Gold Rush Zine - 20 April 2000
Queenstown Gold Rush Hill Climb.
Well its been a while since we corresponded and things are starting to hot up here in the deep south. Competitors, officials and spectators are flocking towards the Cardrona valley and KiwiNewZ is going to be bringing you live Web Cams with our Gold Rush Cam and streaming video shots of the action.
++ In this issue
== Rushing up the hill this Easter
== Race to the Sky
== Warbirds Over Wanaka
== Bobby Unser
== Possum Bourne
++ Rushing up the Hill in Easter
Over 100 entries are expected to compete in the 15 kilometre International
Auto Hillclimb to be held at Cardrona in Easter 2000, in what is rapidly
becoming N.Z.s premiere Motorsport event. The fastest hillclimb cars
in the world, including the biggest ever entry of American competitors
with Chevrolet Camaros, Chevy trucks, single seaters, and New Zealand
entry Possum Bourne will ensure a closely contested "Race to the Sky".
Nobuhiro "Monster" Tajima is confirmed to return to defend his two
year winning streak as "King of the Mountain". The Cardrona Valley
will echo to the roar of the fastest International hillclimb cars
in the World, many never before seen in N.Z.
Practice will be held on Friday 21st April when all competitors will make two runs up the mountain. Qualifying is held on Saturday 22nd April, with the final run determining the order for race day. Sunday the 23rd April will see all competitors having only one shot at winning the "Race to the Sky", and becoming the "King of the Mountain".
Over all three days trade expos, air show, car show, demonstrations, bars, food, will provide entertainment for the whole family.
++ Race to the Sky
When motor racing legends both local and international start streaming
through town you know the Queenstown Gold Rush Race to the Sky must
be just around the corner. And they have been streaming. Bobby Unser,
Rod Millen, Possum Bourne ... all come to scope the field and check
out the 15km access road up to the Waiorau Snow Farm on the Pizza
Range.
And of course Monster Tajima.
There are some reports coming through that he is bringing a twin engine car.
One engine for the front wheels and one for the back!
If you are planning to visit Queenstown over Easter and haven't sorted your accommodation no worries. Campervan and Tent sites are available at the Hillclimb venue, Cardrona. The cost is $10 per adult (under 14 years free), per night. Facilities include toilets, showers, food hall, licensed area but sorry no power sites.
Hey it ain't the Ritz but then it's pretty hard to get any closer to the action! To register click here.
For more information on the Gold Rush head over to the official site or check out our KiwiNewZ Gold Cam page.
== Warbirds over Wanaka 2000
| Many of you will have heard of the mercurial Tim Wallis and his infamous collection of old aeroplanes based at the Fighter Pilots Museum at Wanaka. Polikarpov, Spitfire, Sea Fury, Corsair, Mustang. Kittyhawk..... they have all made an appearance at some time or another .... and now we have one of the most historic fighters of World War II the Hawker Hurricane MarkIIA debuting at one of the worlds best airshows - Warbirds over Wanaka 2000. Funny thing is that Tim's wife likens Tim's life to a Hurricane so it is fitting that he now has one :-) |
One of the most versatile fighters of World War II, the Hurricane was the first eight gun monoplane fighter to be produced by Britain and the first fighter to exceed 300 mph. It is widely accepted that the Hurricane was responsible for winning the Battle of Britain. Test flown on November 6, 1935, it was exceptionally manoeuvrable with a tight turning radii and excellent gun aiming stability.
P3351 as it is known is one of only six airworthy examples and served during the Battle of Britain in 1940. It has a strong local connection with Invercargill pilots Bill ( Dusty ) Miller and the late Ness Polson flying it when they were stationed at Usworth near Newcastle on Tyne.
