Waikaraka Park has been through some lean times in recent years and despite always having a pretty good sort of competitor base lac lustre efforts with regards managing the place and not running an efficient program on race nights has seen the crowds stay away in droves .

Not all has been bad though with many good things happening last season . The sound system upgrading towards the end of the season allowing  Jamie McCarthy to shine as a top notch commentator was most welcome . The weather finally started behaving itself and it all culminated when a few enthusiastic people resurrected the canned Modified Super Dirt and provided me and many others with a meeting the equal of any other in the country last season .

This season there has been a change of guard yet again with a promise of much more improvement . Gone I'm told is the infighting that was stymieing progress before . All hands have been on deck to clean the venue up and make it a much more pleasant place to frequent on Saturday nights .

The work to the venue was pretty obvious to me when I visited . Lots of fresh paint . The stands in cemetary bend have been resited and a clear view of the track is possible from both stands now  . NZ Crane Hire are the naming rights sponsor at waikaraka this season and their signage can't be missed .

There was a much more obvious change at Waikaraka that I noticed very quickly . Everyone was happy  and everyone was mucking in and getting things done . The little water truck was the only exception , first refusing to go and then later in the day rolling on it's back
in the ultimate act of defiance . Even the pictures I took of the thing never turned out .

The most important part of any speedway is the fields of race cars and on this practice day there were plenty of those . Obviously there will be more cars yet to appear but the sampling I saw gives me confidence the on track action will be there again this season . The news that Paully Rawiri will have a new steed is just icing on the cake .

On Labour Day monday there will be the final practice leading up to opening night on the following Saturday night . If you are one of the disallusioned  who had ceased attending Waikaraka Park then I suggest you get yourself over there for a look  see on Monday sometime around 1 pm . If you are not swayed towards returning for opening night then there is no hope for you . Order the coffin .
 
 
 

Note the paint on the grandstand seats	Check the walking track around the cemetary bend  stands that now have pretection against the sometimes  chilling breeze , not to mention pilfering fingers .
Aaron Headington practiced before heading to Huntly	Agrade or Std?.
33a Chris Drube	Auckland's gain = Wellington's loss
Not all cars were looking pretty	All bite no bark? , wait and see  . 61a Marc Flemming