Hampdon Downs progress

**Grub** · 20th May 2008, 23:13

Originally Posted by Pussy

A shot my colleague took today for those interested in progress on the new track

Your colleague deserves a DB. Not only did he get the shot but it's a fine quality one too.

**MaxB** · 21st May 2008, 00:02

Reckon Puke will suffer the most. Horsey lot there live off handouts and levies.

I have watched that circuit going downhill for years, sad to say. Roll on Hampton Downs (as long as they get the parking right).

**Toaster** · 21st May 2008, 00:06

Great to see a the new track coming along nicely!

Hoorah Timmy, time for gingerbeer and feeling up the girls.

**Mort** · 21st May 2008, 00:32

I can't wait to see Hampton Downs. I'm pretty critical of Taupo and the events run there. The circuit isn't great and the track day events could be better.... but its the best we've got. Its no wonder they may be having problems there's a lot to improve on....

I hope to see better management, more attractive racing and track day events and a better circuit at Hampton. NZ is mad about motorsport - it deserves a proper world class circuit

**Pussy** · 21st May 2008, 06:29

Originally Posted by Grub

Your colleague deserves a DB. Not only did he get the shot but it's a fine quality one too.

Not bad for out of a topdressing plane, huh?

**DEATH_INC.** · 21st May 2008, 06:48

Sweet, but progress seems to be a bit slow....doesn't look that different to the pics from 6 months ago...
I think it's gonna be another F****n horsepower track though, with that uphill onto the long pit straight and then another long straight it's gonna be hard work for anything but the monsters to keep up

**White trash** · 21st May 2008, 06:58

Originally Posted by jrandom

Exactly, that's the first thing I thought.

The track has some serious hills and gullies going on - that sweeper loop out near the motorway incorporates a really significant rise as it heads back toward the front straight.

I can't wait to ride it.

I don't know if New Zealand's got a large enough supply of bikes to keep yo going till then mate.

**Max Headroom** · 21st May 2008, 11:34

Will the owners of the Pukekohe circuit be the losers? Let's see.

We've lived in Pukekohe for almost 25 years, and only recently moved a little further south (ironically less than 10mins from the Hampdon Downs circuit!). My business is literally a stone's throw from Castrol corner.

The Pukekohe track was in a very rural area when first constructed about 45 years ago. The town back then was a small country service centre for the farming community. That's changed dramatically in the last 10 years, and as a result the track is coming under increasing pressure from recently arrived residents who don't like the noise or the traffic. Yep, the NIMBY principle in action....

So what is the horse racing club left with? A huge property valued at $millions, and climbing. Has anyone heard the racing club expressing their concerns about Hampdon Downs stealing their customers? Not a whisper!

Pukekohe continues to grow at a rate much higher than the national average, and the Franklin region as a whole is in the top ten regions in NZ growth-wise. The track is in a prime location for either residential or commercial development, and in the medium/longterm such a development is inevitable: the racing club have already been behind the development of a new commercial centre next door to the track which includes big box operators such as Harvey Norman, Noel Leemings, Briscoes and Rebel Sport and that's only Stage One. Yep, in little ol' Pukekohe.

So, will the owners of the Pukekohe circuit be the losers? The only folk that believe that would also believe that McDonalds is a company that makes burgers. (It isn't! It's a huge global real estate company that happens to lease its property to franchised fast-food restaurant operators!)

**Mr Merde** · 21st May 2008, 11:49

Originally Posted by 325rocket

out of interest, what do you guys / girls think this will this do to taupo?

I dont really know what the impact on Taupo will be but Pukekohe is going to take a major hit from this new track

**Whynot** · 21st May 2008, 11:54

Originally Posted by Mr Merde

I dont really know what the impact on Taupo will be but Pukekohe is going to take a major hit from this new track

Isn't that the whole point of it .... ?

**Mr Merde** · 21st May 2008, 12:05

Originally Posted by Whynot

Isn't that the whole point of it .... ?

I certainly hope that the idea behind this new track was to provide a new and more modern track for the motorsport enthusiasts that would also be both attractive to to spectators and finacially viable for the investors.

I wouldf be most dismayed if its entire reason for existance was to just put pukekohe down.

**Tank** · 21st May 2008, 12:07

Originally Posted by Mr Merde

I dont really know what the impact on Taupo will be but Pukekohe is going to take a major hit from this new track

Taupo is poked.

They are already in financial trouble. They need $$ coming in from the bigger events to keep afloat.

When the big events come both will bit for it and Hampton downs will win each time. Its a better track and its closer to the main population center.

So Taupo will end up running less and less events and end up going more and more into the red.

So either:

The value of their land will keep going up (Like Puke) and will end up being sold to housing developers either by choice of foreclosure.

or

They keep it running into the ground and they end up with a track that is in shit condition and only used by boi racers for drift days.

Or

I win a HUGE lotto jackpot - then Ill buy it and have my own personal track out the back. Ill also buy the horsie track next door and turn it into something useful.