From Across the ditch it was great to see Puke back on the tele. Emasculated to a degree yes, but still the best couple of corners on the V8 calender.
From Across the ditch it was great to see Puke back on the tele. Emasculated to a degree yes, but still the best couple of corners on the V8 calender.
Was the track not wide eneough that he had to drive on the kerb and cause his own problem,not the walls fault,.We in our little old single seaters are only half as big as the V8s, are moving at half their speed ,but we might take out our wheels ect. because the wall is to close!!!words fail me.Actually reminds me of a chap now living in a cold country up north had a Morgan plus a Cooper ,he would practise and then ponce around in his race gear and time and again his car would not start.the problem was known to a few ,he made shure of not starting by taking the roater out {rota} {roter}???Originally Posted by RacerT
Same thoughts from the Central South Island too.
Looking forward to more of the same tomorrow plus the Silver Fern Rally coverage on on channel 3
How good was that best meeting so far and we have sunday to come.
Still can't understand from a functional perspective why they had to use so many concrete barriers around the track - seems to have unnecessarily turned an open circuit into a semi street circuit. Only reason seems to be commercial in that the AV8 share of the "investment" into Pukekohe was the left-overs they got from Hamilton so they had to use all the concrete barriers irrespective of whether they were actually needed. Also, I hear that the concrete barriers and the mesh fencing impedes spectators view in some parts of the track.
Just in case Jim thinks this is putting the boot in - there are clearly some beneficial improvements made to the circuit but like others I struggle to see where the reputed $10m has gone to - although I hear on the news this morning that Auckland Council has spent $60m in the last two years on PR so maybe PR takes a chunk of Pukekohe's $10m.
When we taxpayers can shell out 2 mil. to have an old wooden boat on the waterfront for ONLY elevin days during the world cup, we give 170 mil. to a tribe not at the talks .Dunedin has backing for two hundred mil. for a rugby grandstand and their team cant win a game this year!!! 6 mil,,10 mill 20 mil who cares
Well; after watching the V8's on TV yesterday I am convinced that the new dogleg adds nothing to the show
Taxpayers haven't funded Dunedin's Stadium Jim, but the rest of NZ is assisting with the funding of a shambolic Auckland roading system that aside from the State Highway should be funded 100% by the residents and users.
Well, after seeing the "new, upgraded Puke" from a hotel room in Perth, I'm not impressed. It looks horrible. How the hell do you see anything behind all that concrete and wire? And the chicane at the end of the straight......wtf is that all about? Delusions of a mini Bathurst? As a bike rider - it doesn't look very bike friendly - track days for an average punter like me on a 1000 sports bike, now look decidedly more dodgy.......
According to the Herald this morning, the investment by Auckland Council was on the basis that the "new improved" track would get Category 2 FIA status. However, after an FIA inspection it only got a Category 3 approval (which is the same as it had before). An international track designer was quoted as saying it would need another $15m spent in order to get Category 2 status. I wonder if AV8 put one over the really smart people at Auckland Council ...............
So all this work to end up the same,really smart.
The effect of what they've done is to turn an 'open' circuit into a 'street' circuit. I have a horrible feeling that, apart from the annual V8 races, they've effectively killed Pukekohe as a viable track. I can't imagine that many racers that don't have big corporate budgets will be that keen to race in a concrete jungle.
I've been going to Pukekohe as a spectator since it first opened but it remains to be seen whether that will continue or not.
I'm not really that worried though because Hampton Downs is closer to me.
Imagine if HD had got the nod.... all that concrete and high mesh fencing everywhere would have completely stuffed what we have now.. I reckon we should thank our lucky stars that it didn't happen.
It seems that the new 'chicane' at the end of the back straight, rather than provide an extra spot to pass, has actually got rid of the one really good passing place on the old track.......that dive into the hairpin......the late braking specialists corner. Has always been great to watch the antics of drivers over the years, as they come flying into the corner on tip-toes to claim a couple more places, or come to grief bigtime.........
However Auckland has done what Hamilton tried in vain to do.....get in the spectators. Obviously despite everything being said on here, 35,000 people found places to park their cars.......and that was yesterday. Today will be chocka block.
And the difference between Hamilton and Auckland.......well population density for one, but I believe the biggest difference is that Puke is not a bloody street circuit, despite attempts to turn it into one with the placement of all the concrete barriers.
And despite all these barriers and wire grills, it is still possible to see a good bit of the track, instead of about 100 meters either side of your vantage point. Ok, Hamilton had big telly screens. So why not stay at home and watch it on your own telly.......much more comfortable AND you can drink your own beer and eat YOUR chips!!!!!!!!
No one will ever convince me that a street circuit is a good idea for spectators.....might be fine for TV, so I suppose that's where the money is.
On the good side as they didnt get an upgrade ,they can forget the new part ,and take the seal out to the wall,save them fron getting stuck in the sand and pos.be safer. Carlo did not the Gov. stand behind the rugby club over the $200 mil,not saying they payed the money only will help out if needed????
HD didn't need any of the Hamilton infrastructure, so it would not have changed. HD also didn't need the $6.6 million 'upgrade', as it was already ready to go. One of the reasons Cochrane went to Pukekohe was to use the Hamilton infrastructure that he had paid for.
It might have reduced the passing under brakes at the hairpin but some can still get a good entry and exit passing maneuver. Good crowds all weekend so for that type of meeting the changes work. The jury is still out in my mind as far as other meetings go.
I have no idea whether it was good at the track, but I would have to say that the TV did a great job. Rather special to see Brad Jones Racing and Jason Bright take out the Jason Richards Memorial.
Last edited by Oldfart; 04-14-2013 at 08:04 PM.
And then flogged off to the supercity?
I'm pretty sure the new chicane is so they get another chance for good vehicle profile shots for the TV coverage. If you look at some of the blatantly repetitive slo-mo profile shots of some cars at a certain corner at Bathurst last year, it gives the impression they sell a certain number of 'spots' to sponsors.
Interesting to see the speed and the gears used approaching the hairpin. It works OK for them as they have tremendous grunt and were back up to 5th before braking again for the hairpin. For those of us with lesser cars we just about get up to top speed on the old track and braking for the hairpin was often the only safe passing place.
Classics are not normally rubbing door handles, as it is distinctly risky trying to pass in places that are deemed OK for the V8s where they are happy to wipe out door mirrors.
It is still a great track for a fast lap or a hot lap, but racing is all about sharing track space and in that respect, it is fine for one or two weekends a year but I fear that quite a few classes would rather not race in concrete tunnels.
Great TV though and an emotional win for the Brad Jones outfit, but with no photo opportunities, I can't see me going as a spectator.
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