July 1, 2024 • 6 mins
We catch up with the recently appointed President of NZ Motorsport.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Motorsport on the country Sport Breakfast powered by CRC five
five six made right here in New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
It's time to talk a little bit of motorsport now
on the show. And just recently Motorsport New Zealand had
its annual general meeting as they do each and every year,
where every couple of years a new president is elected.
The tenth president has just been elected and for the
first time, I think in our motorsport history, we have
a female, a woman as president. DEBRAA. Day, who joins
(00:28):
us this morning. Deborah, good morning, Good morning, Brian. Are
you the first female president of motorsport in New Zealand?
Speaker 1 (00:34):
I am in DA nine men before me.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Yeah, that is absolutely fantastic. You've got a challenge on
your hands.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
Exciting time to have the sport that's got so much opportunity.
I'm getting stuff into it.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
All right, Well, let's find out about a little bit
about Debra Day. Because you've basically all your life you've
grown up around motorsport meetings, mainly at Puki Cowie, haven't you.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
It's I think I was six weeks old at my
first race. Then Mum and dad used to or dad
used to race our road going home and Hunter and
they try to the track, take out my car seat
and then we go racing for the day. Very much
in the sport.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
So you didn't get a chance, really did you? No?
Speaker 1 (01:16):
I know it has felt definitely has fault.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
How did you get into two official dren What was
your first official job as a as a motorsport official?
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Beck with dad again with their emotional flag marshals as
you are sometimes and he nominated Mum and I so
go out and start marshaling. I think I was about
six years old at the time when she grabbed the
sticker off the dashboard of this car. So we knew
at the flag against and so we knew what we
were doing, and it kind of just continued from here.
So flag marshaled a Cooey and Bay Park back in
(01:45):
the day, and then slowly moved my way up to
race control, which really became kind of my natural home.
I guests, communicating with the team on the ground, making
events happen.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
As far as rice control is concerned. I guess that's
where you and I sort of came across each other.
I'd be in the commentary box next door in the
Grand Standard Pooky co in there you would be running.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
The meeting, right that's it, yep, exactly.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
So today now you've taken over the reins of motorsport
New Zealand. So what are your challenges.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
Look pretty much that every sport participation. You know, it's
not a sport. We can hold a raffle to find
some second hand boats to give to some kids to
get in racing. It's quite an expensive sport to get into,
or it's perceived that way. So really for me it's
about opening the door or opening the door to parents
in families to understand you don't actually need a customs
(02:38):
at race car to compete in our sport. You can
use mum's daily driver and take it to a motor
karna and the family can learn skills that will help
them with driving on the road as well.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
And your kids have grown up in the sport too,
haven't they.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Yeah, they have. Indeed, our oldersdaughter she competes in circuit racing.
And Matthew Hall the fifteen in September, he's come up
through modicanas and all and we mix five and now
has a BMWE thirty but he's just starting to compete.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
And then the second and that's in motorsport. That's actually
where you met your husband, isn't it.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
Yeah, we were running I'm a Commedia of Sorkland cat
Club club Sport Growth and ran modicanas and and rally
sprints for them for all we while and yeah found
out we actually got on quite well.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
And a few children later and a lot of motorsport
events later. So is he involved as well?
Speaker 1 (03:32):
Yeah, sure he's He's leaving the pack with the number
of race cars. In fact, we're just having to build
a bigger sheet at the moment. So as as very
much a family this year, to the point where my
parents are still still involved and volunteering as well. So yeah,
very much. Again, the whole family players on the weekends,
so your parents.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
Will be looking at you and thinking wow, you know,
from a little one right through to now running motorsport
in New Zealand, that'd be pretty proud.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Yeah. Yeah, I don't think it's something that we eive
us thought that I aloud end up going, But you
know I'm up for the challenge and the way at
Lute Guard, I think I can I can leave the
sport into the future.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
We see the signs dale im on a lot of
cars and that's your husband and your business, isn't it.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
Yes, that's right. We own second generation family business here
for us with Dale and Marry and I took over
about twelve years ago. We brought out Alan and Gloria
and I have three stores to across Auckland and one
and the Curramandor and through that we have been fortunate
enough to be able to support competitors in our sport
as they come through. I think probably about twelve drivers
(04:36):
now that we've been involved with and trying to get them,
help them, help them chase their dreams. I think probably
one of the problems for motorsport that a lot of
people won't understand is that it is a privately funded sport.
