Latest news with #WhitestoneRodders
Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Oamaru airport drags canned
The Oamaru Airport Drags event has been spiked "for the foreseeable future" by the Waitaki District Council without formal explanation, leaving organisers "disappointed and confused" and the mayor out of the loop. The council allows Whitestone Rodders hot rod club to use the airport runway twice a year for the Oamaru Airport Drags where spectators enjoy V8s, imports and motorbikes taking turns speeding down the runway during four rounds of quarter-mile action. In its 13th year, the event attracted up to 150 competitors and 1500 spectators and also kept "boy racers" off the street, Whitestone Rodders president Geoff Omnett said. It was "unusual the club had not been given any real justification in the decision to halt the big community event". "It's odd and Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher said he and the councillors weren't aware of any such decision being made." Club committee member Murray Mackenzie said an email from the council property manager last month asking the club to remove its event signs at the airport and remove all their belongings from a storage shed had been upsetting. "We are disappointed. We spent $1500 of the club's money to repair all the rotten weatherboards at the council's request, and then six weeks later they tell us we can't race here any more. "We're like 'what's going on?'," Mr Mackenzie said. That letter, signed by WDC's property officer, read: "I'm just touching base to tidy up loose ends with regards to WDC not being able to allow drag racing at the Oamaru Airport any longer. "We are in the process of hiring an airport manager and it would be good to agree a way forward so I can hand over a clear set of close-out tasks to our new recruit. It asked "Can you please remove the sign promoting the event" and added if the club was still using storage at the airport "it would be good to have this cleared out in the near future as well". Mr Omnett said the council had previously advised them that tarmac resealing, organised by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), was to be done and for that reason they were not permitted to run the drags this year. Funds from the event, which is held in March and November, go towards the club, but also help other organisations that assist in running the event, including Air Training Corps and Hato Hone St John, he said. The club was also told the CAA required the council to carry out an aeronautical study to inform decisions about the future of the airport and the use of the runways. Club member and race organiser Kevin Boler said last year the previous council property manager Tania Goldingham told him there would be no more racing at the Oamaru Airport for the "foreseeable future", although he believed the "door was still open". Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher said he was unaware of any discussion between the hot rod club and the council regarding the tarmac. "There was talk around the impact that drag racing has on the runway, but it hasn't been a decision by the governance team to cease that event," Mr Kircher said. He said the council's plans to reseal the airport tarmac had been "put off" as they consider "cheaper options". Mr Kircher said if the impact of the drags on the tarmac was an issue they could look to other solutions such as "moving the race start area to a different part of the runway". Waitaki District Council director of strategy, performance and design Joanne O'Neill said a meeting was scheduled for August 11 with club members, council property managers and the new airport manager Matt Sisson. "We look forward to having a constructive conversation about the future of drag racing in Waitaki, given the increasing use of the Oamaru Airport," she said.
Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Council cans Oamaru airport drags
The Oamaru Airport Drags event has been spiked "for the foreseeable future" by the Waitaki District Council without formal explanation, leaving organisers "disappointed and confused" and the mayor out of the loop. The council allows Whitestone Rodders hot rod club to use the airport runway twice a year for the Oamaru Airport Drags where spectators enjoy V8s, imports and motorbikes taking turns speeding down the runway during four rounds of quarter-mile action. In its 13th year, the event attracted up to 150 competitors and 1500 spectators and also kept "boy racers" off the street, Whitestone Rodders president Geoff Omnett said. It was "unusual the club had not been given any real justification in the decision to halt the big community event". "It's odd and Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher said he and the councillors weren't aware of any such decision being made." Club committee member Murray Mackenzie said an email from the council property manager last month asking the club to remove its event signs at the airport and remove all their belongings from a storage shed had been upsetting. "We are disappointed. We spent $1500 of the club's money to repair all the rotten weatherboards at the council's request, and then six weeks later they tell us we can't race here any more. "We're like 'what's going on?'," Mr Mackenzie said. That letter, signed by WDC's property officer, read: "I'm just touching base to tidy up loose ends with regards to WDC not being able to allow drag racing at the Oamaru Airport any longer. "We are in the process of hiring an airport manager and it would be good to agree a way forward so I can hand over a clear set of close-out tasks to our new recruit. It asked "Can you please remove the sign promoting the event" and added if the club was still using storage at the airport "it would be good to have this cleared out in the near future as well". Mr Omnett said the council had previously advised them that tarmac resealing, organised by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), was to be done and for that reason they were not permitted to run the drags this year. Funds from the event, which is held in March and November, go towards the club, but also help other organisations that assist in running the event, including Air Training Corps and Hato Hone St John, he said. The club was also told the CAA required the council to carry out an aeronautical study to inform decisions about the future of the airport and the use of the runways. Club member and race organiser Kevin Boler said last year the previous council property manager Tania Goldingham told him there would be no more racing at the Oamaru Airport for the "foreseeable future", although he believed the "door was still open". Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher said he was unaware of any discussion between the hot rod club and the council regarding the tarmac. "There was talk around the impact that drag racing has on the runway, but it hasn't been a decision by the governance team to cease that event," Mr Kircher said. He said the council's plans to reseal the airport tarmac had been "put off" as they consider "cheaper options". Mr Kircher said if the impact of the drags on the tarmac was an issue they could look to other solutions such as "moving the race start area to a different part of the runway". Waitaki District Council director of strategy, performance and design Joanne O'Neill said a meeting was scheduled for August 11 with club members, council property managers and the new airport manager Matt Sisson. "We look forward to having a constructive conversation about the future of drag racing in Waitaki, given the increasing use of the Oamaru Airport," she said.
