The Leadfoot Festival pays respect to the most significant and outstanding drivers. Rod Millen personally hand selects championship racers from around the world along with their distinguished racing machines to receive the coveted invitation to participate in the Leadfoot Festival. Guests will be given one of a kind experiences featuring unparalleled access to the drivers, pits and race cars. Nowhere else would you be able to meet and chat to these motoring heroes and legends in such a relaxed atmosphere.
Philip Adamson – 1959 Lotus Seven Series 1
Philip bought his first Lotus Seven and began racing when he was 21 years old. Since that time he’s had four of them, only having been without a Lotus Seven for a few months at a time. He sold and then regretted it twice, resulting in hunting down and purchasing yet another. He’s owned the current 1959 Series One (his favourite car) for 14 years and has raced it in more events than he can remember. He considers himself very lucky that his wife, Vivienne, who he met on a flag point at Pukekohe in 1982, shares his love of classic cars and in their garage north of Auckland they also have an elderly Porsche 356, an old BMW CSi “Batmobile” and a Porsche 928 alongside Vivienne’s favourites, her Mazda MX5 and Mini Cooper. Philip is 50 years old and owns and manages an Auckland IT support business. 1959 Series One Lotus Seven is a factory-built car (not a kit, as many in its day were) which was raced in the UK throughout the 1960s, mainly in Ireland. It came to New Zealand in 1973 and was used as a road car for many years before being purchased in 1981 and turned back into a race car to compete in Historic events. It raced at almost every Historic event in Auckland throughout the 1980s before disappearing into a private collection in 1990. The current owner purchased it in 1998 and returned it to the track and it has raced in Historic and Classic Races on Taupo, Pukekohe, Whenuapai and Manfeild over the past 14 years. It has a 948cc BMC engine producing 75 bhp at 7500 rpm.
Grant Aitken – 1970 Mustang Boss 302
Grant was the NZ National Rally (class) champion, NZ National Production Series (class) champion, winner rally of Asia 1998 & 1999. Class winner Silver Fern Rally 2006-2008. Promoter of the Race to the Sky 1998 to 2007. Replica of the Parnelli Jones 1970 Boss Mustang which won the Trans-Am series in 1970. Currently used by Grant in the Historic Muscle Cars class.
Shane Allen – 1999 Ford Falcon
Shane is 20 years old and started racing at the age of 12 years old in speedway in youth ministock class. At 15 he was selected in the New Zealand Youth team to race against Australia at Multiplex Raceway in Perth and competed in the New Zealand team for three years. At 17 Shane was placed 3rd at the New Zealand championships and was also awarded Speedway competitor of the year from the Rotorua Stockcar Club. From there he went to Waiuku Dirt Track and won Rookie of the Year in the class he raced in. Shane then took up Drifting two years ago in the D1NZ Pro-am Class and is now competing in the NZD1. 1999 Ford Falcon – 1999 ex Dean Perkins V8 Touring Car. Full aluminium Ford V8 Windsor. 456 cube and 780hp. 680 foot pound. Dart alloy bloke, D3 Nascar Heads, 4 speed gearbox, 9″ diff. Currently set up as Drift Car.
Malcolm Anderson – 1930 Velocette MK 1 KTT
Malcolm Anderson is a 51 year old mechanical engineer from Auckland. Malcolm started racing junior motocross at age 14 and has been a member and competitor of NZ Classic Motorcycle Register for 28 years under the Team “KTT Racing NZ” with his Dad Bruce. The Anderson race team runs 3 classic racing Velocettes as well as the Bruce Anderson’s iconic 1929 Harley Davidson “Peashooter” and Malcolm also has a passion for Italian road machines. 1930 Velocette MK 1 KTT – This is a 350 cc factory racing motorcycle from 1930 . It is from the famous English Velocette factory and bikes of the same model won the Isle of Man Junior TT in 1926, 1928 and 1929 along with many other races all over the world during this era. This particular KTT was sent to New Zealand in 1930 and acquired and restored by Malcolm Anderson in 1980 and has raced in NZCMRR events since that time with many class wins and including the Perrone trophy and Velocette trophy. This machine is of very high specification for 1930, having overhead camshaft driven by bevel gears, running on methanol fuel at 10.5 : 1 compression ratio and is still capable of 100 mph. A four speed ratchet foot gear change gearbox was also pioneering racing technology for 1930. This machine is no.235 of around 270 built by the factory and the same model machine was raced from 1930 until the classic era by NZ motorcycle racing icon Len Perry. The KTT Velocette was the first “over the counter” racing machine that could be purchased by a privateer with a specification close to the previous year’s works models and achieved much racing success both in private hands and factory tuned models at race tracks across Europe in the 1930’s including Brooklands and the Isle of Man.
Tony Antonievich – 1969 Camaro Z28
Tony is the owner of Auto & Aero Restorations. 1969 Camaro Z28 – Raced in 1969 – 1970 Trans Am series USA. It was shipped to New Zealand 1971 and raced by Dennis Marwood NZ Saloon Car Series 1971-1974. It was also raced by Johnny Riley Big Banger Saloons 1975 and was restored by Tony Antonievich.
Chris Atkinson – 1961 Lotus 20/22 Formula Junior
Chris has competed in the 1982-1994 – Raced Lotus Cortina – circuit racing, 1995-2006 – NZ Targa Rallies driving Lotus Cortina, Mini, Peugeot 306, Mitsubishi Evo 5, Evo 7 & Evo 9 – best result 1998 2nd overall, 2009-Current – Formula Junior 1961 Lotus 20/22 – circuit racing in NZ & Australia, 2010 – Competed at Goodwood Revival driving Lola Mk1, 2012 – Leadfoot Festival. 1961 Lotus 20/22 Formula Junior – First race – 22 Sept 1961 at Watkins Glen by Lotus East Coast American Importer & Driver, Sy Kabach. Owned for 22 years by Rick Rawlins – raced extensively in America including 12 Monterey Historic events. Car imported to NZ December 2009.
