The Stones Hit Western Springs

THE STONES HIT WESTERN SPRINGS
It’s rock n roll
like never before!

A rock show like no other is under way at Auckland’s Western Springs Stadium!

2500 tons of shale, sourced from the Stevensons quarry at Drury, is being unloaded in preparation for the biggest and most exciting motoring event of the year, the FIM New Zealand Speedway Grand Prix on March 31.

Each lorry is laden with 29 tons of specially mixed aggregate and delivered onto the track at a rate of 250 tons an hour, with six to eight trucks running continuously for the past few days.

The SGP track material has been specially mixed through several laboratory tests so it has the same features as the material used in Europe for temporary tracks. Starting gate, referee control box and lights have all been specially designed and produced by New Zealand company Buckley Systems under supervision of the FIM and their standards. The SGP surface will be removed after the event, stored and reused next year.

The massive project is being directed by Danish sporting hero, F.I.M. Speedway Director of Sports Ole Olsen – himself a multiple world champion. He is working in conjunction with Western Springs principal Bill Buckley and European track expert Hans Christian Danielsen.

The trio are working around the clock to build the finest track ever seen in New Zealand – a track fit for 16 of the world’s best speedway riders competing in the first round of the individual world championship FIM Speedway Grand Prix series on March 31.

Olsen explains that some of the existing clay track has been removed prior to the shale being laid.

“It’s not possible for bikes to race on clay as it’s really only designed for cars and too slippery for our bikes,” he says. “The aggregate is also an all-weather surface so can accommodate anything nature throws at it.”

Olsen says that once the shale is laid and compressed, the fence that currently encircles the track will be removed and replaced by an FIM homologated safety fence followed by the installation of an air fence (not dissimilar to car air bags).

As preparations continue at the track, the riders bid farewell to their bikes in Europe on Monday. They have begun their journey to New Zealand for the first round of the 12-round series.

The event, New Zealand’s most exciting motor racing event of 2012, will pit 16 of the world’s top speedway riders against each other in attempt to secure vital points going into the next round.

The riders will represent the USA, Sweden, Poland, Australia, Denmark, Russia, New Zealand and Great Britain, providing plenty of thrills for speedway fans and motor racing enthusiasts.

2012 FIM NEW ZEALAND SPEEDWAY GRAND PRIX LINE-UP:
1. Greg Hancock (USA)
2. Andreas Jonsson (Sweden)
3. Jaroslaw Hampel (Poland)
4. Jason Crump (Australia)
5. Tomasz Gollob (Poland)
6. Emil Sayfutdinov (Russia)
7. Kenneth Bjerre (Denmark)
8. Chris Holder (Australia)
9. Fredrik Lindgren (Sweden)
10. Nicki Pedersen (Denmark)
11. Chris Harris (Great Britain)
12. Antonio Lindback (Sweden)
13. Bjarne Pedersen (Denmark)
14. Peter Ljung (Sweden)
15. Hans Andersen (Denmark)
16. Jason Bunyan (New Zealand)
Reserves
17. Grant Tregoning (New Zealand)
18. Sean Mason (New Zealand)

GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY
General Admittance tickets for the 2012 FIM New Zealand Speedway Grand Prix start at just $50 adults, NZ$25 children, and are available from www.speedwaygp.com and www.ticketmaster.co.nz

VIP packages $250pp contact Springs Promotions 09 588 4050

www.springsspeedway.com www.speedwaygp.com

ENDS

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