Vampire braves sunny day at rally

Among the cars on display at the "Motoring Mad" car rally at Tulloch Park in Mataura yesterday...
Among the cars on display at the "Motoring Mad" car rally at Tulloch Park in Mataura yesterday was this 1967 VK Vampire — a New Zealand-designed sports car. PHOTOS: GERRIT DOPPENBERG
Motoring Mad had a great start to another year, with a "brilliant" weekend showing off the best cars around the region in Mataura.

The event is the main fundraiser for the Mataura Scouts Group and featured a cruise on Saturday and a car rally yesterday.

It was a massive occasion for petrolheads, as 123 cars piled into Tulloch Park all buffed and shined up, with plenty of people coming through during the weekend.

Event organiser and scout leader Sarah Clearwater said it was a phenomenal weekend of celebration and said the group could not have asked for a better time.

The weather was brilliant, as was the atmosphere.

"We really couldn’t wish for a better weekend," she said.

A brace of Ford Falcons beside an appropriately-branded trailer.
A brace of Ford Falcons beside an appropriately-branded trailer.
A "great selection" of cars were out and about on yesterday’s sunny afternoon. Tuned-up vintage vehicles, finely-crafted racers and many more were on display.

Hundreds of people came out to the rally, wandering through, setting up shop, and chatting with car enthusiasts.

Mrs Clearwater said organisers had no idea of the number of people who turned up, but said the scout group gave a massive thanks for another year of support for the rally and the youth organisation.

"We’re very happy with the turnout. A big thank you to the sponsors and just everyone that turned up. It was absolutely brilliant."

The money raised would go towards the running cost for Mataura Scouts to keep the fees low and make it more affordable, she said.

The event would be repeated about the same time next year.