Andre Heimgartner: Kiwi Supercars driver ahead of the Taupo round, discusses the Ruapuna Park event

Supercars driver Andre Heimgartner is getting behind plans for a Supercars round to take place in Christchurch. 

Ruapuna Park's the likely candidate to join Taupo as the only New Zealand events on the calendar next year. 

Heimgartner's very familiar with the proposed venue. 

He told Mike Hosking it’s great for New Zealand motorsport. 

He says they’ve been longing for this for a while, and it’s great that they’ve finally decided to give it to them – plus, it’s great for the South Island fans. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Big weekend in Tapa of course, as the Supercows back
for another year defending Tapou champion Andre hein Gardner as well.

Speaker 2 (00:05):
This morning to you, Hey morning guys.

Speaker 1 (00:09):
Now, let's work through the season so far. You've had Sydney,
you've had Melbourne, Noy, you got Tapo. How do you
feel your traveling?

Speaker 2 (00:16):
Yeah, not too bad. It's definitely a stronger year for
us as a whole. We've come out firing a bit more,
with a bit of speed at certain stages. So yeah,
verse last year when we're sort of struggling a lot,
one of the tougher years, we're definitely in a better place.
So looking forward to the speakeend and trying to make
a few steps forward and see how we go.

Speaker 1 (00:33):
It was a sort of an I was noticing I
watched you in the F one. I mean you sort
of disappear a little bit in the F one for
obvious reasons, don't you. Whereas you look at, say, your
reception at Taupo, you are the star of the show.

Speaker 2 (00:46):
Yeah, yeah, for sure. It's a bit different at Day
one GP here weare the side show, but still lots
of fans come out and love it. And then you're
obviously here in New Zealand. It's a whole different vibe
because you know, we got Kiwi Kiwi drivers. New Zealand
really gets around at per capita. We have a lot
of enthusiastic fans. So yeah, it's just a great different vibe.

(01:07):
I guess in different environment too. We travel so much
around Australia and all those tracks, and then to come
over here it's different and exciting and I think everyone
loves that as a whole, even all the mechanics.

Speaker 1 (01:17):
Logistically, how hard is it to get the whole show
across the Tasman and to a place like Tampo.

Speaker 2 (01:25):
It's not too bad actually, it's you know, we used
to fly the cars on obviously a plane, a big
cargo plane that'd all go underneath, but that was obviously
a bit expensive. So they've tried a different model this
year where all the planes are going on the container ship.
So it took about two weeks, so it's just working.
I guess the time frame with that, and you know,

(01:46):
you finish one round, which was the AGP. They had
almost half a day to prepare the cars, chuck them
and the container and then they came here straight away.
So it doesn't leave you much time to fix things
if you get a crash, and then obviously it's a
saying when we go back, you chuck the cars on
go to I can't remember where the next round is,
but you go there and then you only have a

(02:07):
few days or a week or so to prepare everything.
So it makes things tight. But luckily we've got some
good mechanics.

Speaker 1 (02:13):
Which is the good news because next I think it's
next year, when you come, you'll be heading on to Ruapuna.
So there's now two outlets that, apart from anything that
logistically will help. And of course to have two rounds
in New Zealand is fantastic.

Speaker 2 (02:27):
Yeah, being a key with I love Yeah, I love that.
It's something that we've been saying for years that there
should be two events here and yeah, it looks like
it's finally going to happen. It's something that's great for
New Zealand most sport. I think, you know, we've been
longing for this for a while and it's just great
that they've sort of finally decided to give it to us.
And also going down to the South Island is great

(02:48):
for the South Island fans, so it gives them a
bit of a taste of supercars. It's obviously been only
in the North Island for many years, so that's really
really exciting. And you know, I love New Zealand. I
was born here and lived here till I had to
move over for racing, so yeah, I'm all for it.

Speaker 1 (03:07):
What's the weather and track for the weekend.

Speaker 2 (03:10):
The weather is looking good, really funny, nice cool mornings
and then warm during the day, so that it's looking
it's looking really nice in contrast to last year. Actually
yeah exactly.

Speaker 1 (03:21):
All right, Well go well this weekend. Good to have
you in the country and the whole, the whole, Old
Kitten Gaboole Lingre high Gartner, BJR bred Jones Racing.

Speaker 2 (03:29):
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