Bob the builder has eye on seat

"Petrolhead" Bob Clarkson indulged his passion for stock-cars by building the Blue Chip Stadium near Tauranga Picture / Alan Gibson

"Gee whiskybangs", says the National candidate for Tauranga, Bob Clarkson, sitting in the football stadium he built.

"I'm not a politician. I don't want to go down to Wellington and be dicky-dally-dooing around. I'd rather build another building ...

"But I've done all right for myself, I've made a bit of money and I'm quite happy to go and be a politician for a while, because I have a passion for New Zealand."

This is the man, plump, white-haired and smiley, who is taking on Winston Peters, the sharpest, wiliest old fox in politics.

Tauranga is becoming one of most fascinating election battles. Internal National polls and external surveys suggest Mr Peters may have trouble retaining his seat - which he holds with a 10,000-vote majority - against the political novice.

Gisborne-born Mr Clarkson, 65, left school at 15 to become a fitter-and-turner, then a tractor salesman, before making his fortune in construction.

A self-described "petrolhead", he indulged his passion for stock-cars by building the Blue Chip Stadium and Baypark speedway complex outside Tauranga.

He is furious that "the young blokes who work for me pay a ridiculous amount of tax" and has firm views on morals: "A family is a male, a female and a couple of children. You can do in your own home whatever you want - doesn't worry me two hoots - but don't you come into society and tell me that [homosexuality] is normal".

Mr Clarkson, a committed philanthropist who has gained "the greatest thrill" from hiring long-term unemployed, also says he wants a crackdown on crime: "Beat the hell out of anybody who breaks the law - I don't mean beat them with a stick, but make the jails a little bit harder."

Mr Clarkson doesn't knock on doors because he thinks it's bad manners to interrupt people at dinnertime. He mails out brochures, but only once a month. He didn't show up at last night's "Meet the Candidates" function because he doesn't like debating in public.

But when you own a football stadium, the punters tend to come to you.

On Saturday night, Mr Clarkson worked as a carpark attendant at his own stadium, directing traffic - and shaking hands - as 6500 locals poured in to watch the Bay of Plenty Steamers beat Taranaki.

"I'd guarantee a good 3000 of them said, 'Good luck'. People might think I only did it for political reasons but I always do that when the traffic's bad. "I suppose politically it was quite a good thing, and people know me. Recognition is the key in politics."