SUBSCRIBE TO THE
MAGAZINE NOW
Facebook-f Instagram

Big prizes up for grabs at Waikaraka Park

3 February, 2016

There’s set to be plenty of action in late February at Waikaraka Family Speedway, with around $16K in prize and appearance money up for grabs. February 20 will see the Modified Grand Prix in action, in which drivers will not only get the chance to settle old rivalries but also be in with a chance to take home their share of $4K. Almost 30 cars are already entered and will provide a great spectacle for the crowd as they race for victory. While hometown hero Jamie ‘Foxy’ Fox is known as the man to beat at Waikaraka, he’ll have his work cut out for him to stay at the head of the pack with that much cash for the taking.

The Modified Dirt Cup a week later, on February 27, will see the prize pool boost up to almost $12K, the largest on offer in the sport.

Then the ever-popular Teams Nationals will hit the Waikaraka clay on March 4 and 5. The event will see eight top teams from around the country, including the Palmerston Panthers, the Nelson Tigers, the Gisborne Giants, and the Baypark Busters, face off for national bragging rights. 

For more info and tickets, visit waikarakafamilyspeedway.co.nz.

More to the point

6 March, 2026

This Daimler SP252 is so rare, few people know it exists. It’s one of a kind. It’s the only surviving, in fact the only SP252 ever completed; the would-be successor to the SP250 Daimler Dart. It is also the last sports car to have been designed by Jaguar’s legendary founder, Sir William Lyons.
Perhaps one of the original Dart’s biggest problems was it’s somewhat-divisive looks. It certainly went well enough to win fans, although Sir William wasn’t among them. It crushed the opposition in the Bathurst six-hour race, finishing five laps ahead of anyone else, and it was snapped up by police forces in Britain, Australia, and New Zealand, as it was the fastest thing on the road.
So you’d think a stunning new body with the magic Lyons touch would have been a surefire success. Why this car never made it into production is still something of a mystery, as the official explanations barely stack up.

Polishing to perfection

26 February, 2026

The secret to a show-stopping finish is colour sanding, no matter which paint system you use. Even a good painter, no matter how experienced or talented — like my mate Bruce Haye, CEO at Ace Panel and Paint in Whitianga — can’t shoot to a perfect mirror finish. To get that level of perfection, you need to colour sand.
It used to be called ‘rubbing out’ or ‘cutting’, and it was done with pastes that came in cans. They worked — sort of — but the compounds really just rounded off imperfections instead of eliminating them, and they removed a lot of paint in the process. But now your new finish can be made flawless, thanks to microfine sandpapers that come in 1000, 1500, 2000, and even 2500 grit ranges, and Farecla G3 polish — available from automotive paint suppliers.