BOREDOM BUSTER —
HOLDENS IN VEGAS
Covid-19 did the impossible, silencing every rumbling V8 in the nation and leaving the motorways deserted, still and quiet, in a state of eeriness and emptiness. For some, a collection of dust would settle on the bonnets; for others it was an opportunity to work away in the garage to distract their attention from the contaminated outside world.
Weeks passed, and finally people could open the garage doors with a strange, surreal sense of freedom.
During these weeks, Blair Holmes had an idea quietly germinating: a weekend away with the boys to get me, Kevin Brooke, out of home and on the road.
I’ve owned my GTS for near-on three years, and Blair was planning one of its first decent road trips and offering me a distraction from the day-to-day struggles of living with a long-term physical injury and chronic nerve condition. My phone exploded on a Monday morning after lockdown with an energized call from Blair detailing his multiple weeks of ideas and plans for a weekend away.
A humbling start to the week; typically, a strong coffee would be needed to give my brain a bit of a kick, but the idea of hitting the streets with the lads gave a boost of energy that caffeine just doesn’t offer.
By Monday afternoon, the battery on my phone was flat. Work took a back seat for the day — and, little did I know it then, also for the few weeks ahead. What started as a small handful of us going away for the weekend rapidly escalated to an extended invitation to 70 people, a dedicated Facebook page with a group chat, and a list of a potential 50-plus cars. It was the most productive Monday I had ever experienced. It accelerated Blair’s idea to a whole new level!
Ryan Jarmey from Holden Addiction NZ kindly opened the doors to his workshop, providing a base in Rotorua for all of us and a great central meeting point. A plan had been set in motion for a day that would be remembered. Grassroots style was a strong passion for us all. The event was to be influenced by the old-school scene — the reason that we all fell in love with cars in the first place; a traditional low-key catch-up with good people, good cars, and good food.
After being isolated for so long, this was a form of therapy for us all. The excitement couldn’t be contained — it could only spread; in my opinion, it was more contagious than Covid-19 itself. It got the full attention of all who were invited — the anticipation and eagerness only built from that point on.
By the next afternoon, Blair, Ryan, and I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to promote and give exposure to some of the businesses and their owners that have taken extreme care of our cars over the years; to give back to all they had given to us.
Plans became motion and we contacted Protune, Xair, Mad Graphics NZ, and Heads Racing Supplies, which were all thrilled to be on board, even offering prizes to give away on the day — a very humbling gesture that wasn’t expected or anticipated.
The build-up to this event was intense, a rush of gear-driven, revved-up excitement injecting itself into our veins.
On 27 June, a saturated Saturday morning, the roads came alive. Deep crisp V8s rumbled through each town, leaving echoes of noise throughout the once-deserted townships, all of us travelling to Holden Addiction HQ. Some travelled from the depths of the South Island and some from the very top of North Island. The commitment to attend was strong.
Sadly, the weather wasn’t on our side — the floodgates in the clouds had opened. However, the rain had no deterrent effect on everyone’s positive attitude. All the dust that had been collected over the Covid-19 period had now been well and truly washed away. A vast array of Holdens arrived at Holden HQ. From old to new, as every car made an appearance, it captured the attention of everyone who was standing out in the rain. It was almost as if the sun were shining as Holdens with large air filters sticking out of the bonnet cruised up to park with the sound of the rain sizzling as it hit the heat of the manifolds.
The enthusiasm was strong and the excitement for the day ahead was louder than the exhausts that rumbled through the industrial streets of
Rotorua. The smell of burnt stale fuel filled the air, dominating and overpowering that natural Rotorua thermal aroma. This was V8 Holden heaven! It was a day that — although we hadn’t realized it — we all needed and the rain wasn’t going to stop any of us. It didn’t matter whether our car was a showroom paint job or a rusted body panel held together by cable ties, we were all there for one thing only: the love of V8s and friendship. More than cars filled the HQ car park, overflowing from the driveway onto the kerbside.
One car arrived that sounded like a thunderstorm exploding … people were running, running towards it … it was the one and only ‘NUTOUT’. That car could hold a car show on its own — a true iconic Kiwi legend.
Once everyone had arrived, the host, Ryan, fired up his amazing LS3 VK Commodore and proceeded to lead the cruise, followed by Blair’s nitrous-fed VZ ClubSport and my GTS.
A huge roaring burst of noise exploded when everyone fired up their Holdens and joined the procession. Rotorua came to standstill as we all followed in one long chain. Our first stop was at Village Green in the heart of Rotorua, parking up for the brave locals to wander over to have a look at all the amazing V8s on display.
The weather was getting worse, and, after a few much-needed hot coffees and a hot brekkie, we gathered back in our cars to cruise the lakeside. Our plans for the day were cut short and adapted to suit the weather; nonetheless, the rain didn’t stop the day nor affect the enthusiasm and optimism. Photographers braved the elements to capture the day, sacrificing their warmth and equipment to get those perfect shots of all our cars. This truly showed me how much of a successful grassroots event this was. Everyone had such a positive attitude, and it permeated the whole day.
Thoughts flowed through my mind of how appreciative I was of all who made the trip, of my friends old and new who had made all this happen. The day made its mark on me; I’m sure that was a common thread among all of us.
After our lakeside cruise, we headed back to Holden Addiction HQ, where a massive meal had been cooked by Brownie’s Spit Spectacular. The smell of the food overcame the smell of burnt oil and wet musty clothes, creating an atmosphere
where all could relax and chat as they enjoyed the warmth of a diesel heater and shelter from the rain. Before dinner was served, we had an opportunity to award to the deserving winners their prizes donated by the generous businesses that supported our day. We can’t thank everyone enough for coming and being a part of this day, for travelling so far to attend and braving the elements — it just proves that, even though Holden has closed its doors, it’s opened many for us in New Zealand and will continue to do so for many years to come.
Covid-19 has certainly reminded us of the importance of friendships and creating treasured memories with those we care about. It enhanced our passion for cars and reminded us of the key elements of life.
The night flowed as well as the day’s rain, bringing exactly what we had set out to achieve: to create a day that came from the fundamental reasons we all fell in love with V8s and the car scene; great people driving what they love, talking about what they love, and doing what they love; a good old Kiwi-culture grassroots catch-up.
This was just the beginning, the inception of a tradition to come. With Blair already on the phone arranging the next one, the event can only get bigger and better.