Highlands gears up for the Festival of Speed

Highlands gears up for the Festival of Speed

It’s just days away from one of the highlights of the year at Highlands Motorsport Park. The Festival of Speed returns to Cromwell on April 8/9 and it promises to be an action packed weekend.

There will be some fantastic racing on the track featuring cars from Formula Libre, Formula Atlantic, Pre 65s, Mainland Muscle Cars, Modern Classics and Nostalgic Classics. You can wander through the pits, check out the cars up close and personal, have a yarn to the competitors or stroll through the Vehicle Show featuring over 100 vehicles on display.

“We’ve had a great response from competitors and car enthusiasts alike,” says Mike Sentch, Highlands’ General Manager. “In previous years we’ve held the Festival of Speed in January but it’s always such a hectic time of year for people. The move to April has been really well received.”

Entry to the festival is only $25 and children under 16 get in free with a paying adult. Your ticket includes entry to the Highlands Museum and in between races, you’ll have the chance to book a ride on the track in the famous Highlands Taxi or the McLaren 650S. Of course, no visit to Highlands is complete without a race with your mates on the Go-Kart track.

“The Festival of Speed brings together the two things Highlands is famous for,” says Mike Sentch, “great racing and unique action experiences. We’ve earned a reputation as one of the best racetracks in Australasia but we’re equally proud of our reputation as one of the best tourist destinations in Central Otago.”

This year for the first time, the Highlands Sprint Series is included in the programme for the Festival of Speed. The Sprint Series is in its second year and is proving very popular with the grassroots of the sport. It gives amateurs or newbies to the sport a taste of what it’s like to race on a world class race track. Mike Sentch, says the idea for the Sprint Series came from the competitors themselves.

“Many competitors who weren’t eligible or experienced enough to compete at our higher profile events like the Highlands 101 were keen to have a go at racing at Highlands,” says Sentch.

“The Sprint Series gives people the chance to experience the circuit, the atmosphere and what it’s like to race against other cars. We had close to 50 cars take to the track for the last Sprint Series in December and the feedback we got from the drivers was excellent. Being part of the Festival of Speed will add another string to their bow. They’ll get to be part of a proper race meeting which can be quite daunting for rookies.”

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