HISTORY

Born in 1978 in a sun-drenched Canterbury paddock, Rye Grass Racing began when two rival farmers rigged modified lawnmowers to settle a legendary fence-line dispute. What started as a chaotic, single-horsepower wager quickly morphed into New Zealand’s most outrageously competitive grass-roots motorsport

By 2026, the movement needed a proper home, giving rise to the Pukeko-Burgring—a treacherous, 1.2-kilometer circuit carved directly out of perennial ryegrass. Named for the native pukeko birds that habitually invaded Turn 3, the track became famous for its brutal hairpins, slick early-morning dew, and the infamous "Silage Straight." Drivers navigated high-speed chicane bends while contending with uneven turf and flying clumps of topsoil. At the heart of the track stood the "Pig Pen Stadium," a sprawling arena built right beside the local swine barns. Fans packed its muddy, tier-layered wooden grandstands, cheering through the scent of fresh manure and BBQ.

Though modern safety regulations eventually tamed the souped-up mowers and has given way to Chinese grass karts, the annual Pukeko-Burgring Grand Prix remains a sacred local tradition.

Victory brings no massive cash prize—only eternal bragging rights and the coveted Victory Trophy.