Bay Driver 24 April 2014 by Sun Media

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Friday 24 April 2014

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Friday 24 April 2014

ECOSPORT

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Friday 24 April 2014

Bumpy debut for Bay drivers

Friday 24 April 2014

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Weekend Wheels Bay of Plenty April 26: Midgets and Six Shooters: ASB Baypark Speedway Another evening of exciting racing is guaranteed in the finale of the local speedway season, with round two of the Top Half Midget Series along with the national title trophy race for speedway’s newest class of Six Shooters – or wingless sprint cars as they are called in Australia, where the class was invented.

Despite striking problems that stopped him from completing the Whangarei Rally for the third year, Dave Holder is upbeat about his prospects in the national rally series. Photo by Bruce Barnard. The national rally series has got off to a promising start for Tauranga drivers Phil Campbell and Dave Holder debuting in the national rally series top 4WD class in Whangarei this month. While both drivers – who moved up to the top class from racing 2WDs last year – had a mix of highs and lows at the recent opening event of the six-round Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championships, Phil enjoyed the best results, earning five points to take him to ninth in the series. But problems on both days kept Dave scoreless. Despite failing to earn any points, Dave is upbeat, telling The Bay Driver he’s “stoked” with how well the car performed and he’s encouraged about their prospects. “It was a weekend full of highs and lows, but it is great to see just how well the car went on what was essentially its first run,” says Dave, who only took his new Mitsubishi Evo 8 out for a short 10km run the previous weekend. “I didn’t think we did anything special on Saturday, so it’s a good result for us. I just got out there and drove,” says Dave, who focused on “getting used to the car” and

“wasn’t looking at times”. Dave says he was blown away to discover he was leading after the sixth round but a fuel leak saw the car run out of petrol in the final round, and he was penalised five minutes. A reasonable performance on Sunday came to a grinding halt when the car collected a fence, damaging the radiator and preventing him from finishing. Meanwhile, Phil also failed to capitalise on top driving on the opening day in his new Evo 9 when the clutch blew, forcing him to retire for the day and lose his overall third placing. Another solid drive on day two saw Phil set times inside the top five on each of the days’ six special stages. “There are plenty of positives to take away from the weekend, but by the same token we’re gutted with the retirement,” says Phil. “The encouraging thing is there is still plenty more to come from both the car and the driver.” Both teams are now focused on building on their momentum at Rally Otago on May 10-11. By Hamish Carter

May 4: Tarmac road sprints: Oropi Gorge Rd Feel like testing your driving skills? Motorsport BOP has just the event, with its annual sealed road sprints offering a fitting challenge. The 1.5km sprint through the gorge from Oropi Rd junction is open to all club motorsport club members with at least a M grade licence (all cars must have a roll cage). For details, call Linda Loughlin 07 578 0479 or visit www.mbop.org.nz

Beyond the Bay April 24-27: V8 Supercars ITM 500: Pukekohe The motorsport event of the year runs during four days, with drivers from both sides of the Tasman going head-to-head in the ultimate Anzac Weekend sporting showdown. Details: www.v8supercars.com.au May 9-11: Battle Mania drift showdown: Taupo Motorsport Park Tauranga drift couple Drew Donovan and Jodie Verhulst are holding their inaugural ‘round robin’ drift battle competition – promising a packed weekend of action from drivers ranging from drift newcomers to the legendary Fanga. Details: www.battlemania.co.nz

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Spellbinding SUV The dashboard tells everything about the state of the power source and drive systems.

The ride is exceptionally smooth. The vehicle feels very well grounded and handles with surety. No doubt helped by the 200kg of lithium ion batteries stashed low and central. This low down ballast actually improves the handling over the standard Outlander.

