Motorsport: V8 supercars at Manfeild still a possibility

1.00pm

Auckland has got the Australian V8 Supercar street race but race company Avesco's chairman Tony Cochrane is adamant it is not goodbye to the Manfeild race track in Feilding.

Cochrane said he needed two to three months to assess details of the Manfeild bid with the possibility of a second New Zealand race in the V8 Supercar Championship from 2009 still remaining.

However, his comments left open the suggestion there may still be local issues that need attention.

"We're still very much involved in a process and we're very focused on reaching terms and trying to reach an arrangement whereby Manawatu-Manfeild goes through the upgrading that's proposed, and they hold the second (New Zealand) round of our championship," Cochrane said.

"We're still committed to finding a way forward for Manfeild to have a huge upgrade."

Cochrane said he knew Manfeild could pull the kind of crowd Avesco wanted.

Avesco yesterday threw its faith behind Auckland Mayor John Banks' ability to produce by 2006 what Manawatu already has -- a venue.

Auckland is to have a seven-year contract for a mid-city street race. It must now overcome opposition to the proposed 2.6km track and get the resource consent through by April 2006.

In contrast to the Auckland bid, which has been a highly publicised process from within their bid team, the Manawatu bid has kept away from public scrutiny. This week there had been no information out on the Manawatu bid until yesterday afternoon.

Cochrane confirmed yesterday that was how Avesco had wanted it.

"The Manawatu team leaders have been extremely professional. Part of that professional approach is the reason why they're still in the process," he said.

The Manawatu bid preparation, led by Destination Manawatu's Kathy Gibson and Manawatu Car Club's Ash Cairns, had been "world class", the team had "punched well above their weight and their whole presentation was superb".

Asked why the race had been given to Auckland, which has neither track nor spectator facilities until a currently-opposed consent process is won, Cochrane said it was a "very close" Avesco board decision.

"Probably what it came down to was that the timing was right for Auckland, and we certainly feel some responsibility to (Pukekohe race promoter) IMG, because they've done the hard yards at Pukekohe -- and of course it's the opportunity to have a street race."

Yesterday, the Manawatu bid team, including Mayors Mark Bell-Booth and Ian McKelvie confirmed the Manfeild proposal was still under consideration and an outcome was expected in about two months.

- NZPA