A line up of 65 top drivers are revving to go in the 2024 Ashburton Street Sprints, kick starting this year’s Wheels Week Plus programme.
Run by the Ashburton Car Club, the iconic event has speed records waiting to be broken.
Club president Wayne Muckle said this year was likely to rate among one of the best with quality drivers confirmed for the event which is running two weekends earlier than in usual due to national motor sport planning.
‘‘I think it’s probably going to be one of our biggest to be fair,’’ Muckle said.
‘‘We’ve got some quality entries. We are two weeks earlier than normal … longer days, warmer weather.”
He was hopeful of dry conditions on the weekend, and predicts records will be broken with warm weather setting the scene for perfect road conditions.
The 1.9km course is around Ashburton’s Riverside Industrial Estate.
The event, which sees drivers in high-performance cars compete in a time trial runs, is on April 27 and April 28 starting from 8am both days.
Entry, via Robinson St, costs $10 per day – eftpos available. Children aged under 15 free.
‘‘I think we are looking at a bloody good year.’’
The street sprints, which started 35 years ago, stemmed from an idea put forward by Wayne Adams, he said.
‘‘The first year we ran it, we ran one lap on a different course to what it is now.
The second year we went to the present course … we went up to two laps.’’
The course, which runs around the Ashburton Riverside Industrial Estate, runs on April 27 and April 28 from 8am both days.
The street sprints is the club’s biggest event for the year.
‘‘It’s become an iconic event really.
‘‘We ran three runs then we got down to 32 (drivers), from 64 entries, and then kept halving the field until we got down to the final two.’’
The fastest driver wins.
He said it was about 10 years ago when the late Shayne Adams put the idea forward to have four runs.
‘‘Four runs, puts a bit of pressure on, you’ve got to have everything going 100 per cent.’’
He said it was a real showcase for the car club.
Muckle, who is clerk of the course, was full of praise for the special group who helped to put it on each year, including club secretary Kim Adams, scrutineers and the many other volunteers and businesses on board.