Jim Barclay – 1961 Gemini Formula Junior Mk3A
Jim has been racing his Gemini M3A since he purchased the car in 1996. Jim was raised in Levin where as a kid he naturally never missed a meeting at the Levin Motor Racing Track from its opening in 1956 until the early 1960s. He saw the Gemini he now owns being raced at Levin and Ohakea in 1962 and 1963 by its first owner Rex Flowers, not ever knowing he would later own that very car. Jim joined the RNZAF in 1966. At Ohakea he flew Vampires and A4 Skyawks jets with 75 Squadron and Strikemaster jet trainers with 14 Squadron. He also flew F4 Phantom II jet fighters for 3 years when on exchange with the USAF in Florida, USA. 1961 Gemini Mk3A Formula Junior racing car is chassis number 09 of 9 Mk3A cars built by Graham Warner’s Chequered Flag organisation in Chiswick, London. Rex Flowers of Lower Hutt was the first owner of 09 and took delivery of the car in late 1961, just in time to run it in a support race at the NZ International GP meeting held at Ardmore in January 1962. Thereafter, Rex did the full international Summer Series (the forerunner of the Tasman Series that began in 1964) running the car at Levin, Wigram and Teretonga with the Internationals including Moss, Brabham, Surtees, McLaren and Salvadori. After the Internationals Rex ran the Gemini at the 1962 Dunedin Road Race (6th), Waimate 50 (DNF) and at Levin.
Aidan & John Barrett – 1980 Mazda RX 7
John started racing in 1968 in a mini Cooper “S” 1293cc with Brother Murray “Team Barrett” racing at Pukekohe, Levin, Bay Park & Ruapuna. He raced alongside Richards, Fahey, Jack Nazer, Roger Anderson, Frank Bryan, The Brocklehurst bros and Austin Pattley to name just a few in the days of the 1000-4200cc but was outclassed by the cc difference; he was invited to co-drive with Bill David in a E49 Charger at the Benson & Hedges 500 in 1974 but his first born was due the same day which meant turning the drive down. Served apprenticeship in Pahiatua working at the Morris Dealership. He moved to Taupo & worked for Todd Motors Dealership in the 1970s. In 1985 & 1986 was chosen to join the Peugot Rally team for the NZ round of the international rally in the Group B era. Carried on and worked for the Mitsubishi World Rally team in 1987 with the VR-4 Galant which unfortunately suffered gearbox problems. Then John taught his son to drive and introduced him to racing to continue on with “Team Barrett” racing. There wasn’t much hope for Aidan growing up in his dad’s workshop. A love for rotaries was developed with Dad owner of the Taupo Mazda dealership & photos of Rod Millen’s RX-7’s & RX-3’s lining the walls. After dad took him for a ride in a turbo Series IV RX-7 & despite not being able to see over the dash Aidan was hooked. Being lucky enough to have a dad involved in motorsport he was introduced at 16 naturally in a S1 RX-7. He has since owned many street/race RX-2’s/3’s & 7’s over the years and won many awards at the Four and Rotary nationals & competed in the SS2000 and NZGT championship racing the Group C RX-7. An RX-3 GR Savanna currently sits in the shed undergoing a complete restoration and 13b turbo conversion. As much as he enjoys motorsport it’s also about spending time with his dad sharing their passion. There have been many late nights over the years burning the midnight oil which has left them with many great memories. 1980 Mazda RX 7 – Built to resemble the much discussed Alan Moffat Group C RX-7. The car has been developed over many years by father and son and seen many Alterations/combinations in that time. The vehicle has competed successfully in SS2000 NZGT & the NZ Festival of Motorsport in recent years. Currently running a Green Brothers Racing fuel injected 13B PP & 6 speed close ratio gearbox.
Robert Bartley – 1955 Ford Customline
Rob began racing Saloons around the 1970s, the era of the PDL Mustang/Brut Mustang (Moffat). He was involved in OSCA campaigns in the South Island as well as meetings in Levin and Pukekohe. Rob has raced a range of cars including: an Anglia Fastback with Triumph 2.5 motor and triple side draught webers, a MKIII Cortina built from scratch powered by a 351 Cleveland motor and the Odlin Fiat 124 purchased from PDL (who were going to power it with a V8 but never finished it, so he rebuilt it to its former glory). 35 years on, after searching for a classic race car, he came across the famous ‘Custaxie’ of Robbie Francevic which won the 1966/67 Saloon car champs. Rob purchased the vehicle off Robbie Francevic in Dec 2011 and went about putting it back into race trim to comply with current Motorsport regulations. The car is a classic and has drawn crowd wherever it goes. 1955 Ford Customline – The creation of a new car by Robbie Francevic and Tony Kriletich was a triumph of improvisation and cunning, becoming one of the most devastatingly successful Allcomer Racing Saloons ever built. A 1955 Ford Customline matched with the mighty Galaxie V8 created the Custaxie. The ‘Color Me Gone’ Custaxie – which only raced one legendary and victorious season (1966/’67) – has passed into history as one of the most celebrated examples of successful Kiwi motor sport ingenuity. A truly legendary car.
John Blaymires – 1976 Moto Guzzi
John Blaymires, Past Modern Sidecar National Champion on a self built Yamaha sidecar, Current National Champion Post Classic sidecar on self built MotoGuzzi sidecar. He holds lap record for every track he races on for the Post Classic Sidecar class, and holds current lap record for all sidecars on the Guzzi for the Cliff Hanger hill climb event. John helped win the Team trophy for the Barry Sheene Trans Tasmen Challenge twice. Has won the Post Classic sidecar event 4 years in a row at Wanganui Cemetary circuit. He is a Fitter Turner for Kawerau Engineering and qualified Automotive Mechanic. Charles Bilby (passenger) Has raced on every type of sidecar there is and has raced with John since 2009, Is a Firefighter in Wanganui. 1976 Moto Guzzi – Built in 2005 to Pre 76 Specs, 850 Moto Guzzi Lemans with a 950 Gilardoni big bore kit, Standard Lemans Cams, Lemans Gearbox and Final Drive, Is tuned for tourque not horsepower, Has billet alloy long trumpets attached to 36mm Dellorto carbs, Not Dyno tuned so unsure of HP. The Engine was taken from Johns road bike with 112,000 miles on the clock before it was used in the sidecar, apart from the standard regular maintenance it has only had it’s valves replaced (which shows how reliable it is). Wheels are from a 70’s Fiat spots car and are 13 x 5 magnesium with Dunlop Dirzza tyres. AP Racing Brakes rear and side with 08 Brembo up front. Runs on Methanol fuel.
Roger Brader – 1973 Mazda RX3 Saloon
Roger is a panel Beater by trade, vehicle dealer since 1984. He is married to Robyn and has three boys. He started competing in MG Midget in 1989. In the 70’s he raced Wayne Fullers Escort V8 in the OSCA series, Rallied Escort twin Cam, and his best result was when he won the Hawkesbay rally. Roger hill-climbed and sprinted Torana XU1s and did Central region rallying in my current Mazda RX3 which he has owned for 28 years and currently competes in NZGTs in a Mazda RX7 Series 4 Turbo 13B. 1973 Mazda RX3 Saloon – It was originally owned by Robbie Froome and driven by Howard Collier. Built by Randel Edgell with Bill Sheilds engine and now prepared by Kevin George who was Colin Taylors mechanic in the Toyota Corolla Levin and Escort BDA days.