Otago Daily Times
01-08-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
What a drag: annual racing event left in limbo by resealing plans
A popular event at the Oamaru Airport has been postponed by the Waitaki District Council without formal explanation, leaving the organisers "disappointed and confused". Waitaki District Council allows hot rod club Whitestone Rodders to use the airport runway twice a year for the Oamaru Drags, where spectators enjoy V8s, imports and motorbikes taking turns speeding down the airport runway during four rounds of quarter-mile action. Now in its 13th year, it attracted up to 150 competitors and 1500 spectators each year and also kept "boy racers" off the street, Whitestone Rodders president Geoff Omnett said. Mr Omnett said it was "unusual the club had not been given any real justification in the decision to halt the big community event". "It's odd, and Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher said he and the councillors weren't aware of any such decision being made." Mr Omnett said the council had previously advised them that tarmac resealing, organised by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), was to be done and for that reason they were not permitted to run the drags this year. Funds from the event — held in March and November — go towards the club, but also help other organisations that assist the club in running the event, including Air Training Corps and Hato Hone St John, he said. The club was also told the CAA required the council to carry out an aeronautical study to inform decisions about the future of the airport and the use of the runways. Club member and race organiser Kevin Boler said last year the previous council property manager Tania Goldingham informed him there would be no more drag racing at the Oamaru Airport for the "foreseeable future", although he believed the "door was still open". Mr Kircher said he was unaware of any discussion between the hot rod club and the council regarding the tarmac. "There was talk around the impact that drag racing has on the runway, but it hasn't been a decision by the governance team to cease that event," Mr Kircher said. The council's plans to reseal the airport tarmac had been "put off" as they considered "cheaper options", including the possibility of using a new SteelGuard surface similar to the recent resurfacing of Alexandra Airport's runway, which came in at $470,000 — about half the cost of earlier estimates. Club committee member Murray Mackenzie said an email from the council property manager last month that asked the club to remove their event signs at the airport and all of their belongings in a storage shed had been upsetting. "We are disappointed — we spent $1500 of the club's money to repair all the rotten weatherboards at the council's request, and then six weeks later they tell us we can't race here any more. We're like 'what's going on?'," Mr Mackenzie said. Mr Omnett said they were aware the airport was busier with New Zealand Airline Academy flights "but their planes don't land on the tarmac, they land on the grass". Mr Kircher said if the impact of the drags on the tarmac was an issue, they could look to other solutions such as "moving the race start area to a different part of the runway". Waitaki District Council director of strategy, performance and design Joanne O'Neill said a meeting was set for August 11 with club members, council property managers and new airport manager Matt Sisson. "We look forward to having a constructive conversation about the future of drag racing in Waitaki, given the increasing use of the Oamaru Airport," she said. Originally organised by the North Otago Car Club in the early 1970s as a single-car timed run down the flattest section of Seven Mile Rd, drag-racing in the area had a long history and had evolved over time, Mr Boler said.
Otago Daily Times
14-06-2025
- Automotive
- Otago Daily Times
Milestone to be marked
Gearing up for the 50th anniversary of the Whitestone Rodders club are members (from left) Geoff and Jan Omnet, and their 12-week-old puppy, Indie, next to their 1932 Ford Sports Coupe 509 V8, Hank and Nola Robertson, and Leigh Fellows with his 1946 Ford Sedan. PHOTO: JULES CHIN Get your motors running, the Whitestone Rodders will hold their 50th anniversary in Oamaru next weekend. Whitestone Rodders was established in 1975 and has clubrooms on Stoke St. It is also an incorporated society and member of New Zealand Hot Rod Association (NZHRA), which has 105 clubs. Whitestone Rodders president Geoff Omnet said there will be "cars everywhere" as part of the Matariki weekend celebrations. He said over 200 people had registered for the event and they were coming from as far away as Whanganui. "We're really happy with the turnout. "So many of the old hot-rodders have had a good time in Oamaru in the past, they're arriving Thursday for a dinner at Scotts Brewery. "On Friday, there is a visit to Rod Tempero Motor Body Builders, Riverstone Kitchen and Steampunk HQ, and all things Oamaru," he said. The event also includes a drive to Macraes Mine and Hayes' Engineering Works, a historic engineering site on the Saturday, and gold-mining villages Nenthorn and Moonlight, then dinner at the Brydone Hotel that evening, and a farewell breakfast on the Sunday, Mr Omnet said. Whitestone Rodders run the popular drag racing event at the Oamaru Airport twice a year. The club also hosts an annual "camp-out" on Waitangi Weekend at Danseys Pass, and club members attend out-of-town shows, drags and runs, Mr Omnet said. The club has 60 members and eight social members, the oldest being 80 and the youngest in their early 20's, he said. Mr Omnet said hot-rodding, classic cars and street machines were a worldwide growing trend. He said owning a hot rod was an "expression of one's personality". "They're not all the same but mostly flash paint, fancy chrome and big engines," he said. The club also hosts the Annual Memorial Run to remember past members who have died. Mr Omnet said he was the only founding member left in the club, and several members had returned to the club after leaving to work elsewhere. Whitestone Rodders has four life members, Mr Omnet, Ken Harper, Hank Robertson and Leigh Fellows.
