Racers plead for chance of anniversary blast | Manawatu-Wanganui Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Manawatu-Wanganui

"Please don't reseal Taupo Quay just yet."

That's the plea from the Wanganui Hot Rod Club to the Wanganui
District Council after the council rejected the club's request for a special
seal for the Taupo Quay road surface.

The club holds its annual drag series in Taupo Quay, and to celebrate the
series' 25th anniversary it is planning a three-day extravaganza during
Wellington Anniversary weekend, January 22-24.

Taupo Quay is scheduled for resealing in the 2010-11 year and the hot rod
club had requested that the road be sealed in asphaltic concrete, rather
than chip, ahead of the drag series.

The council rejected that request at Tuesday's finance and infrastructure
committee meeting.

 Roading engineer Rui Leitao said the type of seal requested by the hot rod
club was five times more expensive than chip seal, at $235,000.
 AC
surfacing  did not fit with the  road's function and  environment, he said.

There was no discussion from councillors  and the application was
rejected  unanimously.

Club member Grant Rivers  said the decision was "disappointing but what
we expected".

He said the club would talk to the council to ask that the resealing be put
off until after the drag series.

"Our main problem is the timing of the sealing.

"If the road is sealed in rough chip we will have to cancel the event - chip
will damage the cars and be too dangerous for spectators."