Speedway organiser out of pocket after cancellation

Baypark yesterday afternoon after the speedway was cancelled this week. Photo/Andrew Warner

A speedway event organiser is out of pocket more than $10,000 after cancelling tonight's event at ASB Baypark Stadium.

The Bay of Plenty Super Saloon Car Championship was due to be held tonight before event organiser Bernie Gillon pulled the plug after deciding the track was not ready for the event after the jet sprints which was held on Anniversary weekend.

"It's a very costly exercise for me and not a good look for speedway in terms of letting competitors and spectators down. We have had people from all over the country book and pay deposits on motels."

Mr Gillon would not disclose the exact amount to be lost through the cancellation but said it was upwards of $10,000.

The event would have attracted between 2000 and 4000 people, he said.

Mr Gillon said he pulled the plug on the event as the track was not in good enough condition and was contaminated with metal, gravel and sand.

"The place is just a mess really. There is still a puddle of water in the field. I just can't run a race meeting, I can't grade the track - we are still waiting for some of the mud to dry out," he said.

"I haven't got a facility fit for purpose for speedway. It's frustrating as hell for me."

Mr Gillon said he would always support jet sprints at BayPark as an event for the Bay.

"It's a great event the not only for the punters, but the venue and the town. Fundamentally I have no problem at all but I am promoter of a business and this has cost me a lot of money."

Mr Gillon would try and reschedule the event later in the year.

New Zealand JetSprint Association president Paul Gaston said jet sprints had fulfilled all their contractual event promoter obligations for venue reinstatement.

BayVenues was responsible for engaging the contractor and managing the reinstatement of the track, field and turf at their venue, he said.

"New Zealand JetSprint Association had budgeted to contribute $25,000 plus GST to the reinstatement costs on top of the venue hire fee. In addition, NZJSA staff oversaw track emptying and re-filling ground works, and voluntarily worked alongside BayPark family Speedway and BayVenues staff last week to assist with helping getting the track and venue ready for speedway this weekend.

Mr Gaston said the track and field area of the venue was already damaged after previous events including Speedway's Offroad event in December and Bay Dreams two weeks prior to jets prints.

"The track and field has never really recovered from it. BayVenues presented a field area and turf which wasn't even in an ideal condition for the jet sprints.

"We wanted green grass and stability of soil structure for an optimal jet sprint track - that certainly wasn't presented after the unfortunate mix of wet weather and a big concert turned the infield into a barren mud bowl," he said.

Mr Gaston said despite this week's cancellation it was great to see the venue used for multiple purposes but maybe more resources, co-ordination and time was needed to reinstate the ground after each event.

Baypark General Manager Ervin McSweeney said the reinstatement process started happening immediately after jet sprints took place.

"It happened relatively smoothly, there are always some bits and pieces that happen when you dig up the field that you then have to repair."

Mr McSweeney said in past years other events had taken place one week after the jet sprints.

Well used

• The 17,500 (expendable to 19,700 capacity ASB Baypark Stadium boasts the southern hemisphere's biggest speedway track, sports field oval, training facilities, 30 corporate boxes and more than 4000 onsite carparks.