GT Radial Thunder in the Park

Racetroll · 2 Oct 2013, 23:53 (Ref:3312038)

Thought I'd better start a thread so that I don't upset Woolie!

So - GT Radial Thunder in the Park is back - 16 - 17 November at Pukekohe Park Raceway.

10 classes racing including NZV8 TC, Transam, Muscle Cars, GT 1 & GT 2, NZGT, Super 6, Pre 65, Formula First, Super Mini and SS2000.

Quick fire action packed racing at it's very best. Presale tickets are just $15 each for the weekend, children under 16 free. $5 carparking Sunday only.

We've launched a new website and facebook page too.

Practice and racing Saturday, full day racing Sunday.

www.thunderinthepark.com
www.facebook.com/thunderinthepark

NZSTfan · 4 Oct 2013, 00:41 (Ref:3312570)

Do you know if this will be televised? if so when, where etc

Cheers

Ugy · 4 Oct 2013, 02:57 (Ref:3312595)

I will be going haven't missed one yet, love the old bangers.

Goat Boy · 4 Oct 2013, 19:24 (Ref:3312865)

Anyone know if the Custaxi will be there?

**Woolley** · 6 Oct 2013, 20:57 (Ref:3313798)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Racetroll

don't upset Woolie!

Never heard of him...

Sounds an awesome meeting. Any chance of holding it in February so I can play?

Racetroll · 15 Oct 2013, 19:43 (Ref:3318143)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woolley

Never heard of him...

Sounds an awesome meeting. Any chance of holding it in February so I can play?

Oops. Sorry Woolley. Ah, no but there is plenty of race meetings in Feb. PM me and I can send you some details.

Racetroll · 15 Oct 2013, 19:44 (Ref:3318146)

Quote:

Originally Posted by NZSTfan

Do you know if this will be televised? if so when, where etc

Cheers

One of the classes has TV at this stage, I will find out the broadcast details and let you know NZSTfan. However this meeting is best LIVE!

Racetroll · 8 Nov 2013, 03:20 (Ref:3328736)

Sorry guys, been a while since I posted - NZV8 TC are being shown via delayed coverage on Prime - I still don't have the full details yet.

We're at Big Boys Toys this weekend selling presale tickets - come down and see us and not only will I sell you a ticket, but I'll give you free access to the Members Grandstand on Sunday...

Goat Boy · 8 Nov 2013, 09:21 (Ref:3328828)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Racetroll

Sorry guys, been a while since I posted - NZV8 TC are being shown via delayed coverage on Prime - I still don't have the full details yet.

We're at Big Boys Toys this weekend selling presale tickets - come down and see us and not only will I sell you a ticket, but I'll give you free access to the Members Grandstand on Sunday...

Erm, how do we know who you are when we're there?

Racetroll · 9 Nov 2013, 22:24 (Ref:3329454)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goat Boy

Erm, how do we know who you are when we're there?

Just look for the GT Radial Thunder in the Park stand and ask for the Troll....

BlueBlood · 16 Nov 2013, 18:36 (Ref:3332219)

Looks like a good day for it. Time to saddle up the pony and head to the track.

NZSTfan · 17 Nov 2013, 21:40 (Ref:3332737)

I couldn't make it down on the weekend due to work commitments, so am keen to hear how it all went.

Did the lap record get 'smashed' and if so by who?
What was the crowd attendance like?

All I know is that Bargs took out round 1 in the Toyota Camry TLX, congrats to him and his team.

How did the TLX's go this time round? where they faster than last time at Puke? And did Andrew Stroud get a drive?

HP, if your out there, got any pics of the weekend as I read somewhere that Hansen Projects were the official photogs of the event (great achievement on that BTW

)

HProject · 17 Nov 2013, 22:49 (Ref:3332770)

Quote:

Originally Posted by NZSTfan

I couldn't make it down on the weekend due to work commitments, so am keen to hear how it all went.

