Q&A: Oceanview Family Speedway president Daryn Smith

Daryn Smith has been involved with Oceanview Family Speedway since it opened in 1972. Photo / Supplied

On the weekend Oceanview Family Speedway celebrated its 50th anniversary. Emma Bernard has 10 questions for its president, Daryn Smith.

How did you get into speedway?

I've been going ever since 1972 when I was a baby. I first went there with my parents and my dad was a petrolhead so we used to always be out there watching it.

I've been tied up with it pretty off and on, and, in the last 20 years, I've gone from being a driver to a rep, then on the committee and now president.

Now I've got my own son into it, he's 27 and racing as well.

What do you do outside of speedway?

I work as a caretaker at a school, then build cars, build trailers and then just speedway.

I'll help people build road cars into a production saloon or something like that.

What's your favourite car?

It would be a Superstock, just because they're so fast. You're allowed to crash and bang, and they're the elite of speedway I guess.

What's an affordable way to get into speedway?

Demolition Derby is how a lot of people get into speedway with a lower budget, you can have a lot of fun and you're allowed to crash and bang.

Then you pretty much throw it away at the end of the night. If you're in your car right you shouldn't get hurt, but it's motorsport at the end of the day and it's like when you drive to the dairy. If something goes wrong it's possible to get hurt.

Do you have a favourite driver?

Probably as a kid it would've been Charlie Berntsen.

He was one of the original people who helped get the Whanganui track going. He was really entertaining to watch drive, and do some crazy things.

One time he escaped out of a coffin in the middle of the track while a car was coming, many things you'd not be allowed to do today.

What's your thoughts on boyracers?

I personally think they need somewhere to go. Our committee are wanting to look at creating a burnout pad or something like that, but it's time and money and trying to find the right channels.

Because then if they have somewhere to go it's a safer environment than doing it on the streets.

Has speedway driving changed the way you drive in your day-to-day vehicle?

No, because the minute you drive off the track you should drive normally.

It probably gives you more road skills and make you more aware of what's going on around you, because you have to be really aware on the track.

What was your first car?

A Hillman Avenger when I was 16. It's probably a collectors' item now. Then I got into motorbikes for some time, then got back into cars.

How do people usually get involved with speedway?

I think often people are tied up because family do it. We've probably got three or four generations of families now, or people get involved with pit-crewing which then leads them to wanting to drive.

Do you think speedway will change much in the next 20 years?

I think it will change. It will become less contact-based and more about speed. It's gone that way everywhere else in the world. New Zealand's the only place in the world that still allows full contact.