bay driver 17 july 2015

Friday 17 July 2015

Out of the blueHolden Insignia VXR See page 4

The Weekend Sun Bay Driver Friday 17 July 2015

Weekend Wheels

Bay Events

July 26Motorsport Bay of Plenty Tauranga Clubman’s Rally – TaurangaThe Tauranga Clubman’s Rally is the highlight of Motorsport Bay of Plenty’s year. The event takes place on an annual basis during July. This year’s date is Sunday, July 26. The emphasis is on novice competitors and the rally gives crews the chance to experience a basic level event. Great for learning new skills and honing existing ones. Details: www.mbop.org.nz

Beyond the Bay

July 18-19CRC Speedshow 2015 – ASB Showgrounds, Auckland The ninth edition of CRC Speedshow will be a spectacular celebration to showcase the fi nest, fastest and coolest new cars, as well as classic cars, race cars, motorcycles, motorsport celebrities, wild hot rods and custom creations from around New Zealand and the world. Details: www.speedshow.co.nz

July 26Henry Ford Memorial Day Display and Swap Meet – Claudelands Events Centre, HamiltonThe Waikato Mustang Owners Club is calling on all Ford owners to join them in Hamilton for this event. There are plenty of competitions on the day including People’s Choice, Best Australian, European, American, Commercial, Vintage and FPV, plus more. All proceeds go towards the Waikato Air Ambulance. Details: www.nzmustang.com

To have your events listed in Weekend Wheels, email [email protected] at least two weeks prior.

Brian Roderick Motors SINCE 1978

Price Drop Price Drop

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It’ll be a very public reveal for Tauranga couple Steve and

Leanne Milne’s 1956 Chevrolet 210 hot rod this weekend.

After four years of hard slog, the Welcome Bay couple will show off their orange and silver Chevrolet at the Teng Tools Grand National Rod and Custom Show during the CRC Speedshow in Auckland July 18-19.

“After 14 years building and racing drag cars, we decided to have a change and build a street car,” says Steve. “I’ve never entered a big show before, but decided the level of care, cost and commitment this car was created with would be justifi ed for those who turned it into what is now.”

The Chevrolet was an original from the USA and was purchased about four years ago, unseen, on the recommendation of Steve’s friend and Trans-America Shipping founder John Key.

Steve says it’s been a real team effort to construct the car, with many of his mates chipping in and lending a hand on bits and pieces of the Chevrolet.

“The best parts of the process are hanging out with good mates, working on the car, and seeing everybody’s pride and satisfaction when it was fi red up for the fi rst time.

“Those who had contributed so much, witnessed the fi rst turn of the key; a truly great moment.”

CRC Speedshow managing director Ross Prevette says this car is a real testament to the people and businesses in Tauranga who build quality cars and motorcycles.

“Steve’s car is an incredible example of a top-quality car and we’re really excited to have it at the show.”

The CRC Speedshow is on at Auckland’s ASB Showgrounds this weekend. Tickets are available at the gate or online from the show’s website, www.speedshow.co.nz

True beauty that needs to be seen

The Milne’s 1956 Chevrolet 210 hot rod features a 383 engine, built by Rotorua’s Bruce Ericksen.

By David Tauranga


SPECSHolden Insignia VXR

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The look of a European model, the grunt of a Holden: the brand’s Insignia model, designed

for the open road, is sure to make speed-happy fans very pleased.

Presented with this sleek, stylish machine outside our Strand offi ces, my jaw could only hit the fl oor. As someone whose current mode of transport is the size of a shoe box (and with about the same amount of power), stepping inside this well-crafted vehicle was a dream.

Taking cues from European models, most notably Audi in the curved window panels, the bulky, stocky edges that are quintessentially Holden are all but gone.

Inside, a similar story – leather wrap steering wheel, a rolling dashboard, and even left-side indication/right-side windscreen wipers a la European models.

Except for, perhaps, the Recaro front sport seats. While functional with eight-way adjustability for ultimate comfort and fi gure-hugging for those tight corners, they were somewhat out of place with the overall feel, but any petrol head will appreciate the inclusion.

