Wheels Week winds up this weekend

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WHEEL ACTION: Events on the 2024 Wheels Week Plus programme have ranged from the Ashburton Property Brokers scooter race last weekend in the Ashburton Domain, to motorkhana, swap meet, wheelchair basketball, car rally events and more.
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Wheels Week Plus winds up in style this weekend with classics, boats and coffee at Lake Hood. There is also quarter mile sprints and aviation museum options.

Committee member Peter Jacobs said the GDC sponsored Wheels Week Plus had been a successful programme so far, and more was still to come in the final weekend of events.

Among them will be the Ashburton Car Club’s Repco Standing Quarter Mile Sprint on Saturday, at Blands Rd, starting from 9.30am, and the Ashburton Family Go Karting on Sunday from 10.30am.

‘‘I’m getting some good feedback already about Classic & Coffee at Lake Hood on Sunday, having the classic boats down there is an added attraction,’’ Jacobs said.

Classics & Coffee at Lake Hood, in conjunction with Classic Boats on Lake Hood, runs from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. It’s free entry.

People are encouraged to bring along their pride and joy for public display which could include anything from motorcycles, classic cars, old cars, hot rods, trucks, fire engines or tractors.

SPEED DEMON: The Ashburton Car Club’s SprayMarks motorkhana in the SprayMarks Dobson St yard on the second weekend of the Wheels Week Plus programme.

Jacobs said the final weekend had ‘‘a really good assortment of family orientated events’’.

The long term weather forecast had been for 12 degrees and fine, but rain was now predicted both days.

‘‘The go karts (are) at Keeley Farm, Frasers Rd, which is really handy to town, so it’s good to get the family out to have a look.

‘‘The aviation museum is another good one to take the kids… and it’s actually a good wind up to Sunday’s Coffee & Classics at Lake Hood.’’

BAGGIN’ A BARGIN: Swap meet bargain hunters were spoilt for choice during the Ashburton Vintage Car Club’s annual swap meet.

Jacobs was thankful to the sponsors who had made the programme for the annual event possible.

He said one of the challenges for the programme was getting the right mix of events to be of interest to cover everyone, including children.

The length of this year’s programme was also an issue.

‘‘Because the programme this year was spread over four weekends, the challenge was keeping interest up right through,’’ he said.

It would ideally be condensed to three weekends, ‘‘but that may be beyond our control.’’

BEAUTIES ON SHOW: The Starship Classic Car run organised by members of Ashburton Plains Rotary club on the first weekend of Wheels Week Plus programme.

Organisers of events in the programme to date, ranging from street sprints, motorcycle show and shine to swap meet and displays, had been pleased with turnouts.

‘‘It’s been very, very successful. It generally has been very well supported.

‘‘It’s all been very good. (We’re) getting feed back through Facebook from accommodation places in town.

‘‘All the notices going up on Facebook are getting shared to multiple places which is absolutely brilliant.

‘‘The word is getting out there, so (we’re) chuffed to bits.’’

FAST PACED: Editor Susan Sandys (with the ball) during the Patersons Funeral Services wheelchair basketball against the Canterbury Wheelies last weekend.

Meanwhile last weekend among some of the events, there were plenty of thrills and spills at the basketball stadium in Ashburton where Rangitata MP James Meager took part in the Patersons Funeral Services wheelchair basketball game against the Canterbury Wheelies.

‘‘On the day, wheelchair basketball was the winner,’’ he said.

He was one of the celebrity basketball team members which included Jacobs, The Ashburton Courier editor Susan Sandys, and mayor Neil Brown, alongside many others.