Waikaraka racing plans in air

The Waikaraka Park raceway in Auckland. Photo / Greg Bowker

Plans to resume racing at Auckland's Waikaraka Park speedway remain in turmoil, despite the arrival of temporary seating after a council decision to ban public use of its grandstand.

Auckland Council says all temporary facilities it has started moving to the park beside Neilson St in Onehunga, including portable toilets and about 700 seats, will be in place by Thursday.

That follows what the Auckland Stock and Saloon Car Club says was a last-minute council decision to prohibit public use of the 73-year-old grandstand, the upper part of which held up to 2500 seats, after seismic experts said it posed a "significant risk" unless walls and supports were strengthened.

But club president Frank Irvine says the temporary facility will not be enough to allow a start to the speedway season, which has already been delayed by two weekends, and the council needs to provide more seats.

Palmerston North-based speedway promoter Bruce Robertson had hoped to run the Auckland leg of a national super-saloon car racing series at Waikaraka Park on November 14, as notified on the club's website.

That was despite the cancellation of two earlier events, including the club's big annual demolition derby and fireworks display, which was to have taken place last weekend.

But even the Burger King-sponsored saloons event is now in doubt, after Mr Irvine told Mr Robertson yesterday it could not be held without more seats than the council has offered.

"We may have to transfer it to Hawkes Bay, which means Auckland will miss out," Mr Robertson said.