Sam Waddell at last weekend's Baypark Speedway practice. Photo / The Write Angle
Sam Waddell at last weekend's Baypark Speedway practice. Photo / The Write Angle
Speedway Opening night for the speedway season traditionally puts the spotlight on new competitors and cars.
At this Saturday's Baypark Speedway Summer Starter event the anticipation will mainly focus on a new surface for the Mount Maunganui oval.
Work over the past six weeks has achieved the most significant update to the track surface since Baypark opened in October 2001.
New clay has been trucked in and the shape of the smaller radius turns three and four has been given more banking.
The work has been led by two-time NZ Sprint Car champion Rodney Wood, who says his involvement with track preparation has been prompted by issues with the racing surface in recent years.
"I got involved back in February mainly out of frustration. I felt we had been underperforming as a speedway for a few years and that we could have a smoother track with less dust that could allow for better racing," Wood says.
"Over the years the old clay had become refined and powdery, and we struggled to get it to bind together. It had also had a lot of stones and rubbish that had built up in it."
Steve Cowling could well be a front runner at this weekend's South Pacific Super Saloon Championship. Photo / The Write Angle
Starting in July the first step was to remove 800 cubic metres of the old material and then in recent weeks truck in 1500 cu m of fresh terracotta clay. The new material covers the racing surface to a depth of 100mm.
"We had a lot of help from long time speedway supporters. Colin Amrein Contracting removed the old track material. J Swap did most of the trucking and the excavation at Patetonga was done by Daltons. Porter Hire loaned us a D6 bulldozer and Hewlett's Rd Machinery provided a vibrating roller," says Wood.
The banked shape in turns three and four then required the concrete wall to be raised 300mm.
"Help with the concrete work was provided by ITM Tauranga, Jaxxon Concrete Pumps, Slab Solutions and Mix-Up," says Wood.
"It's always been faster on the pole line in turns three and four because the corner is flatter. The aim is to make the outside lanes as fast as the bottom as well as a smoother track so we can have three-wide racing."
The track work got an early test at last weekend's pre-season practice with drivers immediately praising the new surface.
Wood says it was a big challenge to get the track ready, but he was pleased with the result.
"We've had a very wet spring and that means the new material was pretty damp plus we had 120mm of rain the week before we started. We ended up battling a water table that was above our pole line.
"The end result was good, but we had to manage things as it was still too soft, and not compacted properly. But with a bit of rolling on the day, it panned out okay.
"The early signs are good. We had a daytime event with no dust which is pretty much unheard of at any speedway, so I think we have got a good recipe to work with."
Saturday's Summer Starter has attracted strong fields with Super Saloons contesting the South Pacific Championship while a quality Midget Car lineup assembles for the opening round of the Midas All Stars Series being contested at North Island tracks.
Sprint car numbers are strong with a 24-car field headed by national champion Michael Pickens (Auckland) and visitors including former South Island champ Matthew Leversedge (Christchurch) and front runners Stephen Taylor (Wellington) and Jamie McDonald (Auckland).
Super Stocks and Youth Mini Stocks complete the classes for the opening night programme.
