The entire Supercars operation will be airlifted to Auckland for this week’s ITM Auckland SuperSprint on 3-5 November, in one of the largest single airlifts in New Zealand sporting history.
This specific air freight system was developed 10 years ago by Supercars and it has been used for the international races in Asia, Middle East, USA and New Zealand.
All of the Supercars field will be transported from Melbourne in a 747-400 Series Freighter Aircraft, with the New Zealand stop the only flyaway event for Supercars this year, with the cars scheduled to arrive today and tomorrow before freighting them to Pukekohe Park Raceway.
The plane will make two trips, with the aircraft having capacity for 16 cars in eight double stack car racks, with safety and course cars included. The total freight weight of each aircraft, including purpose built containers, is in excess of 100 tonnes.
The purpose built aircraft container has been developed to house support equipment for each car. However, this will not house spare engines, gear boxes and wheels as these items will be packed into communal cargo in the aircraft.
Each car competing in the ITM Auckland SuperSprint is allocated one support equipment container although the race car support equipment containers must not exceed 2500kgs.
Each competing vehicle is limited to 20 wheels, in addition to the four wheels mounted to the car at the event. This is a total of 624 wheels across the teams.
All hazardous materials have been sourced locally in New Zealand. The likes of acetone, aerosols, fibreglass repair kits, acid batteries, brake cleaner, liquid polish, paint and race fuel cannot be air freighted so have been supplied directly to teams from local businesses.
The total combined cost of the freight carried over by the two aircraft, as well as additional equipment carried in each team’s allocated container totals more than $25 million.
Teams face a tight turn around with only a few days after the Castrol Gold Coast 600 to prepare cars for the air freight shipment to Auckland in readiness for the ITM Auckland SuperSprint starting on Friday.
Tickets are now on sale at Ticketek for the ITM Auckland Supersprint, which will be decided on a new format with two longer 200km races on each of Saturday and Sunday. Family concessions mean kids 12 and under get access to trackside free (with a paying adult). Grandstand ticket prices are better value than ever with single day grandstand tickets available.
Tickets can be purchased at www.ticketek.co.nz
Pukekohe Town Square is the place to be in the build-up to this year’s event. Celebrate the ITM Auckland SuperSprint 2017 with a warm Pukekohe welcome for the Supercars drivers on Thursday, 2 November from 4-7pm. The free Pukekohe Fan Day includes classic cars on display, a DJ on stage, fun activities with pedal and Xbox One’s Forza Motorsport 7, and Supercars drivers on site for autographs and selfies (from 5.15-6.15pm).
On Friday, 3 November, check out the Pukekohe Cardboard Car Rally, from 4-6.30pm, as local school students compete to create cars will then be showcased, judged and raced around a designated course set out in the Pukekohe Town Square, which will also contain pit lanes. Judging will be led by motorsport legend Greg Murphy.
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