“NZ Performance Car staffer Rene Vermeer travelled to Nelson to check out the V 4&Rotary South Island Champs where he and photographer Mikey Mayers put together a gallery of shots from the weekend”
I flew down to Nelson to check out the V 4&Rotary Nationals South Island Champs over the weekend of November 8–9, and it’s safe to say I was most impressed with what I experienced and saw. From the crazy midnight import night scene to the beautiful scenery and extremely well-built project cars, Nelson really had it all.
Saturday’s drag racing was full of intense battles, diesel BMWs and smashed driveshafts. Some quick times were achieved, with plenty of road-going Skyline GTRs in the 10s. Burnouts held after the racing were spectacular, although the surface was super grippy due to it being the start of the drag strip. Only a couple of contestants struggled and the rest destroyed tyres with aggression.
Sunday saw some of the country’s cleanest project cars on display at the Saxton Stadium, all hopeful of taking out top prizes in their categories. There was a good mix of old classics, highly modified Japanese muscle, and low-slung Euros. The NZ Performance Car promo girls were out in full force too, taking selfies for our online competition, posing for the camera, and organizing a bunch of girls for the famed Model Search and Bikini Comp. I was there talking to the Southerners to see what makes them tick, alongside photographer, and Nelson local, Mikey Mayers, who helped bring you the rad imagery.
Make sure to check out Issue No. 217 of NZ Performance Car for the full event coverage.
Check out the gallery of images from the event shot by Mikey Mayers and Rene Vermeer:
