MEDIA RELEASES KAIKOHE SPEEDWAY  RACE SEASON 2008 -2009

Max Andresen taking "Lightening the body" to a new level

Loose trailer hits bike rider

10th August 2009 Northern Advocate

A motorbike and loose trailer collided just metres from the roundabout. Picture/Peter de Graaf

A Whangarei man is in hospital with suspected broken bones and internal injuries after his motorcycle and a loose trailer collided near Kerikeri.

The accident happened around 12.30pm yesterday when the 45-year-old, his son and two friends were on a motorcycle trip.

The group  had been heading south on State Highway 10 and had just passed the Kerikeri roundabout when a trailer, carrying a car body, broke free from a northbound car.

The trailer crossed a traffic island and struck the rider, who was fourth in the group of motorcycles, straight on.

Kerikeri Police Constable Mark Roberts said the rider  sustained a possible broken leg, internal bleeding, and back and neck injuries.

He was taken by ambulance to nearby Kerikeri airfield, from where the Northland Electricity Rescue Helicopter airlifted him to Whangarei Hospital.

It appeared the A-frame of the trailer had snapped, Mr Roberts said.

Police had spoken to all involved bar the injured rider, but it was too early to say whether charges would be laid.

The trailer, which had just been issued with a new warrant of fitness, has been taken to Land Transport New Zealand for inspection.

A member of the police Serious Crash Unit  was called to Kerikeri to inspect the  accident scene.

if you recognised Grant Kidd from Taipa ... you are absolutely right... the A Frame gave way on the trailer that while Grant was

driving through the Kerikeri round about on state Highway 10

 

Article appeared in the Northland Age 5th August 2009

Geordie Inglis was born in Northland and started racing in the 2003 season, is an active member of both Taipa and Kaikohe becoming Kaikohe Speedway’s Race Committee vice President at the recent AGM and Taipa’s CTRA representative.

Geordie Inglis has had a great season racing his Corvette Super Saloon at both Kaikohe and Taipa Speedways, along side good fellow competitors, winning eight trophies in total this season. He would like to thank sponsors Max and Shirley Andresen of A&D Automotive in Kaikohe and course his lovely wife Rhonda. He says there was also a lot of help given by fellow competitors which is always very much appreciated.

Trophies in Geordies collection this year are; 2ns Over-all, Taipa; 2nd Points Over-all, Kaikohe; Geordie says he just loves to race and is always on the look-out for sponsors and appreciates any help he gets. His goal is to compete with NZ’s top racers in their big events throughout New Zealand. One of his favorite quotes is “Quitters never win and Winners never quit”.

 

Mud and rain ruins Mother's Day race (northland age May 09)

 

Tony Taylor sliding out in front of Max Andresen at Kaikohe last Sunday. Photo/ Debbie Beadle Taylor.


The cold snap which hit New Zealand over the weekend frustrated attempts to run the annual Mother's Day racing event at Kaikohe Speedway last Sunday.
Age speedway commentator Debbie Beadle Taylor noted the weather started off really great as the guys got out to prepare the track for wheel packing.
"Just as they had it right down came the first heavy shower ... So out they went again and exactly the same happened," she noted, adding the decision was reluctantly made to call racing off for the day for safety reasons.
Kaikohe Speedway's last race day for the 2008/09 season is now set for Sunday, May 24. Weather permitting, the club will host the Super Saloon Cup and Mother's Day Trophy races along with its regular grades.
Also, the club has scheduled its next BurnOut Comp for a Sunday, June 14, for 4, 6, and 8 cylinder classes.
The club prize-giving dinner has been set down for June 27, with the AGM on July 17.
Anyone interested in forming/ joining the Kaikohe Speedway Club's BurnOut committee should contact Debbie, phone   401 2651.
In other speedway news, the Taipa Speedway is holding a domestic meet this Sunday, May 17, from 12 noon

 

The weekend action in a nutshell

 

ROADKILL: A crushed Mini was the football in a game of car soccer at the Kaikohe Speedway Easter Stampede on Saturday. Photo Debbie Beadle Taylor.

So there he was, The Offsider*, attempting to sum up a huge weekend of sport in a nutshell ...........

Sunday was just as big on action. It was standing room only at St Joseph's for Easter mass, before a relatively small crowd watched some big action go down at the Peria rodeo. It was far busier in Kaikohe but, record-breaking numbers pouring through the gates for three days of hell-raising in the Easter Stampede, which was capped off with the event's traditional piece de resistance, the demolition derby.

