Bay Driver 14 March 2014

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Friday 14 March 2014

Friday 14 March 2014

Friday 14 March 2014

Colorado LTZ

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Friday 14 March 2014

Friday 14 March 2014

Weekend Sun Friday 14 MarchThe 2014

Bay Driver

Weekend Wheels Bay of Plenty March 15: Stock car special: ASB Baypark Speedway An exciting night of entertainment and action is promised at ASB Baypark with the Red Ant Design Sprint Car Gold Cup, the Bay’s super saloon championships and demolition derby titles up for grabs. Details: www.asbbaypark.co.nz/speedway March 23: Rotorua motorsport: Ngongotaha hillclimb Bay drivers can put their hillclimb skills to the test in the third round of Rotorua Car Club’s notorious Ngongotaha challenge. Details: www.mbop.org.nz March 26-30: American classic revival: Whangamata Beach Hop Relive the classic American era at the week-long Beach Hop, with the fun starting on Wednesday with the warm-up party taking over Waihi’s main street. The fun continues in Whangamata with a packed calendar of events, culminating in car shows on Saturday and Sunday. Details: www.beachhop.co.nz March 29: Explosive speedway action: ASB Baypark Speedway Speedway season continues in blazing glory with the Base Up Fireworks Extravaganza topping off what will be another exciting night of speedway action including the Bay super saloon champs and the super stock hit to pass event.

Details: www.asbbaypark.co.nz/speedway

Beyond the Bay March 15-16: Fram Autolite New Zealand Drag Nationals: Meremere Qualifying on Saturday 11am-7pm, with racing on Sunday 10am-4pm.

Details: www.framautolitedragway.co.nz March 15-16: Gisborne gravel racing: National hillclimb championship final Four of the Bay’s rallying teams will battle the country’s best for honours in the Motorsport New Zealand Hillclimb Championships final.

March 22-23: Independent Race Class action: Hampton Downs A weekend of excitement with nail-biting racing across more than 10 classes on 5 offer when round six 2 of the IRC’s seven-round season comes to Hampton Downs.

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The Weekend Sun

Bay Driver Friday 14 March 2014

Friday 14 March 2014

Friday 14 March 2014

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Aiming for a strong national finish After an impressive start to the motocross season last year, Te Puke’s Logan Blackburn has been struggling with poor starts and bike mishaps during the last month.

“It’s been pretty frustrating,” says Logan, 19, who is in third place in the New Zealand Motocross Championships 125cc grade with the final round in Taupo only a week away.

Despite the latest bumps in the road – including a “shocker” performance at the second round in Tokoroa three weeks ago, where mechanical problems and a crash saw him drop from first to third place overall in the series –

Logan’s determined to leave his troubles behind.

“It’s just about more seat time,” he says, about the extra effort he’s been putting into race starts after struggling to lead out of the gate.

“I’ve got the speed and have made up a lot of ground [when behind], but the big thing is getting off to a strong start – that’s what’s been holding me back,” says Logan.

“The frustrating thing is I used to holeshot [win the start] pretty much every race.”

After stalling at the start of Saturday’s second race to be last through the gate, Logan went on to

show his pace by clawing his way back to finish third. He also managed second place in his other two races, after getting through the gates in the top-five bunch.

“It was okay, two seconds and a third but no firsts – and that’s what it’s all about,” says Logan, showing clear frustration he hadn’t made better improvements following the previous poor round in Tokoroa.

Logan did claw back the lead of second-placed Hadleigh Knight of Atiamuri by five points, and is only 10 points behind. But Hamilton rival Josiah Natze continues to dominate the class, with an almost unassailable lead of 35 points.

“Hopefully, I can continue to make gains on Hadleigh and finish ahead of him,” says Logan, who essentially admits his shot at the top is out of his reach. “It’s not over yet but…” he pauses, not finishing the sentence.

After a consistently strong performance in the 2013 season, Logan had a frustrating finish to the national championships when he missed the 125cc class title by only one point. Hopes for a top season this year were boosted when he inched ahead of Hamilton rival Josiah to take the opening round in Timaru, but his grasp on the lead was quickly lost to the 15-year-old, who is racing his first season in the class.

Te Puke’s Logan Blackburn battles for Josiah’s dominance of the class continued in Pukekohe where he won all points at Pukekohe three races. last weekend.

Logan says his problems in Tokoroa Photo by Andy McGechan, had knocked his confidence, but he is BikesportNZ.com focussed on working on what he needs

to, including his starts, intensive fitness work and training on his bike every second day. He also has weekly meetings with an advisor, where they go over any issues and work on strategies.

