On Saturday 6th Jan the New Zealand A1GP team were doing a publicity stunt on Auckland Harbour Bridge to promote the NZ round of the A1GP series. Half the bridge had been closed for roadworks, these were now complete, but before it was opened up to the public again the GP car was to have a few blasts over it - just for fun.
All well and good, but it gets better. Being an aquaintance of the project manager of the road works on the bridge has its advantages!!!! Darren and i got up nice and early and toddled off the the harbour area. High vis vest on we were given free reign of the bridge. It was awesome. We climbed the arch and walked the length of the deck. The views were fab - especially from the top. Then we got ourselves in position for the running of the car.
The arrival was some what of an anti climax. I was expecting a huge black truck and trailer with the car being rolled out in a cloud of smoke and lights. Sadly the best the A1GP NZ team could come up with was a hired flat bed trailer from a local garage towed behind a 4x4. Ah well. I guess the budget is some what less than F1.
After a little waiting around the car was fired up. Wow - it was super loud. When i mean super load i mean ear shatteringly super load. Very impressive. Up on top of the arch we had a spectacular view as the car blasted its way along the bridge. It only got to about 160km/hr apparently, but the police radar was having difficulty picking it up as it was so low to the ground. The driver also admitted he wasn't going flat out due to the lack of grip on the bridge and in the cold tyres. Still looked flippin fast though.
Not your normal bridge traffic.
Then came the burnout......
Busted!!!
It was a fab morning. Not something you get to do everyday. Especially walking over the bridge. People pay to walk over it. They get full rope access gear and harnesses and have to clip on to a safety wire. Hahahaha, we were running round on it with nothing more than a high-vis vest. Perfectly safe!!!!
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