30th Anniversary of New Zealand’s toughest enduro

He’s new to the sport, but Pukekohe’s Phil Finlay has already had a taste of success in the rough, gritty sport of offroad racing, and is heading north to contest the toughest event in the sport at Queen’s Birthday Weekend.

The fastest drivers in the punishing sport of offroad racing are about to converge on the bumpy sand tracks and fast logging roads of Woodhill Forest northwest of Auckland for the  Denny's Woodhill 100, a 170 km one-day endurance race that is celebrating its 30th anniversary.

With two weeks before the event happens on Sunday June 6, racers throughout New Zealand are readying their vehicles for the toughest event in the sport.

Like so many other crews Finlay, 37, is looking forward to testing himself on the bumpy sand tracks and fast gravel logging roads of Woodhill Forest.

Being his first time at the event, though, he’s keen to get some race time logged and be part of an event that challenges race crews just to finish the distance.

Finlay says his car, a Ryan single-seater with a Datsun A-series 1300 cc engine built by respected tuner Tony Marsh, is ready for the punishment it will receive in the 170 km endurance race.
It is built for the Super 1300 category, which limits engine size to 1.3 litres but allows extensive tuning.  The Super 1300 cars are lighter than many of the more powerful cars in the bigger classes and can win in the right conditions.

When the flag drops on June 6 he will go up against Super 1300 regular Nick Hall of Papakura, who leads the class for the North Island section of the championship.

This year, the Woodhill 100 is a round of the 2010 Asset Finance New Zealand Offroad Racing National Championship.  With two rounds already run - one in the North Island and one in the South Island - Christchurch driver Wayne Moriarty holds a narrow points lead in his Super 1600 class Cougar Toyota.

The 2010 Denny's Woodhill 100 takes place at Queen's Birthday Weekend, with scrutineering on Saturday June 5 at PinePac in Kumeu and the qualifying and the race itself happening on Sunday June 6. 

The new course has a total distance of 170 km and a lap distance of 28 km.  Top competitors are expected to complete a lap in 20 minutes.  The race starts in the forest north of Parakai and is signposted from Kumeu village northwest on State Highway 16, turning toward South Head at the Helensville-Parakai roundabout. 

Race headquarters is only two kilometres from the forest HQ, which is itself one km from the main road.  The qualifying sprint track is at the start-finish area, ensuring improved spectator viewing from 8.30 am onward.

A shuttle van will operate from the race headquarters throughout the event, taking spectators to vantage points in the forest for a gold coin donation.  As always, trackside food and drink will be available at the start-finish area at race HQ.

The 2010 Denny’s Woodhill 100 class and category sponsors are:

Class 1 (unlimited race cars): Whakatane Commercial Spares
Class 2 (production race trucks): Race Shock Specialties
Class 3 (Super 1600 race cars): Carlton Party Hire
Class 4 and 6 (sport trucks and challenge trucks): West Auckland Cherry Pickers
Class 5 (Super 1300 race cars): Productioneering
Class 8 (ThunderTruck): Trevor French Radiators
Challenger VW race cars: Challenge Massey