Allegations have been made against the organisers of the MRF Mainland Series 2018 for rally car racing on an unpermitted stretch of road.
Organised by Nelson Car Club’s Phil Collins for Saturday July 14, the fifth round of racing started and finished in Brightwater, but it was the racing on Tadmor-Glenhope Rd that has the Tasman District Council considering legal action against the rally organisers.
Long-time resident of the road and proud motorsport enthusiast, Harvey Hay, was aware of the rally in his area and the subsequent road closures in place.
Harvey says, due to the publication in TDC Newsline stating road closure ‘from 4.3km from the intersection of SH6 to 2.7km south from the intersection of Tai Rd’ he assumed, as he lives within 3km of SH6, his end of the road would be open as usual.
So when Harvey drove out of his driveway on the day of the rally and turned toward SH6, he “got a hell of a fright” to have not one, but three, rally cars appear rapidly behind him.
“The mere fact they were going the same way as me avoided an accident,” says Harvey.
With 16 residents at his area of the road, Harvey says the car club’s blatant disregard for the rules could have led to a serious accident. “They were told not to, but went ahead anyway.”
Rally organiser Phil Collins says, “people are getting the facts wrong, we had permits for the part of road we raced on”.
However, the TDC disputes this and says they denied an extension to the permit for that section due to time constraints, something they say organisers were aware of.
A meeting was planned between rally organisers and TDC for yesterday afternoon, the outcome of which we’ll have next week.