Stephen Briggs – 2005 KTM Superduke 990
Stephen has over 30 years racing experience and has held multiple NZ titles (Jr MotoX, Speedway, Road Racing & Supermoto). He has been a Professional rider for 10 years at World Championship 500cc level on the BSL 500, also including Superbike rides for Muzzy Kawasaki and Lemstra Motoren in the Netherlands competing on a Ducati 998 Corsa and he rode for Netherlands Yamaha competing in the SuperSport 600 class at the European Championships. He also competed on the Britten in the World Championship Battle of the Twins & Bears and finished runner up the first year and won the Assen Battle of the Twins the following year on the Italian owned CR&S Britten. Further racing included competing at World Championship Endurance races for Phase One Kawasaki and representing KTM at Supermoto winning several New Zealand titles on the factory KTM. 2005 KTM Superduke 990 – This bike is KTM’s first attempt at a production sports bike. It’s a 990cc V-Twin motorcycle with 130BHP and weighs approximately 160KG. Stephen has previously raced this model bike at the Sound of Thunder meeting in Christchurch in 2005 & 2006 with good results.
David Brock-Jest – 1938 Lagonda V 12 Le Mans
David started racing karts in 1959 and has been racing on and off ever since. In the last twenty years he has raced and rallied in many UK & European historic events. He has competed at most cicuits in Europe inluding Le Mans, Porto, Estoril, Dijon, Nurburgring in a variety of cars including Lagonda V12, Bentley’s, Austin Healey, Alfa’s, Elva, and Lotus. 1938 Lagonda V 12 Le Mans – 4.5 Litre. These cars were the last designed by W.O. Bentley for the 1939 Le Mans 24 Hour. This particular car was rebodied in the early 1990’s and extensively raced and rallied by David at most historic events in Europe and is now relocated to New Zealand.
Peter Bryan – Woolmark Escort RS1600
Peter started competing in hill climbs and club circuits in 1971 and then travelled to England to work as a mechanic on F5000/F1 in 1973. 1970 Ford RS1600 Woolmark Escort – A very early RS1600 used as a test and development car by Ford AVO. Used in testing by Roger Clark having debut at Leadfoot Festival 2012 after a full restoration.
Gordon Burr – 1979 Ferrari 308 GT4 LM
Gordon has been involved with Classic motorsport since 1980. He competed in the first two years of Porsche Bridgestone series in the 1980s. He owned and raced a variety of classic historic cars including Ferrari 512 Berlinetta Boxer, 308GT4LM in the Targa Rally and on the track, 1969 Alfa Romeo GTAM, ex Ian Taylor Goldstar Championship winning Escort V8, 1973 Cologne Capri 3.4 litre V6 Cosworth ex ETCC (Lauda/Mass) and Australian Sports Sedans and GT Championship 75/76 (Moffat). 1979 Ferrari 308 GT4 LM – This car was originally a Ferrari 308 GT4 stradale road car, was damaged, and then rebuilt to Le mans specs.
Alan Butler – 2005 Chenworth Millenium
Alan has been involved in numerous forms of motorsport, having competed for over 20 years at a national level in offroading. He has won many NZ premier titles including Taupo 1000, Woodhill 100, NZ Extreme Endurance Series, Class 9 Kempsey Australian Offroad series. 2005 Chenworth Millenium – American Desert Racer built for endurance racing in California and the Baja peninsula. Originally powered by 1600 Honda. Imported into New Zealand and converted to Open Class. Powered by 2.2 Turbo 550 + hp Mitsi Evo. Albins 5 speed sequential transaxle.
Ken Campbell – 1910 Indian Twin Two Speed & Wicker Side Car
Ken has competed in Vintage and Classic Motorcyle racing since 1982. He owned and has competed with various bikes, including 1928 AJS OHC, 1936 Triumph T80, 1912 8 valve Indian, 1923 AJS Bigport, 1925 New Hudson. Ken’s passion for early motorcycles has been his business for the last 28 years. 1910 Indian Twin Two Speed & Wicker Side Car – The bones of this bike was originally recovered from an inorganic rubbish collection in Auckland in the early 90’s. It underwent an extensive restoration by the owner and was coupled to a 1909 American magestic sidecar. This motorcycle is very rare being the first year a two speed transmission was made available and only 25 were built. Most were used for hill climbing and speed events on the local horse tracks of the time.
Poul Christie – 1969 McLaren M10B
Poul raced in the NZ Offshore Powerboat Championship from 1974 – 1978. He also competed in the NZ Jetboat Champhionship in 1976 and the World Jerboat Championship Canada in 1977, where he can in second place. His on land competitions include NZ Touring Car Championship in 1984 and he won Class C in 1985. He has done historic F5000 racing from 1994 to today. 1969 McLaren M10B – This car and driver have had outstanding performances including winning the European Championship convincingly with thirteen 1st places, three 2nds and one 4th. The car did not finish in three races due to a battery failure on the 13th July at Salsburgring, a gearbox failure on the 27th August at Oulton Park and a broken driveshaft on the 27th September at Brands Hatch.
Mal Clark – 1972 Rover P6 3500 S
Mal’s First event was Hillclimb at Paremoremo competing against a yellow V6 powered beachbuggy driven by Rod Millen! He spent several years competing in club events in a Mk3 Zephyr winning trophys for class wins & season trophy wins. When special stage ralling was formed he competed in the first Woodhill, Riverhead, and Mioro Forest Rallys. He found that the Zephyr was not suited for Rallying so moved into an Escort Mexico which was driven by Robbie Francivic in the 1970 International Rally. He used Escort Mexico for club level and national level events with many class wins. Mal then competed in a Mk1 Lotus Cortina which was used for classic circuit racing until Targa NZ came along which is a Tarmac rally over 5 days. He successfully competed in the Targa NZ with wins in the Classic Class for the first 3 years including 15 overall top results. The next 5 years were in a borrowed TR7 V8 of Mark Parsons with top 5 overall placings and class wins each year. Mal also did some codriving for Greg Kirkham in his Mitsubishi Mirage Cyborg with an outright win in 1999. He decided there was a need for a car that was different but powerful and fits into a classic class so he built the Rover P6 3500 which was ready for 2004 event. He competed in several smaller events including Targa, Rotorua, Bambina and the Taranaki Rally. He managed several top placings in class and catorgory. I have been using the car in classic circuit racing since 2004 with many wins and winning Arrow Wheels Series 2011-12. 1972 Rover P6 3500 S – Built as a copy of the works cars from Rover it was completed in time for theTarga 2004. The car has a 4.0 ltr Rover V8 with quad IDF Weber Carbs and produces approximately 400hp. It has a Toyota W58 gearbox, Jaguar ‘S’ type diff with a 4.27 to 1 ratio LSD, 4 piston caliper on vented rotors on all 4 wheels which are 15×8 superlite’s & 235-50×15 Toyo R888 tyres. It has competed in several Targa Events and tarmac rallys. It is used regularly on the race circuits of the North Island and has won many races and a few championships. It is a fantastic car to drive and always creates a lot of crowd appeal where ever it goes.
