In the world of New Zealand speedway, few names shine as brightly right now as Todd Hemingway—the current New Zealand Superstock Champion, and the only reigning national titleholder proudly registered to Baypark Speedway. But for Todd, the track isn’t just a place where he races. It’s where it all began.

“Baypark isn’t just a track to me—it’s where I grew up,” Todd says. “I started racing here when I was 12, but my connection to the place goes back even further. In the early days, my grandad Ross Decke was the promoter of the original Baypark before it closed in 1995, and some of my earliest memories are riding around the track in the water truck and grader with him.”

That early exposure to speedway life laid the groundwork for everything Todd would become. “Baypark has shaped me as a racer, but more importantly, it’s shaped me as a person,” he reflects. “It’s a place where people from all walks of life come together over a shared passion. It still plays a massive role in the Bay of Plenty, not just as a sport, but as part of the region’s heartbeat. We need to protect that.”

That call to protect Baypark carries more urgency than ever, with the venue’s long-term future currently under threat. For Todd and his family, whose roots in the sport span decades, it’s more than just a potential closure—it’s personal.

“It’s honestly heartbreaking,” he admits. “My family has poured decades into this sport, and Baypark has been at the centre of that. To think about it being taken away feels like losing a part of our identity—not just my family’s, but the whole speedway community’s. This isn’t just a place we race. It’s where legacies are built, friendships are forged, and kids grow into champions. If Baypark goes, it’s not just a loss of a facility—it’s the loss of something deeply rooted in our history and future.”

Todd knows first-hand just how powerful that journey can be—from fan to competitor, from the stands to the start line. “Baypark is the kind of place where a young kid watching in the stands one season ends up on the track a few years later,” he says. “I’ve grown up surrounded by families who live and breathe this sport. Generations cheer from the grandstand, wrench on cars in the pits, and give their all on the track. It’s a place where you can go from fan to family.”

Asked what kind of driver he’s become, Todd’s answer circles back to the track that built him. “I wouldn’t be the driver—or the person—I am today without Baypark,” he says. “From day one, this place has taught me about grit, respect, and how to carry myself both on and off the track. I’ve been lucky to grow up in a racing family, and to race alongside some incredible talent. But the weekly battles at Baypark, the roar of the crowd, the nights spent fixing broken cars under pressure—that’s what molds a real driver. Winning the NZ Superstock Championship was a dream, but the foundation was built right here, lap after lap, season after season.”

And now, as a champion and role model to the next generation of racers, Todd has a message not just for the fans—but for the city leaders holding Baypark’s future in their hands.

“Speedway is part of who we are in Tauranga. It’s a sport that teaches discipline, resilience, and heart. It brings families together on Saturday nights and gives young people a place to belong, to compete, to grow.

To the next generation of racers—don’t let this be taken from you. To the fans—keep turning up and making your voices heard.

And to the leaders of this city—I ask you to see Baypark not just as dirt and concrete, but as a cultural cornerstone. This place builds people. It builds community. And it deserves to be protected.”