03/04/2025
Hi all
Things have been fairly hectic on the Rees tour so I've been rather useless at keeping up with the posts so I'm going to lump Greymouth, Dunedin, Invercargill Cromwell and Christchurch into 1 big spiel!! So here goes;
Greymouth: We were meant to race on the Tuesday but due to weather, it was postponed till Wednesday, however the Greymouth track still put on an awesome feed and get together for all on the tour. We woke to a nice sunny day on the Wednesday, so racing was on!
Went alright in the first 2 heats but sadly I was put into the wall by a Greymouth car in the third heat breaking my steering axle bracket which took me out of play for the 4 heat. Greymouth then backed up Tuesday night with another good feed and get together, so a massive thank you to the Greymouth speedway team.
Thursday morning saw us up early and on our way to Dunedin through the Arthers pass to stop in Christchurch at Vortech Engineering where we mended and washed cars, so a massive thanks to Brad and the team at Vortech Engineering for fixing my car and letting us use your workshop!.
We ended up leaving Christchurch at 5:30 and arriving in Dunners about 10pm so it was a long day!!
Friday morning saw us all up and out for breakfast with my brother Jonty and his girlfriend Caitlin, they are both at Uni down there so was good to catch up with them.
Headed out to Beachlands speedway in the afternoon for another night of racing.
My first 2 races were great, did get spun out but managed to catch back up, sadly the last lap of the 3rd race i got an outside flat tyre so that saw me not finish race 3.
I did manage to pick up the Rees/Vazey Tour 2025 trophy for the most consistent, at this track, so yay!
Thanks to Beachlands speedway for putting on an awesome meeting and feed afterwards.
Saturday we were up and on the road heading to Invercargill to race at Riverside speedway.
It had been raining so there was thoughts it may not go ahead, but it did.
Again my first 2 races were great I got a 7th and 8th i think, it was reverse grid for the last race and my f🤬 car wouldn't start!! 🤬 and nothing we did seem to work, so I was out!!.😭
Had a great night at the club on Saturday night and they then backed it up again on Sunday night with a night of auctions and interviewing Pete, Paul and Asher.
We spent Sunday at Jack Honeybone place cleaning cars and trying to figure out what was wrong with my car, we ended up coming to the conclusion it was the battery so we bought a new one…….
Thanks to the Honeybones for letting us use there workshop etc….
Up early again on Monday on route to Central Motor speedway in Cromwell!!
Arrived there ready to race…. And my car won't start again!! So apparently not the battery!!🤬🤦♀️ so over the course of the next 2 races we are doing and looking at everything possible, on the phone to important people, we had other drivers come over and help, and finally it was figured out it was a faulty switch!! So with a bit of rewiring we were back up and running for the last race of the night!! It sucked!! But at least I still got one race in!!
Massive thanks to Gav for figuring it out!!
Thanks to Central Motor speedway for a great night.
Had a couple of down days in Cromwell so we along with the others went to Highland park for a spot of go karting!!
I'd just like to point out that it is, non contact!!!
😂😂😂😂, a lot of fun was had thought!!
Left Cromwell Thursday for Christchurch. Stopped in at Lake Tekapo with the others and had a nice brunch. Sadly I have now become sick, as it had been going around the tour, and our lovely pit crew had picked it up as did the others we were traveling with!! So 🤦♀️.Once we arrived in Kaipoi mum went down and got heaps of drugs to try and help so I could race the Friday and Saturday at Woodford Glen.
Friday morning came and I felt like s**t and had a s**tty cough! So i just kept taking medicine and slept for the morning!
Headed to track in the afternoon, still struggling but determined to race as this was the last 2 nights of the tour.
Had a s**t first race as coughing while wearing a mouth guard with a helmet on is not fun!! So i pulled into middle!
Went back out for my 2nd race and managed to finished but never made it into 3rd race.
Went home and went to bed, to do it all again on Saturday!!😵💫
Slept again most of Saturday morning till race time.
Went out first race of the night and did ok, However 2nd race i didn't finish, so again I never made the 3rd race.
Pretty gutted to have ended the 2 week tour this way!!
Woodford Glen definitely turned on the weather for the 2 days and put on an great weekend of racing!!.
Sunday morning up early with one last mission, the home leg!!
Wow, what an incredible experience! It was at times mind blowing for me racing with up to 30 cars at a time! From all around New Zealand. Those who are from Blenheim know we struggle with numbers, Over in Nelson there's more but still nothing like what and how they raced on the tour. It was next level and although overwhelming at times, I loved it!! I just need to find a bit more confidence in myself!!
The other drivers from around the country that we met, the s**t we talked and the laughs we had were brilliant! Everyone was willing to chip in and help each other if need be. It was an awesome tour to be part of!!.
A big shout out to all the speedway tracks that hosted us and put on the feeds at the end of the night.
A massive thank you to the “Others” that we traveled with being the 88c and his Dad,the 964c the 469c, and his sister. The s**ts, giggles and p**s taking was so much fun, along with the pep talks, encouragement and help with my car, you guys are legends!!
Another legend Is Jarad, my one man pit crew! Couldn't have done it without your help.
Thanks!!!
To the Rees, Vazeys and everyone In between and behind the scenes, you guys rock! You put an amazing tour together and it was epic to be part of!! So thank you very much!!
Last but not least my Mum and Dad! Thank you so much for doing the tour, I appreciate all the effort, cost and time you guys put into my racing.
As usual a massive thank you to all my Sponsors who help keep this dream going:
🔶️Midwest Motors
🔶️Speedworld Automotive
🔶️Evo Electrical
🔶️Marlborough Vineyard services
🔶️Power Farming
🔶️Pumprite Concrete
🔶️Nick James Excavations
🔶️Ultraquip
🔶️BB Signs
🔶️Blenheim Engineering
🔶️Mag & Turbo
🔶️BL Graphics
🔶️Sign Ace
Thanks to Morgan Dumelow Motorsport CT Media , Clare View Photography, Robs Speedway Images and Blake's speedway for the great photos.
Also to Eastern States speedway for all the support you guys have given me, especially Tina with all the ideas and help with fundraising and everything else you have done, thank you!!
Now I have a couple of weeks off to recharge and have a good look over my car, Then back into it with a double nighter at Eastern States, Easter Friday and Saturday with the Eastern States Stockcar open champs.
Cheers
Charlie
