Editorial: Whenuapai obvious place for V8s

The path has been long and tortuous but finally the logical site for V8 supercar racing has reached the front of the grid. Whenuapai Airbase offers none of the resource consent woes of the ill-conceived Victoria Park and downtown Wellington proposals. Racing there would deliver to Auckland, and to New Zealand, all the profits and pizzazz of this high-powered racing without the downside associated with street circuits.

Indeed, it seems odd, at least in retrospect, that the airbase never occupied pole position.

As much has clearly also occurred to the Government. It would be embarrassing to see the event lost to this country, even if much of the comment from the Australian event organiser, Avesco, has been self-serving balderdash. A few minds were concentrated by the sight last month of Greg Murphy - and 36,000 fans in various stages of delirium - at Pukekohe. Wheels are turning at a high level in Wellington to steer the event towards Whenuapai.

Most noticeably, these have seen a change of heart by the Minister of Defence, and his involvement in talks with Whenuapai's promoters. The airbase was, in fact, originally a strong contender for the event, but was counted out after Mark Burton accepted the word of military chiefs that it would interfere with Air Force operations and potentially damage the runway.

It did not help that the future of Whenuapai was undecided, and that the Waitakere City Council's focus was on creating a civilian airport there.

The Government's limp agreement late last year to postpone a decision on the base has removed one impediment. The Air Force will be there until 2010, and possibly 2014. Other potential obstacles are also comfortably surmountable.

Military operations at Whenuapai are now limited, and there seems little reason why they could not be shifted to Mangere or Ohakea for the few days of the V8 racing.

And it seems absurd to suggest that cars could create a serious problem by damaging a surface normally traversed by far heavier aircraft. This excuse was also put up by the Air Force in 1998 when it cancelled Whenuapai's annual Wings and Wheels carnival. But perhaps the real concern was the sheer inconvenience of throwing the post open.

In fact, military bases are part of the history of motor-racing, most famously the grand-prix event at Wigram. It is easy to see why. They offer open spaces for the racing, pits and other amenities, easy parking, and a location away from population concentrations. At Whenuapai, only safety issues associated with perhaps 100,000 spectators crowded around a non-specialist track would require special care.

The bonus offered by the base is that Auckland would still enjoy, and benefit from, the vibrancy of the event because competitors and fans would use city hotels and entertainment.

There would be virtually all the pluses and none of the disruptive minuses of the Victoria Park circuit. Time would also be bought to construct a purpose-built track to host high-level motor-racing in the long term.

New Zealand should be involved in the V8 series. Outside of Australia, Avesco will not find a location where the interest is so high. It makes sense for the racing to be at Whenuapai, and even more sense for the Government to be clearing the path.