01/07/2025
🏁Baypark Speedway: The Beating Heart of Tauranga Faces an Uncertain Future🏁
🔸The soundtrack to summer nights for decades has always been Baypark Speedway🔹
As Tauranga City Council weighs options that could see the speedway close, the local community is speaking out. For three dedicated fans—Melissa Edwards, Lance Somervell, and Melissa Jane—the possibility of losing Baypark is not just sad. It’s unthinkable.
This is our final message to Tauranga. Thanks to everyone who took part in this series, and took the time to get their voices heard
🔸This place has become part of our family’s life.
Melissa Edwards, a devoted Speedway supporter, knows firsthand how deeply the venue is woven into local lives. For her family, Baypark isn’t just an event on the calendar—it’s therapy, community, and joy.
“Baypark Speedway means a lot to our family,” she says. “Our 16-year-old daughter Taylah, who has autism, lives in Speedway! She’s one of the first fans at the gate ready for opening, and she heads straight to the pits.”
Melissa describes what the place means for Taylah’s sense of belonging.
“It’s become part of our family’s life. She’s built strong relationships with drivers and staff there. If Baypark were to close, it would be deeply upsetting. It’s not just about watching cars go round a track—it’s about the people, the acceptance, and the smiles on her face when a driver comes and sits near her or gives her a shout-out over the commentary.”
She remembers so many of those special moments: “There have been MANY memorable moments. Taylah just lights up. You can’t replace that.”
🔹Motorsport is in our blood.
Lance Somervell grew up with racing in his DNA. He remembers the old Baypark, long before the modern facility was built.
“Motorsport has always been part of my upbringing,” he says. “Our family travelled all over NZ, competing and spectating in all sorts of two- and four-wheeled sports. I have great memories of the original Baypark—sitting on a blanket, eating hot chips while watching stock cars.”
He was gutted when the old track closed the very year he got his driver’s licence. When the ‘new’ Baypark opened, it became a magnet for mates, who’d surf all day and catch racing at night.
“Now I continue that tradition and take my kids. My teens can meet up with their mates and walk around, get food, watch racing, even help someone’s Ministock team in the pits. As parents, we know they’re not cruising around town getting into trouble on a Saturday night.”
For Lance, Baypark isn’t just a racetrack; it’s social glue.
“Baypark is a safe, family-friendly venue that provides non-stop entertainment. As a business owner, we even got to partner in small ways with drivers and teams, so we had a real vested interest. We met great people and made friends we’d never have met except via Baypark Speedway.”
🔸This place is home.
Melissa Jane describes Baypark as part of her very identity.
“This place has been home for me since the blue-chip era,” she says. “Since rugby was played on the grass, right through to now seeing it filled with water and tarmac—not to mention the most entertaining, thrilling dirt-track racing New Zealand has to offer.”
She talks about how generations of her family have shared the experience.
“It’s brought my Nanan, my Mum, Aunty, and cousins along throughout the years. I’ve been extremely privileged to have shared a sport with them that I love and adore. I want Baypark Speedway to continue for many years to come. I’ve not only created incredible memories but also special friendships through the years.
“This place is a home to so many; my family is just one. If Baypark Speedway closes, I lose the chance to continue making those friendships and memories with family—but we also lose our home.”
Her partner is heavily involved, too.
“He runs within the F2 class and has been both an A-Grade midget and F2 midget driver for the past 12 years he is the current Aotearoa champion—which wouldn’t have happened without this track and its team. The F2 class is growing, with amazing support from the promotions team. It’s only going to get bigger. If Baypark closes, our choices are extremely limited for a fast, thrilling racetrack. Baypark needs to stay!”
🔹Can Tauranga afford to lose this?
All three fans are united: the answer is a resounding no.
Melissa Edwards points to Tauranga’s rapidly growing population and cost-of-living pressures.
“No, because the cost of building another facility would be ridiculous,” she says. “Especially when council rates are already extremely high. It’s central to Tauranga, Mount Maunganui, and the surrounding areas. You can’t just replace it.”
Lance Somervell is even more emphatic.
“Tauranga cannot afford to lose Baypark,” he says flatly. “If the site were to be repurposed, we would never get a speedway again. The urban spread, the over-inflated land values—it’s just not viable to build another one.
