Highlands gets interactive

Highlands gets interactive

New Zealand's drivers punch well above their weight on the world stage, so Highlands Motorsport Park has decided to celebrate their achievements with an addition to its museum — the Young Guns Virtual Reality Experience.

Australian motorsport commentator Greg Rust (‘‘Rusty’’) conducted one-on-one video interviews with many Kiwi household names from across the racing disciplines, including V8 Supercars drivers Scott McLaughlin, Fabian Couthard and Shane Van Gisbergen, drifter ‘‘Mad’’ Mike Whiddett, rally driver Hayden Paddon, and Highlands’ professional drivers Andrew Waite and
Damon Leitch.

Highlands’ chief operating officer Josie Spillane said the footage, which plays on six screens — each featuring a different set of drivers — around the gallery provides the ‘‘back story’’ to how these youngsters beat the odds to make a name for themselves.

‘‘They talk about things they wouldn’t usually talk about in a media environment. About being a Kiwi representing New Zealand on a global stage,’’ Spillane said.

Highlands owner Tony Quinn reasoned that you can’t talk about the future without talking about the past and a few mature drivers, such as Greg Murphy, Craig Baird and Jim Richards, also feature.

‘‘I’m blown away by the number of world-class drivers New Zealand has produced. In days gone by, you had the likes of Denny Hulme, Chris Amon and, of course, Bruce McLaren, but the current generation are as good as, if not better, than some of the legends of the sport in this country,” Quinn said.

Having driven with, or against, many of the young guns, he counts himself lucky because ‘‘as well as being talented drivers, they’re all good Kiwi blokes’’, Quinn said.

Nestled in the heart of the driver interview gallery is what Spillane dubs the ‘‘piece de resistance’’ — a virtual reality experience, where you can complete laps with the young guns around the Highlands track. While they are let loose in the circuit-owned Ferrari, Quinn completes his lap in his 7.0-litre, V12-propelled Aston Martin Vulcan.

After taking a seat, the pull-down headsets allows viewers a choice of driver before experiencing a rubber-squealing sensory ride as you hurtle the track.
As more well-known drivers visit Highlands, their laps will be recorded and added to the experience.

 - Catherine Pattison

Photo: Supplied

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