Newshub's longest-serving reporter and motorsport guru Shaun Summerfield is finishing up today after 17 years of telling stories in his own unique and compelling way.
In a career that has seen him cover everything from World Cups to the Mecca of Motorsport at Le Mans and everything in between, many viewers have grown up watching the Christchurch-born petrol head tell the stories of hundreds of New Zealanders.
Before he walks out the door for the last time, we asked Shaun to talk us through his most memorable stories.
5. Earl Bamber's Le Man's win (2015)
"I'd followed Earl's progress since meeting him on his family farm in Jerusalem in his mid-teens where he learnt to drive on their 7km gravel driveway. A young Brendan Hartley honed his skills there too - and they ended up both driving for Porsche at the most famous endurance race in the world.
Earl's career was in tatters three years earlier, but he built his way to the top through hard work and irresistible form - no one handed him anything. He made it to Le Mans in Porsche's rookie car that had nothing to lose, racing in front of 300,000 people - and won. Even at the top of the motoring world, he brushed his minders afterwards to come over to me telling them: "I'm talking to these guys" for his first one-on-one interview as champion. Seeing this young man's journey from the outer to the top was something special."
4. Daniel Cox's BOP debut (2016)
"What started as a tip from a producer from something he saw on YouTube about a Palagi who played for Bay of Plenty Samoa rugby team became one of the most special stories I've ever had the privilege to cover. This was sport at its best, changing someone's life and giving them a sense of belonging.
Daniel Cox has both autism and a condition called Prader-Willi syndrome which weakens muscles, he was bullied and told he couldn't live his dream of playing rugby. The good buggers at BOP Samoa gave him a run and made him part of a team. We took him down to the Bay of Plenty Mitre 10 Cup team training where all Daniel wanted to do was show he could kick a conversion. Culum Retallick gave him his boots to do it and told him to keep them. The smile on Daniel's face was priceless.
Daniel's incredible attitude even led to his new teammates opening up on how autism has touched their lives, something they were previously too afraid of being judged to do. You don't need to win a trophy to be a champion, and you sometimes forget the power of good that sport can achieve."
3. The time I required 11 stitches on national television (2006)
"I remember this one for all the wrong reasons. My producer at the time said he had a story for me - when I asked if it was safe, he said 'yeah, they do it all the time'.
Graham Dalton was testing the new automated roll-over function in his yacht, to help self-correct if it capsized in dangerous conditions. It was just Graham, his crew chief and me in the boat. I was told I didn't need to be strapped in (which rang alarm bells at the time). A crane tipped the boat over, there was water pouring in and I remember thinking: "This isn't so bad". But when the boat rolled itself over, with 5 tonnes of steel flipping 180 degrees, me and my handycam went flying. I was worried that the camera had broken (it had) when we got off the boat, I looked down and saw blood everywhere and realised it was mine!
I went to hospital and I had split my head open so bad they could actually see my skull. It was putting my body on the line for a story, literally. I still made it back to work to finish the story, but fair to say, I haven't spoken to Graham Dalton since."
2. Jeff Wilson retirement exclusive (2000)
"I'd only been at TV3 for about six weeks, having moved up to?? Christchurch from Dunedin. The Highlanders had just got knocked out of the Super 12 by the Crusaders and I got a text message while out having a beer on a Saturday night to be at the Highlanders hotel at 9am the next day. I'd had plenty to do with the team when I was working in local TV in Dunedin, so I didn't think much of it.
So I rocked up to the hotel, not knowing what was happening, and was met at reception by Jeff Wilson, who said 'gidday' and handed me a piece of paper...with his retirement on it. With no time to prepare questions, I spoke to my favourite All Black about pulling the pin on an incredible career. It didn't just lead the sports news, it led the whole news bulletin as well, which was pretty nerve-racking.
This was a big get for the network, at the time we were the plucky underdog still battling to get a foothold in the national news landscape, I still remember high profile personalities Paul Holmes and Murray Deaker livid they were passed up for some 'rookie' reporter from 3 National News."
1. Possum Bourne's last interview (2003)
"What was supposed to be a three question chat turned into a 36-minute interview, Possum was truly compelling. We even needed to change tapes at one point we spoke for so long. We talked about why he loved rallying - and his answer has stayed with me to this day. 'How can I not love what I do? Fans are prepared to stand in the mud, rain and snow just to watch me drive past them, how can you not feel grateful?'
Possum passed away two weeks after our interview. When the news of his crash reached the office, we worked around the clock for 36 hours to create a story for 60 Minutes that screened the day after he died. It was an incredible opportunity to tell an important story about a much-loved Kiwi gone before his time. I was left numb by the end of it, I had always looked up to Possum, it took about two weeks to sink in what had happened."
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