Circuits
Pukekohe - Round 1 - 5-7 November 2010
- Nearest City
- Auckland (55km), Hamilton (85km)
- Circuit Description
- 2.841km, 7 corners, Clockwise
- Surface
- Hot mix bitumen
- Top Speed
- 220-230 km/h
- Spectator Facilities
- Main covered grandstand (hospitality), covered open stand, terraced seating, GA areas
- Lap Record
- John McIntyre - Ford Falcon BA - 1:01.159 (2009)
- Website
- http://www.countiesracing.co.nz/motor-racing/
A Falcon perspective - John McIntyre
One of the last old school circuits that's still fast and unforgiving. Because of its long back straight you need good power to do well here, but of course, the 6 corners are the key to a quick lap. Turn 1 is a fast 4th gear entry at around 220k; you hold your breath as the car teeters on the limit of adhesion. The Esses are straight-lined as you head towards Castrol; the most important corner because it leads onto the back straight. A good exit will see you hit 240k on the straight before braking as late as possible down to 1st for the hairpin, the best passing opportunity on the track. Exit speed is crucial because it dictates your speed over the hill, my favourite corner in NZ. Taken in 4th gear, you're as close to full throttle as you can handle, throwing the car right and oversteering through the exit onto the front straight. Set your car up so it changes direction quickly and won't understeer through the fast corners 1 and 6.
A Commodore perspective - Andy Booth
The track where I first drove a race car and one of my all time favourites. Puke's fast open nature has produced some of the best and closest on track battles in NZ motorsport. While a strong engine is a must, this track has a more technical nature then most would credit. The key to a quick lap time is smoothness and an ability to quickly switch driving styles from the fast to slow corners. Pukekohe's two slow corners, Castrol and the hairpin both lead onto long runs through to top gear, a good exit from these is a must or else you'll suffer all the way to the next breaking point. In stark contrast are turn 1 and coming up over the hill, 2 corners that favour the brave and require XXL size gonads to truly extract the best speed. Both of these sections are negotiated in top gear, coming over the hill nearly flat to the floor trying to keep all the momentum you've built on the run from the hairpin whilst the sweeper at turn 1 needs just the slightest touch on the brakes to carry as much entry speed as common sense will allow! A classic old school racing track for racing the old school way.
