Current 1NZ driver Michael Pickens said Covid-19 restrictions have been difficult for speedways to manage. Photo / Supplied
Current 1NZ driver Michael Pickens said Covid-19 restrictions have been difficult for speedways to manage. Photo / Supplied
Covid-19 has caused two months of delays for the Bay of Plenty's most popular racetrack but the sound of engines roaring will again echo from Baypark this weekend.
The Baypark Speedway season was originally scheduled to start on October 2. After five delays, it's now scheduled to begin today.
Melissa Webb, Baypark's operations manager, said the delays were due to Covid-19 restrictions.
"We rely on a lot of drivers to come from out of town, and with everybody in different traffic lights or alert levels and being unable to cross borders, it's been really hard to get the show off the ground."
She said it's also caused problems for both drivers and venues in getting the sponsorships they rely on.
Webb said the Covid-19 protocols the event would have in place, including requiring fans and employees to show vaccination passes for entry, were set by the Government.
"Everything relies on the Government. If they lock us down, our hands are tied.
"But I'm confident that we're nearing the end of all of these lockdowns.
"I'm hugely confident we're going to get those 12 meetings [for the rest of the racing season] in no worries. The only thing that can affect us is weather."
She said Saturday's racing would feature national title-holders and five classes of cars.
"We've got the best drivers in the country coming.
"It's gonna be one hell of a show."
The opening night, and every night of the coming season, will be available on livestream for fans who can't attend.
Current New Zealand sprint car champion and multi-time midget car champion Michael Pickens said Covid-19 was not just affecting Baypark.
Baypark Speedway has suffered five delays due to Covid-19 restrictions - but it's finally back in action. Photo / Talia Parker
"I'd guess nearly every track across the country has had some sort of delay thanks to Covid-19," he said.
"It's super disappointing that these delays have happened – speedway is completely outdoors, and fans and competitors all have the ability to social-distance, so the Covid-19 restrictions have been pretty frustrating."
He said Covid-19 impacted his team's finances.
"It limits the opportunities we have to promote our amazing sponsors, as well as any opportunity to earn prizemoney and sell merchandise which helps fund our team."
He said the pandemic had a significant impact on his career because of restrictions and uncertainties.
"We would normally be able to share a schedule that involved us travelling across the country throughout the summer [the New Zealand speedway season], and we can't do that beyond the next traffic light update.
"Normally I would travel throughout the New Zealand off-season to Australia and America to compete in the biggest midget races in the world, which I haven't been able to do for two years now."
Veteran saloon car driver Michelle Wymer said the delays were "a real shame" for her and her team.
Veteran driver Michelle Wymer said the delays were a "real shame." Photo / Supplied
"It makes [managing] other life things interesting."
She said she looked forward to putting aside "all the rubbish in the background".
"We're just looking forward to going racing."
Two-time champion Rodney Wood said the biggest thing Covid-19 had cost the sport was championship races - these have been postponed until next season.
"As a racer, you aspire to be at those titles," he said.
"It bursts the bubble a little bit for us."
He was glad Baypark was back in action.
He said the opening of the Auckland border would only increase the calibre of cars Baypark attracts.
"The future's now looking pretty good for Baypark."
Rodney Wood's sprint car (left) beside his son Cole's car (right). Photo / Supplied
Former sprint car champion Dean Brindle also lamented the loss of the NZ championships.
He sympathised with the difficulties Baypark had faced.
"With a stadium the size of Baypark, it must be very difficult to put systems in place and implement them so that both the competitors and the public have a good experience."
He said the changes to alert levels and Covid-19 restrictions made planning difficult for racers and venues alike.
Former champion Dean Brindle said the delays were out of Baypark's hands. Photo / Supplied
"We like to have clear plans so that we can communicate with our sponsors, team, and the public on where we intend to be so lately it has been done week by week.
"It makes it hard to plan where you are going to be racing but it's out of the competitors' and promotions' hands due to the restrictions."
Auckland-based American sprint car driver Jonathan Allard, three-time King of the West champion and Gold Cup winner, would also be racing on Saturday now the Auckland border has been opened.
He said delays had made things difficult to manage.
"It's really hard to get a plan, a motivation, and stay focused on a goal when everything changes every couple of weeks."
International champion Jonathan Allard said delays could benefit racing in the long run. Photo / James Selwyn
Allard thought Covid-19 could end up being a blessing in disguise for local racing venues such as Baypark.
"If you look at what's happened at home [in the United States] after they were able to open up, it was record crowds every weekend.
"It might bring back some of that pleasure and focus to the local racing scene, instead of so much on TV."