We don't have access to the high performance sport funding
that a lot of support to get. So everyone right
(04:57):
the way up to Leam Morrison is there because of
I've got people in business supporting them.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
And we I mean it's in a healthy state really.
When you look around the country, we're seeing new tracks
actually being built. I believe there's one in Stratford, there's
a possible one in the Bay of Plenty and Tarroonga.
So it's in a good state motorsport in New Zealand,
isn't it?
Speaker 1 (05:15):
And you know on the world stage to yes, that's
what everyone don't think. I don't think there's an international
competition that we don't have a key. We drive all
three and you know well and truly doing well.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
And as you know President now, madam president, so to speak,
has it been accepted by the good old boys?
Speaker 1 (05:34):
Absolutely none, long enough. You know that I'm not going
to be in the kitchensage.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Many of them have worked with you over many many years,
really haven't they, Debra Very very.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
True, and I've got some wonderful mon tours.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Through the sport, been very lucky, fantastic. It's in a
great state and I'm sure that you'll take it to
even higher level. So wonderful. Congratulations again and thanks for
joining us, Thank you for having me every day, President
of Motorsport in New Zealand. And she's right. You look
around the world at the moment, the European Rally Championship,
we've got Hayden Padden, the current defending champion and co
(06:07):
leader of that championship going into this weekend's round in Estonia.
Formula Ree the World Championship there Kiwi's first and second
nic Cassidy Evans. We've got the IndyCars, NASCAR, Liam Lawson
of Formula One. It's a wonderful time.
Motorsport on the country Sport Breakfast powered by CRC five
five six made right here in New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
It's time to talk a little bit of motorsport now
on the show. And just recently Motorsport New Zealand had
its annual general meeting as they do each and every year,
where every couple of years a new president is elected.
The tenth president has just been elected and for the
first time, I think in our motorsport history, we have
a female, a woman as president. DEBRAA. Day, who joins
(00:28):
us this morning. Deborah, good morning, Good morning, Brian. Are
you the first female president of motorsport in New Zealand?
Speaker 1 (00:34):
I am in DA nine men before me.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Yeah, that is absolutely fantastic. You've got a challenge on
your hands.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
Exciting time to have the sport that's got so much opportunity.
I'm getting stuff into it.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
All right, Well, let's find out about a little bit
about Debra Day. Because you've basically all your life you've
grown up around motorsport meetings, mainly at Puki Cowie, haven't you.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
It's I think I was six weeks old at my
first race. Then Mum and dad used to or dad
used to race our road going home and Hunter and
they try to the track, take out my car seat
and then we go racing for the day. Very much
in the sport.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
So you didn't get a chance, really did you? No?
Speaker 1 (01:16):
I know it has felt definitely has fault.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
How did you get into two official dren What was
your first official job as a as a motorsport official?
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Beck with dad again with their emotional flag marshals as
you are sometimes and he nominated Mum and I so
go out and start marshaling. I think I was about
six years old at the time when she grabbed the
sticker off the dashboard of this car. So we knew
at the flag against and so we knew what we
were doing, and it kind of just continued from here.
So flag marshaled a Cooey and Bay Park back in
(01:45):
the day, and then slowly moved my way up to
race control, which really became kind of my natural home.
I guests, communicating with the team on the ground, making
events happen.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
As far as rice control is concerned. I guess that's
where you and I sort of came across each other.