All the mod-consThere’s no shortage of high tech features to make the

driving experience as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. As someone who likes their stereo loud on long cross-country drives, the premium seven-speaker sound system certainly did the trick and cleverly lowers the volume when stopped at

lights or an intersection so you can hear yourself think. The 8” colour touch screen is easy to use on the move

or parked up, and syncing your Bluetooth phone with the interface allows you to DJ your own tunes, or make important calls without getting a ticket.

Unleash the beastBut with the Insignia, it’s what’s on the inside that counts.

The engine starts with a hiss and a roar at the push of a button. With the 2.8L V6 turbo engine purring away under the hood, it was clear this wild cat needs to be unleashed and I quickly found out why.

Navigating the city streets at 50km/hr is not its forte. Somewhat stilted between gear changes in automatic, it was like an animal chomping at the bit to get out to the open road. I was failing to understand what was so special about this model.

That was until we were on the open road and boy, what a difference 100km/hr makes. Whirring down the straights, it was easy to let the foot slip into that forbidden speed zone.

The ease with which it handles the road brought a smile to my face, smoothly sliding between gears as we sped away from the city. I began to day dream of a road trip to the mountains; enough room inside to easily fi ll the car with friends and gear.

With speed comes great safety too – lane departure warning will give you a short, sharp ding should you slide over the left-hand or centre lines, while Adaptive Cruise Control will ensure you obey the two-second rule, even coming to a full

stop if necessary in emergencies. The car can think faster than you can drive. That’s saying something, because it can really go at pace.

It’s a sports car after all, so some backcountry curves seemed in order to test the sticking power of the Holden.

Switching into VXR mode, with sharper throttle and steering responses, the fi rm suspension held fast to the corners as I whipped around them at breakneck speed.

I’ve been in a rally car once in my life, and this came pretty close to the thrill of that experience – no mean feat in a car designed for everyday travel. Those Recaro seats came in handy.

It was one of those moments where you’re reminded how fun driving can be, not just a task of getting from A to B. The raw power in which the Insignia took off from the mark left me in a fi t of giggles.

Shaken, not stirredReturning to the main road, hands still a little shaky from

the adrenalin, the big cat was going back in its cage at a much more respectable speed. Switching back into ‘Touring’ mode, for journeys on the open highway, the car glides across the asphalt (there’s also a ‘Sports’ mode for rugged terrain).

Insignia is a car for any racing enthusiast who gets a kick out of the need for speed. But there’s more than just power to its name – the look, the feel, the bells and whistles make this a luxurious, complex piece of machinery for the driver who is looking for more than just a big boys’ toy.

By Laura Weaser

Racing ahead Holden Insignia VXR


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When your livelihood depends on driving, you see plenty of tailgaters,

non-indicators and texters – the three most despised drivers on Kiwi roads.

As part of a recent Colmar Brunton poll on driving etiquette, people were asked what they thought are the most annoying habits of other drivers and to rank the top 10.

Mount Tauranga Taxi Society chairman Roman Saily agrees with the fi ndings, though his top three are slightly different.

“People using their phones while driving would be the worst,” says Roman. “Next, slow drivers and there’s lot of them here.

“Third, I would defi nitely say people who don’t indicate.”

But what Roman decries the most, and is not included on the list, are those who lack patience and concentration when driving.

“People just don’t have patience, a message everyone should take on board is, ‘It’s better to be late than to not arrive at all’.”

Bull to a red fl agOperations manager Jacqui Coffey, who

travels down Cameron Rd twice a day, also agrees with Roman about the lack of patience.

She feels Tauranga motorists are also getting more aggressive in their driving, especially

when it comes to running a red light. “I hate that; it annoys the hell out of me,”

says Jacqui. “And it’s blatantly red lights, not almost red light – for me they’re an accident waiting to happen.

“I’m not saying I’m perfect, but I don’t race and if the light turns red I stop. I don’t particularly want a $150 ticket, it’s just a waste of money.”

Swapping war storiesRoman remembers a situation which

happened about four years ago while driving a passenger to Bayfair, before the Hewletts Rd fl yover was built. He was in the right-hand lane waiting to enter the Maunganui Rd/Golf Rd roundabout when a car suddenly stopped in the middle of the roundabout and motioned for Roman to proceed.

“I sat there thinking, ‘What are you doing?’,” says Roman, with a laugh.

