New Zealand Engineering Excellence Awards

Taupo Race Track grapples for pole position at engineering awards

15 October 2007

The Taupo Race Track was announced a category finalist in the 2007 New Zealand Engineering Excellence (NZEE) Awards today.

The third New Zealand Engineering Excellence Awards are the premier awards for New Zealand engineering professionals. The awards are presented in two major areas: Individual Awards, that recognise leadership, entrepreneurship, and our young engineers; and Category Awards, that recognise achievement in the various industry areas, together with a Supreme Award for the best of the Category winners.

The Taupo Motorsport Park has multiple track configurations including an international licensed race track and an international drag strip, as well as having two pit lane areas which enables concurrent racing on two tracks. It is considered one of the most comprehensive motor racing facilities in Australasia.
Connell Wagner was responsible for all civil design and construction observation works for the project. To deliver the track within the tight timeframes and budgets Connell Wagner had to proceed the design and construction phases in tandem.

The Taupo Motorsport Park opened to an international drag racing event and a round of the New Zealand V8 championships in early 2006. With the A1GP event in January 2007 the Taupo Motorsport Park is now confirmed as New Zealand’s premier motorsport facility and is an asset to New Zealand as a whole. The development highlights that with the right framework, innovation and the continual assessment of actual practical requirements, New Zealand can build a world-class event venue at a fraction of the time and budget of other countries.

David Elms, Convenor of the Category Awards judging panel said that the calibre of finalist projects highlighted the contribution that professional engineers make to New Zealand on a social, economic and environmental scale.

“These projects made the finalist cut because they each are outstanding examples of engineering innovation”, says Mr Elms. “This year’s finalists impressed the judges by demonstrating how their projects contributed to the national economy and the reputation of New Zealand engineering and impacted on quality of life in their communities”.

Winners of both individual and category awards will be announced at a black-tie gala dinner at TE PAPA, Wellington on Wednesday, 21 November 2007.

The New Zealand Engineering Excellence Awards are hosted by a consortium of five partners and 10 contributing organisations. The partners are: Centre for Advanced Engineering (CAE); Association of Local Government Engineering New Zealand Incorporated (INGENIUM); Electricity Engineers Association of New Zealand (EEA); Association of Consulting Engineers New Zealand (ACENZ); and the Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand Inc (IPENZ).

Media enquiries contact:

Verona-Meiana Putaranui, NZEE Awards Media Co-ordinator

Email: media@ipenz.org.nz

Phone: +64 4 473 2028 or Cell: +64 21 479885