Grant Clearwater – 1965 Brabham BT16 F2 Cosworth
Grant competed in many races in the UK, NZ and Australia, all in Historic cars. He was the team Principal for SEAT British touring car team up until thier withdrawal in 2009. 1965 Brabham BT16 F2 Cosworth – This is the car which Denny used in 1965 to compete in the european championship. Winning the Oulton Park Spring Trophy at the 2nd race in the series.The car has just completed a full restoration after many years of collecting dust in the UK.
Grant Clegg – 1971 BMW 2002 ti Alpine
Having worked in the automotive industry for much of Grant’s life, cars (and bikes) have become an increasing part of his social and sporting life. His involvement with the BMW Car Club led him into classic racing in the mid-nineties, and they have race and rallied a variety of 2002’s ever since. He was actively involved with the establishment of the BMW Race Series in 2006 and in the following 5 years has helped this grow into the largest one-make race series this country has ever seen, with more than 100 BMW drivers at each event. In recent years, he and his wife joined the TACCOC Committee, and became more involved with organising motorsport events, particularly those for classic and historic vehicles. Their overseas trips have often been timed to coincide with classic events like the Oldtimer’s Grand Prix in Germany. Cars and motorsport obviously form a big part of their life, and this has continued for our 6-year-old son who recently had his first drive of a go-kart. 1971 BMW 2002 ti Alpine – After winning the 1970 Silver Fern Rally in a stock-standard BMW 2002, Paul Adams built this car in 1971 and ran it in three consecutive Heatway Rallies, with a best finish of fourth in the 1972 event. By 1973 the car had been upgraded to full Alpina spec with twin 45 Webers, cam, pistons, headers and flared wheel arches. After the three big rallies, Paul campaigned the car in the NZ Saloon Car Championships of 1973/74. The car was sold the following year and passed through several hands during the late-seventies and eighties without much more racing. Purchased by Warren Good in the mid-nineties, the car was completely rebuilt and converted to left-hand-drive, and regularly raced in Classic events all over the South Island, including street circuits in Waimate and Dunedin. Grant first saw the car in the 2000 Dunlop Targa, and immediately fell in love with it. When Warren purchased a Group A BMW M3 the following year, they were first on the list to purchase the Alpina and have owned it for the last 11 years. Our initial focus was on tarmac rally events, like Targa and he achieved several class and category wins. In 2005, they got back into circuit racing and the car has run in almost 50 events since then. [/column]
Fred Courtney – 1950 Northland Special
Fred has raced many hill climbs including the 1/4 mile sprints and Bent sprints as well as Circuit racing. 1950 Northland Special – Winner of 1st NZ Grandprix Ohakea 1950, driven by John McMillan and is now owned and raced by Fred Courtney.
Erin Crocker – 1975 Dale Earnhardt Sr. Nova Tribute Car
Erin has raced in all different types of motorsports. Such as dirt, off-road, pavement, NASCAR Nationwide Series, ARCA REMAX Series, USAC Silver Crown Series, Pro Track Series and many, many others. She has raced all around the world and has been very successful throughout her career. 1975 Dale Earnhardt Sr. Chevy Nova Tribute Car – Originally built by NASCAR legend Tiger Tom Pistone for a man named Joe Hendrick in 1975. Many NASCAR stars started their careers in cars like this one. It has been painted as a tribute to Dale Earnhardt Sr’s short-track #8 Nova that he raced at Hickory, NC, Caraway, NC, Martinsville, VA and other NASCAR venues. The original car was crashed and scrapped. The original orange and white Nova was a big part of Dale’s early success and is identical to the original.
Graeme Crosby – 1979 Kawasaki Z1 1000cc
Graeme is a 2 x World TTF1 Champion in both 1980 and 1981. He finished 2nd at the 500cc World Championship 1982. He is a 3 time Isle of Man TT Winner, British 500cc Champion, British TTF1 Champion and a Suzuka 8 Hour FIM Endurance race winner. Graeme also was the Daytona 200 and 100 Winner as well as the Imola 200 Winner in 1982. 1979 Kawasaki Z1 1000cc – Built in 1978 especially for the Inaugural Suzuka 8 Hour the Moriwaki Kawasaki finished 3rd. It was shipped off to the UK for Graeme Crosby to campaign finishing in 3rd p[lace in the TTF1 World Championship. Based on a modified Z1000 chassis with 120HP it created quite a stir as its appearance was not in the true GP style of clip-on handle bars. The sit up and beg style certainly worked. It pleased the English crowds and added a fiery competitiveness to the established front runners. A little known kiwi racer mixing it and winning on the international stage on a bike that looks like a stock bike was unprecedented. Sold at the end of the 1979 season to a private owner it seemingly disappeared of the face of the earth only to re-emerge 34yrs later. The bike has been purchased by New Zealander Grant O’Malley a few months ago in the UK and has just recently arrived in NZ.
Steve Day – 1958 Buckler 90
Steve has various Car Club & NZVCC driving experience. He owns & drives regularly several classic & collector cars including ’71 XY GT Falcon, ’88 Autokraft AC Cobra, ’60 Corvette, 2012 Shelby GT500 and the ’58 Buckler 90. Steve is also the owner and Managing Director of Pace Engineering Ltd in New Plymouth. 1958 Buckler 90 – All original NZ Ferris de Joux body with a period style roll bar. Original 1172cc Ford 100E Engine with an Elva OHV conversion. Very tidy presentable restored car with VCC recognition & Log Book and race & hill climb history from new.
