![]() ![]() SVG takes a moment before getting behind the wheel. And the image? Well, that’s follows below and it is of the ‘Thanks Pukekohe’ tribute on the back of SVG’s Holden with the man himself taking a moment before getting behind the wheel. The song being James Taylor’s ‘ Our Town‘ from Cars, simply because Pukekohe is our town, a New Zealand Mecca for petrolheads. To wrap up, I have a song and a photo I would like to leave you with. It was a long day, beginning in the early hours of the morning with the final race wrapping up shortly before sundown but my word, the day gifted us many memorable moments! My first time at Pukekohe Park couldn’t have been more special and it’s loss will no doubt break the hearts of many of the nation’s motoring enthusiasts. SVG and ‘Murph’ acknowledging the home crowd. Even second placed Waters couldn’t help but acknowledge the atmosphere and sellout crowd. Van Gisbergen taking the win with his fellow Kiwi Andre Heimgartner finishing in third. It was a fitting finish for the Supercars Championship at Pukekohe. SVG fought Cam Waters‘ Mustang tooth and nail until the very end. At every overtaking opportunity, the crowd would go silent and then breathe once the moment had passed. Hopefully you see what I mean! The crowd were on their feet for the last few laps, applauding and cheering on SVG each time he flew past the home straight. ![]() The second race of the day was a tad more dramatic and before I use words to describe it, here’s a highlight from the tail end of the race. The first race started around lunchtime with homegrown racer Shane van Gisbergen (SVG) starting on pole position and rounding out the checkered flag with a victory! An excellent result that had the support of the home crowd. All of which made for some great entertainment. What a celebration it was! The highlight of the day was of course the two Supercars races that were scheduled to take place but in between we had some excellent historic racing events, Formula Ford races and the Toyota GT86 Series. Anyway, this isn’t meant to be a melancholic piece but instead a celebration of Puke! Will Davison was one of the key contenders for the title. A short stroll around the town and you will see mechanics, body shops, engine builders and the lot! All livelihoods that are tied to the track. It’s hard to describe the sentiment but I heard one local say “Pukekohe Park IS Pukekohe”, a statement which couldn’t be truer. Wandering through the crowd, I overheard plenty of stories of families who had been coming here for decades, entire generations whose identity was tied to the place. And it isn’t just about the star drivers, Puke has provided a home for grassroots motorsport in this country all along, allowing everyone from youngsters to seniors an opportunity to lay down rubber on this iconic surface. ![]() Names like Bruce McLaren, Chris Amon, Paul Radisich, Greg Murphy, Denny Hulme, Scott McLaughlin and Shane van Gisbergen were among the many who cut their teeth on this tarmac. In the subsequent decades that have passed, Puke has produced New Zealand’s finest drivers. Shane van Gisbergen is one of many talented Kiwi drivers to emerge from here. ‘Puke’ as the track is affectionally called, has been an installment of New Zealand motorsport ever since the tarmac was laid down in 1963. So when I heard that Pukekohe Park would host the Supercars Championship for one last time in 2022, the one thing I was sure of was my attendance at the event. The latter being with Holden and the Kiwi drivers of course! However, I know enough to get me into trouble! I know the big names, the tracks and am quite firm on where my loyalties lie. You would be hard pressed to call me a Supercars ‘superfan’, let alone an expert on New Zealand motorsport history. ![]()
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