Petrol-head heaven at Taupo's Powercruise

Motorsport fans will be licking their lips at the thought of attending the Supercheap Auto Powercruise in Taupo this weekend, which showcases several motorsport disciplines in one event.

The Powercruise event is the only one of its kind in New Zealand and will be held today and tomorrow at Taupo Motorsport Park.

More than 400 cars are entered for the event, ranging from drift cars to hot rods.

About 3500 people attended the event last year, and organisers are expecting the biggest crowd yet this weekend, with mainly fine conditions forecast.

The event, in its fifth year at Taupo, features all kinds of competitions and entertainment, including off street racing, power skids, drifting, drag racing, and burnouts.

The event will also feature 12 hours of cruising, which means car owners can take their vehicles for a spin around the track.

Powercruise owner and organiser Michael Gilbert said he had brought over a group of 25 to help run the event from Australia.

He said people always seemed to enjoy the Powercruise events which were also staged in Australia and the United States.

Gates open at 7am today and 8am tomorrow. The event runs until late afternoon on both days.

Entry cost for spectators is $35 on Saturday and $25 on Sunday, children aged under 13 are free.

Prices to take your car for a cruise on the race track start at $150.