“The fitness work is critical – you need to be at the top of your fitness for all of your races –or you lose your edge.”

Beyond the national championships series Logan is looking forward to some down time, having decided to forego racing in Australia – where last winter he finished a respectable ninth in the highly competitive Monster Energy MX Nationals Under 19 division.

Instead, he’s taking time away from competition to have some old riding injuries fixed – including breaking and resetting a leg that healed out of alignment and removing a shoulder plate.

“A lot of my friends think it’s pretty crazy the injuries you get, but that’s just riding,” says Logan, who will be out of action from June to November.

But when he returns next season, the talented rider, who has been a sponsored professional since leaving Tauranga Boys’ College three years ago, plans to step up into the 250cc class.

“It gets pretty competitive in the 250cc class, so there will be lots to learn,” says Logan, who would also love to ride in the US or Europe in 250cc class in the next few years.

Meanwhile, Mount Maunganui rider and 2013 MX1 motocross champion Cody Cooper tightened his grip on the MX1 trophy by winning all three of his races and establishing a massive

By Hamish Carter 37-point lead.

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Friday 14 March 2014

Friday 14 March 2014

Weekend Sun Friday 14 MarchThe 2014

Bay Driver

Heavy-hitter packs classy punch

Imagination is a great thing. The instructions for Sideline Sid’s latest vehicle review were to go to Ebbett Holden on Cameron Rd to take a Colorado truck out for a road test.

With visions of a workhorse, the reality was a heavy-hitting utility vehicle with class and genuine flair.

We received a real treat when the sales team at Ebbett Holden Tauranga gave us a Colorado Crew Cab LTZ 4x4 with loads of added extras to road test. The Colorado LTZ hit us between the eyes with its vivid Orange Rock colour, blacked out chrome, 20 inch alloy wheels and black checkerboard deck cover – and did I mention the snorkel beside the driver’s door?

Make no mistake this is a serious vehicle that delivers a massive 500NM of torque and an unbeaten 3.5 tonne towing performance. There is enough grunt to take on any challenge – and when the going gets tough the TSC (Trailer Sway Control) HSA (Hill Start Assist) and DCS (Decent Control System) gets you home every time.

Throw any towing challenge you like at the Colorado LTZ ylinder 4x4 and it responds in spades. ad cam 4-c e h r e v o Whether it’s to pull a digger le b u o d : Engine apacity: 2776cc to a work site or take your big Engine C sel m boat to the myriad of rugged p r 0 0 Fuel: Die Power: 147 @ 36000rpm of fishing spots around the m 2 Maximu Torque: 500 @ matic country, the Colorado LTZ Maximumsion: 6-speed auto rum brakes answers the call of duty.

Transmis ont- disc, rear – d RP) $61,990 First impressions of the Brakes: fr LTZ 4x4 Auto (Rauranga) double-cab vehicle, with o T d Colora Ebbett Holden ( a huge deck, suggest it Contact: 578 2843. is perfect for a trip with Phone 07 mates to the bush or ocean

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Cab w e r C o d Colora LTZ 4x4

and ideal for a family with long distance travel aspirations.

The most critical cargo of the Colorado LTZ is the driver and passengers, with the Holden 4x4s engineered to help avoid trouble and surround you with strength.

The Colorado vehicles have a super tough body and frame constructed with high strength steel, with a safety cell giving maximum protection in the event of frontal or side collision.

While today’s Holden vehicles come with all the usual bells and whistles of BringGo Navigation, Bluetooth streaming and smartphone app integration, the Colorado 4x4s up the ante with some additional extras.

The Siri Eyes Free has voice command capabilities, which allow one to call people, select and play music and hear, and compose a text message, which is just like having a PA on-board with the driver.

The Pandora Internet Radio allows you to create your own personal station based on your favourite songs, artists or music types, with Pandora even suggesting new artists and songs based upon your personal preferences.

Tune-In Radio lets you connect worldwide with 70,000 live radio stations and two million on demand programmes.

However it is a number of simple features that really appealed to the reviewer. Touch-screen radio tuning made changing stations on the go easy and simple, and the blue-light speedometer right in the middle of the dashboard makes for no excuses in picking up a speeding ticket. Also having the air-con at the touch of a button helps with stress-free driving.

