Entries are rolling in for the Four Peaks Poker Run motoring event being held on Saturday the 20th of March, starting on Auckland’s North Shore and finishing at the Copthorne Hotel and Resort Bay of Islands, Tau Henare Drive, Paihia.

Some of the Classic and Thoroughbred entries to date include Peter Esher’s New Zealand-new 1954 3.8 litre Jaguar MK.7. Peter has owned over 50 Jaguars and says that “with its curvaceous exterior and beautiful crafted interior this one beats all of the others for comfort and style”. It’s definitely not for sale.

In 1988 Chrysler’s new President Bob Lutz, a fan of the Cobra and a man of action decided that one of the ways to inject life back into the company was to take the V-10 engine designed for the corporation’s Dodge trucks and its heavy duty 5-speed transmission and build a hairy chested real sports car by wrapping a body slightly less voluptuous than Raquel Welch’s around it. So the Viper was born in time for the 1989 Detroit Motor Show. Mat Bedogni drove across 12 States including all of the famous Route 66 before shipping his red 2002 Dodge Viper RT/10 to New Zealand from America.

Mark Russell’s 1972 Holden Torana was assembled in Australia for the New Zealand market, the car had 5 previous owners before Mark purchased it in 2005. The registration had been on hold since 1996 and the car was in pretty poor condition, without its engine and gearbox. A full refurbishment was carried out over 3 years, with the body stripped back to bare metal. Following panel beating and painting Mark fitted the engine and drive train from his old race and rally Torana. While the car is not a daily driver it is used regularly for shows and various events in the North Island and general touring around the countryside.

Assembled by the Colonial Motor Company in New Zealand in 1928, Robert Brown has owned his Ford Model A Tudor for nearly half of its 82 years. The Model A is the car that Henry Ford turned to when his son and the market told him that the Model T was finished. There are so many are still on the road internationally that there is a thriving reproduction parts industry, the Russians still making a variant of the flathead four cylinder motor until the 1950s. The great depression and the introduction of the Ford V8 in the early thirties spelt the demise of the model. Robert has participated in many events throughout New Zealand over a number of years and at this stage has every likelyhood of taking out the Four Peaks Poker Runs award for the event’s oldest vehicle.

Event entries close on Wednesday 17 March. The entry fee is $50-00 per person over 18 years of age. This includes one poker hand, children under 18 years of age are free but do not receive a poker hand. Every vehicle registered in the event receives one entry in the Family Quiz.

Entry forms and information are available from the organisers. Visit www.pokerrun.co.nz and click on the Four Peaks Poker Run link, email concepts@ihug.co.nz , telephone 09 482 5481 or 0274 957 474

Details of the preferential accommodation rate for event participants are available on the Four Peaks Poker Run web site at www.pokerrun.co.nz by following the Accommodation link.

Ends.
5 February 2010

The final check point and prize giving for the Four Peaks Poker Run Motoring Event on Saturday the 20th of March will be held at the Copthorne Hotel and Resort Bay of Islands, Tau Henare Drive, Paihia, Event Director Stuart Roberts announced today.

“We are thrilled to have Copthorne Hotel and Resort Bay of Islands support the Four Peaks Poker Run”, said Mr. Roberts. “Their commitment will ensure the growth and success of this event.”

Details of the preferential accommodation rate for event participants would be made available shortly.

“Copthorne Hotel and Resort Bay of Islands is pleased to be the final check point and prize giving venue and we look forward to welcoming all the participants and their vehicles in March”, said General Manager Simon Boyle.

With its stunning location adjacent to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, the resort is well suited to this type of event with plenty of parking and excellent bar, restaurant and conference facilities on site.

Interest from owners of Classic and Thoroughbred cars and motorbikes has been considerable since entries for the Four Peaks Poker Run opened. The event, billed as the ultimate road trip and a great family motoring adventure, follows an interesting route over some of North Auckland and Northlands least well known tarmac back country roads.

There are great prizes to be won; the best 5-card hand takes home the Four Peaks Poker Run trophy and an L.C.D television. There are prizes for best presented vehicle, oldest vehicle, best dressed team, most glamorous team and great poker run quiz prizes. The Four Peaks Poker Run motoring event is not a race as participants collect a number of playing cards from different check points. The winner will be the person with the best hand of five cards. A Family Quiz with questions based on points of interest along the route and the event's sponsors is held as part of the event.

Discussions are currently underway regarding the production and screening of a television special on the event.

Entry forms and information are available from the organisers. Visit www.pokerrun.co.nz and click on the Four Peaks Poker Run link, email concepts@pokerrun.co.nz , telephone 09 482 5481 or 0274 957 474

Ends.
11 January 2010

This time it’s the ultimate road trip with spectacular scenery, a game of chance and an opportunity to have a great family motoring adventure with a like-minded group of enthusiasts. The Four Peaks Poker Run motoring event on Saturday the 20th of March is brought to you by the team who organise the highly successful aquatic events, the Auckland Poker Run based from Viaduct Harbour and Gold Coast Poker Run in Queensland Australia.

The Four Peaks Poker Run motoring event is not a race; following an interesting route from Auckland to the Bay of Islands participants collect a number of playing cards from different check points, the winner being the person with the best hand of five cards. A Family Quiz with questions based on points of interest along the route and the event's sponsors is run as part of the Poker Run.

The entry fee is $50-00 per person over 18 years of age. This includes one poker hand and GST with Early Bird Entries received before Sunday the 17th of January 2010 receiving an extra hand for the driver. Children under 18 years of age are free but do not receive a poker hand. Every vehicle registered in the event receives one entry in the Family Quiz.

With an approximate total distance of 360 kilometres on sealed roads the event is open to a maximum of 120 vehicles, including motorcycles with current registration, insurance and warrant of fitness. This is a motoring event aimed at everything from Family Sedans, Classic and Thoroughbred Sports Cars, GT Saloons, Muscle Cars, SUV’s, Touring Bikes and other toys that have spent far to long languishing in the garage during the recession and are in desperate need of having the spiders scared out of them and the cobwebs blown away……..don’t delay, enter the ultimate road trip today. Great prizes to be won.

A compulsory Documentation and Drivers briefing will be held at 8:00am on Saturday 20 March 2010 in Auckland prior to the start. Prize-giving will be held on Saturday evening at Paihia.

Entry forms and information are available from the organisers. Visit www.pokerrun.co.nz and click on the Four Peaks Poker Run link, email concepts@ihug.co.nz , telephone 09 482 5481 or 0274 957 474

Ends.
14 December 2009