Easter stampede in gear

DEMOLITION DERBY TIME: It’s back! Crash, bang, wallop. Kaikohe Car Club’s big Easter Demolition Derby, immortalised in the Florian Habicht movie Kaikohe Demolition will be run on Easter Sunday.
 

Relevant offers

Thousands of people are likely to converge on Kaikohe this weekend giving the local economy a welcome boost.

The Kaikohe Speedway expects 4500 spectators and up to 200 drivers from throughout the country at its Easter Stampede and Demolition Derby.

Meanwhile, the New Zealand Motor Caravan Association reckons on getting about 1500 people and up to 750 motor homes at a rally at the Kaikohe Agricultural, Pastoral and Horticultural Association’s showgrounds.

Kaikohe Car Club secretary Debbie Beadle says the stampede and rally combined will be the biggest event Kaikohe has hosted in a long time.

"It’s going to bring a lot of people to the Far North. The motorhome guys will stay in their campervans, but our guys will stay at Kerikeri, Paihia, Kaikohe and at the speedway track."

She expects more drivers than usual at the stampede, which will run for three days instead of the usual two.

"We’re holding six Circle Track Racing Association titles so we’ll start racing at 1pm on Good Friday. It’s going to be bigger than last year – weather permitting," she says.

Easter rally committee secretary Jackie Gorton says the four-day rally will be the association’s second national rally in Northland and its first Far North rally.

"We had to choose a venue that could hold the number of motorhomes we usually get to a national rally and had the infrastructure we require. The Kaikohe showgrounds fitted the bill."

Mrs Gorton says motorhome owners at national rallies elsewhere have spent an estimated $2 million at local tourist attractions, camp sites, food outlets and petrol stations.

"Many will have arrived in the area well before the Easter weekend and will remain in the area long after to enjoy the beautiful, winterless north."

She invites the public to attend an open day at the showgrounds from 11am to 4pm on Easter Sunday.

"They are free to enjoy the many events we have on during the day, look around our exhibitors’ stands and view new and used motorhomes for sale."

Kaikohe Business Association chairman Perry Van Gaalen says food outlets in Kaikohe should enjoy brisk trade during the weekend largely because of the speedway event.

"Those people are going to be big eaters and big drinkers."

About a dozen local business owners plan to sell food, art and craft and books at the showgrounds, he says.

"It’s a great opportunity to capitalise and see if we can make a couple of dollars. In these economic times you’ve got to take the money where you can get it."

 

 

 

NORTHLAND AGE JANUARY 2009

The Underground Sportswoman of 2008 is.... Debbie Beadle-Taylor from Kaikohe Speedway.
Debbie is more than just a driver at the speedway. She promotes the club relentlessly, finding sponsors for the various and numerous events apart from the local businesses (and including those run by either her or her husband), and contributes to the club staying one step ahead of the rest by coming up with radical, fresh ideas - such as the burnout pad introduced earlier in the year. She also takes photos, and files results and reports from each and every race meet. Debbie is passionate about promoting the sport, and racing.
And, she never seems to get stressed if her reports get cut, as long as speedway stays in the local news headlines. The last time The Age spoke to Debbie, we asked how she was. She replied: "I'm good - I'm always good!" Word up.
Other winners in the 2008 Underground Sports Awards are revealed on page 14. It's part of The Northland Age's four-pronged wrap up of 2008 year in sport. Inside are more photos from the year along with the headlines (the ups and downs of The Offsider's year featured in the December 23 edition). Still to come: the Quotes of the Year.

 

 

 

To hell and back after fireball


12.01.2009
 

by Mike Barrington

Erik Molving admits it's "a bit of a miracle" he survived a spectacular fireball that engulfed his crashed car at the Whangarei Speedway, but he would love to get back on the track.

The fiery crash on February 2 last year put 54-year-old Mr Molving in Auckland's Middlemore Hospital, where he hovered "at death's door" while surgeons operated about 40 times on burns covering 65 per cent of his body.

He was back at the Whangarei race track on Saturday, as a spectator.

"I'd love to get back in the driver's seat but it's too traumatic for the family. They've been through hell over the past year.

 
 
 
 
"

He said revisiting the site gave him "a bit of a rush".

"It's exciting. There's a bit of fear but that's what it's all about," he said.

He said it did not stir up too many bad memories because he was able to "divorce the accident from the future".

Mr Molving has been recuperating at his Stanmore Bay home on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula, since the crash and was visited by the Northern Advocate.

