My favourite NZ motorsport event looks like it's making a comeback thanks to the vision and generosity of Tony Quinn the owner of Highlands motorsport park in Cromwell.
It was announced in today's ODT that the event on the Snow Farm access road will be back next year from the 17th-19th of April. Resource consent pending of course, but most of the residents of the Cardrona valley sound in favour of it, so the consent should be mere formality.
With Pikes Peak now being entirely sealed, this race will be the challenge for hill climb racers and car manufacturers around the world. After all gravel is a much harder test than tarmac.
And if as the article states Monster Tajima is keen to come back and race, you can bet other top world competitors will come out for it too. Perhaps even Sebastian Loeb may be tempted to bring his Peugeot Pikes Peak racer out? Who knows, but I can't wait for it to be back again.
The race being open to cars, trucks, buggies, quads, and bikes means you get to see a lot of different machinery in a short space of time. The car class alone ranges from full on specialist hill climb vehicles to 1980's Toyota Starlet club racer's. Plus the odd person turns up every year with a car totally unsuited to the race such as sprint cars or old nascars. But sideways is spectacular, if slow. And we all after all want to be entertained first and foremost.
I have fond memories of watching Tajima, Rod Millen and our own Possum Bourne battling it out to claim the crown of king of the mountain. Tajima in various versions of his Suzuki Escudo, Rod Millen alternating between his trophy truck and his Pikes Peak winning Toyota Celica, with Possum always turning up in his ex WRC Impreza turned up to the max.
I hope that someone will bring that ex Bourne car to next year's event and race it in the way it was meant to be.
The course had a unique rally stage style start with a big jump at the bottom of the mountain, in a natural bowl with great viewing for spectators, before crossing a narrow one lane bridge and heading up the mountain road and its many corners and dangerous drops. Certainly a road where bravery counted for a lot.
As a spectator you weren't limited to being stuck at the bottom to watch either, there were many spectator areas, many within easy walking distance as long as you didn't mind walking up the mountain on narrow goat tracks.
The only shame is Possum Bourne is no longer with us to compete any more, having been killed in a road vehicle crash on the mountain after a practice session. The crash wasn't his fault, as he was hit by another competitor coming up the mountain. Which caused a crash with fatal injuries to Possum. A statue of Possum was until recently sited near the site of his death. The statue now stands in Pukekohe town centre, his home town.
I know for certain I'll be booking my tickets and flights for next April as soon as they come on sale.
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