Heather Hills (left), Celine Teal and Angela Teal with Pure Evil, a modified 1929 Willy's Whippet, ready for Wheels in Wanganui 2022. Photo / Paul Brooks
Heather Hills (left), Celine Teal and Angela Teal with Pure Evil, a modified 1929 Willy's Whippet, ready for Wheels in Wanganui 2022. Photo / Paul Brooks
It's going to be a very different Wheels in Wanganui on the Sunday of next Wellington Anniversary Weekend, but it is still going ahead.
Organiser Angela Teal could see the difficulties of a static display of vehicles and the need for Covid-19 compliance, so ... "We've decided to put a holdon the show, but we're going to do a poker run," she says. It's based on the poker-run concept, but it's a scavenger hunt, a mystery run, a fun run, or whatever you like to call it. Vehicles and their owners will enter, and if they don't know Whanganui, they will by the end of the day. "There will be 16 places to go to, with the end one being the venue for the finish. We'll start at the racecourse ..." and that's all we're allowed to know.
"You are given a sheet of paper as you drive out the gate," says volunteer and family member Heather Hills. The sheet has a list of questions, the answers to which will lead to each location. At some places, there will be a staff member who will stamp the sheet of paper. "At some places, you look for a hidden clue," says Angela. Everybody ends up at the final location where they enjoy food, drink and a party. "We reckon we will get at least 200 cars. I know for a fact we have Palmerston North Car Club and Taranaki Car Club coming over, and they've got quite a few cars in there."
Heather is a member of Wanganui Road Rodders: she drives a modified 1929 Willys Whippet and says some of their cars will be taking part.
"We don't want to NOT do it," says Angela. "Just because Delta is out there, we should not have to stop raising money for St John Ambulance. It's such a great cause, and if someone gets Covid, who are they going to ring?" Heather says so much is being cancelled, it's good to see Wheels in Wanganui adopting a new format and still going ahead. She had just learned that the Port Road Drags in Seaview, Lower Hutt, the longest-running street drags event in Australasia, is not going ahead this year.
"We don't have to cancel things if we have a plan B," says Angela. "And everyone likes a good day out, driving around, finding clues." They say everyone on staff will be following Covid-19 protocols, with masks encouraged for everyone, QR codes to scan and hand sanitiser made available.
Angela says they have about 20 staff, most of them extended family. She says they get more people offering to help with every event. "Everybody wants to get involved. I'm glad people are taking us seriously." This will be the fourth time Wheels in Wanganui has been held.
Angela says she and daughter Celine went around organising their sponsors and supporters in July, but even with the change of tack from display to scavenger hunt, they have all remained on board. "They still want to be part of it: it's a good cause."
An added advantage is that the public will get to see the vehicles on the road – and there are all sorts, from sports cars and hot rods to restored veterans, vintage and classics. From 12.30pm on Sunday, January 23, vehicles will gather at the racecourse to start the fun run at 1pm. By 4pm, all cars should be gathered for the prizegiving at the final location.
Entry fee is $10 a car and staff will be taking buckets around to collect donations. "Food and drink will be available [to buy] ... and have a good afternoon with the free band," says Angela. "It's a family event and it's run by a family." If anyone is available to help with sponsorship or to assist on the day, go to the Wheels in Wanganui Facebook page or call Angela on 027 482 4148.