Michael Delmont – 1975 BMW 2002 Turbo
Mike has been involved in Motorsport in one form or another since the late 60s. His first competitive vehicle was a 1952 Morris Minor which had transplanted into it an Austin 1800 engine with a Shorrock supercharger and other various modifications. This was generally used as a hillclimb car. There were several other cars used including Ford 100E and Anglias with various engine combinations from 1340cc to 1650cc pushrod engines. Mike then had a go at drag racing for some years with various vehicle combinations, culminating in a Mk1 Cortina with a tilt front which had a twin turbocharged 351 cu inch Ford Windsor engine producing over 1000HP. This engine was built by Mike Gearing and Garth Hogan helped with the equipment needed during a trip to the States with Garth and Mike D. The car was fully streetable with WOF etc but was somewhat difficult to drive on the street due to its prodigious power output.(ahh the good old days). Mike then had a break for a while and then came up with the idea of a potential V8 beater for circuit, hillclimbs and rallies in the form of the BMW 2002 Turbo. The car was duly constructed some 18 years ago and has competed in many events all over New Zealand. Mike was one of the main foundation members for starting the very successful. BMW Race Drivers Series some 7 years ago and has twice won the Open Class Championship. Mike has won the Dunedin Street Race in this car and many other circuit race events over the years. Mike has competed in many Tarmac rallies in this car and won the Targa Bambina outright in 2003 and was 2nd in 2004 (by 2 seconds). Mike also finished 5th outright in the main Dunlop Targa 2004 to Wellington with some 230 competitors competing with Jim Richards winning the event. 1975 BMW 2002 Turbo – The car is a LHD 1975 BMW 2002 Turbo which runs a 2.3 litre SOHC 2 valve 4 cylinder engine. It runs a Garrett turbocharger and makes well in excess of 600 HP and revs to 8500 rpm. It runs a Getrag close ratio 5 speed box and a BMW plate diff. The car was originally built at BMW Lifestyle from a bare LHD chassis about 18 years ago. BMW lifestyle was owned and run by Lyall Williamson during the era of BMWs domination with the 2 litre touring car championships with the likes of Brett Riley, Craig Baird and the late Jason Richards being the drivers. Conrad Timms and Keven McLeod who worked there were the main designers and fabricators/constructors of these cars and and the 2002 Turbo. The car has gone through many evolutions over the years to get it to the performance levels and reliability that it now generally achieves. The car has competed in many types of events over the years all over New Zealand including circuit racing (every track in NZ) rallies, hillclimbs and street races. The car achieves 290 kmh at Pukekohes back straight.
John Dennehy – 1986 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Zagato
John started his classic and historic racing career after encouragement from Peter Gethin, the late ex Mc Laren F1 driver and Tasman champion. His first drives were in one of only a handful of race prepared Aston Martin DB5s, in the Aston Championship, the Thoroughbred Series, Heritage GT and Intermarque. By 1997, he had acquired three ex Le Mans Group C cars, and to this day remains the only person to have won a race in a Group C Aston Martin (the 1983 Le Mans Nimrod). He now runs one of two Aston V8 Zagatos that have been race prepared, out of a total of only 51 cars made. John competed against Rowan Atkinson in the second of the two cars in the 1999 Aston Martin Championship winning the V8 class of the championship. John also owns and races the Ex Halliday/Woolf/Harcourt “New Zealand Freighters” BDA Escort. 1986 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Zagato – One of only two of the 50 cars made that were developed for racing in the Aston Martin Championship and Heritage Series in the UK and Europe. The car won the V8 Class of the Aston Championship in 1999 as well as many class podiums in the Heritage GT Series in the UK, Ireland and Spa. The only modifications from standard are an RS Williams 7 liter engine (an accepted and common upgrade on V8 Astons from 1980 to the present day), 19 in wheels and Brembo brakes (the car weighs almost 2 tons with fuel and driver), adjustable shocks and (essential) brake, gearbox and differential cooling. The vehicle has just completed an 18 month rebuild by Auto Restorations of Christchurch. In 1989 at Monaco, as a road car, this chassis (#16 of the 50) fetched at the time a world record price for an Aston Martin saloon car.
Allan Dippie – 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS
Allan competes in all sorts of events from classic racing and rallying to long distance endurance racing and rallying. His favourite cars are Porsche and MG. Some past long distance events include 2004 London to Sydney (Toyota), 2006 La Carrera Pan Americana (Toyota), 2008 24hr Nurburgring(Porsche), 2010 12hr Bathurst(BMW), 2011 12hr Bathurst(Porsche) and 2012 12hr Bathurst (Porsche). 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS – This car was built by Alistair Gilmore and was later owned by the late Willie Rutherford whom campaigned it in Silver Fern Rallies. It won the Otago Rally in 2008 in the hands of Pasi Hagstrom.
Karl Douglas – 2001 Subaru Impreza
Karl started his motorsport career a little late in life compared to many of his fellow competitors, spending his younger years establishing KDE Electrical. As a self employed electrician it was important to have a good grounding behind him, after all it’s this grounding which has now allowed him to pursue his love of rallying. But what a rallying career and track record he has established. Starting rallying in 2005, the Pukekohe Car Club event at Kemp Road produced a 4th overall for Karl and co-driver Damian van Heusen. Since that first event, the pair have racked up 30 or so rallies plus numerous rallysprints and hillclimbs, notching up an incredible finishing record, very rarely will this crew not make the finishing ramp. This record helped produce Karl and Damian’s best result, 1st in class and 4th overall in the 2012 Top Half Rally Series for Karl, and 1st in class and 3rd overall for Damian. Another big reason for Karl’s success, and high finishing record is car preparation, the two Subarus that have been used since that first event have both been Possum Bourne prepared shells. Built up by Karl, Damian and ex New Zealand rally champion Ray Wilson, in particular Rays help, knowledge and experience have helped immensely in the superb preparation of the KDE Subaru. Special mentions also go to Ron Dawson and Ian Kirkland for all their help in the preparation and on event servicing. 2001 Subaru Impreza – Ver8 Impreza Rally Car. Originally the car was from Christchurch. We bought it as a rolling shell in 2009 and built it up to the current spec. Possum Bourne Motorsport Engine, Gearbox and Diffs. Motec ECU, MCA suspension and AP gravel spec brakes.
