Changes at Pukekohe

[flyingduck]

I wonder what price V8SC is selling the stuff to Auckland for? I hope no more than they have paid.

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by RogerH

Even though the money (or less of it) may have been better spent on Hampton Downs, it will be good to see Pukekohe being upgraded as it certainly needed it.
There do seem to be a lot of concrete (non-absorbant) barriers in the upgrade plans. No doubt this is because AV8s has "inherited" them from Hamilton and wanted to use them in order get their "$" contribution as high as possible.
The potential downside of this is that the concrete barrier characteristics of the Hamilton street circuit will be imported to Pukekohe and while this may suit the AV8s who compete there once a year, it will probably be to the detriment of the local racers who use the track for the other 51 weeks of the year as I wonder if a concrete barrier actually makes it safer for cars and drivers on a non-street circuit?

It's all going to depend on positioning of barriers isn't it?

Concrete barrier as first line of protection is very common in Oz & other parts of the world & works fine. Hearing you on the "concrete canyon" though & would be really surprised if that was planned for Puke given that there are existing runoffs. Hope I'm right with that assumption.

Concrete walls tend to be preferred to Armco or similar fencing as the fencing can give way & form a launching ramp if it's in soft ground plus submarining risk is reduced. Various other smaller points but I think that those are the main ones.

[flyingduck]

So with thunder in the park cancelled when is this work starting?

[Racer Mike]

Another figure head making a statement here.

http://www.speedcafe.co.nz/2012/10/2...n-to-pukekohe/

Still no TV deal done in AU or NZ. I am hearing that V8SC coverage in NZ will be limited if anything to Clipsal, NZ round, Bathurst and maybe GC if that is still going.

[nistfan]

Originally Posted by Racer Mike

Another figure head making a statement here.

http://www.speedcafe.co.nz/2012/10/2...n-to-pukekohe/

Still no TV deal done in AU or NZ. I am hearing that V8SC coverage in NZ will be limited if anything to Clipsal, NZ round, Bathurst and maybe GC if that is still going.

Yip hearing the same story and that was a few weeks ago

[socram]

The lack of a TV deal for 2013 was raised some time ago on these message boards and the Gold Coast event only has one year left on their contract and has been heavily subsidised by their government, which tells me that it is not a profitable event as such. (Usually the case for all street circuits.)

They are claiming 180,000 attendance at Surfers (I presume over two days), but from what I saw on the TV I would seriously doubt that figure as the open stands seemed less than half full.

[Goat Boy]

Originally Posted by socram

The lack of a TV deal for 2013 was raised some time ago on these message boards and the Gold Coast event only has one year left on their contract and has been heavily subsidised by their government, which tells me that it is not a profitable event as such. (Usually the case for all street circuits.)

They are claiming 180,000 attendance at Surfers (I presume over two days), but from what I saw on the TV I would seriously doubt that figure as the open stands seemed less than half full.

I think the Champ Cars when they were there were a good crowd puller, loud and fast and with funny smelling fuel that made them seem high-tech. I went when Mansell first drove, and it was a good event. Once they pulled out and the whole A1GP farce happened it was probably never going to be a winner having just the V8 Supercars there, because there are other circuits in QLD you can see them in and let's face it, Bathurst isn't a million miles away either if you want to see a "street" race.

So I wouldn't be overly surprised in these tight times if the GC race went the way of the dodo.

[flyingduck]

I heard we had to wait for the Aussie rights to be sold but at least 1 operator was pitching for the full series.

Back to Pukekohe does anyone have a detailed view of where the concrete is going to go. I hope they have something up at the ST round.

[Goat Boy]

Originally Posted by flyingduck

I heard we had to wait for the Aussie rights to be sold but at least 1 operator was pitching for the full series.

Back to Pukekohe does anyone have a detailed view of where the concrete is going to go. I hope they have something up at the ST round.

Have you seen the pdf of the updated layout? That has some info on the barriers on it. If not, PM me and I can email it to you since I can't recall where I got it from.

[Woolley]

Originally Posted by socram

They are claiming 180,000 attendance at Surfers (I presume over two days), but from what I saw on the TV I would seriously doubt that figure as the open stands seemed less than half full.

Many of the spectators there don't really go for the cars

[Goat Boy]

Originally Posted by Woolley

Many of the spectators there don't really go for the cars

Yeah I've seen that footage too! Aussie girls are all like that - except for Julia Gillard...

[RogerH]

There is still a concern that a lot of the Pukekohe "improvements" (and resultant expenditure) is specifically directed at the AV8SC event and related to Mr Cochrane finding a convenient repository to "sell" his Hamilton street circuit components.
While Pukekohe did need a tidy up if it was going to have a future life, this only really needed to be spent on pits, toilets, a track resurface in places and run-offs on a couple of corners.
The expenditure on corporate viewing and what appears to be an overuse of "impact absorbing" concrete barriers (just because they were available) is not really needed on the other 51 weeks of the year. The barriers for example, could have a detrimental effect as they are less forgiving and could make it an unattractive track to race at. For spectators, the barriers will restrict viewing to roof tops for saloons and probably nothing for open cars.

[Chris - Melb]

I've never been to Pukekohe but it comes up great on TV. I've heard that the facility is a bit run down but the layout produces spectacular racing and having a permanent covered grandstand is gold, no matter how tatty it may be.

I think spending money on the facility is good value, regardless of what agendas may be in force, and not just for V8 Supercars but for use for other racing too.

Surely making the place safer and saving it from oblivion is worth it when considering its historical significance. It really is the 'Sandown' of New Zealand and would be a great loss.

[Mr Revhead]

Are those barriers going to be similar to safe r barriers?

