Mike Pero Motorsport Park

Mike Pero Motorsport Park
Location Christchurch, New Zealand
Time zone UTC+12:00
Coordinates 43°31′50″S 172°28′47″E / 43.53056°S 172.47972°E / -43.53056; 172.47972Coordinates: 43°31′50″S 172°28′47″E / 43.53056°S 172.47972°E / -43.53056; 172.47972
Owner Canterbury Car Club Inc
Major events Lady Wigram Trophy
NZ Formula Ford
New Zealand V8s
Porsche GT3 Cup
Southern Festival of Speed
TRS
NZ Drift Series
New Zealand Grand Prix
Length 3.330 km (2.069 mi)
Turns 8
Lap record 1.15.81[1] (Scott Dixon, Reynard 92D, 1998)

Formerly known as Powerbuilt Raceway at Ruapuna Park (2004–2013) and now known as Mike Pero Motorsport Park,[2] Ruapuna is a permanent motor racing circuit owned by Canterbury Car Club Inc. It is located at 107 Hasketts Road in Templeton, 13 kilometres (8.08 mi) west of Christchurch, New Zealand.

The track also features a drag strip, pit garages, racing school, speedway circuit and even a radio controlled car circuit. There are a number of configurations of the circuit with licences from FIA Grade 3 to National grades 1, 2 and 3.

The circuit

The track surface is hot mix bitumen and runs for 3.33 kilometres (2.07 mi) in a counter-clockwise direction with many fast sweeping corners. It rewards smooth and tidy drivers.[3]

Maps of the various layouts

History

The track was opened in November 1963. The circuit was a fairly simple sealed surface road course, at just a mile in length and comprising essentially a flat tri-oval with an extended main straight down to a hairpin bend. In 1976 the main straight was widened and a staging area added to allow drag racing to take place. The biggest change in the circuit's history came in 1993 when it was extended to 3.3km, along with other renovations.[4]

Events

The circuit hosts both 2 and 4 wheeled events. The "Skope Motor Racing Classic" is a major annual event held at the track. The two-day-event includes practice and racing on Saturday and racing in classes on Sunday for classic cars. Entries were limited to 200. It was one of the events of Southern Festival of Speed.

The track hosted the New Zealand Grand Prix in 1998 and 1999. New Zealand born driver Simon Wills won both races in his Reynard 94D Holden.

Naming rights

In 2013, Powerbuilt Tools announced that they would not be renewing their contract at Ruapuna Raceway, having held the naming rights for 10 years. [5]

Following Powerbuilt Tool's announcement, Mike Pero, founder of Mike Pero Mortgages and Real Estate, secured a three-year naming rights sponsorship deal of Ruapuna, which is now known as Mike Pero Motorsport Park. [6]

Mike Pero was a six time National Motorcycle Road Racing Champion, [7] from 1976–82, twice 350cc & 500cc racing class as well as two times in the 410cc Production Series. [8] Pero set the New Zealand land speed record for a 350cc motorcycle in 1979. The record of 238km/hr still stands today. [9]

References

  1. ↑ Lap Records Canterbury Car Club
  2. ↑ "Mike Pero Motorsport Park". Canterbury Car Club Inc. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
  3. ↑ "On track for competitive driving". toyotaracing.co.nz. n.d. Retrieved 2009-11-10.
  4. ↑ Ruapuna Park racingcircuits.info
  5. ↑ "Mike Pero back in motorsport". Retrieved 8 January 2014.
  6. ↑ "Mike Pero back in motorsport". Retrieved 8 January 2014.
  7. ↑ "Mike Pero makes his mark on the track". Retrieved 21 May 2013.
  8. ↑ "Mike Pero to ride former Grand Prix motorcycle". Retrieved 19 June 2013.
  9. ↑ "The romantic side of Mike Pero". Retrieved 8 January 2014.
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