It was a bit of a bummer when AutoFest 21 was postponed due to government laws limiting attendance at events during Covid. It had looked as if it was going to be a fantastic weekend, with two days of on-track cruising, camping, burnouts, auto booths, and an indoor show and shine, as well as several high-end V8s, low riders, and show cars among the entries, but it is what it is, and nobody could change it.
The creators of Downtime Entertainment, Alan and Pare Togia, who are responsible for organising AutoFest, may have viewed this setback as a blessing in disguise as it gave them an extra year to prepare for AutoFest 22. Instead of just waiting for the year to roll around, the Togias decided to radically transform AutoFest by rebuilding it in a way that would make it unlike any other event. Even with the redesign, AutoFest would still take place at Manfeild Circuit, just outside Palmerston North, making it convenient for attendees from all over the country.
Since the main track at AutoFest’s original location was deemed unsuitable for the new concept, the event was moved to the smaller back tracks of Manfeild, where there was more room for the campers and stalls. These smaller back tracks would be rechristened Springfeild, the name deriving from the time of the year the event was happening, spring, and the location, Manfeild — also referencing to a town as
