06/01/2007
NEWS STORY
It is the first time a car has been clocked going 160 kilometres per hour over the Auckland Harbour Bridge and not received a speeding ticket. But the blur on the bridge was no ordinary car. New Zealand's entry in the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport whizzed over the famous landmark to promote the 6th Round of the Series taking place in Taupo from January 19-21.
With four TV crews and a host of photographers in attendance Black Beauty did seven runs of the bridge before Jonny Reid finished proceedings with a few rubber burning donuts to highlight his excitement.
"That was amazing," said Reid. "It is such a rare opportunity to drive a motor racing car on the open road, let alone an icon like this. I'll treasure this experience for a lifetime."
Reid said the surface was slippery and added drama to the drive. "I was also well aware of the cars in the next lane and it was like I was zipping past one every millisecond. It made it feel like you were going flat tack."
Reid was told by the police that they had clocked him on their radar gun at 160kph: "I didn't give them an address to send the speeding ticket!"
The double winner of the last round in Indonesia, Reid says he's desperately keen to do well at his home event in a fortnight. "Getting back in the car and driving it on home soil for the first time today has fired me up again after a relaxing holiday break," Reid said. "The big problem will be trying to chill before the event and not get too hyped up too soon."
The Bridge drive was originally mooted by the Auckland Car Club – which counts A1 Team.NZL's foundation drivers, Reid and Matt Halliday, as members – as a way to launch their 75 th Anniversary celebrations.