Puke has had more than one track change in its time, life will go on.
However I too agree that the back straight chicane needs to be done very carefully, would be good if it has 2 lines through it, would add another passing point to the lap.

As for run off at the hairpin several cars have gone off there, most get stopped in the sand but some do get further. Didn't Scott Dixon back a trans am lite into the barrier at high speed?

It's the front section I'm surprised about, not a lot of escape room anywhere along there.

The photographer with the busted leg, was that off the end of the front? Or off to the l/h side of the front? Been that many huge ones off the side I get them mixed up.

[Goat Boy]

Originally Posted by Mr Revhead

Are those barriers going to be similar to safe r barriers?

Puke has had more than one track change in its time, life will go on.
However I too agree that the back straight chicane needs to be done very carefully, would be good if it has 2 lines through it, would add another passing point to the lap.

As for run off at the hairpin several cars have gone off there, most get stopped in the sand but some do get further. Didn't Scott Dixon back a trans am lite into the barrier at high speed?

It's the front section I'm surprised about, not a lot of escape room anywhere along there.

The photographer with the busted leg, was that off the end of the front? Or off to the l/h side of the front? Been that many huge ones off the side I get them mixed up.

It might have been the last year the SC's were there, there is a spot at the end of the front straight on the left hand side, it was a sort of elevated box behind a barrier of some kind. Pretty much right in the firing line though, need to have the base-jumper mentality to want to stay there for any length of time.

I agree re the front straight, the 70m they have added is all due to the chicane, and the rest of the circuit has not changed at all except for a barrier here and there. I worry about that strip of grass on the entry to the front straight, I wonder if the barriers will cover that, meaning if you get it wrong you will kiss concrete rather than lose your L/H wheel(s) on the grass?

[Purist]

Revhead, as far as anyone can tell, they're just conventional concrete barriers (quite possibly the ones from Hamilton's street circuit). So, no, not even close to the SAFER barriers they use at major American ovals.

GB, I guess I'll have to dig up the 2007 coverage somewhere. The big incident I remember at Pukekohe from when the V8s used to run there, was that mess in 2005. It had just started raining, and all hell broke loose coming off the final corner and heading down into Turn 1.

[nistfan]

Originally Posted by Purist

Revhead, as far as anyone can tell, they're just conventional concrete barriers (quite possibly the ones from Hamilton's street circuit). So, no, not even close to the SAFER barriers they use at major American ovals.

GB, I guess I'll have to dig up the 2007 coverage somewhere. The big incident I remember at Pukekohe from when the V8s used to run there, was that mess in 2005. It had just started raining, and all hell broke loose coming off the final corner and heading down into Turn 1.

Concrete Barriers don't seem to be the answer

2005, Bairdo got turned around on the front Straight and took out the Fence in the inside just past the Start Finish Line.

Didn't Morris take the Hill on his lid one year as well.

When you have a big one at Pukekohe its one to remember.

Couple of Formula Fords in 1991

Various Pacifics/Atlantics off the Start line in the 1980s, Steve Millen, Dave Saunders, McMillian, Steve Cameron/Brett Riley (Same Accident)

So most parts of the Track have seen plenty of Action

Sorry getting off Topic. Spent to many years watching racing there

I still want to see the Loop used again if Possible, but guess that would need a complete re-seal first.

[Axeman444]

Photographer that was injured was Dirk Klynsmith wasn't it? In the big one where cars went everywhere somewhere about pit exit roughly (or "off to the l/h side of the front" as Mr Revhead puts it), although I will defer to others with better memory than I as to what year.

[sizzle]

I thought he got hurt when the Porker went over the fence, then again it might have been when Bowie cleaned the fence up.

[Mr Revhead]

It didn't go over, it got stuck up the fence

[Mr Revhead]

Originally Posted by Axeman444

Photographer that was injured was Dirk Klynsmith wasn't it? In the big one where cars went everywhere somewhere about pit exit roughly (or "off to the l/h side of the front" as Mr Revhead puts it), although I will defer to others with better memory than I as to what year.

Thinking about it I recall at least one like that with the SCs, one with NZV8s and one at was it the LK500?

Paul Morris went off going up the hill wasn't it? Just after pit entry?

[flyingduck]

I remember to many crashes at the Puke a couple of massive ones on the startline with I think the Carl Hansen car throwing a diff out because of to much power then getting hit by a Nissan 350z. Three minis passing a finish flag banging wheels and two going into the out side barrier and one into the inside which ended up on the horse racing track.

A camaro hit the pit wall in the wet and smashed moved one of the fence poles into the pit lane and some of the car hit the start finish crew who were waving the chequered flag.

Can't remember the nzv8 driver who went over the horse jump on the back straight.

The two recent fatals where just before the hill and the firs corner nothing that is going to be helped by the upgrade which is why I'm so unhappy about what they are doing.

The lk500 one was a big one in the wet

Lighting direct Porsche ending up in the grandstand on the front straight.

[Southern Man]

And then there was John Odbornes big one and didn't Peter Batton have a pretty nasty one with the mini just after the start finish line

[HProject]

Originally Posted by flyingduck

Can't remember the nzv8 driver who went over the horse jump on the back straight.

Might've been Brady Kennett? I remember watching that one on TV as a tacker

If the bumps at turn one are smoothed out a touch after resurfacing that will help somewhat - not a lot I suppose. The other big off at turn one I remember was Mark Noske's in 2003. John Bowe did something similar in either 2006 or 2007 too.

[socram]

Don't forget Dean Fulford's Lighting Direct Porsche jumped the safety fence at a SC round, just about on the start/finish line.