Quick off the blocks

Don’t be fooled into thinking electric equals slow. We did a quick and dirty 0-100km/h time test and found the Outlander nailed it in about 9.5 seconds, about the same as the standard two litre petrol-only model. Not bad for a two litre engine generating power to feed electric drive engines. And good to know that if you need a quick squirt for overtaking, it’s got legs – at least as good as any other standard petrol SUV in its class. Out on the highway the Outlander footed it well, even on some heavy duty hills. Running up the Kaimai was effortless and the petrol engine contributed from time to time. Not that you’d know it, but the dash readouts car is clever enough to figure it all out, if you pumping juice back into the battery. provide all the answers to the curious. The battery can be charged from a stancan’t be bothered. Aside from the electric wizardry, the Outdard household power outlet. You don’t need lander is a delight to drive, in its own right. Switched on special charging stations. Any old three-pin It would be easy to get so carried away with It’s a bit disconcerting, when first pulling plug will do. the whizz-bang new plug-in aspects, and not away in a car that makes no engine sound. It’s We heard of one new hybrid owner, who acknowledge the quality interior and features, as if the handbrake has been let off and it’s has negotiated with his electricity supplier to the great ride, visibility, and the individual rolling away. Hmm. allow connection into the night-store feed, features that make a comprehensive package The weirdness soon gives way to satisfacso his Outlander charges overnight on even – such as the big screen backing camera, built tion. “Hey, we’re trucking along here, using cheaper rates. in GPS, Bluetooth, full-length roof rails, and no gas. Cool.” On a full battery, the Outlander will run for smart rain sensor wipers. about 50km without little or no petrol input. The rear tailgate is powered open and The clever bits Beyond that, it will use the petrol engine to closed, with a button on the key fob. While Get in and drive. Or, marvel over every send current to the drive motors and top up experimenting in the driveway, there was one little technical clever bit, and there are plenty the battery. very puzzled dog watching, with head cocked of them. So in no particular order, here is a So on a typical day, you could drive to and to one side. She looked at me, looked at the selection of the witchcraft I enjoyed experifrom work, say from as far as Papamoa or car in complete amazement. “Witchcraft,” I menting with. Omokoroa to the city, purely on an overnight explained. charge of power. Virtually no petrol used at A couple of things to note: There’s no spare all. We commuted from Te Puna to town and wheel, due to the underfloor space being taken back for a couple of days and the Outlander up with batteries. Instead, the Outlander is easily made the return trip on battery alone, supplied with emergency inflation kits. only using the petrol engine when the pedal It has a low tow rating of 750kg braked. was floored on a couple of occasions, such as Apparently, NZ is the only country to have merging onto expressways and the odd hill. dished out this low rating to the Outlander. Otherwise, it glided along, silently, on its Go figure. That is likely to change, I suspect, battery power. once the electric drive has proven itself. Of course on a longer trip you’d dip into the Overall, this is a totally clever answer to risgas tank, but still less than the average vehicle ing fuel prices, worry about emissions, plight because the hybrid uses energy recovery of homeless polar bears; yet it doesn’t skimp systems, such as the braking charge, to regen- on the performance of a capable SUV. On erate the reserves. The battery is being topped top of that, it’s high spec, a pleasure to drive up when power demand is low; ready to chip and can crossover to 4WD with the push of in with extra boost when demand requires it. a button. Around town, you could run the Outlander on as little as $1.50 of renewable Unleash the electrons energy a day. There are some stunning benefits of elecQuite feasibly you could drive this every day tric drive most people don’t even consider, to town and back, to work or golf, and you’ll until you get behind the wheel. For starters, be driving an electric car all day. Demand The technology behind the wheels. electric is smooth, torquey power. There are more of it – a trip out of town, towing or no gear changes. Plus the delivery of power pushing it hard – and it morphs back to The ‘save’ and ‘charge’ buttons. A simple is instant. There’s no lag for an intercooler to essentially a garden-variety petrol-powered push of the ‘save’ button keeps your battery kick in, or that moment of hesitation while SUV, only much cleverer behind the scenes. charged and the vehicle uses the petrol engine combustible gasses are doing their thing, The XLS is $59,990. The VRX is where to generate power to feed the electric motors. resulting in a slight delay in action. And things get exciting at $66,990. It brims with The ‘charge’ mode means the petrol engine noticeably its consistent torque. No power gear – satnav, forward collision mitigation, (when it needs to) starts seamlessly and runs, bands or surges. adaptive cruise control, power tailgate, heated to power the car along as well as top up the Electric power is silent. So silent, that Mitfront leather seats and the full PHEV colour battery. subishi had to manufacture a ‘noise’ for safety display screens – plus remote app available for Gravity also plays a part in charging the reasons, so the Outlander didn’t take anyiOS and Android phones. battery. You can get as carried away as you one by surprise. It sounds a bit like a small The night before we returned the Outlandlike with this nifty system. A couple of paddle vacuum cleaner from the outside, up to about er, I lay in bed listening to the rain on the controls on each side of the steering wheel 35km/h, just as a precaution to pedestrians roof, imagining those streams flowing into allow the driver to instantly tap into downand others who may rely on hearing apthe Kaimai hydro lakes (those big batteries hill momentum, to directly put charge back proaching vehicles. in the hills) and thinking: “Here comes my to the battery. You can select five stages of Around town the Outlander is easy going, cheap, green fuel”. braking charge level, simply with the flick and did I mention silent? No emissions, great It’s exciting, not just for the electrons. of a paddle, or cancel it all together. The visibility when parking and excellent aids The Outlander hybrid plug-in has left me dash read-outs show you when the vehicle is with the camera and proximity alarms. By Brian Rogers totally amped.

