Hampton Downs tenders close today

[Shaun Harris]

My understanding is that Mr Quinn does not like or want motorbikes on his track, and it hasnt been designed to be safe for bikes. I don't recall ever seeing a photo of a bike on or anywhere near the track.

Interesting

[scott411]

Sadly for the current bank loan contract owners, it does look like there is a morgagee sale coming in the very near future

if the bank thought they could have got their money back from doing that, it would have been done years ago,

[sil3nt]

My understanding is that Mr Quinn does not like or want motorbikes on his track, and it hasnt been designed to be safe for bikes. I don't recall ever seeing a photo of a bike on or anywhere near the track.

[Grubber]

I like the look of Highlands park also, but many a rider has said they think as it is, it would currently be unsafe for motorcycles? what is your oppinion on this, and please put serious though into your feed back mate

It is definitely unsafe for racing as such.
We did a track day there last month under dispensation and i would say there was 50% of the track had good run off and the rest was debatable. Through the forest the sweeper has a 1.4m concrete wall around the outside, so not good for when you crash obviously.
Aside from that the track is friggin amazing. 4.8km long on the full track and all sorts of combinations to be had. Nice and fast and tons of grip.
What it did remind me of was a fully finished Hampton Downs. All the gardens and landscaping was done and all the buildings were immaculately presented. Fabulous place to be fair and really amazing track.
It is a shame it hasn't been built with bikes in mind as the track itself is perfect.

[budda]

I like the look of Highlands park also, but many a rider has said they think as it is, it would currently be unsafe for motorcycles? what is your oppinion on this, and please put serious though into your feed back mate

Shaun, I visited "unofficially" while Commissioner and had a drive round with the guy in charge of building it ( a bike nut himself ) just before it was sealed ........

GREAT track, would be awesome to ride around, but no way is it safe to run a meeting on - purely and simply because it IS exactly what the man writing the cheques wanted, up to the latest CAR specs.

Whether he likes bikes, I have no idea - I seriously doubt a confirmed petrol-head as he is would deliberately build something unuseable for OUR purposes ...... face it, WE didn't factor into his equations, and realistically who can blame him

There is ZERO runoff in places where we need it - because the barriers that what the track was designed to cater for are there. Sad truth, but factual.

The whole complex is a great testament to what one decision maker can achieve with a vision and a whole lot of money - if this had been a Club situation, they'd still be arguing over the FIRST CORNER

Any rider who gets the chance should get out there and do a lap or 10 - just respect the limiting factors and you'll ride away with a BIG grin on ............

[HenryDorsetCase]

if the bank thought they could have got their money back from doing that, it would have been done years ago,

Yes. Plus they use the owner as a sock puppet so they stay away from any tax implications and so as not to depress the market price.

[HenryDorsetCase]

[Youtube vid]

I stand corrected...

[scrivy]

they hope to get a bit more than they owe the bank, which is rumoured to be more than 30 mil,

Pfftt.... that's only about $60,000 per MNZ road race licence holder.... then about another $30,000 to finish it off.....

Let's do it!!!

[Grubber]

the owner (Tony Quinn) was in negotiations to buy Hampton Downs as well, but pulled out an carried on building Highlands,

Thats correct. The offer at Highlands was one he couldn't refuse so to speak.
He started off in a partnership with 4 others and slowly but surely he ended up 100% ownership.
He has done an amazing job.

[Grubber]

I stand corrected...

You were correct for the most part but we were allowed special dispensation to ride there.
It certainly wasn't designed for bikes in mind though.
I doubt very much they would ever be racing full on there either.

[scrivy]

You were correct for the most part but we were allowed special dispensation to ride there.
It certainly wasn't designed for bikes in mind though.
I doubt very much they would ever be racing full on there either.

Sweet, if bike riders are pussies, then the Chair teams will be there....

[budda]

Sweet, if bike riders are pussies, then the Chair teams will be there....

Excellent - Darwins theory at work .........

[GD66]

Proven...

[gjm]

Hampton Downs was built almost as a hobby, with initial investment and management by two people - Tony, and Chris Watson. The story at the time was that they were unable to get track time at Pukekohe, so built their own track.

Sales of (lifestyle) blocks of land and the trackside apartments was supposed to provide extra money to invest in the track and facilities. Looks like it didn't quite work out the way it was planned... Certainly there is massive scope for significantly more commercial development... Having spent time heading south from Auckland for work, I would certainly prefer to do that than try to commute into the city. The businesses that are there appear to be pretty busy.

I suspect the costs of running and maintaining the circuit have exceeded expectations. The initial loans weren't huge, and a significant (from my perspective, at least) amount of money came directly from Tony and Chris. This personal involvement is why it will have proven hard to 'let go'... It was their baby, and they want to see it to grow. Difficult to do that if someone else is pulling the strings.

Perhaps Mr Dotcom would like to help out?

I've heard the track at Cromwell is a good 'un. Living in TK I find Hampton Downs is a little more convenient.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Perhaps Mr Dotcom would like to help out?

Ask the New Zealander of the Year after Friday - he might get some of his quick cars back after then.

Having said that any car would be slower with him in it vs a normal sized human. Not saying he is a moon of Endor or anything but he is 6 ft 5 and rather chunky.