Baypark Speedway is so much more than what you see under the stadium lights on a Saturday night. Beyond the roar of the engines, the rumble of stockcars, and the cheers from the grandstand lies a deeper world, where motorsport and local business collide in powerful and lasting ways.
Speedway has long played a major role in Tauranga’s economy, injecting cash and connection into a wide range of industries. From hospitality and accommodation to fabrication, media, and design, the ripple effect of race night stretches well beyond the clay.
As conversations heat up around the future of Baypark Speedway, there’s a powerful voice that needs to be heard — not from the boardroom or the headlines, but from within the very heart of our speedway community.
That voice belongs to Rebecca Gerbes, a proud local business owner, lifelong speedway supporter, and someone whose roots at Baypark go back generations. For her and her whānau, Baypark isn’t just a place to watch a few laps on a Saturday night. It’s a living, breathing part of their family’s story. And it’s a cornerstone of Tauranga’s culture.
It All Started with a Love for Racing
Rebecca’s journey with speedway began long before she ever engraved a trophy. Her father was a Streetstock racer at the original Baypark Raceway — the same legendary track where names like Rodney Wood and Flipper carved out their legacy. She remembers being just a kid on the grass banks, mesmerised by the speed, the noise, the lights, and the camaraderie.
But the magic wasn’t limited to what happened under the lights.
“The real heart of speedway lived in the sheds,” she says. “That’s where Dad and his mates would be fixing things, helping each other out, telling yarns, and solving life’s problems over coffee and tools. We’d be right there too — the kids — learning without even realising it.”
Speedway wasn’t just something the family did — it became a part of who they were. It shaped their values, their work ethic, and their sense of community.
A Legacy Etched in Laughter and Steel
That sense of connection would eventually lead Rebecca to take over Barclay Engravers, formerly known as Square Bush Engravers. And if you’ve been around the New Zealand speedway scene long enough, that name will ring a few bells — and maybe bring a few laughs too.
Square Bush the Clown, aka Alan Roundtree, wasn’t just an engraver. He was a legend. A staple of speedway entertainment, his hilarious antics, bright cars, and over-the-top personality brought joy to fans up and down the country. His cars still stand on display, now pieces of living history — and his name lives on through the business Rebecca runs today.
“I don’t think people realise how deep the connection goes,” Rebecca says. “This isn’t just work for us. Alan was part of the sport’s history, and we’re proud to carry that legacy forward.”
Now, Barclay Engravers is the team behind every winning trophy at Baypark — each one telling a story of hard-fought battles, late nights in the shed, broken parts, big dreams, and sometimes, lifelong memories made in a single moment of victory.
The Next Generation Is Already on the Grid
The legacy doesn’t stop there. These days, her kids are following in the family tyre tracks — now racing in speedway themselves. For Rebecca and her whānau, the sport continues to provide something no school, club, or app can replicate: connection.
“Speedway teaches our kids discipline, pride, teamwork, resilience — and it keeps them grounded. They’re not out getting into trouble. They’re in the shed, learning. They’re on the road with us, building confidence and making lifelong mates.”
Weeknights are for working on the cars. Dinner time is for discussing technical issues and mechanical adjustments. Weekends are for travelling around the country as a team. It’s a rhythm of life that’s shaped not only by love of the sport, but love for each other
It’s Not Just a Track — It’s a Community Hub
To outsiders, Baypark Speedway might just look like a venue. To some, it might even be “just a bit of dirt in a stadium.” But for hundreds of families, it’s so much more. It’s the hub where generations connect. Where life lessons are passed down. Where businesses are born, where skills are shared, and where friendships are forged.
It’s also a vital economic engine. The ripple effects of race night stretch far and wide, into the tourism, hospitality, trades, fabrication, design, and media industries that thrive every time Baypark comes alive. And that impact is real.
“This Isn’t Just a Sport — It’s Who We Are”
“My husband Michael Gerbes comes from a family that used to run Gala Caterers, the original caterers at the old Baypark Speedway, Speedway just isn’t the same without a hotdog, chips slathered in speedway sauce. When the old Baypark closed, they had to move away from Tauranga — although they still cater at other speedways around the country. Their story is just one example of how deeply these places are woven into our community’s fabric.
Think of all the food vendors, families, and small businesses that rely on speedway events — not just for income, but for connection, purpose, and tradition. The potential closure of such a facility reaches far beyond the track itself; it impacts livelihoods, local identity, and the next generation of community-minded families like ours”
When Rebecca’s parents first emigrated to Tauranga over 35 years ago, one of the biggest reasons they chose this city was its strong local motorsport culture. Baypark was a key part of that identity — and still is.
“To lose Baypark would be to lose a living, breathing piece of our community,” Rebecca says. “This place is more than just a venue. It’s history. Its future. It’s family.”
So, as Tauranga City Council considers the fate of Baypark Speedway, Rebecca – and so many others – are calling on decision-makers to truly listen to the voices that have grown up on those clay banks, wrenched in those sheds, and raced under those lights.
Because of this community, Speedway isn’t just a sport; it’s our past, our present, and our future.
It’s our whānau. It’s home.