Good place to watch racing

[Fatt Max]

Hi Guys,

Mini Max (nearly 5 years old...going on 15) was watching the bikes on motorsport yesterday and announced that he would really like to go and watch some bike racing.

Now, I have never done so myself and dont know any of the venues, meets, etc etc. Can anyone help with some up and coming racing action that a young fella would like as well as his fat dad. We are in Howick Auckland but travel well.


Thanks as always guys

[James Deuce]

There's no good place in NZ, just barren crap holes with two people and a dog in the stands giving expert advice on how they'd do it better.

If junior has a short attention span, bear in mind that there is nothing else to do at NZ tracks. Nothing.

You're expected to enjoy sitting in the terraces (which are covered in sheep shit usually) and pay through the nose for it. Get some pull ups and adult diapers so you don't catch anything from the toilets.

Your closest track is Pukekohe.

The racing schedule can be found on MNZ's site or Kiwirider's site.

[Fatt Max]

There's no good place in NZ, just barren crap holes with two people and a dog in the stands giving expert advice on how they'd do it better.

If junior has a short attention span, bear in mind that there is nothing else to do at NZ tracks. Nothing.

You're expected to enjoy sitting in the terraces (which are covered in sheep shit usually) and pay through the nose for it. Get some pull ups and adult diapers so you don't catch anything from the toilets.

Your closest track is Pukekohe.

The racing schedule can be found on MNZ's site or Kiwirider's site.

Cheers JD,

The wee man would love it to a point so I'll try him out. Yep, know what you mean about attention span and nothing else to do so that's all good.

Onya for taking the time mate

[James Deuce]

Wish I could be more positive. The best spectator friendly event when I used to attend regularly was the Masterton street races. The tracks just empty your wallet and wave you at a dusty (or muddy in Winter) man-made hillside and expect you to be very thankful for the experience.

I hope Hampton Downs do a better job.

[Mom]

Cheers JD,

The wee man would love it to a point so I'll try him out. Yep, know what you mean about attention span and nothing else to do so that's all good.

Onya for taking the time mate

If he can hold out for February there is a fantastic street race meeting in Paeroa, it is close as you can get action, very exciting and only a couple of hours south of you.

[jim.cox]

I'd second the comment about attention spans, or lack thereof

I've taken Josh to Ruapuna a couple of times - and he's never lasted that long. A couple of races, a quick shufti round the pits, inspect the bike park and we're gone...

You might want to find the wee fella some hearing protection too

[sidwyz]

This weekend come have a look at bucket racing
Located at Mt Wellington Kart Track 28 to 38 Tainui Road, off Morrin Road, Mt Wellington....big yellow sign at top of gate.
Saturday - Practise
Sunday - Racing

Great fun to watch and just down the road

[old fartz]

theres bucket raceing on this weekend at the mt wellington gokart track practise is on saturday raceing on sunday. On saturday there is pit bikes with small kids raceing and on sunday the raceing is very close and its very entertaining

[Fatt Max]

theres bucket raceing on this weekend at the mt wellington gokart track practise is on saturday raceing on sunday. On saturday there is pit bikes with small kids raceing and on sunday the raceing is very close and its very entertaining

Sounds brilliant, what sort of time does it all kick off?

[sidwyz]

saturday after 10am should be all good
sunday practise from 9.30 till bout 12-12.30 or so then racing

[old fartz]

around 10ish but from lunch time onwards is when all the actions on

[Fatt Max]

around 10ish but from lunch time onwards is when all the actions on

Cheers mate, might just give it a blast, wee man is keen....:laugh:

[malcy25]

This weekend come have a look at bucket racing
Located at Mt Wellington Kart Track 28 to 38 Tainui Road, off Morrin Road, Mt Wellington....big yellow sign at top of gate.
Saturday - Practise
Sunday - Racing

Great fun to watch and just down the road

As I was reading the first post these were my thoughs exactly - easy, close, simple, right there in front of you (ie not specs in the distance), close action etc.

[BM-GS]

Taken my 2 (now 4 & 6) to Pukekohe since they were being wheeled and the Mrs had to come too in case they got hungry.

Puke is a bit upmarket in that there are actual bleachers to sit on and some are even covered, in case of rain. Pits are accessible for a wander-round and last time there were even a few tents selling stuff in the bike-park next to the bridge to the pits.

Minuses are that on 2 occasions we're witnessed what happens when things go wrong on a racetrack, which isn't what the weee-folk should be seeing, and there's not much to do but pack up & go home as the racing stops for a time exceeding attention-span. The culinary experience is about what you'd expect, and certainly edible (unlike the UK circuits), but if you're looking for a healthy option, you might want to BYO.

On the plus side, we did see Kevin Schwantz last time (it meant more to me than to them...) from a distance of about 2 feet. It was cool to see him chilling, watching & even helping out around the place.

