Queenstown Auto Extravaganza to Support Prostate Cancer Research

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 9:30:00 +1200

A car lover’s weekend in Queenstown is set to be just what the doctor ordered for the Prostate Cancer Foundation when it takes place over the last weekend of February next year.

The Queenstown Auto Extravaganza, designed to raise funds for cancer research, will take a peek into some of the garages around Central Otago and encourage owners of the cars within to shine up the chrome and join the trip.

The Extravaganza will be the first event of its kind to be staged in the Wakatipu Basin. It will include a ‘Concours d’elegance’ showcasing car collections from within Central Otago, an evening car run and a ¼ mile sprint – as well as an array of social gatherings.

Already coming out of the garage for the event are the following:

1930 V16 Cadillac
1932 V12 Packard
1933 V12 Lincoln
1969 CT 40

The Queenstown Auto Extravaganza runs from Friday 27 February 2009 until Sunday March 1 2009.

Further information, to register interest or for high quality images: Deborah Coburn info@queenstowncarshow.co.nz or Alexa Forbes on 0274 717 255 or alexa@southernpr.co.nz.

Queenstown Auto Extravaganza Programme

Friday 27 February

Wakatipu Basin
Evening car cruise

Saturday 28 February

Queenstown Events Centre
Car Show

Queenstown Events Centre
Indoor Concours d'elegance with international judging and prizes

Coronet Peak
Rock and Roll night featuring special guests, Rock and Roll Legend Tom Sharplin and the Cadillacs.

Sunday 1 March

1/4 mile sprint featuring some of the biggest and fastest cars from the show

It's full throttle ahead

Thu, 1 May 2008 9:30:00 +1200

A Queenstown auto extravaganza is being sparked-up as a roaring new fundraiser.

Fresh from launching a charity calendar for breast cancer research last year Deborah Coburn, local woman has suggested a spectacular car show to raise cash for a major male health problem, namely prostate cancer.

According to local motoring enthusiast Phil Dunstan: “The idea has sort of mushroomed since then.”Dunstan, who stood as a mayoral candidate last year and is Queenstown Lakes District Council’s former works contractor, is chairing a charitable trust being formed to run the event.

He and his committee hope to draw up to 500 vehicles for the first show, to be held at the end of next February.

To drag in those numbers, they’re proposing a full weekend of activities.

The first, on Friday, February 27, will be a cruise night around the district, possibly incorporating the restored historic Shotover bridge.

“Imagine a nice summer evening, everyone with their car tops down,” Dunstan says.

Saturday morning would feature a prestigious Concours d’Elegance inside the Events Centre, and a car show outside.

Dunstan expects there’d be 30 to 50 entries for the Concours, modelled on the famous annual event at Pebble Beach golf links, in California, which has been running since 1950.

Special vehicles are judged as to how well they’ve been restored to perfect order.

On the Saturday night the organisers plan a huge car-orientated rock ‘n’ roll night at the Events Centre.
Activities may conclude on Sunday with a quarter mile sprint on an open road.
Dunstan concedes approval might be hard to come by, “but we’ve resolved to try our hardest.”

He’s hoping for a complete cross-section of cars from 1930s veterans to modern models.

He’s had interest from Otago and Southland car clubs: “They only need an excuse to come.”

Dunstan expects to prise plenty of prestige motors out of Queenstown and Wanaka garages – he’ll personally enter a 1937 Mercedes.

“In the first year, our aim is to get it going and make it well-known.

“We want to make it the sort of event people will break their necks to come back the following year for.”

Dunstan says his committee has yet to set a budget so he can’t hazard a guess what will eventually be raised for prostate cancer.

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Queenstown Auto Extravaganza to Support Prostate Cancer Research

It's full throttle ahead