Bert Dove – 1998 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Bert has had interest in cars & Motorsport since he can remember. He has an ever changing collection of cars with a handful at present from a 1948 Pontiac straight 8 convertible to one of the last M6 BMW coupes built in the old shape in 1989. Love of motor sport & specially the classic cars had him racing a 1960 Triumph TR3A for a decade in the 1990s racing from Whenuapai air base to Teretonga in the south including street races in Hamilton & Dunedin. 1998 Chevrolet Monte Carlo – #24 DuPont car raced by Jeff Gordon. Gordon made his Winston cup debut in 1992 driving the DuPont car for Hendricks Motorsport. In 1993 he was the rookie of the year & 1994 saw him win his first victory at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in the Coca Cola 600. 1995 Gordon won his first NASCAR Winston cup championship. Gordon won his first Daytona 500 in 1997 becoming the youngest driver in history to win the race & claimed his second Winston cup championship. 1998 NASCAR celebrated it’s 50th anniversary since it’s start in 1948 & the car here in New Zealand is the car Gordon raced & winning again the Winston cup for the 3rd time with a modern era record of 13 victories including the first super speedway race held at night. 1998 had Gordon with 7 pole starts, 26 top five placings from the 33 races that make up the series
Ross Dunkerton – 1972 Escort MK1
Ross is a 5 Time Australian Rally Champion, 4 Time Malaysian Rally Champion, 2 Time Asian Pacific Rally Champion and was the 1988 Mitsubishi International Driver of the Year. He won the 107 FIA sanctioned rallies. Only ever “A” seeded Australian rally driver. He was the first Australian to stand on a WRC podium. 1972 Escort MK1 – Full FIA Historic MK1 Escort. 2ltr BDG, ZF.
Ray Evernham – 1936 Chevy Sedan
• Three-time NASCAR Winston Cup Championship winning crew chief for #24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet driven by Jeff Gordon (1995, ’97-98) • Voted the Greatest Crew Chief of All Time by media in 2006, as well as NASCAR Winston Cup Scene Crew Chief of the Decade (1990s) • Named 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Illustrated Person of the Year • During his eight years with Jeff Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports, Evernham earned 47 wins and 3 championships—-leading the “Rainbow Warriors” and establishing the “Refuse to Lose” slogan for the team • Gordon and Evernham’s first win came in 1994 at Charlotte Motor Speedway • In 1999, Evernham ventured into team ownership by forming Evernham Motorsports and leading Dodge back into NASCAR in 2001 • NASCAR highlights include: o Three-time NASCAR Winston Cup champion as crew chief for Jeff Gordon (’95, ’97-98) o Two-time Daytona 500 champion as a crew chief for Jeff Gordon (’97, ’99) o Five-time winner of Coca-Cola 600 (’94, ’97, ’98 Crew Chief; ’06, ’08 Car Owner) o Three-time winner of NASCAR All-Star race (’95, ’97 Crew Chief; ’08 Car Owner) o Three-time Brickyard 400 winner (’94, ’98 Crew Chief; ’02 Car Owner) o Three-time World Pit Crew Champion (’94 Crew Chief; ’03, ’05 Car Owner) o Winner of the Southern 500, a record four times in a row (’95-’98 Crew Chief) o 62 career Cup wins (47 Crew Chief; 15 Car Owner) o 55 career Cup poles (30 Crew Chief; 25 Car Owner) • In 2007, Evernham sold a majority interest in Evernham Motorsports • In 2008, Evernham became part owner of East Lincoln Speedway in Stanley, NC • Evernham races Sprint cars at select events throughout the Southeast, garnering three wins during the 2012 season • Evernham serves as an analyst with ESPN for its NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide coverage from the pit road studio • Evernham has turned his passion for classic cars and hot rod into a new profession, launching his very first design with the For-Ply, a restored 1964 Plymouth Belvedere with a 750+ horsepower Dodge racing engine under the hood • The car collection at Evernham Enterprises continues to grow, with legendary open-wheel race cars, historic modifieds and race-winning stock cars; classic muscle cars from the 1950s and 1960s; and unique sports cars from the 1980s, 1990s and today • Evernham started the Evernham Family Racing for a Reason charitable foundation that supports a variety of beneficiaries including the Autism Society of NC, IGNITE, and the Ronald McDonald House Charities 1936 Chevy Sedan – The sedan has a 1955 Chevy Fram, fuel Injected 350 c.i. engine, 4 Speed transmission and Franklin quick change rear end. It is a representation of the late 1960’s NASCAR modified series.
Ian Ffitch – 2003 2 Way Industries BRM1000
Ian has raced 25 years on quads In that time, he has 36 national titles, numerous island titles, 7x Race to the sky class winner, 5x top 5 with 3rd overall and innaugural winner of the Possum Bourne Memorial trophy for first resident kiwi. He is the only non american to win US national round of AMA national championship- 1996 Danville, Virginia. Ian finished 3rd place in 1999 12 hour Pont De Vaux world championship, 2nd place in 2012 Leadfoot and had simply the best time getting to know the challanges of riding on tarmac as he had only a hand full of laps around Ruapuna previously. He loved the event for the variety of vehicles on display and meeting some of the great New Zealand motorsport legends in attendance. 2003 2 Way Industries BRM1000 – Built over the space of 12 weeks by 2 Way Industries owner Jason Way and Ffitch Racings Ian Ffitch. The quad originally started out as a Suzuki LT500R 2 stroke powered machine before the frame was chopped and chanelled to fit a 2001 Suzuki GSXR1000 engine in to it. Pretty much the rear sub frame and the front A-arm pick up points are the only parts of the chassis that remain factory. The motor was tuned by Brett Roberts from BRM as the engine has been kitted with Yoshimura cams. pistons etc to take it out to 1080cc. It puts out 143 horse power at the rear wheels. The wings that activate under braking can be tuned for instant, delayed or staggered timing and are air ram operated off the front brake sensor. It has ride height compression and rebound ajustable PEP front and rear shocks along with a sway bar. The machine weighs in the vicinity of 220kgs.
Hayden Fitzgerald – 1959 Matchless G50
Hayden is a Suzuki superbike rider and the winner AHRMA world championship 500 GP 2010. 1959 Matchless G50 – 1959 Matchless OHC race bike. Owner won newcomer trophy in 1997 Manx GP. Held lap records at Winton, Symonds Plains, Has competed in Classic racing in NZ., Australia, USA, UK. France, Belgium & Isle of Man.
Angus Fogg – 1969 Mini Cooper S
Angus is a race car engineer and driver. Originally from Cambridge, New Zealand, he now lives in Birkenhead. He won the NZ V8 Touring Car Champion and Gold Star Saloon race in 2012. In 2009, he finished first in both the North Island Winter Endurance series and the Northern Sports Car Club Six Hour Endurance Race, both co-driving with Kevin Williams. He finished 2nd in the NZV8s Championship in 2007-08 and finished 3rd in the same series the year before that. Angus won Rookie of the Year in 2003-04. 1969 Mini Cooper S – Competed in 62 races over two seasons, winning 58 of them. Sold at end of 1972 season and raced in Shell Sport series as 1293cc by Warren Reid and others including Rex Hart. Bought by Gerald Fogg in 1984 in a dilapidated state, restored and used in Classic racing for a number of years. Re-restored by Angus Fogg in 2009 to present condition. Original Arden 8 port head and twin Dellorto carburettors. Bodywork all original, glass windows, updated seat and rollcage, original driver’s seat on passenger side.
