A logistical exercise not seen anywhere else in Antipodean motorsport is in the planning stages for the next critical stanza of the NextGen NZ Championship. Following the successful completion of the opening round of the championship at Hampton Downs in November, planning is well advanced for the massive four-week stretch that will see the championship race on four of the five weekends this January.
Returning to Hampton Downs for the International event on January 9-11, the championship then moves to the Historic GP at Taupo, three hours south of Auckland, the following weekend.
That epic event is followed by a trip to the South Island for back-to-back events at Teretonga International and the 70th New Zealand Grand Prix at Highlands.
It’s a four-week return round-trip stretch that spans nearly 5,000 kilometres, sees 11 different racing categories on track, more than 50 races contested and well over 180 competitors in action across the month.
The resources behind such an effort are remarkable, with essentially a movable city decamping overnight to move to the next circuit each week.
14 shipping containers, more than 20 team transporters, two transporters dedicated solely to racing tyres, a fuel tanker, a full TV outside broadcast unit that includes two trucks, up to 10 supporting trailers for manufacturers and merchandise, transportable power generators and 10 series staff – not counting those engaged by the respective categories – will spend January on the road.
It’s a schedule completely unique to New Zealand’s summer of Motorsport each year, with nothing like it seen elsewhere in circuit racing in our corner of the world.
It’s a logistical challenge that requires significant planning in the lead-up to summer.
“It’s an exercise that is planned out to the minute and requires a huge amount of coordination across the circuits, the categories, the teams and all of our external suppliers – let alone our team in-house,” said NextGen NZ Championship Operations Manager, Paul Fallon.
Fallon has been at the helm of the summer series logistics for more than a decade, with significant efforts in recent years to improve and simplify logistics – from calendar timing to better resource allocation and closer collaboration with circuits and categories.
Still, it’s a mighty effort to tie the moving pieces together.
“As an example, while we’re racing at the Historic GP in Taupo, the marquees are already being built in Invercargill for the following week, and that’s before we even cross to the South Island.
“There’s a time crunch on the Sunday following Taupo because the containers need to be on the 2:00AM ferry on early Monday morning to get to Invercargill on time – and it’s six hours to Wellington from Taupo.
“It’s all timed to the minute so that after the containers land in Picton at 6:00am, they can make the 11-hour drive South and be there in time for teams to get into them on Wednesday morning, first thing, to prepare for the following weekend.
“The next stress test for the whole system is pulling down 120 marquee spaces on Sunday night in Invercargill and getting them up to Cromwell to be rebuilt on Monday afternoon, so teams can move in by Wednesday morning and go again at the Grand Prix.
“It’s relentless and bloody hard work – but when it all comes off, it’s very satisfying.
“And the idea is that the fans coming to the races won’t notice because when they turn up, or turn on Sky Sport to watch on TV, it will look a million bucks.”
The NextGen NZ Championship is unique in its structure, not only in running across the Southern Hemisphere’s summer but also in condensing four rounds into four weeks at the start of the year – in part to facilitate the Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceana Trophy, a staple of the Kiwi racing summer.
Already confirmed for the series this year are two-time World Rally Champion Kalle Rovanpera and Supercars race winner Ryan Wood, with a host of young rising stars also locked in.
It will ensure the eyes of the racing world – which is mostly quiet across the month – will be on New Zealand’s premier series once again.
Following the conclusion of the 70th New Zealand Grand Prix, the NextGen NZ Championship pauses for four weeks prior to the conclusion of the six-round championship at Manfield in early March.
For more information and to buy tickets for all NextGen NZ events, head to www.nextgennz.co.nz
FACTS AND STATS – NextGen NZ’s Incredible January!
CATEGORIES:
Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Trophy
Bridgestone Toyota GR86 Championship
Porsche NZ Championship
GTRNZ
Formula Atlantic
HRVA Historic Saloons
Heritage Touring Cars NZ
GT New Zealand
TA2 NZ Championship
NZ Formula Ford Championship
Mazda Racing Super Series
LOGISTICS:
7x 40″ Containers
7x 20″ Containers
A fuel tanker
1x Bunded Fuel container
120 Marquee Bays (B-Double with Forklifts onboard)
18x Race Car Transporters
2x Semi-Trailer Tyre Trucks
2x Broadcast Trucks
1x Race Radios Van
2x Merchandise Trailers
3x Manufacturer Parts Trucks
CTFROT = Teams from NZ, Australia, USA, UK and Belgium
10x travelling event crew
Multiple support vehicles, vans and smaller trucks
TRAVEL DISTANCES:
Hamton Downs to Taupo: 208km (2.0 Hours)
Taupo to Teretonga: 1,386km (20 Hours)
Teretonga to Highlands: 260km (2.5 Hours)
Header Image: Shots By TayB/Tayler Burke
