Pukekohe......the end of an Era.

[Kiwifruit]

Went to the final bike meeting at New Zealands traditional home of motorsport, Pukekohe. A very sad day. So much of our rich motorsport history was made at Pukekohe Raceway.
Now it will be expelled by the the Counties Racing Club so they can run their "Dogfood 500" horse races. Seems to be they way so many race tracks and speedways are going these days.
Huge entry lists for the different classes of classics. Not much close racing but it was more about these people having one last ride around the circuit. Watched some epic battles over the years there.  My early recollections of bike racing centered around this track. Hordes of RD350's and H2 750's being ridden to the track for the days racing with their number boards bungee corded to the pillion seat. In the 70/80s the Marlboro Series was packed with International riders here to do battle with the best of the Kiwis. Aussies finest were well represented, Hansford, the Sayles, Willing and so many more. Pat Hennan, Chas Mortimer, Steve Parrish, Randy Mamola, Marco Luccinelli, tragically Cal Rayborn lost his iife here.
Mike Hailwood practiced there on a TZ750 before his winning return to the Isle of Man on the Ducati. He nearly didn't make it, he was not the only one practicing that day, there was a kink in the back straight not used by the bikes but someone in an open wheeler, I'm thinking a Formula Ford used it at the same time Hailwood was going past. A near run thing I'm told.
So to Pukekohe we bid a fond farewell. Thanks for the memories.

[Globalrider]

Ahaaa That's too bad - I have been there a couple of time and to see the Brittens must have been a bonus!
Sad loss!

[Roo]

Yes many mems , blasting up to Puke with trailer loaded with bikes from Wgton on a friday night.
(a slab of cans between the front seats !!   Hey, it was the seventies  !!!!!!)