Baypark Speedway is set to stage the biggest international speedway race ever seen in New Zealand.
At least 15 of the top drivers from the US-based World of Outlaws sprint car series will compete in a three-day meeting at the Mount Maunganui venue in late-January.
The event is expected to be New Zealand's third biggest motorsport fixture, outpaced in status and economic impacts by only the World Championship Rally of New Zealand and the Pukekohe V8 Supercar race.
Baypark Speedway promoter Willie Kay returned from the United States last week with confirmation of the date and the first drivers for the race.
"There will be at least 15 top drivers from the World of Outlaws at Baypark and probably more.
"I've already signed up Steve Kinser, Danny Lasoski, Craig Dollansky, Joey Saldana and some others," Mr Kay said.
"These guys are the fastest sprint car drivers in the world. They race about 100 times a year with 800bhp (brake horse-power) cars and it will be an amazing spectacle.
"I'm sure there will be other US drivers who want to come and some of the top Australian teams as well," said Kay.
The dates for the three-night event are January 27-29 - the Auckland Anniversary long weekend - and in-line with World of Outlaws requirements there will be a US$150,000 purse.
Baypark will form half of a down-under double-header for the Outlaws who are set to race the previous weekend at Sydney's Parramatta City Raceway. Cars and equipment will be airfreighted from Sydney. Parramatta has staged a World of Outlaws race for the past two years and Baypark has worked closely with the Sydney promoters to become the second venue outside North America to host an Outlaw event. Mr Kay said planning is already well advanced.
"At this stage the first drivers are signed and the airline tickets have been reserved. There are some freight logistics to be worked through and that sort of thing."
Kay is making another trip to the United States next month to finalise further details.
"I've got a meeting with DIRT Motorsports (the sports promotion company which owns the World of Outlaws) at the Knoxville Nationals where I'm making a presentation to introduce the event and the Tauranga region to the teams," he said.
"At that meeting I should also be able confirm the details of the television coverage the event will receive in the US."
As both the longest and widest speedway venue in New Zealand with seating for about 17,000 spectators, Baypark is the most suitable for a major sprint car meeting.
"We've got the right venue and the ideal date and I'm very confident it will be the biggest speedway spectacle ever seen in New Zealand," Mr Kay said.
The World of Outlaws could pump another $3 million into the local economy by attracting motorsport enthusiasts from all over the North Island.
Tauranga Moteliers Association president Tony Burrell said it was the icing on the cake for a weekend already dominated by the 1000-competitor Northern Region Surf Life Saving Championships and the Mount Rugby Sevens tournament.
"Anything that puts Tauranga on the national and international stage must be good," he said.
Mr Burrell said that as a rule of thumb, only 20 per cent of what visitors spend was on accommodation, so there would be a huge economic spin-off from The World of Outlaws.
The goodwill and enjoyment generated by successful events had a snow-ball effect.
"Before we know it, we will be getting events every weekend," he said.
Ross Stanway, the chief executive of economic development agency Priority One, said it would be a whopper of a weekend.
"I think it is fantastic."
The World of Outlaws would bring people from overseas with plenty of money to invest.
Tourism Bay of Plenty chairman Jeff Major said getting The World of Outlaws was a coup that would add a real buzz to the city.
World speedway stars for Baypark
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