A high-powered Mazda RX7 sports car which once languished in a shed near the beach in Rarotonga has found a new life in New Zealand as a drag racer, driven by a former Tereora College pupil.

The speedy white machine, which once belonged to Rarotonga lawyer the late Charles Little, was purchased in 2019 by former Rarotonga residents Cameron and Karen Scott on behalf of their youngest son David and shipped to Tauranga, on the eastern coast of the North Island where they now live.

David, who had several years of schooling at Tereora, had originally hoped to restore the car. But while the valuable turbocharged rotary engine was still in good condition, the bodywork had fallen victim to Rarotonga’s salty air and was a little rusty.

However, the car was still driveable off-road and came fitted with a roll cage, full harness seatbelts and racing seats.

This year David fitted super-wide tyres on the back of the car and with its original “Kia Orana” registration plates still fitted, entered the popular Dirt Drag event, held annually on a private farm near Kihikihi in the Waikato area.

The fun event pits two vehicles against each other on a 0.125km straight line course in a paddock that usually serves as an airstrip for topdressing aircraft. The winner is the machine that records the best time and motorcycles, quad bikes, trucks, SUVs, home built vehicles and cars of all descriptions can enter. The dirt drags are becoming more popular each year and on Friday more than 3000 keen petrolheads turned up to enjoy the fun.

Following a practice run, the RX7 suffered mechanical problems which weren’t sorted out till round two of the event for two wheel-drive cars.

David found himself pitted against the fastest car at the event and was outraced. But he thoroughly enjoyed his day and plans to be back next year with his Rarotonga Mazda fully sorted.

He says there’s a high probability that his RX7 – which resides with other classic Mazdas in his car collection, could be the first vehicle to ever have been exported from Rarotonga to New Zealand and then raced.