Did the lap record get 'smashed' and if so by who?
What was the crowd attendance like?

All I know is that Bargs took out round 1 in the Toyota Camry TLX, congrats to him and his team.

How did the TLX's go this time round? where they faster than last time at Puke? And did Andrew Stroud get a drive?

HP, if your out there, got any pics of the weekend as I read somewhere that Hansen Projects were the official photogs of the event (great achievement on that BTW

)

Oh, I'm here. Hi!

Yep, plenty of snaps taken over the course of the weekend. But I've got to get the all-clear from the TITP peoples before ejaculating them onto the interwebs. Fine by me - more time to run through them

I thought crowd numbers were reasonable. Saturday was a bust, so I expected Sunday to tank spectacularly - but there was a pretty decent turn-out. Myself and a friend arrived a whisker after 9, and ended up having to park a million miles from the bridge, which was good to see. Glad that things turned out okay for the organizers, as I knew they had a few little set-backs and things in the weeks prior to the event.

I don't recall the TLX times (safe to say they were down on lap-speed compared to the V8ST's and SC's though). Any lack of speed was rectified by good racing though - Ross and Bargs had three back-to-back great races with eachother (Ross taking Bargs on the last lap of race two was neat). The racing behind them probably wasn't too Oscar-worthy, but there were a lot of dudes out there in new cars who probably were a little reluctant to push the envelope. I don't believe Stroud made any appearances all weekend. Will be interesting to see if he does sometime later in the year - maybe even in a TL.

The support categories were enjoyable. The Pre-65's and Formula Fords were my stand-outs for fun-factor, but nothing beat watching the Super Touring Corolla flying around in the SS2000's. Easily the fastest car in the class, but they had an issue with it in every session - even in the race it won. The GT's were a decent watch, but more in the sense of just seeing great race-cars being peddled hard, less in the sense of the racing itself. One thing that was noticeable was the quick-fire nature of the racing - not a lot of messing about with breaks and so-on. Hopefully the marshals were well fueled with the necessary supplements.

Off-track, the weekend was pretty interesting. Attendees returned to their cars on the Sunday arvo to find V8ST fliers underneath all their windscreen wipers - cheeky I thought

I also overheard one particular photog sharing troublesome Chinese whispers about myself on the Saturday, which was a lovely revelation.

The minutes silence on the grid for Slater and White was a nice touch - promptly ruined by an idiot photographer who spent the minute snapping away. Seriously? Really?! Some people.

All up though, it was a fun weekend (plus Friday). Great to catch up with people and shoot some racing.

It'll be interesting to contrast the SuperTourer meeting there in two weeks time. The ST's will have at least one big-screen there up and running (the absence of big-screens is a big failing in my mind for the ST's - 50k a pop ain't cheap though I guess), and they handed out a fair stack of Saturday passes at Big Boys Toys last weekend, so numbers should be an improvement in theory.

NZSTfan · 17 Nov 2013, 23:31 (Ref:3332785)

Great report HP, and I look forward to your pics when you get the 'all clear'

Good to hear the new TLX's put on a good show and that the turnout was good. The weather was nice and warm, which always helps.

Did Petch's Prototype run? if so do you know who was driving it and how it went?

That's rank about what some of the other photogs were getting up too, especially during a minutes silence.

Yes I agree that it is a tad cheeky to put V8ST flyers under peoples windscreen wipers....but I guess that's marketing at the end of the day. Its a dog eat dog world out there...

Cheers HP

on_to_it · 18 Nov 2013, 00:03 (Ref:3332793)

Quote:

Originally Posted by NZSTfan

Yes I agree that it is a tad cheeky to put V8ST flyers under peoples windscreen wipers....but I guess that's marketing at the end of the day. Its a dog eat dog world out there...

