Off Roaders promise Easter highlight

Local contractor, competitor and organiser Nick Leahy is thrilled with the response as, still with a week to go, over 70 entries have been received and this year threatens to far outstrip the crowd numbers at the inaugural event.

“There's a lot of hype around town regarding the event,” says Nick. “Short course racing is fast and furious and it’s a lottery to see whose cars and trucks will last the distance. The rolling country makes for great spectator viewing – some of the jumps will guarantee plenty of thrills and spills.”

The track is all marked out ready to go on the Preston farm and everything is in place for the opening round of the New Zealand Offroad Racing Championship.

“Support from local businesses and community has been tremendous,” says Leahy.

Among the early entries are Mike Fraser, Tony McCall and Ben Thomasen, some of the best in the business.

Pukekohe’s Carl Ruiterman is keen to defend his 2015 northern title plus there will be plenty of others from far and wide coming to try and head them off.

Modified almost beyond recognition, from quads to V8s on steroids, the day promises to be one that locals will remember and talk about for a long time.

One of those is young Cameron Taylor from Hamilton.

It’s a long trip to Mangawhai but for Cameron and his family it’s coming home as the Taylor family lived and worked in Mangawhai up until five years ago.

Even then, however, this former Mangawhai Beach School kid was a budding petrolhead, racing from the age of six with quads, then through the karting ranks, and now races a Class 2 off-road race truck.

While not winning nationally as yet, the teenager has placed second and third in major competitions while the family also lived in Christchurch, is a lap record-holder at Huntly, won his class in NZ 1000s at Tokoroa, and won his class at the international rally-cross held recently at Bay Park, Mt Maunganui.

He’s excited to be back in his ‘home town’ but even more excited to have the chance to clock up some first round points for the national series.

Cameron is a fun guy but off-roading he views as ‘serious fun’ and, in making the trip from Hamilton, he doesn’t intend to go home empty handed.

THRILLS: Just some of the action fans can expect when the off-roaders rip it up in Mangawhai.