Auckland Monthly Run

Pukekohe Racetrack... again, and also the Manukau Heads

5 July 1998

Before I continue with the July report I have to make a correction to the May report (What happened in June? don’t know, I missed that one). Let it be known that Brad Nolan did not go ‘agricultural’ in Ade’s race car, he was however a passenger while Steve left the track and is therefore still guilty by association.

The July monthly run had a pretty good turn-out by Auckland standards. Mike, Brendan & Myself in NA AW-11s, Donel & Pete in SCs, Nick in an NA SW-20 and Evan, Jason, Gavin & Greg in Turbos. A healthy mix of most versions of the MR2. Note when I say ‘most versions’ as we have yet to have an AW-10 turn up to our monthly run. Despite some peoples views on the rare carburetted MR2, I think they’re pretty neat and I’ll shout lunch to the first AW-10 owner to meet us at Mt Eden.

Anyway, back to the report. We were fortunate to have the company of three MX5s driven by Lou, Ray and Matt. ‘What were they doing there?’ you ask, well Matt is ‘in-between’ MR2s and didn’t want to be the odd one out in his MX5 so he brought a couple more along. Mike Haliday couldn’t come on the run with us but before we left he gave us a view of some pretty flash stereo gear in the boot of his car (uninstalled). It must have looked pretty suspicious to any bystanders but it was completely coche... wasn’t it Mike? Richard Doig was also at Mt Eden in his GT-Four but opted for the passengers seat of my car for the rest of the day, understandably.

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A beautiful Lotus Elise was driven skillfully around the track by it’s owner.

Our first leg of the trip took us to Pukekohe race track where we met Murray who had come up from Hamilton and Ade & Steve who were doing some driver training in their race car. When we arrived they were driving round the circuit in the opposite direction from normal. I would have thought Ade & Steve have had enough practice at facing the wrong way on a race track but I guess their new boot mounted intercooler will need some airflow.

Soon after we arrived one of the driveshafts on the race car decided to dismantle itself. As I was the one who last tightened the bolts I decided it was time to continue our journey to the Manukau Heads, notable for being out of throwing range of Steve. In my haste to depart it seems that word didn’t get round to everyone that we were leaving. Sorry to Brendan and Jason.

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Steve fixing the loose drive shaft on the race car during a ‘break’.

The next stage from Pukekohe to Waiuku was short but fast and an ideal way to raise an appetite for lunch. While parked at Waiuku we were regularly ‘checked out’ by the local lads. They’d drive around the mostly vacant car park, circling like vultures, waiting to pick off a straying AW-11. Thankfully there were enough Turbos around to deter them from attacking the herd.

Gavin and Pete decided to call it a day and head back to the safety of Auckland. The rest of us went on to Grahams Beach on the Manukau Heads which was, I think, the most rewarding drive of the day. About 40km of twisty roads and we only met one other car, an Austin Princess, who showed little resistance at the first passing opportunity.

Grahams Beach is a sleepy town at the best of times let alone in the middle of winter so after the usual banter about speed cameras and engine mod’s we all departed for home. Matt, Richard and I called in at Pukekohe to check on the race car. Thankfully it was fixed, I’d been forgiven and we all drove happily ever after.

Malcolm Cambridge