“With hundreds of houses going up every year, we need exciting options for things to do. Not everyone wants to walk around the Mount or go to a museum. And if we want to encourage socially acceptable car enthusiasts, we can’t get rid of this huge asset.”
Melissa Jane sums it up in three words: “Simple answer... No.” She points out Baypark’s extraordinary versatility.
“It’s beyond versatile. Where else in New Zealand is there a central hub for families where you can have dirt racing, drifting, Jet sprints, Pacific festivals, and even bring back a rugby field if we wanted? That’s five different activities in one venue. Tauranga cannot afford to lose the revenue from all of these.”
🔸Memories That Define a Community
Each of these fans has personal highlights they hold dear.
Melissa Edwards cherishes seeing her daughter’s joy.
“Taylah loves getting shoutouts over the commentary, and it’s happened many times about her favourite drivers,” she says. “Seeing the smile on her face when they come and sit with her—that’s priceless.”
Lance remembers competing himself in a demolition derby at Baypark.
“Being in the thick of the action, on the clay oval I’d watched so many great racers compete on—it was a sensory overload. The noise, the crunch of cars hitting me, the thrill of seeing the fans in the grandstands. That’s something any fan can do. And it’s so easy because we have a home track right here in Tauranga.”
For Melissa Jane, it’s the people who made it special—especially one unforgettable driver.
“The fact you’ve asked me to choose just one memory is cruel,” she laughs. “But for me, Graeme ‘Skinny’ Colson is the fondest. I’ve never met such an amazing man on and off the track. From winning features to doing celebratory donuts, to climbing the fence like a madman for the chequered flag. I was 10 years old the first time I saw him do this, and I was there for his last race. It will be with me forever.”
🔹It's More Than Just a Racetrack
For these fans, speedway isn’t just entertainment; it’s a key part of Tauranga’s identity, culture, and economy.
Lance says Baypark is “a visual icon standing proud” at the gateway to the Mount.
“It’s a locator beacon. It’s one of the premier speedways in all of New Zealand. Every season, hundreds of Auckland-based racers travel to compete here because of the high calibre of racing. All these teams spend money on fuel, food, and accommodation.
“Tauranga also has many businesses that build speedway cars, sell parts, or sponsor drivers. Without a track here, they’d go under—or move to other cities.
“Car culture is woven through every generation here. Without Baypark, we’d lose not just racing but drifting, car shows, and freestyle motocross events. Crowds don’t want to travel out of town for those. And all the hospitality businesses that benefit? They’d feel it too.”
Melissa Edwards agrees.
“It brings money into the city. Drivers and fans visit shops, supermarkets, and accommodation. There are a lot of rev heads around here, and they all know the local drivers. It’s a huge boost for Tauranga.”
🔹A Message to the Council:
Don’t Take This Away all three have clear, heartfelt messages for Tauranga City Council.
Melissa Edwards pleads on behalf of families like hers.
“Please don’t take Baypark Speedway away from the fans. There’s not much for our kids here when it comes to motorsport. Taylah and other kids on the autism spectrum don’t have many places to go where they feel included. This would hurt many families like ours.”
Lance Somervell urges council to see the big picture.
“Baypark is underutilised for automotive activities. I don’t know if its BVL holding the reins so tightly, but speedway isn’t allowed to run enough meetings.
“It’s a hub for legitimate petrolhead events and needs to stay exactly where it is. My old man used to say, ‘If a kid is addicted to motorsport, they can’t afford booze or drugs.’ Someone needs to focus on and expand upon the positives of Baypark Speedway, instead of trying to get rid of a multi-generational resource recognised nationally as a top-shelf venue.”
Melissa Jane’s message is blunt and emotional.
“How would you feel if someone came along and took away the passion you’ve grown up loving? How would you feel taking away the chance for children to enjoy the sport their parents did? How would you feel taking away generations’ worth of memories—with more to come?”
🔹Conclusion: A Community Worth Listening To
Baypark Speedway isn’t just a track. It’s family. It’s history. It’s a rare place of belonging in an increasingly busy, impersonal city.
For Melissa Edwards, Lance Somervell, and Melissa Jane, it’s simple: Tauranga can’t afford to lose Baypark Speedway. Not now. Not ever.
As the Council debates its future, they hope those in charge will remember it’s not just about land use or dollars. It’s about people. It’s about community. It’s about home.