Cheers HP

To be fair, I don't think that is especially cheeky of SuperTourers. At least no more so than the dozens of other companies that have left flyers under my wipers at Puke' with all sorts of offers - tinted glass specials, car servicing packages, tyre deals...all sorts! They have simply used the venue as a means to reach their target market.

NZSTfan · 18 Nov 2013, 00:13 (Ref:3332799)

^ As I said OTI, it is marketing at the end of the day.

I agree too on how much stuff gets left under my windscreen wipers. Last week I even had one for some weirdo church that sounded like some sort of cult!!

I might think about buying a motorcycle......

isoskim · 18 Nov 2013, 00:23 (Ref:3332809)

The V8ST prototype didn't run, but the GT1 record was set by Glenn Smith in his Porsche (1:02.806) which was quite an effort.

Outside of Bargs and Ross in the NZV8's, the rest were just mediocre and pretty boring IMO.

Really loved the variety and racing in some of the other classes. The Formula Firsts were really entertaining and I also enjoyed seeing Dean Perkins push through the field in the muscle cars.

NZSTfan · 18 Nov 2013, 01:53 (Ref:3332838)

Man that's crazy fast. is that the new lap record for the re-vamped Puke?

isoskim · 18 Nov 2013, 02:14 (Ref:3332844)

Yeah believe so, Supercars do 1:03's, don't think anyone else has gone faster before the weekend.

CDM · 18 Nov 2013, 04:35 (Ref:3332881)

Quote:

Originally Posted by HProject

It'll be interesting to contrast the SuperTourer meeting there in two weeks time........ and they handed out a fair stack of Saturday passes at Big Boys Toys last weekend, so numbers should be an improvement in theory.

So there will be no way to compare apples with apples crowd wise then if the V8ST's are giving away free tickets hand over fist...

HProject · 18 Nov 2013, 05:14 (Ref:3332891)

Quote:

Originally Posted by CDM

So there will be no way to compare apples with apples crowd wise then if the V8ST's are giving away free tickets hand over fist...

Well, one could compare the Sunday crowds. With Thunder's tickets being much cheaper, but ST having the advantage of a Saturday crowd who may return on the Sunday as paying spectators, I think it'll be quite interesting.

I don't have any bones about the ST people distributing fliers - I just find it funny. When I heard about it I burst out laughing

Racetroll · 18 Nov 2013, 05:50 (Ref:3332898)

Quote:

Originally Posted by NZSTfan

Man that's crazy fast. is that the new lap record for the re-vamped Puke?

Yes, I can confirm that is the new lap record for "Track 1". As "Track 2" is still to be relicensed, I guess Kayne Scott and the Viper still own the lap record for that track.

Once "Track 2" is legal, organisers will have the option of running either configuration.

Thanks to everyone who came out - to play, to help, to watch, to work.

Jerico · 18 Nov 2013, 08:24 (Ref:3332947)

Quote:

Originally Posted by HProject

Well, one could compare the Sunday crowds. With Thunder's tickets being much cheaper, but ST having the advantage of a Saturday crowd who may return on the Sunday as paying spectators, I think it'll be quite interesting.

I don't have any bones about the ST people distributing fliers - I just find it funny. When I heard about it I burst out laughing

Why was it funny? because there were more team car's parked there than there were punters car's? From what was said on the radio today it was a very small crowd.
We will see in a few weeks if the ST round is any better, or not?

HProject · 18 Nov 2013, 09:03 (Ref:3332966)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerico

Why was it funny? because there were more team car's parked there than there were punters car's? From what was said on the radio today it was a very small crowd.
We will see in a few weeks if the ST round is any better, or not?

My 'funny' comment was referring to the placement of V8ST fliers on peoples cars - not at all referring to crowd numbers.

I'm not sure I'd trust the perspective of those on the radio, depending of course on whose mouth the words fell out of.

BlueBlood · 18 Nov 2013, 09:57 (Ref:3332986)

I was there and I had a great day.
Good weather, interesting mix of classes and even some nice cars to look at in the car park.

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