Thursday 21st October 2010

Video: Paddock Hacking

Meet the love child of autograss and off-road racing

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This intriguing-looking activity is called 'paddock hacking', a cross-between grass-track racing, and Baja-style off-road rallying (albeit on a budget), and it's presumably what rural New Zealanders do to take their minds off the sheep.

Frankly, from the evidence of these two videos it looks like fantastic fun. We particularly like the sledgehammer-and-spanner approach to the modification of the cars.

This attitude is personified by Lee (second video) a 28-year old 'sheep and beef' farmer and his - er - modified Toyota Corolla (note the big wheels on the front - genius).

"We've modified the handbrake as well," he says. "We've pulled it in, put a piece of wire through it [to turn it into a rally-style handbrake] - now you can just flick 'er up, let her go.

"We've also whipped the rear doors off," says Lee.

"Is that for better air-flow?" asks the cameraman.

"Less weight mate, less weight." Lee, we salute you.

Apparently the chaps behind these two videos are in the process of making a whole TV series on Paddock Hacking - a production we fervently hope Channel 5 (or similar) buys, because we definitely want to see more of Paddock Hacks...

 

[Oddball RS]

Why? isn't it just banger racing?

[Squabbler]

A motorsport close to its roots

[vintageracer01]

Sheep farmer turns accidentially millionaire.

Take an idea (that is not particullary new), turn it into a TV series and sell the rights around the world.

A potenially nice move to become the Simon Cowell of rural 'Jack-ass' motorsports TV.

[tomv1to]

That looks amazing I want a go.

[HalfMoon]

tomv1to said:

That looks amazing I want a go.

+1

I've always wondered why there isn't more of this - Like autograss, it would be a cheap fun sport that would be accessible to a lot of people who want to have a go at racing without the prohibitive budget.

[freecar]

No better than that fking lotto lout. It's just a fking field car, they're for kids to keep them quiet, not a fking TV show!

[Riggers]

freecar said:

No better than that fking lotto lout. It's just a fking field car, they're for kids to keep them quiet, not a fking TV show!

You like it then?

[freecar]

Riggers said:

freecar said:

No better than that fking lotto lout. It's just a fking field car, they're for kids to keep them quiet, not a fking TV show!

You like it then?

Did when I was 12, novelty wore off after that! Seriously, someone point out where Michael Carroll (or whatever his name was) was any different to this. At least I'm lead to believe he did banger "races" not just drive an old car around a field!

[the fury]

That old Bedford flatbed with the monster truck rear tyres look pretty cool I though!

[Johnpidge]

So many sheep so much time.................

[ivantate]

Muppetry of the highest degree.

Also really dull after about an hour.

[TheRoadWarrior]

Fooking nutters!


Looks mental,

[SR06]

freecar said:

No better than that fking lotto lout. It's just a fking field car, they're for kids to keep them quiet, not a fking TV show!

• hands over Chill-pill*

[Snoop Bagg]

Oddball RS said:

Why? isn't it just banger racing?

Yes in a field!

Didn't Chav-illionaire Micheal Carroll do this first as demonstrated, in an interview with Keith Allen?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ofleg79pUNY&fea...

[SR06]

ivantate said:

Muppetry of the highest degree.

Also really dull after about an hour.

Thats 45 minutes of entertainment more than F1 then?

[Sivraj]

Motor sport on not, Loutish or not throwing a knackered old banger around a field would be fun.
Would it be better with a RWD?
Gis a go

[anonymous-user]

That would be banned in the UK for being a bit too much like fun...............

[Petrolhead_Rich]

Its just field racing, most people who were brought up on farms did it, we used to buy MOT failures for £25-£100 and rag them 'till they died/snapped/caught fire etc.

ended up with a pile of 30 cars over space of 10 years, come the scrap metal boom we made a killing.

As for the novelty wearing off, not in the slightest, I really miss the field!!!

as for a TV show, WTF?

And hes a pussy, he still has body work!!!!

First thing we did was take doors, front wings, glass out etc, usually left the windscreen until it got too smashed.

The lotto lout used to just crash them, not race them, tosser!

[Petrolhead_Rich]

Max_Torque said:

That would be banned in the UK for being a bit too much like fun...............

Actually we had the police round twice from people walking on the footpath calling them and reporting "Joyriders", its all perfectly legal.

I remember being 8 years old and being stopped by the police.....

Then being let on my way, no insurance or anything!!!

[dele]

freecar said:

No better than that fking lotto lout. It's just a fking field car, they're for kids to keep them quiet, not a fking TV show!

Your jealousy is amusing