While his face escaped serious damage beneath his melted helmet visor, and burns to both arms, both legs, his neck and left side of his torso were out of sight under his clothes, his exposed hands showed the extent of his fiery ordeal.

Two fingers were burned off his right hand and bone burned off his right elbow had almost frozen the limb, but he said doctors expected a future operation would restore 70 per cent mobility.

Only stumps remain of the fingers on his left hand.

Mr Molving said he could remember thinking, "This is not too flash", when petrol spilled over him while his car rolled during a B grade race for modified saloon cars in the Northland Speedway Championships.

And he recalled thinking, "God, this is serious. It could be curtains - I might die here", soon after the fuel ignited as he was trapped in the car "holding my breath and with my hands over my privates".

He had been told he was in the flames for 26 seconds before speedway officials with extinguishers got the fire out.

The overturned car was on its driver's side, but was too hot to be lifted upright by hand. A fire truck pushed it on to its wheels and the officials began emptying a 3000-litre water tank over him.

Mr Molving said he was told he protested when hydraulic cutting equipment was called for to cut him from the car. It was his pride and joy - "my little baby".

Once out of the car, he had ``staggered around' and he remembered being in an ambulance, looking down and seeing tendons in his hands and his flameproof overalls burned off his legs.

At Whangarei Hospital, he had spoken to his wife, Gloria, on a telephone, telling her: ``I'm as good as gold, Presh. I'll be okay.'

A doctor had taken the phone off him and told her he was seriously injured. She had been driving to Whangarei from Stanmore Bay, but police had advised her to turn around and go to Middlemore, where he was heading in a rescue helicopter.

Memories of two months of critical care during his 4 months in hospital are mainly of strange dreams caused by his medication. He was on an artificial lung for many days before his own lungs were drained and a medical team had to battle kidney and other organ failures to keep him alive.

"The doctors said I was at death's door for a long time. It's a bit of a miracle I pulled through," Mr Molving said.

He "could not speak highly enough" of everyone in the hospital burns unit. Staff there were "absolutely tops". He also praised the speedway officials who got him out of the car, admitting the fire was caused by him not putting the cap on his car's fuel tank properly.

Mr Molving is an enthusiastic deerstalker and fisher and his general fitness was a major factor in his recovery. But he attributed his survival to the support he received from his family. Gloria had stopped working as a counsellor to be with him in hospital up to 10 hours daily, his stepdaughter had postponed a trip to Australia and stepson Matt had also been at his side.

Mr Molving had planned to repair his race car - a "little flier" which he had enjoyed rebuilding and loved driving - but he has since shelved plans to get back behind its wheel because he didn't want to distress his wife and children. The car has since been sold.

A longtime "leadfoot", he started speedway racing three years ago and was convinced it was far safer than speeding on public roads.

Encouraging other "speed people" to take it up, he said: :My accident was entirely preventable. If I had replaced the fuel cap properly my car would not have caught fire - it would have been set back on its wheels and I would have competed in the next race."

Mr Molving said that apart from not driving race cars and possibly being unable to drive a scrambler motorcycle, he didn't think the accident was going to slow him down.

He has a caregiver at home, nurse visits for dressing changes and is undergoing physiotherapy, but he expected to return to work as a property valuer later this year.

Once his right elbow was "sorted" he would be able to work the reel on his fishing rod and find some way to use his rifle, despite 80 per cent vision loss in his right eye and trouble pulling the trigger

 

Northern News 24th December 2008

NORTHLAND AGE 27TH NOVEMBER 2008

http://www.northnz.co.nz/sports.php?news_id=2096

Kaikohe speedway
Kaikohe Car Club enjoyed a good turn out of members, visitors and spectators to its race meet last Sunday. Speedway commentator Debbie Beadle Taylor said there was a large showing of cars in all grades and all who came had a great day's racing. On behalf of the club she recognised the amount of work and effort that had gone into the track during the off season.
Thanks to the efforts of Max Andresen, Tony Taylor, Alan Price, Mike Marshall and Andrew Walford, "The grounds, track, fences are looking supreme."
The club's next big event is first of its infamous demolition derbies on Sunday, November 23. The day will also feature a burnout demonstration on the recently completed burnout pad, which, at 30m2 is the largest in the North Island (apparently it's 5m2 larger than the one at Waikaraka Park).
The Kaikohe Car Club will hold its inaugural Burnout Meet on Saturday, November 29, starting at 1pm with $20 per entry onto the pad plus the usual gate entry fee.
Meanwhile, Kaikohe racers were looking forward to seeing themselves and the speedway on Maori TV this Sunday, November 16, at 4.30pm. A film crew visited the Far North in January and their footage is expected to be shown on Te Hikoi Mahanga on Maori TV (Sky channel 19).  The angle of the show is on the adventures twins Te Kauhoe 'TK' Wano and Wharehoka 'Whare' Wano have while travelling around New Zealand looking for surf. Typically they score some classic summer waves as well as plenty of other excitement including car racing at Kaikohe, collecting kaimoana with Maori MP Shane Jones and Tauranga judge Louis Bidois, paddling a waka taua in Paihia and sand surfing in Hokianga. The show could also feature footage of the very decent surf the twins scored at Shipwreck Bay while filming the Far North segment of their latest series (although some viewers believe some of this has already screened) in January.
More on the Kaikohe Speedway's first demolition derby of the new season in next week's Age

