Haniff: Record Turnout Indicates Growing Motor Sports Industry
The roaring and revving sounds of engines did not stop the 750 or so spectators from attending the Penrite Car Show on Saturday evening. The Fiji Car Club had promised the best car show and they achieved this with over 40 cars being showcased and more than 750 coming to the event.
Fiji Car Club President, Raizal Haniff, said the numbers were indicative that motors sports industry in Fiji is growing. Thousands of dollars have been spent by car enthusiasts getting their rides ready for the event. What was notable also was the number of spectators and entrants who came from the West to participate. And this was the whole purpose of having the event on a Saturday. “While we were happy with the overall participation and crowd, we were also happy with people who came from the West to be part of this car show,” he said.
“As I keep saying, Fiji Car Club is not only for the people of Central Division but for the whole of Fiji.” With the Central Division Car Show now over, Mr Haniff confirmed the Fiji Car Club will have another car show in the West towards the end of the year as promised earlier. “And that would be another exciting event to look forward to and we hope for a bigger event,” he said. In addition, he announced the next drags (combination of drag wars and quarter mile drag race) will be held on August 28. “Looking at so many people having attended the car show and the last drags, we hoping for bigger numbers on August 28,” he said.
Foreign observation
The car show even impressive special guest, Tony Lawton, who is the Manager Asia Pacific of Penrite Oils.
Penrite Oils is sold in Fiji by Global Warehouse who was the major sponsor of the Car Show. Mr Lawton noted the effort and hard work put in by the car owners and was amazed by the crowd turnout as well. In terms of the way the car show was organised, Mr Lawton said it was indeed quite good. Mr Lawton said Global Warehouse was very keen to grow the Penrite Oil business and so are they themselves.