Teretonga Park
Encyclopedia
Teretonga is a motor racing circuit situated 8 kilometres (4.97 mi) south-west of Invercargill
, New Zealand
. It is home of the Southland
Sports Car Club. The circuit was established in 1957 and said to be the southern most race track in the world. It is also the country's oldest purpose-built venue.
Regular racing programme includes rounds of the local Clubmans Series; featuring rounds of South Island Racing Registers and a very large Classic Car meeting in February of each year. The circuit is also used for Sprints and Motorkhanas. Other clubs run Motor Cycle and Drag Races at Teretonga. Regarded by many drivers as the best and safest track in the country, it has been up-graded on a continual basis.
. The circuit is exposed to a strong sea breeze and often forces gearbox and setup changes.
Invercargill
Invercargill is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. It lies in the heart of the wide expanse of the Southland Plains on the Oreti or New River some 18 km north of Bluff,...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It is home of the Southland
Southland Region
Southland is New Zealand's southernmost region and is also a district within that region. It consists mainly of the southwestern portion of the South Island and Stewart Island / Rakiura...
Sports Car Club. The circuit was established in 1957 and said to be the southern most race track in the world. It is also the country's oldest purpose-built venue.
Regular racing programme includes rounds of the local Clubmans Series; featuring rounds of South Island Racing Registers and a very large Classic Car meeting in February of each year. The circuit is also used for Sprints and Motorkhanas. Other clubs run Motor Cycle and Drag Races at Teretonga. Regarded by many drivers as the best and safest track in the country, it has been up-graded on a continual basis.
History
- Since 1948 the Southland Sports Car Club Inc. has been one of the leading Clubs in the country. The Club entered the International motor race series in 1956 with the fastest-ever motor race on a road circuit at Ryal Bush. This led to the construction of Teretonga Park in 1957 at Sandy Point, the second purpose-built motor racing track in New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It was extended to its present configuration in 1966. - In the golden age of NZ Motor Racing in the '60s and '70s, Teretonga has hosted many of the world’s greatest drivers for example, Jim ClarkJim ClarkJames "Jim" Clark, Jr OBE was a British Formula One racing driver from Scotland, who won two World Championships, in 1963 and 1965....
, Graham HillGraham HillNorman Graham Hill was a British racing driver and two-time Formula One World Champion. He is the only driver to win the Triple Crown of Motorsport — the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Indianapolis 500 and Formula One World Championship.Graham Hill and his son Damon are the only father and son pair both to...
, Jackie StewartJackie StewartSir John Young Stewart, OBE , better known as Jackie Stewart, and nicknamed The Flying Scotsman, is a Scottish former racing driver and team owner. He competed in Formula One between 1965 and 1973, winning three World Drivers' Championships. He also competed in Can-Am...
, Jack BrabhamJack BrabhamSir John Arthur "Jack" Brabham, AO, OBE is an Australian former racing driver who was Formula One champion in , and . He was a founder of the Brabham racing team and race car constructor that bore his name....
, Bruce McLarenBruce McLarenBruce Leslie McLaren , born in Auckland, New Zealand, was a race-car designer, driver, engineer and inventor....
, Denny HulmeDenny HulmeDenis Clive "Denny" Hulme, OBE was a New Zealand racing driver, the 1967 Formula One World Champion for the Brabham team....
, Chris AmonChris AmonChristopher Arthur Amon MBE is a former motor racing driver. He was active in Formula One - racing in the 1960s and 1970s - and is widely regarded to be one of the best F1 drivers never to win a championship Grand Prix...
, Phil HillPhil HillPhilip Toll Hill, Jr., was a United States automobile racer and the only American-born driver to win the Formula One World Drivers' Championship. Hill was described as a "thoughtful, gentle man" and once said, "I'm in the wrong business. I don't want to beat anybody, I don't want to be the big hero...
, the list goes on. There is a fine display of memorabilia in the Clubrooms. - Since 1981 the Club has been actively engaged in the New Zealand Rally Championship.
- On 29 November 1998 the current outright lap record was set by Greg MurphyGreg MurphyGreg Murphy is a racing driver, best known as a four-time winner of the Bathurst 1000. Greg Murphy joined Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond presenting Top Gear, when it had its first international Live show at ASB Showgrounds in Auckland from February 12 - 15th 2009, and again when the show...
in a Formula HoldenFormula HoldenFormula Holden was an Australian open wheel racing category.-History:Known during its development as Formula Australia, it was initially for chassis constructed from aluminium only, running a 3.8 litre Buick V6 engine as it was then utilised in the new versions of the Holden Commodore...
ReynardReynard MotorsportReynard Motorsport was at one time the world's largest racing car manufacturer. Initially based at Bicester and latterly at Reynard Park, Brackley, England the company built successful cars in Formula Ford 1600, Formula Ford 2000, Formula Vauxhall Lotus, Formula Three, Formula 3000 and Indy...
92D The time was 51.206 at an average lap speed of 184 km/h. - The New Zealand Grand PrixNew Zealand Grand PrixThe New Zealand Grand Prix, sometimes known as the New Zealand International Grand Prix, is an annual motor racing event held in New Zealand first run in 1950. Currently it is the signature race of the Toyota Racing Series. It is one of only two current national Grand Prix events that are not part...
was first held on Teretonga in January 2001. A record number of entries were received for this event, and it has again been held at Teretonga since the 4 & 5 January, 2003. - On 16 February to Sunday 17 February 2008, "Leitch Motorsport/Southland Times Speed Fest.", which was one of the events of Southern Festival of SpeedSouthern Festival of SpeedThe Southern Festival of Speed was a classic and historic race series that was started since the late 1980s with the revival of the 1950s Dunedin Street Circuit. It comprised rounds at three established South Island permanent circuits and one temporary Dunedin's circuit...
, was held at Teretonga.
The circuit
Lap distance is 2.57 kilometres (1.6 mi) run in anticlockwise direction with a 800 metre main straight and a very high speed loop with multiple apexes. It flows smoothly from turns 1 through to 5 and generally recognised as the second fastest circuit in AustralasiaAustralasia
Australasia is a region of Oceania comprising Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term was coined by Charles de Brosses in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes...
. The circuit is exposed to a strong sea breeze and often forces gearbox and setup changes.