Eric Thompson: Speedway must be nurtured, not neutered

Greg Hancock, above, was one of the top class riders at Western Springs Stadium, that is popular with motorsports. Photo / File

Opinion

Ever since I heard the World Speedway Grand Prix was coming to New Zealand, I'd been anticipating the event.

The pack-out crowd and I were not disappointed. To see 15 of the world's best (plus the wild card Kiwi) speedway riders fizzing around the magnificent Western Springs track in Auckland was like being in a grown up sporting country.

It was an evening of great entertainment and every person I spoke to during the afternoon had nothing but praise for the opening round of this year's championship.

Bill Buckley, and his crew, should take a bow and be mentioned in dispatches for putting his money on the line and getting the riders out to the Southern Hemisphere for the first time since 2002.

What was more gratifying were the number of people who have never had much interest in motorsport, let alone solo speedway, making a point of finding me and telling me what a brilliant event it was. Even my 15-year-old daughter thought it was a great night and enjoyed the spectacle.

Prime Minister John Key has suggested he wants to see more international and world-class events in New Zealand and Auckland mayor Len Brown wants to have more international events here.

Well, I hope both of them were in attendance Saturday afternoon to witness an event that was truly international, world class and packed full of entertainment.

However, there's one problem.

The morally bereft residents, who could only afford to buy a house in an inner Auckland suburb because Western Springs raceway is there, want to shut the place down. I don't know about you folk, but if I knew a race track was near my backyard and didn't like noise, I wouldn't but there.

As far as I am concerned, the only people who can complain about having a race track near their house are the folk living there 80 years ago before the track was commissioned.

Anyone who moved in afterwards, because housing was cheaper due to the track, has no right to utter a single word.

If New Zealand and in particular Auckland want to get more events of global and world class calibre, the Auckland Council is going to have to grow some cojones and tell the few to pull their collective heads in.

And if they don't like it - move out.

The tail has to stop wagging the dog if Auckland is going to want to be taken seriously and attract more overseas big-time entertainment.