 

NORTHLAND AGE 20TH NOVEMBER 2008

http://www.northnz.co.nz/sports.php?news_id=2121

AUTOMOBILE ABUSE from the last Kaikohe Demolition Derby earlier this year. Photo Debbie Beadle Taylor.
 

Kaikohe Speedways's next big event is first of its infamous demolition derbies this Sunday, November 23. The event has been  immortalised in Florian Habicht's acclaimed documentary Kaikohe Demolition.
 (Incidentally, Habicht has just released another documentary along the same lines, Rubbings from a live man, about performance artist Warwick Broadhead - and is that a Far North side seen in a dreamlike scene in the movie, An angel blesses a rugby team?).
The Kaikohe Demolition will take place immediately after racing has finished. All demo cars must be at the track no later than 2pm, entry fee is $25 per car and a normal gate fee applies. With $1,000 up for grabs as first prize, i.e. the last car still moving, a large entry for the popoular event was expected.
The club also has a DEMO car donated courtesy of A Pomare that is being raffled off for $5 per ticket with the winner been able to compete in the demo. Last season saw Samantha Blaikely win the raffle and go on to take out the derby and the cash prize.
Sunday's attractions will also feature a burnout demonstration before the Demolition Derby. The club recently completed its burnout pad and at  30m2 is the largest in the North Island (apparently it's 5m2 larger than the one at Waikaraka Park).
The Kaikohe Car Club is planning to hold its inaugural Burnout Meet on Saturday, November 29, starting at 1pm with $20 per entry onto the pad plus the gate entry fee.
For more information on any of the above, or to enter the demo derby, contact Debbie Beadle Taylor, phone (09)401-1886.

 

NORTHLAND AGE 13TH NOVEMBER 2008

Speed dealers exposed on Sunday TV show

Kaikohe racers were looking forward to seeing themselves and the speedway on Maori TV this Sunday, November 16, at 4.30pm.

THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE DAY: stockcars racing at the Taipa Speedway opening day on Sunday, November 2. There's another meet at Taipa this weekend.  Photo supplied.
Kaikohe speedway
Kaikohe Car Club enjoyed a good turn out of members, visitors and spectators to its race meet last Sunday. Speedway commentator Debbie Beadle Taylor said there was a large showing of cars in all grades and all who came had a great day's racing. On behalf of the club she recognised the amount of work and effort that had gone into the track during the off season.
Thanks to the efforts of Max Andresen, Tony Taylor, Alan Price, Mike Marshall and Andrew Walford, "The grounds, track, fences are looking supreme."
The club's next big event is first of its infamous demolition derbies on Sunday, November 23. The day will also feature a burnout demonstration on the recently completed burnout pad, which, at 30m2 is the largest in the North Island (apparently it's 5m2 larger than the one at Waikaraka Park).
The Kaikohe Car Club will hold its inaugural Burnout Meet on Saturday, November 29, starting at 1pm with $20 per entry onto the pad plus the usual gate entry fee.
Meanwhile, Kaikohe racers were looking forward to seeing themselves and the speedway on Maori TV this Sunday, November 16, at 4.30pm. A film crew visited the Far North in January and their footage is expected to be shown on Te Hikoi Mahanga on Maori TV (Sky channel 19).  The angle of the show is on the adventures twins Te Kauhoe 'TK' Wano and Wharehoka 'Whare' Wano have while travelling around New Zealand looking for surf. Typically they score some classic summer waves as well as plenty of other excitement including car racing at Kaikohe, collecting kaimoana with Maori MP Shane Jones and Tauranga judge Louis Bidois, paddling a waka taua in Paihia and sand surfing in Hokianga. The show could also feature footage of the very decent surf the twins scored at Shipwreck Bay while filming the Far North segment of their latest series (although some viewers believe some of this has already screened) in January.
More on the Kaikohe Speedway's first demolition derby of the new season in next week's Age

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Northland Age November 3rd, 2008 (click the link below)

http://www.northnz.co.nz/sports.php?news_id=2026

Spectacular carnage gets 2008/09 season underway at Kaikohe

 

Roy Walker and Bryan Armstrong leading the supers and limited around at Kaikohe on Sunday Photo/Debbie Beadle Taylor.
 

