NZ V8 Jetsprint championship action enthrals

A huge crowd packed out ASB Baypark Stadium during Round 2 of the ENZED Jetsprint Racing Championships on Saturday. Photo/Andrew Warner

The success of the ENZED V8 Jetsprint Championships could see the event coming back to Tauranga next year.

A massive crowd packed out ASB Baypark for the inaugural event on Saturday and organisers say the success means another event is likely to be held next year.

Event spokeswoman Pip Minnell said about 15,000 people were at the event, almost a sellout.

Saturday's event was the second round of the championships series and Ms Minnell said the organisers could not have hoped for a better turnout and crowd response.

The event was the world's first V8 jetsprint race inside a stadium arena.

Ms Minnell said the crowd response was "absolutely fabulous" with people streaming in the gates from 11.30am, three hours before the event started.

"It was quite a fluid crowd, with some people coming and going and the hard-core fans staying the whole day.

"There was a broad mix of spectators and people were clearly loving the spectacular racing and the crashes.

"Some people were saying it was the best event they had attended, and many others even went so far as to say it was best event ever held at Baypark."

Ms Minnell said the event organisers and NZ V8 Jetsprints Association executive were rapt to have the opportunity to raise awareness of this "exciting, growing sport".

There was plenty of action off the course with children's entertainment in the Pak N'Save kidszone, which she said lots of families took advantage of.

Ms Minnell said there would be a debriefing process being held in the next couple of weeks, but already the association executive and the organisers were looking at holding a similar event here in 2015.

Saturday's Jetsprints Championship series was streamed live worldwide with huge interest from America and Australia, she said.

Round three of the championship series is being held at Meremere Aquapark on February 9, followed by rounds four and five in Wanganui and Featherston respectively, and the finals in Wanaka over Easter weekend.