Pukekohe Car Club
Timeclock Set
Ducks in a row for a good rally in 5 weeks’ time in Maramarua Forest.
Organization extravaganza, small wins and big gains are being made leading up to September’s event. It’s binding in and looking mighty good people. Rallying right in our backyard, put that in your dairies. This is a hot ticket item so get entries in members, we really want to see our guys out competing just as much as the rest of the field. This will be the event of 2023 for the club and we want to see it well supported.
Events dates are next highest trending theme, organizer’s need plan early for preferential 24′ dates as the calendars free weekends are whittling down.
In amongst the rally blueprint and choreography, there are latter year events penned in needing equal attention. Road closure deadlines for upcoming event planning reminds the committee of life in the fast lane and the planning and organizing of events doesn’t stop.
Winter’s unrelenting weather continues. Events are damp but fast paced and dotted in and out of regions run by member clubs. We want events, is what we hear in the greater circles. We also want better weather, but we’ll compromise. The committee have been listening and have an exciting line up planned, starting with the icing on the cake event.
PRESIDENTS REPORT
Ok well, the countdown is on, regs are out! It’s on, PCC Maramarua Rally. It’s been awhile in the planning, 9th September here we come. Te Kauwhata and the roads of Maramarua will be buzzing to the sounds of rally cars.
We will need all hands-on deck and there are numerous roles we will need your help with, so if you’re not competing and have a free Saturday, contact any one of the rally committee members (Noel Miller, Suzie and Craig Tickle, Frances and Brain Best, Fiona Gower and Anthony Tusa, Jeremy Dawson, Mike Wheatley, Nikki Sim, Simon Culbertson, Mark Baucutt). Our Rally Chairman Jeremy Dawson would love to hear from you and is in charge!
Craig has plotted an excellent event in the forest, stages some not used for quite some time. Suzie has been busy dotting the eyes and crossing the t’s ensuring we run a great event. Nikki has done a great job along with a NIRS convenor rounding up some real good sponsors, in conjunction with Fiona who’s getting the event out via the social media. So, dust off those old cars and new ones come out and compete in what is the whole grail to many of rally in a forest in the North Island. We’re limited to only 50 entrants and are 20% there already, so don’t miss out.
On another note, your committee is already planning speed weekend which will be something different to past ones so watch this space. Little hint, back to limestone but with a little twist. Also, we’re looking at something for the tarmac racers as well and to honour one of our most treasured members recently past.
Also Rallysprints, planning is underway for not one but maybe two in 2024 so watch this space. Want to know more, then head along to clubnight – first Wednesday of every month.
Cheers, Noel
VICE PRESIDENTS REPORT
Well, I don’t know about you but I’m totally over this weather, but then it could be I’m just over everything at the moment! It’s been a busy few months, with lots of planning for the Rally but not forgetting that we have other events coming up as well!!
This past weekend we managed to miss the rain Pukekohe had and have a lovely sunny day out in the forest checking the rally route. I will say I was surprised at how different the forest is looking since being milled. The views are spectacular, and I made Craig stop a couple of times for a quick picture. With it being a working forest at present it is throwing us a few challenges but nothing an additional arrow or two won’t fix. I will say this though, if we have marked a caution, please take note!!
We’ve been fortunate to have a huge amount of support from our sponsors for this event which we are extremely grateful for. I naively thought it’s in the forest, it will be just like stringing three rallysprints together “how hard can it be!!” turns out a lot harder than I thought and without the support of our sponsors the entry fees would be astronomical, so please support them if you can.
Next up and without the rally even being close to organised, we are having to turn some of our focus onto our Speed Weekend coming up in November. As we’ve mentioned before, this year with the loss of the Tarmac section of Port Waikato Road we decided to swap things around a bit and hold a Motorkhana & Autocross on the Saturday at Limestone Downs and then our Hillclimb on Sunday, trying not to party it up too much on Saturday night!
And as always, we are going to need your help to run these events, so please pop us a line either via Facebook or email secretary@pukekohecarclub.co.nz if you can help.
Cheers, Suzie
INTO THE BUSINESS
Maramarua Rally proudly Sponsored by Winger Subaru
Pukekohe Car Club Maramarua Rally- Sponsored by Winger Subaru
Save the date, enter your car, and be ready for an awesome day out! And if you don’t have a car, come along and watch the action!
Pukekohe Car Club is running their Clubman’s Rally in the Maramarua Forest on Saturday September 9th, and its looking to be a cracker of an event. The Club is really excited about hosting this event and having some of our top and up and coming drivers, along with many well-known names and faces take on the Forest.
This event, proudly sponsored by Winger Suzuki, is Round 3 of the North Island Rally Series, with the final event down the road at Waitomo. It is also a chance for the drivers to get seat time before the Rally NZ Daybreaker a fortnight later.
There is a family of sponsors that have come on board to support this event and the Club are very grateful to them as they help to make the event happen.
Along with Winger Subaru, sponsors include:
Service Park and Rally HQ is at the Te Kauwhata Rugby Clubrooms, and the cars will be heading out from there to do battle out in the forest.
The course is over 3 stages, all being run twice, including the famous McRobbie’s Loop being run in both directions to mix it up. For those wanting to watch the action there will be designated spectator points.
The Pukekohe Car Club Team is working hard to make the rally a success, and looking forward to hosting drivers and crews from around the country.
As an incentive for crews to travel to the event, Horsepower Inn has kindly offered 2 nights accommodation for up to 3 people at their Air BnB in Te Kauwhata. This will be awarded to the crew travelling the furthest. So, get your entry in! See: Horsepower Inn to see more about it.
There will be a opportunity to do documentation and scrutineering on the Friday evening at the Pukekohe Clubrooms on Station Road, Pukekohe, to save time on the Saturday morning.
Like all events, this one relies on volunteers to help make it run. If anyone out there would like to get involved, we would love to hear from you- it may be a way to get even closer to the action.
Keep an eye on the Pukekohe Car Club Facebook page for updates as we get closer to the rally, with more about our sponsors, our stages, and what’s on offer at the HQ and Service Park on the day.
Follow these links to get the Regs and to enter:
www.pukekohecarclub.co.nz Home Page
https://online.motorsport.org.nz/msnzprofile/login Sporty Log In
The committee have been spread wide, focusing on the bigger tasks leading into the Sept 9th event. The iconic stages of Maramarua set, the return to the forest is only weeks away.
National champion Ben Hunt has confirmed his entry into the event alongside many other notable rally drivers.
Six special stages set the day for driver/codriver teams, the service park is located at the Te Kauwhata Rugby Club where lunchtime service will see competing teams check in for a short time before they continue into the afternoon.
Prizegiving will be located at the Te Kauwhata Rugby Club, a prime zone for the general public to get up close and personal.
