Despite no Cemetery Circuit, keen locals head down to the track

Colin Matthews and Craig Scott held a small gathering on Boxing Day to commemorate this year's cancelled Cemetery Circuit. Photo / Lewis Gardner

Whanganui's Taupo Quay certainly looked a little different on Boxing Day, with the annual Cemetery Circuit not going ahead due to Covid-19.

The cancellation didn't stop some keen locals though, such as track builder Craig Scott, who organised a BBQ and some cold brews to mark the occasion.

Every year, the group sets up at the intersection of Taupo Quay and Heads Rd, and this year was no different.

"We usually take two weeks off before Christmas getting all set up and then stay for another five days or so pulling it all down," said Scott.

"Yesterday was the first time in 25 years I spent the whole day at home. Usually, I leave around 10am to come down and start setting up."

The limited-edition T-shirts sold out in less than six hours. Photo / Lewis Gardner

Scott thinks this year's event would have been the 54th Cemetery Circuit he would have attended.

"I was selling programmes when I was like five years old. My dad use to race here, I race here and my son has just started. He had his first race last year.

"I rode here for the first time in 1986. I haven't done every year since, but I've done over 30 of them.

"It was really weird coming down here [on Christmas Day] from Aramoho and there is just nothing set up."

Jason Bardell going for a bit of a cruise around the would-be track. Photo / Lewis Gardner

Some of the guys were wearing the limited-edition Cemetery Circuit T-shirts with "Boxing Day 2021, The Year It Didn't Run" on them.

Scott said the T-shirts sold out in less than six hours.

"Flea made them up. I think they will be doing some more."