“Then my passenger asked for paper and pen and took the car’s number plate because he was a Police offi cer.”

He asks the question: “If another car had a crashed into the back of the one who stopped, who’s at fault?”

“Our driver’s share stories like this and just say, ‘Be careful out there’. Because some drivers you just can’t trust – you don’t know what they’re going to do.”

By David Tauranga

Annoying driving

habits: a taxi driver’s tale

Dealing with the annoying driving habits while out on the road is a hazard of the job, from left: Mount Tauranga Taxi Society board member Manjit Singh and chairman Roman Saily.

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Women in motorsport

For a time Christina Orr-West felt she fl ew the fl ag alone for female

motorsport stars, but not anymore.

The Whakatane circuit racer is off to Auckland for the Century Batteries’ Women in Motorsport display at the 2015 CRC Speedshow this Saturday and Sunday.

The display celebrates the motorsport achievements made by women and will also feature Tauranga’s drifter Jodie Verhulst, saloon car racer Kristin Vermeulen and stock car driver Caitlin Hayward.

Christina began racing karts at the age of fi ve. Since then she’s competed in Formula First, Formula Ford, Formula Holden, Toyota Racing Series, Indy Lights, NZV8 Touring Cars, SsangYong Utes, plus two Bathurst 12 hours.

This is the fi rst time Christina has been asked to take part in the Speedshow in her two-decade career, which has left her feeling pretty chuffed.

“It’s great,” she says. “After so many years we’re now showcasing the variety of women throughout motorsport.”

Twenty stars in total have confi rmed, and of that number, the Bay of Plenty is the second most represented region for the special display.

“In the Bay we’re surrounded by tracks and facilities,” says Christina. “Tauranga’s got Baypark, Taupo is close, Rotorua has a brand new karting track, and then there’s Tokoroa, Edgecumbe and Te Puke. I think it’s easier and cheaper in the Bay to get into motorsport.”

Skidding skills & smarts“With so many really good role models out

there for women,” says drifter Jodie Verhulst, “it’s becoming more of a trend for women to feel more confi dent to get behind the wheel.

“Motorsport isn’t reliant on muscle power or anything like that, and we live in the day and age where gender doesn’t restrict women from driving at all.”

This will be the second Speedshow in a row that Jodie’s participated in, having appeared during the Young Guns display in 2014.

Originally starting out in motocross, Jodie took up drifting about seven years ago and is NZ’s fi rst and only female ‘pro’ class drifter.

She feels the Bay of Plenty has gone from strength to strength when it comes to getting women involved in all types of motorsport.

“The support has always been there from the get-go, for me especially and for a lot of girls. It’s no longer frowned upon for women to be driving. It is essentially getting easier.”

Speedway and wildcardsStock car driver Caitlin Hayward, who

secured the wildcard spot at the display after a public vote, is very excited to be a part of the display this weekend.

Starting out in ministocks at the age of 12, Caitlin has raced stockcars for the last three seasons, recording results such as second in the Harry Fredrickson Gold Cup and third in the Bay of Plenty Champs.

An aspects she’s looking forward to the most is making connections with the other female stars appearing this weekend, plus catching up with Kristin Vermeulen, who she competed against in ministocks when they were younger.

“Some people still see it as a male sport, but

I think women are stepping up and making ourselves known,” says Caitlin. “There seems to be more and more women competing each season across all types of motorsports.”

Saloon car racer Kirsten Vermeulen says this weekend will defi nitely be cool and she’s stoked to see the Speedshow promoting women getting involved in motorsport.

Kristen has raced since she was 11, starting off in ministocks before making the shift to Super Saloons at the age of 16. Later this year she will compete in Victoria, Australia.

“Since I started racing there’s been quite a few females who have come through into different motorsports,” says Kirsten. “In ministock, there were so few females, so it’s great to see Caitlin and I, and others like Shay Oliver who’ve gone into other classes higher than ministock.”

“Sometimes when I’m at speedway, some of the younger girls will come and get a photo and signature. It’s quite cool to kind of be an inspiration to someone else.” By David Tauranga

Whakatane circuit racer Christina Orr-West

Tauranga drifter Jodie Verhulst Stockcar driver Caitlin Hayward

Saloon car driver Kristin Vermeulen


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bay driver 17 july 2015

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