Jock Freemantle – 2009 Hulme CanAm Spyder
Although a New Zealander by nationality, Jock was born in the UK and brought up in Fort Augustus, Inverness-shire, Scotland. Jock trained as an engineer with Rolls Royce Limited in Derby, England. Married to a New Zealander, Wendy, Jock settled in Queenstown and built, owned and operated the A-Line Motor Inn until it was sold in late 1986. During his time in Queenstown Jock was very active in many other ventures, including designing and supervising the installation of the Dalefield Water scheme and involvement with a number of property developments. After moving to Auckland, Jock coordinated the design of a 10 metre Cruising/Racing yacht, the Beale 33 and established a business which set up a production factory to manufacture and market the Beale. For the last 20 years he has worked for and/or provided consulting services to a number of businesses. Jock is a major driving force behind the Hulme Supercar project and has a seemingly limitless amount of energy to see it to a successful completion. He truly embraces Denny Hulme’s Kiwi Can Do attitude. 2009 Hulme CanAm Spyder – The Hulme CanAm Spyder Supercar is named in honour of Denny Hulme, New Zealand’s only Formula One World champion and Double CanAm Champion. It is a superb high performance motorcar and will be built in very limited numbers, ensuring rarity and exclusivity. Its open wheels, electrifying performance and spectacular looks give the driver an experience as close as possible, to driving a Formula One car legally on the road. True to Denis Hulme himself, the “Hulme Supercar” is not for the faint hearted. It is a unique car for those with a desire for performance, exhilaration and style.
Joe Gillman – 1935 Ford V8 Coupe
Joe Gillman Greymouth, West Coast, has been driving this 1935 Ford coupe for 53 years, Raced the car at the Tahuna Beach races in Nelson, Has competed in many South Island hill climbs over the years such as Ngapara, Summit Road, Little River, Hawkswood, Sandy Bay. 1935 Ford V8 Coupe – Equipped with a 284 cubic inch Ford Flathead V8 prepared by H&H Flatheads in California, Navarro heads and four barrel intake, Holley 450 carburettor and MSD ignition, Ford V8 3 speed transmission, Mitchell Overdrive, Juice brakes.
Emma Gilmour – 1998 Subaru WRC – Ex Possum Bourne Car
Emma Gilmour is a successful international female Rally and Motorsport driver from New Zealand. Driving a Subaru Sti WRX, she is part of the Vantage Team. She is ranked as one of the fastest woman rally drivers in the world. An overview of Emma’s results achieved over the last 2 years. 2010 – 2nd NZ Rally Championship, Ranked Worlds No 1 Female Rally Driver. 2009 – 3rd NZ Rally Championship, 2nd FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship. 1998 Subaru WRC – Ex prodrive WRC car built by the late Possum bourne and used as his Race to the Sky car. Kenneth Eriksson drove the car at Race to the Sky in 2004-2007.
Laurence Gleeson – 1992 Nissan Bluebird Attesa
Laurence spent many years toiling away in the pits as a mechanic and decided to take to racing as he got older, to date he has won 2012 Victorian hill-climb Championship All Wheel Drive class. 1992 Nissan Bluebird Attesa – This Nissan Bluebird Attesa is a rare car in Australia as it is factory SR20 turbo and all wheel drive, now pushing out a modest 200kw at all four wheels, it is the only CAMS log booked car of its type in Australia, it holds lap records for its chassis type U13 Bluebird at Phillip Island, Winton raceway, Sandown and half a dozen hillclimb tracks its been too of the past couple years, its not the only car of its chassis to compete but it is the fastest.
Ross Graham – 1959 Matchless G50
Ross has been lucky enough to have raced in NZ, Australia, France, Belgium, UK & Isle of man. He won the Newcomers trophy at the 1997 Senior Manx Grand Prix on the 1959 Matchless G50 he will be riding in the Festival. Ross has been more of a participant than a front runner. He now sponsors young riders in the sport. 1959 Matchless G50 – Owner has competed in Isle of Man, UK, France, Belgium, USA & Australia on this bike. Holds lap records at Symons Plains, Winton, Phillip Island.
Kevin Grant – 1929 Norton CS1 500cc
Kevin is a car Enthusiast, owner and collector of numerous Classic motorcycles including the Bears World Champion Britten. He has raced Classic Motorcycles for over 20 years in New Zealand and around the world. 1929 Norton CS1 500cc – Norton won the 1927 Isle of Man Senior (500cc) TT with a totally new design featuring their first Overhead Camshaft motor. This was quickly followed by an almost identical production version called the CS1. The CS1 formed the basis of all Norton’s future racing machines and included their first full cradle frame which helped the high speed handling of these 100mph plus bikes. This bike was still in regular use on the road in Christchurch until the 1960’s and was given a huge restoration to full racing trim by McIntosh Racing in 2006. It has all the special racing items like the close ratio “hit and miss” foot change gearbox, Amal TT racing carburettor, Webb TT forks, Lucas Racing magneto and large (for the time) 8 inch Enfield brakes.
Paul Halford – 2003 Maserati Trofeo
Paul raced Targa events for over 10 years. He also raced in Europe at such tracks as Monza, Spa, Dijon, Donington, Imola. Paul competed in Tour Auto, Tour De Espana and Moderna Cento Ore, Australia at Eastern Creek and in the USA in Colorado Grand and California Mille. He has done extensive racing throughout all tracks in NZ. Paul has a collection of Italian Classics covering 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and 80’s and race cars. 2003 Maserati Trofeo – 2003 factory works car produced for one make race series in Europe and South America. The first 2 cars were air freighted to Melbourne for the 2003 Australian Grand Prix “Nations Cup” support race. This was one of those two and these two cars were the first to race anywhere in the world. The car was set up for smooth European Race tracks and was modified in the set up here in NZ to handle the riggers of tarseal rallies. The car was also given a road going compliance in New Zealand – the only one in the world licenced for road use. The car can be converted back to a track set-up in a matter of hours. The car has raced in many Targa’s and track races since the car came to NZ in 2006
Paul Hanes – 1938 Indian Sports Scout
Paul has been eiding Indian’s since he was 12 years old. He raced on this bike at Daytona in 99. 1938 Indian Sports Scout – The bike was a dirt track bike in the USA, he brought it in 1990 and built the bike to race on the tarmac here.