The Mitsubishi Outlander Hybrid plug-in SUV This car is a serious piece of witchcraft. One of the most astonishing vehicles I’ve ever driven. I don’t know how they’ve done it; like putting caramel in caramello. A smooth, powerful (when you need it) economic, mid-size family vehicle that leaves you spellbound. The Mitsubishi Outlander Hybrid plug-in SUV grabbed our attention from the moment it was announced. The concept of having a ‘normal’ car but with the advantage of being able to do most of your running on cheap electricity – while still retaining the benefits of petrol power when needed – holds plenty of appeal. From the outside it’s quite conservative looking. It’s still a mid-sized, capable four wheel drive, but with a nimble demeanour around town. The Outlander differs from other hybrids, as the first to charge by mains power, as well as its own on-board generation. Yes there are some serious questions about electric hybrids. What is the lifespan of those big batteries? Are they as sustainable or economic to produce and replace? What about the planetary cost of their production and disposal? Are we kidding ourselves that we are saving the earth, while in fact the big battery concept is a false economy? How will those electric motors stand the test of time? Well according to the good people at Mitsubishi, this system has the balance just right. Unlike other hybrids, the batteries are lithium ion, for better lifespan and less memory effect. The PHEV doesn’t pretend to be a fully electric, it’s a true hybrid that can cross back to the dark side and burn a bit of fossil fuel, when there’s demand. Put simply, you plug it in at home overnight, do most of your day-to-day running on cheap and sustainable electric power (a dollar or two), and the petrol only sneaks in occasionally for extra grunt, or on a longer trip. Battery gets low? The car automatically and indiscernibly starts the two-litre petrol engine, essentially a generator, when it needs to. Or, you can dictate how and when it charges, or saves; or a combo of both. It is very, very clever. And very, very easy to use. There’s so much to this car, it’s a challenge to explain it all in one page. But it’s the sort of technology you can delve right into every little aspect, or simply jump in and drive. The

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Lining up the six shooters for racing Ask Colin Entwisle what the appeal is of Six Shooter racing, and he jokes about it being a great way to get rid of a lot of spare parts. While there’s an element of truth to the passionate driver’s comments – after all he owns speedway car parts and maintenance specialist Bay Speed – dig a little deeper and he tells you the Australian-originated class is just “flat out a whole lot of fun”.

Colin is hoping to be among about 20 drivers lining up at ASB Baypark’s final meeting of the season to compete in the Six Shooter nationals on Saturday – which is the class’ debut at the speedway. Registered for the event and all raring to go, Colin told The Bay Driver earlier this week with interest from a customer wanting to lease his car, he’s unsure who will be racing it. “I’ve got my sprint racing on anyway, but if Speedway veteran Colin Entwisle would love to see more people racing in the new six shooter class. Photo by Tracy Hardy.

they decide against racing I’ll definitely do it,” says Colin, who is among a handful of seasoned Baypark drivers who’ve been enjoying a few events in the Australian-originated class of wingless sprint cars. Colin says there’s been resistance in some circles to the introduction of six shooter racing, something he puts down to concern other race classes, already competing for a place in the already-packed schedule, will be penalised. “But it’s been good that Rodney Wood and a few other high profile drivers have got involved,” says Colin, who believes it’s helped give the class credibility and encourages other drivers to be more receptive. Other Baypark drivers who’ve been getting behind the wheels of the wingless sprint cars include brothers Keaton and Gordon Dahm, Daniel Thomas and Jamie McDonald. However, it’s the lower price of six shooters – from about $15,000 for a competitive model, compared to $25,000-$30,000 for a saloon and more than $50,000 for a super saloon – which Colin says is the greatest appeal. He believes the lower entry price will help keep young drivers involved after they’re forced to leave the Mini Stocks entry class, when they reach 17. “These kids aged 1517 are leaving speedway and just disappearing because to step into anther class is a big investment. It’s a real pity, because their parents have already spent a bit to give them