Not sure of the future of road-racing at Puke as I've heard all sorts of stories (and seen some of the carnage that happens when high speed and concrete/Armco get too close), but Hampton Downs is just down the road a bit.

Tried him on a dirtbike?

[racer40]

taupo road race spectacular on dec 28 has big feilds which keeps it interesting, & also will have a bouncy castle for the little ones to try & keep them interested. all classes race inc sidecars which kids love.

[Str8 Jacket]

taupo road race spectacular on dec 28 has big feilds which keeps it interesting, & also will have a bouncy castle for the little ones to try & keep them interested. all classes race inc sidecars which kids love.

:shit: Will they be strictly for children only?!?!

[Kendog]

Wish I could be more positive. The best spectator friendly event when I used to attend regularly was the Masterton street races. The tracks just empty your wallet and wave you at a dusty (or muddy in Winter) man-made hillside and expect you to be very thankful for the experience.

I hope Hampton Downs do a better job.

You should check out the bucket racing at Kaitoke :Punk:

[Clivoris]

taupo road race spectacular on dec 28 has big feilds which keeps it interesting, & also will have a bouncy castle for the little ones to try & keep them interested. all classes race inc sidecars which kids love.

Plus one to this. And I have to agree with a sliver of what Hemi Rua has to say. At most race meetings there isn't much to entertain the kidlies. What you will find though is that most of the racers are more than happy to talk to the sprogs between races if someone is interested. I've seen many a wee boy stoked to get a picture on a real race bike.
Taking you own food, or at least something to balance out the hot-dogs and chips is always useful with my kids. My 6 year old son spent a whole day spectating with me at Wanganui last year without a problem. No problems with attention at all. He did love the sidecars and enjoyed having the racers he had spoken to pointed out while they were racing. He can still identify them when we watch the DVD.
I also took all my kids to bucket racing a few years back. You wouldn't find a friendlier bunch and my kids loved that too.
Good luck. I look forward to reading about how it goes.

[mossy1200]

I also took all my kids to bucket racing a few years back. You wouldn't find a friendlier bunch and my kids loved that too.
Good luck. I look forward to reading about how it goes.

I have been to watch buckets twice and im old with shite attention span and I was glued.They fall off then get on then fall off.Thats awesome.
pick a wet one to watch then they fall off often.
Problems is the wife dont want me getting a bucket now cause shes says its too dangerous.She says im uncoordinated and would get hurt.

[Skunk]

You're expected to enjoy sitting in the terraces (which are covered in sheep shit usually) and pay through the nose for it. Get some pull ups and adult diapers so you don't catch anything from the toilets.Geez, thanks for the encouraging words JD. VMCC don't charge a gate entery and you're free to wander the pits or sit and watch the racing. I will admit that we don't get more than 100 spectators and the seats are just benches or the pit wall but I'm sure they'll be flocking in after your glorious appraisal of our efforts. :innocent:


The tracks just empty your wallet and wave you at a dusty (or muddy in Winter) man-made hillside and expect you to be very thankful for the experience.Been a while huh? :love:

[Skunk]

I have been to watch buckets twice and im old with shite attention span and I was glued.They fall off then get on then fall off.Thats awesome.
pick a wet one to watch then they fall off often.
Problems is the wife dont want me getting a bucket now cause shes says its too dangerous.She says im uncoordinated and would get hurt.
Do come again and introduce yourself. Either at Buckets or VMCC rounds (I'm usually the guy with the red flag on the grid with Skippy. The rest of the time I'm someone else.)
And you're never too young or old for Buckets.

[mossy1200]

Do come again and introduce yourself. Either at Buckets or VMCC rounds (I'm usually the guy with the red flag on the grid with Skippy. The rest of the time I'm someone else.)
And you're never too young or old for Buckets.


I have rg race fairings so far but would look funny running around holding them.
I have been searching for the ultimate 2smoke 100 prefer some old school drum brakes.Every time i find one my fzr postie has a spazz and costs me money.

[James Deuce]

Geez, thanks for the encouraging words JD. VMCC don't charge a gate entery and you're free to wander the pits or sit and watch the racing. I will admit that we don't get more than 100 spectators and the seats are just benches or the pit wall but I'm sure they'll be flocking in after your glorious appraisal of our efforts. :innocent:

Been a while huh? :love:

Yes. The last visit was so dispiriting that I haven't been able to gather up any enthusiasm for a 5 hour round trip to watch 1 race, two hours of clean up, 1 race, and then another two hours of clean up. I know that isn't always the case, but try it with kids in tow sometime, and you'll know why it just isn't a good time or one you'd want to repeat. I'm not trying to take the moral high ground with the kid thing either. I'd rather be on the track, but it is nice to spend time with them doing something enjoyable. That last word is important in the sense that simply spending time is enjoyable, but when their over riding memory is ambulances and sheep poo, well, you get the picture.

