Icons and Egos Ready for the Top Gear Live Challenge

With New Zealanders being arguably the most passionate Top Gear fans in the world, it is hardly surprising that they’ve gone the extra distance and created their own miniature version of the Top Gear Test Track, where our own local stars can challenge the leader-board in a reasonably-priced car.

In fact when Top Gear Live comes to town on the 18th – 21st February, the entire ASB Showgrounds arena will be transformed into a fully fledged Motoring Festival with a sensational live theatre show featuring Jeremy Clarkson, James May and our own Greg Murphy, a showcase of fabulous and exotic cars and an outdoor track where car marques, stunt drivers and celebrities will go helmet to helmet in a bid to reign supreme.

The Toshiba Track at Top Gear Live is being built completely from scratch and legendary V8 Supercar driver Greg Murphy has had a big say in the design. “The track is looking fantastic,” he said, “I was there last week to see progress and I was very impressed. The layout is going to be quite a challenge for the drivers and great viewing for the crowd. It’ll be fun watching experienced racecar drivers tackle the course and the ‘Stars in Cars’ will be presented with a real test,” said Murphy.

The Toshiba Track will host a display of pursuit-style time trials, amazing demos of precision driving, classic Muscle Cars, old school Rally Cars, Drift Cars, Celebrity Challenges, as well as exclusive sports car demo’s in an attempt to win over the crowd and beat the clock.

And Top Gear Live organizers have managed to secure some big names celebrities to compete for the Top Gear Live Trophy in the ‘Stars in Cars’ segment. At least 18 celebrities will be putting their foot to the floor in a Suzuki SX4 Sedan in a race against the clock and all final lap times will be posted on the Leader Board. Television stars, musicians, fashion designers, radio DJs and politicians will all get their turn, but there can only be one ‘Fastest Star in a Car’ winner.

Television hosts and personalities Brooke Howard Smith and Lana Coc-Kroft will be the first two to drive the Toshiba Track on the opening night in front of a huge crowd of fans and media. Other celebrities include comedian/movie star Rhys Darby, All Black Jerome Kaino, Outrageous Fortune star Siobhan Marshall, Op Shop musician Jason Kerrison, chef Simon Gault and fashion designer Marc Moore to name a few. The Mayor of Taranaki Ross Dunlop makes the journey to Auckland to take the challenge.

Each celebrity will be executing two stunts on the Toshiba Track after personal tuition by New Zealand stunt driving legend Peter Bell. Extreme parallel parking and a version of ‘car penalty shootout’ will be the stunts they’ll have to tackle within a limited practice and performance time.

And one of the most anticipated challenges of all time will feature on the Toshiba Track, the decade spanning grudge match of Ford Vs. Holden. Which legendary car marque will reign supreme?

The Toshiba Track runs as part of the Top Gear Live Motoring Festival, a new addition to the Top Gear Live format and unique to New Zealand. Rob Eliott Event Manager for Top Gear Live says, “This track is going to be fantastic. The calibre of drivers, cars and entertainment is going to really impress our most die-hard fans - there’s sure to be something to inspire every motoring enthusiast. The Toshiba Track is the logical extension of the new Top Gear Live Theatre Show – look out Auckland!”
Top Gear Live Show Information:

Dates: 18 – 21st February 2010

NB: The Motoring Festival runs from the 19th – 21st February

Venue: ASB Showgrounds, 217 Greenlane West, Greenlane, Auckland

Theatre Show Times:

Thurs 18 Feb: 6.30pm

Fri 19 Feb: 5.00pm, 8.00pm

Sat 20 Feb: 12.00pm, 3.30pm, 7.30pm

Sun 21 Feb: 11.00am, 2.30pm, 6.30pm

For more information see: www.topgearlive.co.nz
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About Top Gear Live
Top Gear Live is a joint venture between BBC Worldwide and Brand Events UK.

The live motoring performance incorporates the drama of film and theatre with the thrills and spills of stunts and special effects. A combination of Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond or James May team up with a local presenter in each tour destination. The 2008/09 World tour played to sell out audiences entertaining over 312,000 visitors. This year the tour adds Amsterdam and Cape Town to its list of destinations and further destinations are planned for 2011.

About BBC Worldwide

BBC Worldwide Limited is the main commercial arm and a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The company exists to maximise the value of the BBC’s assets for the benefit of the licence fee payer and invest in public service programming in return for rights. The company has seven core businesses: Channels, Content & Production, Digital Media, Sales & Distribution, Magazines, Home Entertainment and Global Brands. In 2008/09, BBC Worldwide generated profits of £102.6 million (before exceptionals) on sales of over £1 billion.

BBC Worldwide was awarded with the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in April 2009. This prestigious award for International Trade recognised the company’s substantial growth in overseas earnings and commercial success at outstanding levels, based on 3 years’ trading results, which benefit the UK creative industries and ultimately the licence fee payer.

About Brand Events UK

Brand Events was formed in 1999 and is the UK’s most successful innovator in events and exhibitions. Brand Events has launched some of the UK’s most popular shows including MPH - featuring Jeremy Clarkson - The Outdoors and Vitality shows and more recently the Taste Festivals series of events. The 'Taste' format runs in four cities throughout the UK and Ireland and a number of locations around the world including Johannesburg, Dubai and Sydney. In 2010 Taste will run in 19 different cities around the world including Auckland.
About Shell V-Power

Shell V-Power is a high quality performance fuel available exclusively from Shell service stations throughout New Zealand.

The international Shell scientists who develop Ferrari’s Formula 1 motor racing fuels have taken what they’ve learnt on the track to create Shell V-Power’s unique formulation. It is designed to help keep new engines running like new for longer and restore older engines to peak condition.