With the Colorado 4x4s being high off the ground, the addition of a good old fashioned running board makes getting into the driver’s hot seat particularly easy, even for old fellas like Sideline Sid. Out on the open road, the Colorado LTZ had plenty of tow from the 2.8 diesel engine, with the six-speed automatic transmission responding to any challenge thrown its way. The Descent Control System gives a smooth and controlled hill descent when used off-road, while the Hill Start Assist holds the Colorado 4x4 stationary on steep hills before the brakes are released.

Around town, the rear view camera comes into its own when reversing into a tight parking space, in tandem with the rear park assist – which gives out with an audible warning when getting close to another vehicle or solid object.

The Colorado LTZ 4x4 auto has a recommended retail price of $61,990.

The Weekend Sun

Bay Driver Friday 14 March 2014

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Friday 14 March 2014

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Weekend Sun Friday 14 MarchThe 2014

Bay Driver

Murray’s veteran motoring revival When it comes to cars, Te Puke kiwifruit orchardist Murray Toms likes to keep them simple under the hood.

“I can open the bonnet and know what’s going on, but I probably wouldn’t have a show to fix any problems with the moderns. I think I’d have to call a mechanic,” says Murray, talking about the two ‘veteran’ era Dodge 4s he owns.

About 10 years ago Murray turned back the dial on motoring, buying his first veteran-era car – a two-seater 1917 Dodge Roadster, beginning what has become a passion for the early era of driving.

“I already had a post-war vintage, a 1947 Chrysler; and I thought I should add a veteran to the collection.”

While some are put off the older cars by the frailty that comes with age, many others are deterred from the pre-1919 era class of cars by their idiosyncrasies. But the challenges of driving with crash boxes, doubleclutching, Armstrong steering and two wheel brakes are just part of the package for Murray.

“There’s something special about them,” says Murray, who downplays the appeal that saw him head to the US in search of another Dodge veteran-era model four years ago – this time a 1914 version. Despite being three years older than his 1917 Dodge Roadster, the 1914 had only gone a fraction of the distance you’d expect after spending most of its life in storage.

The car was put in storage after its first

owner died in 1919 where it had remained almost ever since, aside from a brief period from 1979, when it was bought for restoration. The partially-restored car was put back in storage after the new owner died.

Murray’s interest was tweaked when he saw it listed for sale but soon forgot about it. Months after he thought it would’ve been sold, he came across a note with the

Murray Toms in his 1914 Dodge 4, which he drove across the US three years ago, pictured in Tauranga at last year’s Easter Brass and Nickel parade. details on. So he called up the US dealer to learn how the sale went, to discover it was still available. Before Murray knew it his offer had been accepted and he was planning a trip to collect the car.

So began the fun part, with six weeks of reassembling and servicing the car, then a two-month road trip across the country from Detroit to LA.

“They didn’t think I was crazy, no, but they definitely thought I was game,” says Murray, who enjoyed a 3884 mile trip, attracting major media interest along with a send-off by Chrysler, which now owns the Dodge brand.

“I wasn’t worried about taking it on the road trip because I put it back together and serviced it. I knew how a good a condition it was in,” says Murray, about the car which had only racked up about 7000 miles when he bought it.

“They had always been very reliable cars in their day, so I didn’t have any worries.” Murray says the only problem was a broken fan belt part-way through the journey.

A slow road trip by modern standards, with the Dodge travelling at 40m/h, Murray says it was a fantastic experience and a chance to really take in the country on a journey which took him from Detroit to Niagara Falls, Yellowstone National Park, the Grand Canyon and eventually to Los Angeles for the vehicle to be shipped across the Pacific.

“The desert had a very special charm, especially first thing as the sun was coming up. As we got closer to LA the traffic built up and got faster so just before San Bernadino we stopped and arranged for the car to be trucked to the port.”

Murray says it was a wonderful trip “and the longer we drove the old Dodge the better it went”.

Murray Toms’ Dodge 4 roadster (1914 model, left, and 1917 model) by Lake Okataina on a recent run.

The Dodge has since clicked up to about 12,000km, with Murray reserving it for special occasions. Next week it will be hitting the road again for the national veteran car rally from March 19-23 in Te Awamutu, along with three other cars from the Western Bay. Among those joining Murray will be Pamela and John Handley from Bundaberg Australia, who are driving Roger and Irene Hill’s classic Darracq – with the Hills joining them on their own major road trip later this year when they will travel from Adelaide to Darwin.

Meanwhile, about 20 of the old veteranera cars are expected to take part in the annual Brass and Nickel parade and display in Willow St on Easter Saturday from 11am-3.30pm, as part of a jazz event’s festivities.

