from the North American Amateur Drivers Association

Editor’s Note: Joe Faraldo, the president of the North American Amateur Drivers Association, is accompanying USA representative Kelly Walker as he competes in the prestigious World Cup of Amateur Racing which is being contested at three different racetracks in New Zealand. Faraldo is writing some reports from the trip. The latest is printed below.

Today was a day off before Sunday’s finale of the World Driving Championship at the big track Motu Karara. There, on the 1-1/8 mile (2,700 meter) grass oval is where it will be decided, whether NZ, Spain, Netherlands or Germany will wear the crown. The rest are out for placings at best.

On this day off the NZ hosts blew the socks off their guests, bussing them two hours into some of the most scenic and unspoiled country in the world. A gentle and ever present breeze passes over this beautiful country. Massive trees sway to one side in flat pools of lush green grass and ground cover engulfed by high mountain peaks. As the tour travels along the motorway, towns like Merivale break up the boredom along the winding motorway.

Towns are often dotted with fractured church spires, but with signs hanging about them defiantly declaring that “worship still goes on here.” Though not in exactly the same kind of relaxed manner as before, these houses of worship nonetheless carry on in a most determined and reverent way. Typical of the kind of strong and determined a people as you will meet anywhere, in some towns along the way they have taken to using shipping containers laid on their sides encased in glass to show wares that were once displayed in fancy store windows that have seen the store that once stood there itself lifted and tossed away. Over 6,000 homes were destroyed or so badly damaged in the earthquakes that rebuilding from the ground up is a must. The hotel even has temporary supports of steel rods in the lobby and some of the windows are covered in plywood. In fact, last night saw a tremor on the scale of a 5 pass through the hotel grounds.

Off we were to Thrillseeker Canyon for a Jet Boat ride on the Waiar River and at 90 kilometers an hour we were bounced and sprayed with water along the way, especially when the pilot does “three sixties;” something he seems to relish as he completely hoses down his guests. Some who partied at the bar until 6:00 a.m. actually seemed to get some benefit from that.

From there we were off to Hanmer Springs, a relaxing vacation spot where some opted for the warm underground pools while others took a 30 minute walking climb up what was called a hill, but with all the aches and pains of climbing much more than a hill.

Next, we went to a winery called Mud House. There, a wine tasting was followed by a brief but informative session leading from the vineyard to the pressing tanks to the French Oak casks to the part most enjoyed — the table. A sumptuous affair ensued where we also celebrated the discovery that the Czech driver and his girlfriend had secretly run off and tied the knot in Auckland. Everyone raised a glass or two and another great evening perfectly organized by the NZ Amateur Club came to a close. It was Marie Cook’s detective work that uncovered the secret wedding and made the pair’s wedding cake to celebrate.

Before it goes unsaid, the NZ Amateur Club has done a terrific job and the support of their leading horsemen like Steven Reid and Robbie Holmes has not gone unnoticed.