When the floodlights come on at Baypark Speedway and the first engines fire into life on a warm Bay of Plenty evening, something special happens. The air fills with the smell of race fuel and freshly worked clay. The grandstands fill with families, mates, and die-hard race fans. And for one more season, Tauranga’s favourite dirt oval becomes the centre of the motorsport universe in the North Island.
The 2026–27 season is almost here, and Baypark Speedway is ready to deliver another summer of pure, high-octane entertainment. From the Labour Weekend opener right through to a chaotic Demo-Derbay finale in late March, the calendar is stacked with big events, major titles, fireworks, and the kind of wheel-to-wheel action that only happens at The Place for Pace.
The Season Begins – Practice & Opening Night
It all starts with Practice on Saturday 17 October 2026. Registered cars only, a chance for teams to shake down their machines, test new setups, and get the feel of the track after the winter break. For the drivers and crews it’s serious business. For the fans lucky enough to be trackside, it’s the first real taste of what’s coming.
Then, on Saturday 24 October, the gates swing open for the big one — the Bay Opening Extravaganza.
Labour Weekend in the Bay of Plenty already has a certain magic. Beach days, long evenings, and that unmistakable holiday energy. Add Sprintcars, Midgets, Superstocks, Ministocks and Stockcars under the lights and you’ve got the perfect start to summer. This is the night the season truly begins. The night the place for pace comes alive again. Bring the family. Bring your mates. Bring your appetite for noise, dirt, and side-by-side racing. The Opening Extravaganza sets the tone for everything that follows.
Fireworks, Classics & Championship Battles
Just two weeks later, on Saturday 7 November, the Bay Fireworks / Bill Buckley Classic lights up the sky and the track. Fireworks nights at Baypark have become legendary — a family favourite that combines spectacular racing with a proper pyrotechnic show. The Bill Buckley Classic adds extra prestige to the Midget ranks, while Sprintcars, Superstocks and Ministocks keep the action flowing from start to finish.
November 28 brings one of the season’s major titles to Tauranga: the South Pacific Super Saloon Champs. Super Saloons are always a crowd-pleaser — big, powerful, and spectacular when they get sideways. Pairing them with Sprintcars, F2 Midgets, Ministocks and Stockcars creates a night that delivers variety and intensity in equal measure.
Then comes early December and one of the most hotly contested meetings of the year. Battle of the Bay on Saturday 5 December features the Aotearoa F2 Title and the Harry Fredrickson Stockcar Gold Cup. Local pride is on the line. Visiting teams arrive ready to take the fight to the Baypark regulars. Sprintcars, F2 Midgets, Ministocks and Stockcars ensure the programme never slows down. This is pure Bay of Plenty speedway at its competitive best.
Holiday Racing & Memorial Nights
The Christmas and New Year period is traditionally one of the busiest and most exciting times at Baypark, and 2026–27 continues that tradition in style.
Bay Boxing Day Bonanza on Saturday 26 December is exactly what it sounds like — a full-throttle celebration of summer racing. Sprintcars, F2 Midgets, Super Saloons and Ministocks deliver non-stop action while families make the most of the holiday break. Two days later, on Monday 28 December, the Hokey Ashby Memorial pays tribute to a much-loved figure in New Zealand speedway. Expect strong fields of Sprintcars, Midgets, Superstocks and Ministocks as drivers race in honour of a true character of the sport.
Mid-Season Momentum
January keeps the momentum rolling. The Bay Rumble on Saturday 16 January mixes modern machinery with a touch of nostalgia as Historic Stockcars join Sprintcars, Superstocks, F2 Midgets and Stockcars. Then on 30 January the Bay Super Sundown delivers another strong night of Sprintcars, F2 Midgets, Super Saloons and Ministocks as the summer evenings start to stretch out.
February brings the Bay Piston Cup on Saturday 20 February — a Sprintcar-focused highlight that also features Midgets, Ministocks and Superstocks. This meeting has grown into one of the key events on the Baypark calendar, attracting quality fields and delivering the kind of close, hard racing that Sprintcar fans love.
The National Spotlight – NZ Sprintcar Championship
The biggest stage of the season arrives in early March. For two nights, Baypark Speedway hosts the 56th New Zealand Sprintcar Championship.
Friday 5 March is Night 1. Saturday 6 March is Night 2 and the finals. New Zealand’s best Sprintcar drivers, along with quality support classes including F2 Midgets, Super Saloons, Ministocks and more, will battle for national honours on the Baypark clay. National titles don’t come to town every year. When they do, the atmosphere is electric. Expect packed grandstands, intense racing, and the kind of moments that become part of local speedway folklore.
One Final Night of Chaos – Demo-Derbay
The season closes the way only Baypark can — with pure, unfiltered mayhem. Demo-Derbay on Saturday 27 March brings Sprintcars, Ministocks, Stockcars, Super Saloons and the demolition derby cars together for a night of high entertainment. The Demo Derby remains one of the most popular attractions of the season. Cars that have already given everything all summer get one last chance to go out in style (or in pieces). It’s loud, it’s chaotic, and the crowd loves every second of it.
More Than Just Racing
What makes a night at Baypark special isn’t only what happens on the track. It’s the whole experience. The easy access, the family-friendly atmosphere, the chance to get close to the cars and drivers, the food, the lights, and that unique Bay of Plenty summer feeling. Whether you’re a lifelong speedway fan or bringing the kids for their first night under the lights, Baypark delivers.
The full calendar, ticket information, class line-ups and any updates can always be found at www.bayparkspeedway.co.nz. That’s the official home for everything you need to plan your season. Tickets will be available online, and the team works hard to make it as easy as possible for fans to get through the gates.
All dates, events and classes remain subject to change at the promoters’ discretion — that’s just the nature of outdoor motorsport — but the commitment to delivering big nights of racing stays the same.
The Place for Pace is Ready
From the Opening Extravaganza in October to the Demo-Derbay in March, the 2026–27 season at Baypark Speedway promises twelve rounds of action, major titles, fireworks, memorial races, national championships and plenty of family entertainment.
The engines are almost ready. The track is waiting. There is still more events being planned and finalised behind the scenes that could still be added to an already packed and exciting calendar, The only question left is whether you’ll be there when the green flag drops.