A multimillion-dollar motorcade of American muscle and classic cars started rolling into Wairarapa yesterday for the inaugural Cruise Martinborough weekend rally.
Rally organiser Damien Pivac was expecting the arrival of more than 200 vehicles, some worth more than $250,000 apiece, with nearly 100 vehicles rumbling into the region for the event launch yesterday, and the same number due to pull into the Cruise Domain at the Martinborough Rugby Grounds throughout today.
The American machines include later models and rare and exotic makes, including a Palmerston North-based second-generation 1974 Auburn Speedster, which spent its first three years appearing on stage with dancing girls in Las Vegas, and a modified 970kW 1969 Plymouth Road Runner "family car" belonging to Masterton couple Johnny and Danielle Burkhart.
Mr Pivac said the four-day event would involve about 1000 owners and passengers with early-bird arrivals yesterday taking their first Wairarapa "cruise" to a riverside party, food and live music at the Gladstone Inn, and another motorcade heading from home base in Martinborough to Tui HQ in Mangatainoka today.
The film American Graffiti will play at a drive-in movie at the Cruise Domain tonight and other events during the weekend include a caravan show tomorrow, a Cruise Parade of vehicles, competitions, the drawing of an international travel prize, with food, refreshments and live entertainment throughout.
