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Taupo Thunder Drags canceled

17 December, 2014

We’ve just been informed that the entire 2014–’15 race season planned for Taupo Thunder Dragway has been canceled. Promoter Ken Galvin stated in his release that only 11 racers had pre-entered for the events that were set to take place on December 28, 2014 and January 3, 2015, which makes running them not financially feasible. Added to this were date clashes with the nostalgia event planned for Masterton Motorplex on the same date in January — taking this into account it was easy to understand the decision. Ken states that he feels that the date clash would be detrimental to the sport, which has added to him pulling the plug.

The cancellation of these summer events has given room to promote the track for the following season, in which Ken plans to run a televised winter drag racing programme covering America vs New Zealand, Summer Nationals, Drag Fest, and a Vintage Drag Meet — yes, that’s four events over seven days, all on TV if all things run to plan.

There will still be some great drag racing action over the summer season, including the nostalgia meet at Masterton Motorplex on January 3, and the Nitro Shootout at Meremere on January 10 — we’ve just got a reason to look forward to winter now.

Motorman: When the top trio took to the road

9 May, 2025

What sort of cars did Chris Amon, Bruce McLaren and Denny Hulme drive when they weren’t on the race track? Motorman knows
Most top racing drivers do care about safety levels of road-going cars for everyday motorists and their all-round abilities behind the wheel. Jackie Stewart for one denied finding everyday driving boring. He took pride in giving his passengers the smoothest possible ride, and encouraged all drivers to actively engage in the task. They also make interesting choices for their transport away from competitive motoring.
Thirty years ago I spent a day with Chris Amon driving on lower North Island roads and I can remember those informative few hours as vividly as if they were yesterday. In 1983 Chris accepted a challenge from Toyota New Zealand to improve its locally assembled cars in a relationship that extended well beyond the end of New Zealand-built Toyota vehicles in 1997.

The Ayrburn Classic announces dates for 2026

7 May, 2025

Save the date: Friday 20 – Sunday 22 February 2026
That’s right. The Ayrburn Classic returns next February for what promises to be another world-class celebration, scheduled slightly earlier on the calendar to bask in Central Otago’s long golden evenings and late-summer glow. This festival will once again transform Ayrburn into a playground for car enthusiasts, food lovers, and seekers of high-end hospitality alike.
The 2025 edition set an incredibly high benchmark, and is fast becoming one of the leading reasons to visit Queenstown – amongst New Zealanders and international travellers alike. With over 250 classic and contemporary luxury vehicles on display – collectively worth more than $250 million – the festival was a visual and visceral feast for attendees.
Standouts included an $8 million LaFerrari, the latest Aston Martin Vanquish, and a fleet of dream machines from Rolls-Royce, Bentley, McLaren, and more. The event’s unique blend of elegance and accessibility attracted both seasoned collectors and casual admirers aplenty.