By Hamish Carter

The Weekend Sun

Appraised Used Vehicles

Bay Driver Friday 14 March 2014

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Weekend Sun Friday 14 MarchThe 2014

Bay Driver

The Weekend Sun

Bay Driver Friday 14 March 2014

The X240 4WD

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Friday 14 March 2014

Friday 14 March 2014

Mitsubishi Triton 4X4 2007

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Bay Driver

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Bay Driver Friday 14 March 2014

Friday 14 March 2014

Unveiling future of travel

Hyundai’s vision of the future car is called Intrado – a concept car unveiled last week.

Hyundai has unveiled a smart new executive sedan, which is set for release in New Zealand this year.

The all-new Genesis, which had its debut at the Geneva Motor Show last week, has received critical interest for its advanced capabilities.

While Hyundai New Zealand says the exact specifications of the model to go on sale here are still to be finalised, it will be similar to the European model with its higher levels of luxury, technology and safety.

The European market Genesis will have a V6 engine and eight-speed automatic with Hyundai’s in-house-developed HTRAC allwheel-drive system, sophisticated multi-link front and rear suspension and near-equal weight distribution.

Among the vehicle’s strong safety focus is the world’s first C02 cabin sensor, to avoid driver drowsiness.

At the Geneva show, Hyundai also unveiled the company’s optimistic vision of a future where mobility is more enjoyable with its Intrado concept car, which envisages how advanced vehicle technologies and intelligent design can combine to engage more effectively with driver and passengers.

The car’s use of lightweight materials, radical construction methods and advanced powertrain raises efficiency, while the design focus inside and out is on meeting the needs of consumers with busy lifestyles.

Fashioned from advanced super lightweight steel, it is powered by a nextgeneration hydrogen fuel-cell powertrain, which can be refuelled in just a few minutes and has a 600km range.

Friday 14 March 2014

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The 2014 Weekend Sun Friday 14 March

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The Weekend Sun

Bay Driver Friday 14 March 2014

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The 2014 Weekend Sun Friday 14 March

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Bay Driver Friday 14 March 2014

Friday 14 March 2014

Friday 14 March 2014

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Classic cruisers Waihi-bound

Classic 1950s cars and hot rods, and the Gold FM Drag Race have made the Waihi Warm Up Party a popular way to start the five-day Beach Hop.

Waihi is gearing up for its biggest Beach Hop warm-up party yet, with Go Waihi coordinator Brian Gentle saying the only detail left to organise is more volunteers.

“We’re sticking with our successful formula – and we’re expecting it to be even bigger again this year,” says Brian, who is looking forward to the annual celebration of classic cars and 1950s pop culture at the upcoming seventh Waihi Warm Up Party.

The only change this year for the seventh warm up party on March 26 is the inclusion of a small retro caravan, inspired by the interest of a Waihi couple who are passionate

about their classic camper.

“They go to the Beach Hop every year, they absolutely love it – and with the growing interest in retro caravans, we thought it would be great to include a small display.”

Brian is expecting a crowd of about 10,000 to descend on Waihi for the day, to take in the display of about a 1000 classic cars and hot rods on the street and the fun atmosphere.

Waihi’s main street, Seddon St, will be closed for a convoy of about 800 cars from Whangamata arriving at 10.30am, while other cars travelling to, and registered for, the five-day Beach Hop are encouraged to park up on display in Rosemont Rd, en route to Whangamata.

“These closed streets are only open to those that have the five-day ticket, but anyone else who wants to display can just park up the side streets, where you still get a lot of people taking in the cars.”

Brian puts the success of the warm-up event down to its tight area, which makes everything within easy walking distance – plus the fun, relaxed atmosphere.

“One of the highlights is always the Gold FM Drag Race down the main street, everybody absolutely loves it.”

In a play on words, the race is a relay event down the main street where teams of three men dress in drag for a run.

“It’s a real laugh. We have big, brawny blokes dressed up in drag, in all their regalia,

running along passing the handbag for a baton.”

Meanwhile, plans for Waihi’s annual hot rod dirt track race event the ‘Jalopy Dust Up’ the weekend prior has been cancelled due to a lack of entries. The Waihi Beach Dirt Track Club event, which has been held in January since it began five years ago, had been rescheduled to run on Sunday, March 23, as a lead-up event for the Beach Hop. The dust up is an old-school style event, with the emphasis on skids and a good old-fashioned rev-up for the vintage race cars and traditional hot rods.

For more details on Waihi’s drag race and the warm-up party, go to www.goldfm.co.nz

By Hamish Carter or www.beachhop.co.nz

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The 2014 Weekend Sun Friday 14 March

Bay Driver