series winners.

TOP ALCOHOL
TA/FC Morice McMillin 381
TA/D John Neilan 216
TA/D Bruce Smith 66

TOP DOORSLAMMER
T/D Dave/ Chad Tully 237
T/D Trevor Tynan 153
T/D Russell Lowe 151

COMPETITION
DD/D Robbie Ward 100

SUPER STOCK (TOP STREET & SPORT COMPACT)
A/TS Jeff Dobson 366
CC/TS Roger Binnema 120
P/I Stu Lawton 108

COMP BIKE
AA/DB Ian Wilkins 270
B/AB Spike Allen 233
AA/DB Steve Whitham 193

SUPERCHARGED OUTLAWS
AA/D Paul Sattler 214
AA/D Graham Christisen 171
A/MA Ian Mets 103

MODIFIED
A/MA Gerald Smith 336
A/MA Ted St John 254
A/MA Paul Jacobs 212

MODIFIED BIKE
A/MB Alan Thoresen 379
B/MB Brian Reece 123
A/MB Hart/ Mulholland 106

SUPER SEDAN
SS/A Rhys Humphries 403
SS/A Rex Duckett 359
SS/A Lee Sherwin 351

JUNIOR DRAGSTER
JD Charlotte Keilty 302
JD Alana Bilby 260
JD Kieran Price 256

SUPER STREET
S/ST Trevor Dick 268
S/ST Graham Lilly 167
S/ST Mark Dudson 164

Thanks to Dave Saunders for the attached photos.

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…)