Highlands Motorsport Park, the opening of a new race circuit

[RedZedMikey]

Originally Posted by socram

So from my perspective and for those who go to get decent photographs, what was it like for an amateur photographer/spectator? Are spectators confined to a couple of enclosures or are they able to wander around for close up views of different corners? Are they so far back from the track that they need a 1000mm lens?

I will be tripping over from Oz for 10 days this Saturday, and will be at Highlands on Nov 8/9 for the final Aussie GT round. As a keen amateur photog I would love to know if the above question can be expanded on; I don't have the credentials to be on the "best" side of the fence.

I had a look at the broadcast of last years event, all the spectators seemed to be confined to 2 groups, couldn't tell whether camera wielders could get clean fence free shots or not.

Also, what is paddock/pit access like for the plebs?

[adbutler]

Anybody know if the Highlands 101 will be shown on TV this year?

[Nigel TV3]

Originally Posted by adbutler

Anybody know if the Highlands 101 will be shown on TV this year?

Please to say the 101 will screen on TV3/CRC Motorsport Sunday 23rd November at 2pm... with so many big name drivers it will be a great watch.

[adbutler]

Originally Posted by Nigel TV3

Please to say the 101 will screen on TV3/CRC Motorsport Sunday 23rd November at 2pm... with so many big name drivers it will be a great watch.

Awesome, thanks. I'll set up the Freeview recorder so that I don't miss it.

[The Realist]

Looks like a big weekend in the deep south this weekend with the Australian GT's
According to Speedcafe there are 28 GT cars, 26 from overseas, and a top drifter as entertainment. As it looks to be the 2nd biggest NZ meeting to the Supercars, let's hope the crowd is huge.

[NZSTfan]

.....if they can find somewhere to sit/stand (delete as appropriate)

[socram]

Originally Posted by The Realist

According to Speedcafe there are 28 GT cars, 26 from overseas, and a top drifter as entertainment. As it looks to be the 2nd biggest NZ meeting to the Supercars, let's hope the crowd is huge.

It may have to go some to beat the HD Festival meeting, but a 28 car grid is brilliant so yes, I hope the crowd is huge too.

[RedZedMikey]

Originally Posted by socram

I hope the crowd is huge too.

There will be at least 1 Aussie in the crowd , when I bought my tickets 3 weeks ago the premium tickets were sold out for Sunday. No idea what that means - tens, hundreds, or thousands. So premium on Saturday for me, standard on Sunday. The banners are out in Queenstown!

[socram]

Nice picture of the Bentley in today's Herald.

[NZSTfan]

Check out Velocity's fb page.....As usual top journalism with up to date info.

[promax]

pity they skipped reporting on the two best classes at HD last weekend

[NZSTfan]

Which 2 best classes are you referring to max? I'd be guessing CMC and NZGT?

[promax]

GTRNZ and CMC

[HProject]

Originally Posted by promax

GTRNZ and CMC

Bit difficult when you're commentating on the former, and usually in race control waiting to commentate while the latter is on

[promax]

well pull your finger out.. fan just gave you a big wrap now you've got to live up to the top journalist tag

[socram]

So how was it for those who went? Just catching up with yesterday's TV3 coverage. Would you go again?

Nice to see so many interesting GT cars.

[bluespur]

I was looking forward to a race commentary not a Travelodge of Queenstown and circuit promotion. What I saw yesterday failed totally.

[Nigel TV3]

Originally Posted by bluespur

I was looking forward to a race commentary not a Travelodge of Queenstown and circuit promotion. What I saw yesterday failed totally.

Hi Bluespur, I hear what you are saying but maybe if I can explain the situation you may be a little more understanding... and by the way the CRC Motorsport team did not make the show, it was commissioned and delivered for us to play.
The show needed to be paid for somehow, and without the contribution of sponsors it would not have been made and we would not seen those amazing GT cars at Highlands. I understand the predicament of the programme maker with trying to satisfy the Motorsport Viewer, Sponsors, and the Promoters, it really is a no win situation. I do agree with you, the Tourism piece was an unwelcome intrusion but push come to shove I would gladly put up with 2'30" of sponsorship than not see the show at all.. I thought it was a great looking show, full HD, some amazing cars and excellent racing.. I hope this helps you understand that it is a challenging environment when making motorsport programmes.

