History
Our Heritage
Humble Beginnings
The Club
1964 EstablishedPukekohe Hot Rod Club was established in 1964 and based in Pukekohe, with an open policy focused mainly on American-origin drag cars and vehicles of interest. It's a fun, social club — clubrooms open Sundays from 5pm, with a quarterly newsletter and regular emails to members.
The Road To Meremere
1970The NZHRA worked with the Pukekohe Hot Rod Club to organise a six-meeting drag racing series on the newly sealed Kerrs Road in 1970. Club members were out in force — working tirelessly behind the scenes — many of them volunteers who never owned a drag car, working purely for the love of the sport. There was even coverage on national television.
Building The Dragway
1971 - 1973After the TV coverage, the PHRC held public meetings at Meremere, Mercer, Pokeno & personally visited all land owners in a five-mile radius to gain support. PHRC member Glynn Parker offered an interest-free loan of $3,500 for the timing equipment. Late in 1972 a sponsorship deal was struck with Champion Spark Plugs, which encouraged Fisher & Paykel, Coca-Cola, Atlantic Oils & BNZ to come on board.
Opening Day Chaos
1973The official opening on Easter Monday 1973 was rained out — yet 8,000 people were waiting at the strip, with thousands more stranded on SH1 in a queue stretching all the way back to the Bombay Hills. The rescheduled opening (6 May 1973) made motorsport history.
A World-First Distinction
1970s - PresentThe Pukekohe Hot Rod Club is the only hot rod club globally that can lay claim to owning its very own drag strip — and they still maintain and run it today.
The 60th Anniversary
2024New Zealand's first official purpose-built quarter-mile drag strip in conjunction with the club celebrated its 60th anniversary, marking how the Pukekohe Hot Rod Club constructed the facility and continued to maintain it to the present day.