Wheels turn for Cruise Martinborough

READY TO ROLL: Cruise Martinborough founder and organiser Damien Pivac is readying his 1967 Ford Galaxie 500 as a promotional set of wheels for the inaugural four-day Wairarapa event, for which registrations have opened. PHOTO/LYNDA FERINGA

Chrome hearts in Wairarapa will be beating madly at the inaugural Cruise Martinborough event that is expected to attract hundreds of American hot rods, classic and muscle cars.

Founder Damien Pivac, a Carterton-based WelTec lecturer and proud owner of a 1967 Ford Galaxie 500, said registrations were open for Cruise Martinborough, which will run for four days from December 4.

The inaugural event will be run as a charity for the capital city Ronald McDonald House, Mr Pivac said, which offers temporary accommodation for families of seriously ill children.

He said spaces were strictly limited to 400 for the inaugural Cruise Martinborough, as thousands of vehicles were at similar events, like the Whangamata Beach Hop, and "that looked like a bit too much to handle first time out".

He had won supercharged blessings for the event from "most of the relevant people" in Wairarapa, he said, including Lloyd Wilson at Magoo's Street Rods in Masterton and Bob Wilton, Masterton Motorplex chairman and owner of Gasoline Heaven in Carterton.

The region is no stranger to large scale automotive parades and motorcades after about 600 vehicles crowded the main street of Masterton during the Americarna 2011 Classic Cars rally and the Great British Car Rally that hit the town two years later.

"Wairarapa really is setting itself up for that sort of thing. I've heard the name floating around of Masterton Motortown, and really we have a region that is the destination of choice for all sorts of other events as well."

Activities over the four days of Cruise Martinborough, he said, will include a drive-in movie at Alana Estate winery, live rock'n'roll-themed bands and entertainment at the Pukemanu Tavern Cruise headquarters in Martinborough, motorcade cruises to Lake Ferry, Gladstone Inn, Queen St in Masterton and possibly the Tui Brewery at Mangatainoka, and an automotive Swap Meet in the Martinborough Square on the final day.

His Galaxie 500 two-door hardtop - imported from Texas in June last year - was undergoing a full restoration and makeover for use on New Zealand roads, he said, and would be rolled out as the promotional vehicle for Cruise Martinborough.

Mr Pivac said registration for the Wairarapa Cruise was open to owners of hot rods, muscle and classic cars before 1972, although late model American and specialist vehicles were also welcome.

"We have newer American cars already registered and Australian-assembled Fords and Holdens that are coming as well. It's typically that V8 muscle car kind of look rather than your British Jag or Porsche - it's not really about that."

Mr Pivac said numerous businesses in Wairarapa and beyond had signed on as event sponsors including The Sign Factory, Pukemanu Tavern, WebArmy and Fulton Hogan, he said.

The sponsoring firms also had provided a full suite of prizes that will be handed out to Cruise participants, he said, including $500 worth of petrol vouchers for a major prize draw of overseas travel for two.

"I believe we had the set-up and the beautiful wine country in Wairarapa and everything else, and I just thought I'd put the idea in to gear."

A $139 pass for Cruise Martinborough provides entry for the car - with no extra passenger cost - to all events and cruises, an official decal and programme, and entry to draws for spot prizes and the major prize.

To register and for more information go online to www.cruisemartinborough.co.nz.