polarising , it was Auckland ’ s home circuit . That is something the Big Smoke will never ever have again . Culturally , the City Of Sails has taken a hit . Economically , Pukekohe will also feel the loss . Motorsport ’ s money is not just gate takes . It involves workers to maintain and manage the circuit , for sure . What people don ’ t always factor into their assessments are things like 60 years of accommodation , workshop facilities and the spend folk looking for such things bring to town . The ripple effect will be much larger than the square metres of bitumen would suggest .
THE EXQUISITE AROMA OF CLASSIC RACING With modern machines , the speed is mindblowing , the sound of those high-revving units screaming past is simply awesome . But nothing , nothing at all sounds as good or smells as good as a massive bunch of classics and post classics battling it out , running their own explosive recipe of fuel . Those recipes vary from bike to bike and rider to rider . There is the sweet smell of two-stroke mix floating around as well as the unmistakable whiff of methanol . Then there is the aroma and taste of Avgas and even a few running straight pump petrol . Combined with the slightly sweaty smell of ‘ almost ’ oiltight , air-cooled engines trying to radiate the heat via an amazing variety of fin styles ( and the odd water-cooled bike ) and you have an aromatic experience you could bottle and sell on both Father ’ s Day and Mother ’ s Day . Yep , the classic fields have a bunch of fast women out there as well . I am a fan of modern racing , but moderns have nothing on that glorious sensory experience that the classics deliver via your slightly acid-stripped and generally overwhelmed nasal cavity .
BEERS ‘ N ’ TEARS There must have been more dust than expected after the place was flooded just days prior . I could have sworn I witnessed some of the most race-hardened people I know wandering around with what , to someone who didn ’ t know better , may well have been mistaken for tears as the end neared . And it was more evident after the final bell tolled , as in the last chequered flag stopped waving and the overwhelming silence descended . Fuck , it ’ s over . With many racers , supporters and spectators camping for the weekend , the ‘ celebrations ’ at day ’ s end were a blend of farewells to mates and a last goodbye to Pukekohe Motorsport Park . At times you could have been forgiven for
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