[MaxB]

Would def recommend Paeroa as others have said. You are so close to the action.

It happens in February so it is warm and the town makes bikers welcome. There are plenty of cafes, chip shops and pubs to keep both of you occupied.

Plus theres the added bonus (?) of the racing KBers, you may run into quite a few of them in the pits. If you hang around long enough you may end up being roped into helping out.

[Fatt Max]

Thanks to all of you guys n gals for the tips.

I have let the wee man know last night that we are going to watch the racing bikes at the weekend (going to try the racing @ MT Wellington) and he came into me at 6.00am this morning wearing my lid saying "I'm ready, can we go now..."

I'lllet you know how it goes.

Anyone going to be at Mt Wellington on Sunday?

[NinjaBoy]

If he can hold out for February there is a fantastic street race meeting in Paeroa, it is close as you can get action, very exciting and only a couple of hours south of you.

Keep an eye on this site: http://www.battleofthestreets.co.nz/

Its always on the 3rd Sunday of Feb each year. Apparently always Dry and Sunny.

Otherwise Taupo Road Race Spectacular : http://www.roadracespectacular.4t.com/ - 27/28 Dec if you happen to be holidaying close to Taupo at the end of the year.

[sinfull]

Another thing to keep in mind is the sidechair have a go day ! Talk to Scrivy re age limits before getting the kid keen and gear requiremements ! Would say there is an age limit, but worth a crack Nige (search sidecar have a go day on here) But cant see nothing better to get the little max keen than having a bloody go !

[slowpoke]

Despite some apparent negative reponses on here I was actually quite pleasantly suprised by the crowd at Round 2 of the Winter Series (Manfeild). It wasn't exactly standing room only but the stand wasn't empty either, with another gaggle of lurkers hangin' out at the far end of the pits.

Manfeild Park also hold all sorts of activities in the other part of the facility so if you time it right you could easily incorporate two events into a day and break things up nicely for the wee 'uns. Feilding is a nice lil' town and Palmy's on the doorstep so it wouldn't be hard to fill in a day if you're coming from out of town. and wanna catch a bit of racing while you are at it.

[scrivy]

Another thing to keep in mind is the sidechair have a go day ! Talk to Scrivy re age limits before getting the kid keen and gear requiremements ! Would say there is an age limit, but worth a crack Nige (search sidecar have a go day on here) But cant see nothing better to get the little max keen than having a bloody go !

No age limit sinfull. My daughter got on my chair when she was 2!! Mind you, she is a hard bistard like me...... NOT !!! :laugh:

I tell ya one thing Fatt Max, having a go certainly beats watching!!! (er..... unless you like watching of course, but then you have the hassles of peaking through the slats...... oh shite, sorry, off on another tangent....)

[oyster]

Bring him down south. Our meetings have heaps of families all set up socialising with youngsters like him getting about. There's a playground at the back of the pits, and last time Andrew and Karen came it had 7 kids in it, so he'll find good company. In our Young Junior Road race class we train the kids down to 10 years old so maybe he'd want to meet them and see what he could be doing in a few years. I'll bring my QA 50 Honda and one of our junior coaches will give him tuition on the the grassy area. To watch the racing with 30 or so kids around 14-15 years old he can sit up on the grass bank eating some healthy food, which is for sale or offered by the numerous chilly
filled by generous mums. It's very exciting cos Streetstock the bikes are all the same speed, and he'll love the great colour schemes. And he can get their autographs. A good investment as that's where all the champions will be coming from.
There's no choice, get a cheap airfare and come to Ruapuna

[Henk]

Anyone going to be at Mt Wellington on Sunday?

There will be quite a few guys from KB going. I'll be there with a ratty old black bike parked next to a ratty old white van provided I don't knock any significant parts off the bike crashing in Saturdays practice. If you can find me look me up. I'm new to buckets and probably less knowledgeable than most there but feel free to say hello.

[Pumba]

Anyone going to be at Mt Wellington on Sunday?

Haha, good to see the young fulla is keen. Ill be there Sunday (probally Saturday too). Bike 84, if I am not running around like a headless chicken trying to fix stuff say hello.

[DELLORTO]

ill also be there both sat&sun, i have bike number #11 come and say hi im always up for a chat your son will like the pocket bikes racing on sat

[Fatt Max]

Cool, cheers fellas.

Looks more like Saturday we'll be there now so I'll say hello when I spot you.

As for me, just look for a big fat bastard with a No1 crew cut and a very bewildered son...actually, he's really up for it now, counting the sleeps and everything. I'll bring my camera and see if I can get some shots.

Thanks again guys, look forward to meeting up with you on Saturday

Take care