Ivan Fahey could be the fastest pensioner in Cromwell.
Mr Fahey, 81, yesterday won a Lamborghini Huracan in a giveaway to mark Highlands Motorsport Park’s 10th anniversary, celebrated with a series of events at the weekend in the Central Otago town.
Visitors who bought a weekend pass to the events in advance, as Mr Fahey did, went in the draw to win the car, which had been used for hot laps at Highlands’ sister circuit Hampton Downs.
Lamborghini Huracans can accelerate from 0-100kmh in as little as 2.9 seconds, and are listed online for anywhere from $250,000 to $445,000.
"It was amazing really," Mr Fahey said.
"I was sitting on the terrace and Tony [Quinn] pulled my name out of the barrel of how many hundreds of names ... and I just leapt to my feet.
"Like everyone here, I guess we’ve all been thinking about what are we going to do when we win this Lamborghini today and here it is, it’s me - fantastic."
In fact, he was one of the first volunteers during the park’s early years.
It was a simple way the former coach driver and motorsport enthusiast could "give back" to the community he loved, he said.
Now his good deeds have been repaid in full - and then some.
And what does the octogenarian, who at present drives a Suzuki Grand Vitara and a BMW 525m, plan to do with his new Lamborghini?
"I’m going to play with it of course. I’m going to play with it until I can’t.
"I don’t really know what I’m going to do with it, it’s quite a special bit of machinery.
"I’ll learn how it works and, yes, I’ll have a bit of fun with it.
"I just feel very very lucky indeed. And I’m struggling to take the smile off my face today."