 Hawker Hurricane Mark IIA. Photo © NZFPM |
Seeing continuous service during the Battle of Britain P3351 was eventually shipped to Russia, where it was shot down during the winter of 1943 near Murmansk. It was recovered along with six others by an Englishman Jim Pierce in 1992 and Tim Wallis bought three of them. Rebuilt over a six year period the aircraft is resplendent in the colour scheme she wore in France whilst flying with 73 Squadron. |
So if you are thinking of making an Easter pilgrimage to Queenstown
and Wanaka then make sure you book in early. We are happy to help
with enquiries about accommodation or rental vehicles. If you are
combining your Warbirds pilgrimage with a tour of the south island
then a campervan might even be your style. Just click
here to email us for more details
Next NewsZine we will talk a bit more about the one of the other
Easter events down this way ... the Queenstown Gold Rush "Race
to the Sky"
++ THE Bobby Unser visits Queenstown
Well I happened to catch an interview with Bobby Unser on our local Queenstown radio station.
Mentioning the name Bobby Unser to the average racing buff and winning auto races instantly comes to mind. He's compiled one of the most impressive list of accomplishments in American racing history ... 35 Indie car victories, 3 times winner of the Indi 500 in 1968,1975 and 1981, 14 Pikes Peak Hill Climb wins and the first driver to record a 200mph qualifying average speed in Indy car competition, 35 career Indy car wins.
After racing at Pikes Peak for four years, in 1959 Unser and his father, Louie, believed a lighter, more flexible tyre would improve their performance on the Peak. Bobby contacted engineers at Goodyear Tyres and then and there, over the phone, developed what became known as the Pikes Peak Special. The tyre was two-ply and embedded with walnut shells.
The two-ply technology was transferred to passenger car tyres and Goodyear went on to sell millions of them to the general public.
Bobby Unser came to Queenstown to have a look at the the Waiorau access road, meeting with organiser Grant Aitken. He is particularly impressed with the visibility for spectators at the Gold Rush commenting that spectators can see the whole course unlike Pikes Peak where only a portion of the top and bottom are visible. He also notes that Pikes Peak is a large mountain with competitors racing from 9,000 feet to the finish at 14,000 ... now that's some altitude!
Bobby Unser has accepted the position as patron of the Gold Rush so you can bet we will see him down this way again .. probably with a few mates!
++ Possum Bourne
Possum Bourne was recently in town to talk to the local chamber of commerce and at the same time doing a few donuts in a jet boat. This year the drivers will also compete in jet boats in a slalom. Possum is going full out to win the Gold Rush.
He needs to extract 500hp from his engine to have a good chance and with special gasoline out of Europe and Pirelli tyres with a trick compound that recently did so well in the safari rally in Africa with an XR pattern then he is looking good.
Possum likes the Gold Rush because you can try different things, the rules are freer and it is a fun event of the year. He again won the Australasian Rally Drivers Championship and driving is his business. He has a vision and believes this year he may be close to this. "Best way to get a Kiwi on your side is to go over to Aussie and beat them."
He enjoys the oz scene for sponsors and to being able to run the latest car in the same format as world motor rally series. Channel 10 like the product, it is easy to sell advertising and is beamed to a possible 350 million people.
Possum's car is worth NZ$700 000, he will spend about NZ$1 million for an Australian campaign and he needs to get together NZ$2 million for his next project. He would love to do the World Championships but he would need NZ$15 million for that - anyone won lotto lately? Possum noted that a rally car has more computers and software than an f1 car.
He has enjoyed huge support from Subaru, driving for them for 18 years and surveys show that 80% of people know Possum drive a Subaru.
Click here to buy the video "Possum Season" ..... no guessing what it's about. I've heard it's brilliant.
== Tell a friend
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== That's all folks
Thanks for joining us and see ya next month. Remember we live on feedback, suggestions, requests, comments etc. We try to answer every one personally. Just email us.
This Gold Rush Zine is assembled from our own observations and reports from others and while every effort is made to get it right we can not attest to the accuracy or otherwise. Happy tripping. If you like what you read please forward this on to your friends ( reduce, re use, re cycle ). If you are reading someone else's and you like what we offer, please subscribe! It's easy and free. Just click here.
== Contact Information
Evan and Jane Bloomfield
Queenstown
AOTEAROA
fx +64 3 442 8342
E-mail: evan@KiwiNewZ.com
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