Highlands Festival Speed Has Wide Appeal

Highlands Festival Speed Has Wide Appeal

The Festival of Speed at Highlands Motorsport Park in Cromwell is anything but your average motor race meeting.

Inspired by the world famous Goodwood Festival of Speed at Lord March’s estate in the U.K., the Highlands event honours, not only, 100 years of motorsport in New Zealand, but also the role of the motor car in helping develop New Zealand.

“We’ve received a strong list of entries in all categories for the classic races on Saturday and Sunday,” says Highlands manager Mike Sentch. “These cover historic racing saloons, single seaters and sports cars and we are really excited about the line-up for the unique Highlands Fling sprint.”

Aware that there are many historic cars in New Zealand that owners are reluctant to race because of their increasing value, Highlands is also introducing a standing start, bent sprint on both days where cars and drivers will compete singly and against the clock, not car-on-car.

“Owners of these cars have welcomed the introduction of the Highlands Fling and we are confident of seeing cars — both racing and road cars — that we haven’t seen in action for many years, if at all,” says Mr Sentch.

But there is much more to the Highlands Festival of Speed than track action.

The public car park at motor race meetings is always a place where car enthusiasts tend to linger because of the wide variety of cars in which people arrive.

“We’re encouraging people with special collector cars to bring them along to Highlands and share them with the large crowd we are expecting,” Mike Sentch says.

“We already have registrations from the Hulme supercar, a brand new replica Ferrari GTO, Pontiacs, MGTD, Singer Le Mans, Minis and many more.

“But we are not limiting it to just cars. We would welcome, boats, bikes, caravans, hotrods – any type of machine that is from a classic era.
“We have set aside much of the main tar-sealed carpark for various displays including the classic vehicle show and anyone interested in arriving with their vehicle to put them on show should contact Highlands for further information. The driver will get free admission on both days,” Mike Sentch says.

But that’s not the end of the attractions at Highlands this Easter.

Everyone who will be atteding over the two days in any form — spectators, participants or staff — is being encouraged to add to the atmosphere by dressing in period clothing.

“We’ve bought some quite specific period clothing for the staff and there will be period fashion shows on both days featuring original garments from the 60’s through to the current day. Spectators will get to see designers such as Christian Dior, Rosaria Hall, and NZ label Zambesi to name a few. There will also be a prize for best dressed man and lady each day so dust off your tweed and get out those frocks.” says Mike Sentch.

In addition there’s going to be a wide variety of stalls, carnival entertainers, a display of vintage jet-boats, music, children’s attractions and special lunch-time entertainment.

Tickets are available at Highlands, TicketDirect or on the web.

To register your interest in the Classic Vehicle Display please contact mark@highlands.co.nz or phone (03) 445 4052 for more information on the event.

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