It will be almost seven months since their last outing, but the Best Bars Toyota 86 Championship, and others, will
conclude at Hampton Downs in September. Picture Bruce Jenkins.
Top level motorsport in New Zealand is back on track as Speed Works has confirmed that the final round of its 2019-2020
calendar will finally get the green light to run the weekend of September 4th, 5th and 6th at Hampton Downs.
Both the Best Bars Toyota 86 Championship and the RYCO 24•7 V8 Utes Championships will conclude their seasons and crown
their champions at the three day meeting which will run on the shorter, national circuit layout at Hampton Downs
Motorsport Park. There will be plenty of additional on-track action at the first big domestic meeting since lockdown
with up to ten categories expected to field grids.
The meeting will give an indication of where the domestic sport 'is' following the Covid 19 crisis but promoter Geoff
Short says he is very positive that the meeting will prove attractive to drivers and spectators.
"It's awesome that the categories have decided to conclude their championships on the track rather than off it,"
explained Short. "That's how we all want to see our champions crowned and we will do everything we can to help ensure
all of the championship protagonists in closely fought categories are able to attend.
"There have definitely been some highs and lows which we have all witnessed over the past two or three months but we're
keen to put all that behind us and put a positive marker down for the future. Ticket pricing for this meeting will
reflect what we have all been through during the past few months and the indication from the categories is that they
have good numbers of drivers ready - and keen - to run."
Short is also keen to see the event become a celebration of cars and is set to confirm plans that will include anyone
who comes to the event in a modern or classic thoroughbred and puts their car on display for the day qualifying for a
half price entry ticket. "A lot of cool cars will also have been garaged and not doing anything during lockdown, we'd
like to incentivise the owners to get them out and along to the event. We all need a good dose of cool cars right now,"
he added.
"We're keen to see people come along to the event from far and wide and - tongue in cheek - we'll be happy to let anyone
in for free who can drive from Wellington to Hampton Downs without a petrol or comfort stop on the way!"