Cheers.. Nigel TV3

[socram]

I quite enjoyed it! Having only been to Cromwell once and heard good things about the motorsport park, I was quite interested in the peripheral stuff. As a promo for Queenstown, if it (eventually) gets a wider coverage than the motorsport community, that is surely a good thing? (Their luge is rubbish though, and not a patch on the original Rotorua fast track - which has unfortunately been sanitised to pacify the health and safety brigade.)

The casual TV viewer going along to another track hoping to see a decently full grid with modern Aston Martin, Audi, Ginetta, Mercedes, McLaren, Lamborghini, Bentley, Ferrari, Ascari and Porsche, racing, might not be quite so impressed with what has traditionally been on offer at Tier 1 meetings - but that is going over old ground yet again.

[Mark Petch]

Originally Posted by Nigel TV3

Hi Bluespur, I hear what you are saying but maybe if I can explain the situation you may be a little more understanding... and by the way the CRC Motorsport team did not make the show, it was commissioned and delivered for us to play.
The show needed to be paid for somehow, and without the contribution of sponsors it would not have been made and we would not seen those amazing GT cars at Highlands. I understand the predicament of the programme maker with trying to satisfy the Motorsport Viewer, Sponsors, and the Promoters, it really is a no win situation. I do agree with you, the Tourism piece was an unwelcome intrusion but push come to shove I would gladly put up with 2'30" of sponsorship than not see the show at all.. I thought it was a great looking show, full HD, some amazing cars and excellent racing.. I hope this helps you understand that it is a challenging environment when making motorsport programmes.

Cheers.. Nigel TV3

Well said Nigel, though such rational may be lost on many folk.

The fact is that Motorsport, like many other so called sport's is not mainstream, so therefore no NZ TV broadcaster can make a return on the investment needed to pay for the production of any form of Motorsport, other than the once a year V8SC New Zealand round, let alone pay fees for the coverage rights.

I didn't get to see the coverage yesterday so hopefully it will be available on demand, but I think all motor sport enthusiast need to thank you and TV3 for at least bring us free to air TV3 coverage of our favorite sport, certainly you get my vote.

[socram]

It was a very entertaining piece Mark and although I understand where Bluespur is coming from, it was also very light hearted with some good input from the drivers. They all presented themselves very well with a fair bit of humour. With them all wearing sponsor/logoed jackets, taking part in karting, buggies, luge and para-gliding, it was a good look for the sport.

it wasn't bogged down with technical stuff about the various cars which would have been fine for petrol-heads, but it was brilliant for the casual watcher. Well done to all concerned and thanks for showing it Nigel.

[bluespur]

Mark, Nigel and Socram. Understand what you are saying but I am a petrol head watching what I thought was a specialist show, in my opinion I was disappointed and felt it was appropriate to mention that along with all the sugar about the event.

As a race it did not entice me to consider spending a not insignificant amount of dollars to make the effort to attend.

Purely my opinion

[Nigel TV3]

Originally Posted by bluespur

Mark, Nigel and Socram. Understand what you are saying but I am a petrol head watching what I thought was a specialist show, in my opinion I was disappointed and felt it was appropriate to mention that along with all the sugar about the event.

As a race it did not entice me to consider spending a not insignificant amount of dollars to make the effort to attend.

Purely my opinion

All good Bluespur... I respect your opinion... it is a shame nothing comes for free these days eh?.. Nige

[Nigel TV3]

Originally Posted by Mark Petch

Well said Nigel, though such rational may be lost on many folk.

The fact is that Motorsport, like many other so called sport's is not mainstream, so therefore no NZ TV broadcaster can make a return on the investment needed to pay for the production of any form of Motorsport, other than the once a year V8SC New Zealand round, let alone pay fees for the coverage rights.

I didn't get to see the coverage yesterday so hopefully it will be available on demand, but I think all motor sport enthusiast need to thank you and TV3 for at least bring us free to air TV3 coverage of our favorite sport, certainly you get my vote.

Hi Mark... 101 Enduro will be up On Demand in the morning. Thanks for the pat on the back... normally the only feedback I get is when I mess things up.. so appreciate the vote of confidence.

[Rocket Man]

Originally Posted by Nigel TV3

Hi Mark... 101 Enduro will be up On Demand in the morning. Thanks for the pat on the back... normally the only feedback I get is when I mess things up.. so appreciate the vote of confidence.

You get mine too, Nigel.
So many knockers on here, who expect things to be done for free. I wonder if they would work for nothing just to appease everyone else.