STRAIGHT CHILLIN’
HANGING AT THE TINT SHOP SHOW AND SHINE 2018
THE TINT SHOP SHOW AND SHINE
Each year, during April and May, Whangarei transforms into an automotive mecca, from the hot rod show that shuts down the centre of town to the Ruakaka Street Sprint, Whangarei Swap Meet, International Rally of Whangarei, and the latest kid on the block: The Tint Shop Show and Shine. This year marked the third year the show has run, with organizer Brad Wright pulling out all the stops to make 2K18 the biggest yet. With an overwhelming 250plus cars spit shined and on display, and attendance having nearly tripled since its inception, the street-side location based around The Tint Shop car park gives the event a real grass-roots feel, “just like when we all got into cars as youngsters”, explained Brad. At one point, you’d have been forgiven for thinking that it was a large car park and not a main road, as the cars on display stretched as far as the eye could see in each and every direction.
Despite the scale it’s grown to, unlike in other towns,
where we have seen similar ‘boy racer’ events shunned, the Whangarei District Council and local businesses have embraced the event, supporting it with a massive prize purse totalling $7K — an impressive figure for any event of its kind. The mayor herself even came on through for a look (we’re not sure which whip was hers). The local hot rod club also showed its support for the upand-comers, bringing along a big contingent of bent eights to show the young bucks. But, as we’d expect from the town that birthed Driftcorp, drift cars — whether street or track oriented — were the stars, including local boys Team 13, who have provd to be a dominant force in D1 Pro-Sport this season.
In among the chaos was the regular interruption from the rasp and crackle of stainless pipes of rally cars contesting the Rally of Whangarei as they snaked their way through the hordes of spectators en route to the service park located just down the road. “The rally drivers seemed to really enjoy the party atmosphere, [which was like] something you’d see in a rally overseas, where the rally cars are parting the crowd,” Brad recalled. Although, judging by the number of pit crew members seen checking out the show, there might have been no one waiting to service their cars once they arrived at the park.
Brad couldn’t have been happier with the way the day played out and has already started looking towards the 2019 event — one he says will be bigger and badder, and capable of accommodating the ever-growing attendance — with a possible date change to avoid the weather roulette they have been playing the past few years. He also wanted to point out that anyone is welcome to make the trip up to the Rei for the weekend and will be more than welcome. So why not make a weekend of it in 2019? You know that we will.