Hundreds farewell Motorplex pit boss

RESPECTS: Motorplex president Bob Wilton (right) stands with his Motorplex crew.

Masterton Motorplex has farewelled a woman who regarded the drags as her "second home".

Sandi Rose, a Motorplex board member for five years, died of cancer in a Palmerston North hospice on Sunday, aged 58.

More than 300 family, friends and racing enthusiasts gathered at the start of the Motorplex drag racing strip yesterday to farewell Sandi, whose casket sat in the rear of Kruzin Kustoms' Chevy 1959 Biscayne.

Masterton Motorplex president Bob Wilton said they named the access road that ran parallel to the strip, "Sandi Lane" at the end of last season.

"She was getting pretty sick then, she knew there was no turning back."

He said she asked for a send-off at the Motorplex.

"This was one of her places, she was one of the original pit controllers."

She was everywhere at the races, and was still working there and "vigorously organising" after she was diagnosed.

"She kept on putting her hand up."

Motorplex announcer Gavin Doughty spoke of the drags being "where she lived her life all summer".

She met her husband, Gerry, at the races. He later proposed to her at a dragway.

"She wouldn't give up. She would come down here in her mobility scooter, getting out and seeing everyone."

The Biscayne hearse later proceeded down the track lined with custom cars. Two of them performed a burn-off as the hearse went by.

Her body was taken to Okautete Marae near Riversdale for another service.