good racing skills. “We lose 10-12 of these drivers every year. Where are they going? They just give up because of the cost.” The lower cost is also appealing for Baypark Speedway manager Roger Bailey, who’d like to see the class accredited by Speedway New Zealand once numbers competing build up to allow for more regular events. Currently, only a handful of tracks are able to contract the drivers, as the class hasn’t been fully inducted into the speedway community. Baypark received permission from the Speedway New Zealand board to host the nationals. Powered by a 3.8 litre fuel-injected Commodore V6 motor, the engines aren’t supposed to have any modifications, seeing the cars reach speeds of about 70m/h (112km/h). An introductory day Colin put on at Patetonga last year, with Gordon Dahm, to give drivers a chance to do a few laps in a sixshooter attracted about 50 people, but none took it further. “It’s just a neat little class – you don’t need to have done any racing before you step into these – but the main thing I like is the closeness of racing you get and the cost.” Colin, who got his first taste of speedway in 1987 racing modifieds in Rotorua, stepped up to sprint cars in 1997, which he’s been racing ever since. He’s been based in Tauranga since Baypark opened in 2001. While Colin says he’s been a “little bit off the pace” of the top drivers and hasn’t won any feature events, he’s collected lots of seconds and thirds and is reasonably happy in his position at third on the table. “I guess now that I’m a bit older I’m happy to cruise a bit more,” says Colin, who clearly still has a passion for racing. Hamish Carter

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Round up for Mustang birthday party The purr of the engine, the sleek lines, the general cool factor and the speed – Ohauiti farmer Tony Parkes was impressed by the first Mustang he saw in his teens. “I can remember thinking it would be great to have one of those,” says Tony, who has been a member of the Bay of Plenty Mustang Owners Club for almost two years. “I’ve been interested in them for years. I’ve just always wanted one since my teens,” recalls Tony, who after seriously looking at various classic Mustangs with 40-plus years on them decided to go for a newer model. “I’m reasonably mechanical – but I wasn’t that keen on doing all of the work on one of the classics,” says the proud owner of a limited release 2008 Shelby ‘King of the Road’.

Brought with only 900 miles on the clock, Tony’s 5.4 litre super-charged Shelby – which is one of only 1000 produced to mark the 40th anniversary of the original King of the Road – is a dream come true for Tony and wife Melissa. “The power of it is something else, it’s pretty scary. It’s like sitting in a jet plane when it takes off,” says Tony, who likes to take it on club road trips every few weekends. “We absolutely love it.” Last week the Parkes joined five other Bay of Plenty club couples and another dozen from round the country when they flew out to the US on a pilgrimage to mark the 50th anniversary of the car at a five-day celebration at Las Vegas Speedway, alongside an

estimated 10,000 other Mustang-lovers. “It’s going to be fantastic, we’re really looking forward to it,” says Tony, speaking to The Bay Driver before flying out. Celebrations were held over Easter – beginning 50 years to the day from when the first iconic 1964 ½ original Mustangs were launched. The rest, as they say, is history. Runaway demand for the stylish and sporty coupe, with its affordable price tag of under US$2500, saw Ford produce one million of the cars within 18 months and launch the ‘pony car’ class while other auto-makers copied its successful design with their coupes with long hoods and short rear decks. The Las Vegas celebration, which is

being mirrored by a similar event in North Carolina, to cater to the demand from Mustang-lovers, offers a chance to get up close with models, with some available to be driven on a track. Following the anniversary, Tony says he’s looking forward to visiting the Shelby Heritage Centre in Las Vegas, a museum dedicated to legendary automotive designer Carrol Shelby who designed Mustangs since 1965. The group then hits the road for the ultimate road trip in late model Mustangs, following Route 66 across to Chicago for the next three weeks. “It’s going to be great going to the Grand Canyon and all the bits in between. There will be plenty of surprises along the way.” By Hamish Carter

Tony Parkes with his bags packed, ready to fly to the US to take part in 50th anniversary celebrations of the first Mustang, and then tour America. Photo Bruce Barnard.

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