The quick-thinking calls to get Supercars field to Ruapuna
Supercars field packed into containers a day early in Taupō
Transport, sea bookings brought forward amid cyclone threat
Supercars field unloaded in Christchurch on Tuesday
The Supercars field has arrived in Christchurch following a series of big decisions to get the fleet safely to the South Island.
The threat of Cyclone Vaianu promoted the tough call to cancel Sunday’s track action in Taupō. Within two hours of the Saturday finale ending in Taupō, cars and equipment had been packed into containers.
The containers sailed over the Cook Strait between Wellington and Picton on Sunday night, and arrived on Monday morning. Come Tuesday, all cars — still wearing battle scars from Race 9 — were unloaded at Ruapuna Raceway.
It was the final triumphant box to tick before the paddock comes to life in coming days, ahead of track action on Friday.
“The cyclone obviously threw a few unforeseen issues,” Supercars Logistics Manager Jason Routley said.
“We had to bring all the sailings forward. We were destined to sail on Monday morning, we obviously pulled that back. We had no idea what Taupō was going look like on that Sunday, so we got out as soon as we could.
“We had 26 containers arrive on site and everyone managed the bookings change. Everything was really well organised, and everyone was really accomodating to our situation."
Teams now have two more full days to service their cars.
It’s far more time than what was allocated to team, event and logistics staff to turn around containers and get them on the road.
Road transport provider PTS Logistics quickly turned around trucks to road freight the containers, with SeaLab co-ordinating inter island bookings from Wellington to Picton.
“To see that first truck roll in this morning was really good,” Routley said.
“They all sailed across Sunday night, early hours of Monday morning. So to get them here in the South Island, that was the first thing. And then now we've just positioned them. So that's the good bit.
"For the teams, they didn't have any time to prepare their cars for [Christchurch] they just basically had to throw them straight in the container and get on the road.
“Any back-to-back events are difficult. Taupō threw off a few curve balls just by way of having to load things so quickly.
“We've got a great logistics road transport provider over here in PTS Transport. It was one phone call to say, ‘hey, we need 15 trucks in the next 12 hours, what can you do?’
"And in 12 hours, there were 15 trucks ready to go and move us. That was really good."
Track action in Christchurch commences on Friday.
