The New Zealand Superbike Championships get back into action with the Auckland Motorcycle Club hosting round four at Hampton Downs on March 17th & 18th and the club is planning on making it a very special day indeed.

“We plan on making this a full on family event, catering for the children and the wife’s/partners of the petrol heads so they don’t need the weekend pass to get their speed fix,” said club spokesman Graham Bastow.

Family entry is $45 for mum, dad & two children (additional children $5), adults $25, children under 15 free if accompanied by a fee paying adult.

For the youngsters (Under 15’s who will have free entry if accompanied by an adult) there will be a range of activities supplied by the Cambridge company ‘Event Fun’ they will be bringing several blow up apparatuses from surf board challenges, mazes and with any luck one of the biggest slides in the southern hemisphere. We will have a face painting artist and am negotiating with a caricaturist to attend who can produce quick drawings not only for the kids but other individual, race teams etc.

“The emphasis is on fun,” said Bastow.

“We will be having a range of craft stalls from local artists within the North Island displaying and selling their work as well as trade/dealer/accessories stands from the motorcycle industry and stands from others displaying their business’s wares from specialist camera suppliers, camping gear to tool suppliers and so much more.

“A display of American muscle cars and hopefully some Hogs will be there for the public to stare deep into the chrome of and we have our fingers crossed for a certain Mr John Britten’s Mobil 1 sponsored pink and purple creation to be on display as well as some other exotic creations on both two and four wheels.

“As well as the on track thrills and spills provided by some of the best riders from here and overseas in some of the closest racing we have seen in a long time we will have the North Island’s very own Nic Kroeze to entertain in the lunch break showing us what is possible on a motorcycle on one wheel and the speed at which a perfectly usable tyre can be destroyed.

“The American muscle cars will also get to show spectators what they sound like with a couple of laps of the circuit.

“There will be food outlets and fresh coffee available from onsite caterers and access to ‘Hamptons’ the bar and food outlet with a panoramic view from turn one to two from its deck.

“Importantly, riders and spectators need to bring an FM radio and tune it to 102.5 fm, most cell phones have this capability and race teams, between you get a standalone radio for your pits.

“This is going to be the best way to hear not only the commentary but also dummy grid calls, Hampton Downs are working at extending the P/A and improving the quality but is still not 100% yet so to keep in the loop about what is going on, bring a radio.”