International star for truck festival

TeamBPAtkinsPict14 STEVE Parrish with the BP Atkins Mercedes Benz racer 2001. PICTURE / DAVID ATKINS RACING

Wanganui based motorsport promoter Robert Cochrane is pleased to announce that Steve Parrish will open his three city NZ MAD Entertainment Tour in Taupo on Saturday, May 2 at the Taupo Golf Club at 7.30pm, with support from the Taupo District Council and tour sponsor Mike Pero Real Estate. Taupo was chosen as it fits nicely with his appearance as special guest at the New Zealand Truck Racing Festival celebrating 25 years of truck racing in New Zealand.
Steve Parrish is a five times European FIA Truck Race Champion, five times British Truck Race Champion and a leading motorsport commentator.
He is the most successful British and European truck racer of all time, winning all his titles with the BP Mercedes Benz Team. Steve is a BBC Moto GP commentator and an ITV Isle of Man television commentator, an author and both a motorcycle magazine writer and motorcycle television tester. As a pilot Steve has also commentate on the Red Bull Air Race for television and for the BBC he has tested modern Moto GP bikes including the Valentino Rossi machine in 2010.
Steve is a former Suzuki "Works" Grand Prix rider and came fifth in the World 500cc Championships in 1977 as Barry Sheene's team-mate. He met Barry in 1975 and they became best friends. Steve won the British 500cc Championship three times, the Shell 500cc title in 1978 and 1979 plus the British Superbike Championship in 1981. He was appointed UK Works Yamaha Team manager from 1987 to 1991 with the team winning three British Superbike titles.
Barry Sheene is quoted as saying, "If Steve was to set up his bike as well as his victims and put as much effort into the bike as he did the intricate pranks he pulled on people he would certainly have been a World champion."
Steve has been fantastic in his support for NZ motorsport, says Robert Cochrane, and is keen to help promote the "Barry Sheene" event in New Zealand as well. "It's great to have such a high profile racer and media personality in New Zealand and I am looking forward to hearing his many great stories hanging out with Barry, plus those of his Truck racing career."
This is the first appearance of the MAD Tour outside of the UK.
He will give three appearances in New Zealand, Taupo Saturday May 2, Christchurch Monday, May 4 at the Hornby Working Men's Club and Tuesday, May 5 at Avondale RSA in Auckland with admission tickets $30 including all fees. Tickets are available from www.iticket.co.nz.
At the Truck Racing Festival Steve Parrish will undertake hot laps in a race car, a super truck, on a motorcycle plus fly a vintage Tiger Moth or similar aircraft around the track. Steve will also do truck race commentary and trackside interviews. The race meeting includes the final round of the NZ Super truck Racing Championship and also the final round for the Enzed Central Muscle Car series with a range of invited classes including an Invitation GT and BMW Class, European cars plus classics and motorcycles.
A number of Wanganui racers will be involved in the Pre '65 race class plus the Drifters "Battlemania" run by local Ricky Lee. A Show 'n' Shine event in the grassed area behind the pits will see 100 big rigs on show and a portion of the truck entry fees is going to the nominated charity, Autism NZ supporting Children's Autism.
¦For ticket bookings and further info go to www.nztruckracingfestival.co.nz