Southward Automotive Museum
Highlands Motorsports Park, Cromwell, Otago, NZ
As we were headed up the west side of the South Island we diverted inland to Cromwell, and the Highlands Motorsports Park. We did not know that we were arriving just ahead of the weekend finals of the Australian GT Series, so as we arrived to see the grounds and museum we got the added benefit of watching a couple of hours of qualifying runs of the cars that have been competing on the Australian GT Circuit, coming to NZ for their final race of the season to decide the winner. The fellow who developed and build the Highlands Motorsports Park apparently controls the Australian GT Circuit, and he schedules the finals for this track. It's a great layout, and the background of mountains is fantastic.
A few pictures to pique your interests.....
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And a few from the Highlands Motorsports Park Museum...
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A bonus seen in a parking lot when we stopped for a "cuppa":
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And remember in one of the first posts I mentioned Gary & Elaine Pulley, who had sold their all steel Willys, and borrowed a '47 Merc for the Nationals? Well, as we were cruising down the NE portion of the South Island, above Christchurch we stopped at an overlook to view a seal colony, and to our surprise this righteous '56 T-Bird pulls in, and who should it be but Gary & Elaine!! They were returning from Christchurch, where they'd just bought the 'Bird to replace the Willys!! Talk about a surprise!! Turns out they recognized John & Rosie as they motored by, heading north, so they did a quick u-turn and came back! That's jb on the left, in case you're wondering.....
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