Rod Millen has spent his motorsports career traveling around the world gaining inspiration for his dream of the ultimate hill climb driveway. The Leadfoot Festival is an exceptional weekend of motorsports motivated by Millen’s involvement in hillclimbs like Pikes Peak and the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

The event was initially intended to celebrate Rod’s 60th birthday in March of 2011. The first Leadfoot Festival was a very fun and successful private affair for several hundred people. After the completion of the event, the businesses of Hahei, Motorsport clubs around New Zealand and the general public asked Rod to consider making it a public event.