I'd be in the commentary box next door in the
Grand Standard Pooky co in there you would be running.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
The meeting, right that's it, yep, exactly.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
So today now you've taken over the reins of motorsport
New Zealand. So what are your challenges.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
Look pretty much that every sport participation. You know, it's
not a sport. We can hold a raffle to find
some second hand boats to give to some kids to
get in racing. It's quite an expensive sport to get into,
or it's perceived that way. So really for me it's
about opening the door or opening the door to parents
in families to understand you don't actually need a customs
(02:38):
at race car to compete in our sport. You can
use mum's daily driver and take it to a motor
karna and the family can learn skills that will help
them with driving on the road as well.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
And your kids have grown up in the sport too,
haven't they.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Yeah, they have. Indeed, our oldersdaughter she competes in circuit racing.
And Matthew Hall the fifteen in September, he's come up
through modicanas and all and we mix five and now
has a BMWE thirty but he's just starting to compete.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
And then the second and that's in motorsport. That's actually
where you met your husband, isn't it.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
Yeah, we were running I'm a Commedia of Sorkland cat
Club club Sport Growth and ran modicanas and and rally
sprints for them for all we while and yeah found
out we actually got on quite well.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
And a few children later and a lot of motorsport
events later. So is he involved as well?
Speaker 1 (03:32):
Yeah, sure he's He's leaving the pack with the number
of race cars. In fact, we're just having to build
a bigger sheet at the moment. So as as very
much a family this year, to the point where my
parents are still still involved and volunteering as well. So yeah,
very much. Again, the whole family players on the weekends,
so your parents.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
Will be looking at you and thinking wow, you know,
from a little one right through to now running motorsport
in New Zealand, that'd be pretty proud.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Yeah. Yeah, I don't think it's something that we eive
us thought that I aloud end up going, But you
know I'm up for the challenge and the way at
Lute Guard, I think I can I can leave the
sport into the future.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
We see the signs dale im on a lot of
cars and that's your husband and your business, isn't it.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
Yes, that's right. We own second generation family business here
for us with Dale and Marry and I took over
about twelve years ago. We brought out Alan and Gloria
and I have three stores to across Auckland and one
and the Curramandor and through that we have been fortunate
enough to be able to support competitors in our sport
as they come through. I think probably about twelve drivers
(04:36):
now that we've been involved with and trying to get them,
help them, help them chase their dreams. I think probably
one of the problems for motorsport that a lot of
people won't understand is that it is a privately funded sport.
We don't have access to the high performance sport funding
that a lot of support to get. So everyone right
(04:57):
the way up to Leam Morrison is there because of
I've got people in business supporting them.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
And we I mean it's in a healthy state really.
When you look around the country, we're seeing new tracks
actually being built. I believe there's one in Stratford, there's
a possible one in the Bay of Plenty and Tarroonga.
So it's in a good state motorsport in New Zealand,
isn't it?
Speaker 1 (05:15):
And you know on the world stage to yes, that's
what everyone don't think. I don't think there's an international
competition that we don't have a key. We drive all
three and you know well and truly doing well.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
And as you know President now, madam president, so to speak,
has it been accepted by the good old boys?
Speaker 1 (05:34):
Absolutely none, long enough. You know that I'm not going
to be in the kitchensage.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Many of them have worked with you over many many years,
really haven't they, Debra Very very.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
True, and I've got some wonderful mon tours.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Through the sport, been very lucky, fantastic. It's in a
great state and I'm sure that you'll take it to
even higher level. So wonderful. Congratulations again and thanks for
joining us, Thank you for having me every day, President
of Motorsport in New Zealand. And she's right. You look
around the world at the moment, the European Rally Championship,
we've got Hayden Padden, the current defending champion and co
(06:07):
leader of that championship going into this weekend's round in Estonia.
Formula Ree the World Championship there Kiwi's first and second
nic Cassidy Evans. We've got the IndyCars, NASCAR, Liam Lawson
of Formula One. It's a wonderful time.
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