Dunedin's covered Forsyth Barr Stadium is being converted into a high octane race track for the opening round of the D1NZ National Drifting Championship.
Promoters say it'll be the first time in the Southern Hemisphere that drifting, rallycross, and motard action has been staged under the roof of an indoor stadium.
The million dollar grass field which is used for much of the year as the home grounds of the Highlanders and Otago Rugby are being transformed this week into a motorsport circuit.
1,500 sheets of plywood have been laid across the pitch, with contractors pouring 700 tonne of concrete over last three days - that's the equivalent of 80 full truckloads.
Concrete placer Mike Eggers says it's been a big logistical effort getting the pumps in and ensuring the grass pitch was protected.
"Just getting that base down, that plywood was the hardest part", he says. "Lining all that up so we don't damage the pitch."
Over 200 drivers are set to take to the temporary track, with the weekend's racing also featuring the Silver Fern Rally and Stadium Supermoto Cup.
Brendon White, Managing Director of the D1NZ National Drifting Championship, is confident all the extra effort will pay off for fans with an adrenaline fuelled racing spectacle
"You get 4 hours of entertainment", says White. "Pyrotechnics, FMX, rally cars, motorbikes. It's coming and really enjoying it and having it in your face. And you can only really achieve that in a venue like this."
Holding the racing inside a sports stadium is pretty unique. The only similar event is Wembley Stadium's annual "Race of the Champions", although that doesn't feature drifting.
Mr White says a stadium like Forsyth Barr has a lot of benefits over a regular venue, despite the additional work.
"When you go to a race track, there's not the corporate boxes, there's not the grandstand seating, there's not the atmosphere and the sound and you're not that close to the drivers", he says.
"And the fact that you've got cars sliding at 120 kph, 500mm off a concrete barrier only 3 metres away from you... you don't see that. So there's going to be some action galore."
The action is set to rev up from lunchtime this Friday, continuing right through until Saturday night.
A special concrete has been used without metal reinforcing, to ensure it's strong enough to survive the fast racing, but can also be broken up and taken away as soon as the racing is over.
"Next Sunday straight after they've finished, we'll come in and break it all up and cart it away", says Mike Eggers. "Cleaned up in 24 hours."
Newshub.