Drivers are loving the new jetsprint track

V8 Jetsprints Tauranga event director Pip Minnell is "absolutely rapt" with the build-up to the event, which starts today.

Ms Minnell told the Bay of Plenty Times the track was looking "fantastic" yesterday - the day before the event.

"The drivers are loving the track. It is a lot bigger than last year so it will be a faster track. There will be the same thrills and spills but it won't be as technical so, their feedback is, we won't get boats coming out as much for technical reasons and the guys will be able to put the foot on the throttle a little bit more.

"There will be plenty of thrills and spills and high octane action for the spectators." Gates open to the public at midday today and tomorrow with racing to get under way at 3pm daily.

Ticket sales were double those at the same time before last year's event.

Organisers of the motorsport event took a chance on Tauranga last year when they converted ASB Baypark Stadium into a network of water-filled channels, blowing the minds of 15,000 visitors and are now doing it again this year.

This time it's round two of the PSP New Zealand Jetsprint Championship Series with the added bonus of the ENZED International Stadium Jetsprints Cup on Sunday.

The sportsfield has been carved up, soil has been taken away to create hair-raising twisty water channels necessary for the high octane sport.

About 1600cu m of dirt has been removed to form the track and has been replaced with more than 1.5m litres of water.

The big jetboats were capable of displacing 300l of water a second just with their engines as well as what was splashed out - however, the overflow would be pumped back in.

As many as 60 teams will compete in three classes over Auckland Anniversary Weekend, reaching speeds of more than 125km/h and an impressive 0-100km/h in 1.8 seconds.

Tomorrow, guests from Australia, the United States and Canada will battle against New Zealand teams for the inaugural ENZED Stadium Jetsprints Cup.

The family atmosphere is helped with a family fun zone playground, water slide and balloons away from the racing. The pits will be open for a limited time for spectators to meet the teams and see the boats up close.