Spectacular action and plenty of carnage got the 2008/09 Kaikohe speedway season underway in style on Sunday.
A great turn out of cars and plenty of action - think cars colliding with concrete walls and other cars, rollovers and the odd vehicle somersaulting in full flight through mid air - kept the spectators on the edge of their seats throughout the day.
The day started with a field of 10 cars taking to the track in the LTD/ Super and B grade men's class. The chequered flag was shared with Keith Wilson (car No.10k), Byran Armstrong (69) and Roger Frear (45) each taking wins in their respective grades.
Wheel packing in the second round saw the racing for Geordie Inglis (51k) end when his steering wheel gave up sending him straight into the Kaikohe bend wall, leaving his two front tyres going in the opposite direction.
Once Inglis' car was cleared from the track the bigger cars gridded up, and came around cemetery bend and saw some typically tight racing between the leaders, Wilson and Armstrong.
The club celebrated its first roll-over of the season during the fifth round: newcomer Jason Halliday (302) and Anthony Dale (44k) locked tyres on cemetery bend sending Dale over in spectacular style to land, albeit on only three wheels. Dale emerged unscathed from the wreckage while Halliday's car also looked a little worse for wear, the incident ending the day's racing for both.
Next up were the C-grade men, Colin Aukett 38k, Craig de Waal (22k) and Peter Cortesi (20k), tearing around the track and sharing the major positions for the day. In the production men's racing, Rex Roycroft (1nz) collect three wins, while George Price (101k) scored with two seconds and a third and Tony Taylor (103k) managed a second and a third in his new Nissan Skyline which should prove a threat once Taylor has sorted out various teething problems.
Newcomer Steve Lott (11k) also showed some great driving skills while coming to grips with both the car and track. He managed to stay away from the walls and, getting faster by the end of the day, will definitely be one to watch this season.
New junior drivers also enjoyed the return of the speedway season: Daniel deWaal (22k) taking three wins leaving Michaela Beadle-Price (102k) and new junior racers Jason Taylor and the Lott brothers, Alex and Max, working hard for the minor positions.
The club's next race meet is on Sunday, November 9, with the first of the notorious and infamous Kaikohe Demolition Derbies set for Sunday, November 23. For more information, contact Debbie Beadle Taylor, phone (09)401-2651, or visit www.kaikohecarclub.com. Results from Sunday's racing forthcoming

 

Northland Age October 2008 (click the link below)

http://www.northlandage.co.nz/sports.php?news_id=1981

Kaikohe Speedway to feature a burnout pad for upcoming season

DESTRUCTION. Fill for the burnout pad construction in progress at the Kaikohe Speedway. When completed perhaps the sign could read: "Approach with a distinct lack of caution". Photo/Debbie Beadle Taylor.
 

Both old and new faces showed up to play at the Kaikohe Speedway's first practice meet of the season last Sunday (October 5).
Kaikohe Speedway commentator (and racer and photographer) Debbie Beadle Taylor said the club is gearing up for another bumper season, with a lot of new cars and members expected at the track for the 2008/09 season which officially starts on Sunday, October 19. "With a very wet winter now behind us the club's projects and maintenance schemes are progressing well with the work around the track camping area, safety fence and, of course, the highly anticipated burnout pad," said Debbie. She noted the fill for the burnout pad was now in place; and said the boxing and concrete should be poured during this week.
"We are all waiting for this project to be up and running - it should be another great way to encourage members into our club."
Upcoming dates for local enthusiasts to watch out for include Sunday, November 2 - the first of the club's infamous demolition derbies for the new season,  with the second to be held over Easter Weekend (April 11-12). May 9, 2009, will see the CTRA, North Island and New Zealand championship allocations will be held at Kaikohe Speedway.
Check out the club's website (www.kaikohecarclub.com) for all updates, dates of racing and entry forms. For more information, contact Debbie Beadle Taylor, phone (09)401-1886.
�Taipa Stock and Saloon Car Club weighs in with an update on the upcoming season in next week's Age.