Peter Hansen – 1970 BSA Scrambler MX
Peter has over 30 years racing experience with the NZ Classic Motorcycle Racing Register and Classic Scramble Club. He is the owner and collector of numerous classic motorcycles. 1970 BSA Scrambler MX – Built 1970 this was a production version of the 1965 world championship winning machine
Andrew Hawkeswood – 1985 Audi Quattro S1
One of New Zealand’s best rally drivers, Hawkeswood, who is based alternately in Alexandra and Auckland depending on where his gold mining work takes him. 1985 Audi Quattro S1 – This car is a replica, but with its convincing body kit, factory livery and genuine German five-cylinder, 20-valve Quattro engine, it certainly sounds like a 1980s supercar.
Roger Herrick – 1947 Herrick A40 Special
Roger started racing karts in the 1970’s. Twelve years ago he took a break racing yachts and started competing in historic car racing . While predominantly involved racing historic single seaters in New Zealand and Australia on occasions also raced historic sports cars and classic saloon cars. Actively involved with historic racing clubs and also a trustee of the Bruce McLaren Trust. 1947 Herrick A40 Special – While originally built in 1947 by Des Herrick and campaigned by him as a successful speedway and hill climb car, the car’s main claim to fame was with two future New Zealand Formula One stars – Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon. It was converted to a circuit race car in 1950 and subsequently had a bad accident in 1956 after which it was rebuilt by 18 year old Bruce McLaren (along with his mates Phil Kerr and Colin Beanland). A few years later in 1959 the A40 Special became Chris Amon’s first race car and with his eye on the future he painted it red. Chris soon moved onto greater things and the A40 had a string of well known and not so well known owners and drivers. It was modified over the years and finally abandoned in Northland in the late 1970’s where it was recovered in poor condition and rebuilt in Masterton in the early 1980’s. It disappeared into a warehouse in Wellington for 20 years and was eventually tracked down by Roger Herrick who returned it to family ownership after 56 years.
Gerry Hodges – 1984 BMW 635csi
Gerry started competition at the age of 16 in the usual NZ fashion – joining the Thames Valley Car Club doing grass gymkhanas and hill climbs in his Mini Cooper S. This soon progressed to running a Mini 7 at Pukekohe and Bay Park. He met some very good people through the Mini 7s, one in particular was Neal Lowe, who was the current Mini 7 champion. Neal asked him to join him in a Benson & Hedges 1000 Saloon Car project, running the first year in a Mitsubishi Lancer & the following year in a Ford Cortina Mk 4, which was a class winner. From there we progressed to a Holden Commodore SS. Neal joined forces with Kent Baigent for the Grp A era. Gerry tagged along as well and they ran the very successful Grp A Tellus BMW 635 csi – winning the B&H 1000 in 1984 and the 1984 and 1985 Saloon Car Championship plus a 5th placing at Bathurst in 1985. Gerry worked on the Shell Ford Sierras from ’87-’90, winning Bathurst 1000 in ’89. He was then asked by Frank Gardiner to work on the Benson & Hedges M3s with Alan Jones, Tony Longhurst & Denny Hulme. This was a great period for Gerry. They won the Wellington Street Race in ’92 at the same time racing a self built BMW 2002 Ti in Classic Racing. In 1993 he joined forces with Arkel Autosport and they ran a Porsche 911 Cup Car for Nigel Arkel & Ross Heffernan, finishing 2nd in the Wellington Street Race. He was then asked by Bill Farmer to work in his “Le Kiwi Comeback” team (“Le Kiwi Comeback” was formed by Bill to celebrate Chris Amon & Bruce McLaren winning Le Mans 30 years earlier) for 1996 Daytona 24 Hours & 1996 Le Mans 24 Hours. They ran a Porsche 911 GT2 with great success, finishing 2nd in class at Le Mans – probably the highest achievement he has been involved with in motorsport. 2nd in Class with #1 car and 4th in Class with #2 car. He soon discovered working with Targa NZ, that tarmac rallying was something he really wanted to do. Because of his love of the BMW 635, from his earlier Touring Car days, he decided this was the car for him. He tracked down his current ex works BMW 635csi and restored it. They have since competed in 10 Targa NZ, 4 Targa Rotorua pllus another 4 Targa Bambina for a 100% finishing record. His love of all things BMW, which started with Grp A 635 in 1984, has seen hiim as President of the BMW Car Club New Zealand for the last 8 years. He was also instrumental in starting the incredibly successful BMW Race Series. 1984 BMW 635CSi – This is an ex Works Factory built Group N race car, using a Grp A body shell. Chassis number RA2-46 out of 49 factory built Grp A body shells. They were built by BMW Motorsport from lightweight shells and were sent down the production line on a weekend…away from prying eyes! It was prepared and run by Frank Sytner’s Works Team in England, originally as a Grp A car, then converted to Grp N Production specs and was campaigned by Barry “Wizzo” Williams in the British Racing Drivers Club Grp N Production Car Championship, winning 6 races from 6 starts. In the words of Sytner’s car preparer, Ted Grace “the car was untouchable”. The car was then shipped to NZ to be campaigned in NZ Saloon Car Racing, but it never was. It has had various owners since being in NZ, but had little use as a race car, until purchased by Gerry Hodges in 2002. The car was then rebuilt and has competed in Targa New Zealand 10 times for a 100% finishing record. This car won the Ross Jensen Memorial trophy for Best Presented Competing Car, Targa 2005 and then again in 2008. The only car ever to have won this award twice. Other Targa results are: 2009 – 3rd in category, 2011 – 2nd in category, Targa Rotorua 2010 – 2nd in category. The car creates a lot of interest and is the only Grp N 635 campaigned as a factory car. The other 48 Works cars were built to Grp A specs.
Garth Hogan – 2006 Ford GT
Garth has been involved in motorsport from an early age and became a competitor in 1975. From 1975 through 1993 he ran a series of Nitromethane burning Dragsters and Funny Cars and held the outright NZ record, at various levels, for most of that time. The “final” record of 5.52 seconds at 263mph (set 1989/1990) stood for 18 years. He also held records at 2 Australian tracks during that period. He has also been a Track Owner (Thunderpark Dragstrip, Hastings) and an administrator (On NZHRA and the NDRC/NZDRA, as well as being Motorsport New Zealands delegate on the FIA Drag Racing Commision for 5 years). He is still part owner of a “Nostalgia” Front Engine Nitro Dragster, owner of a 1934 Ford Roadster powered by a much modified 1946 Ford Flathead V8 that currently holds the World Records in 2 classes at the Bonneville Salt Flats, the fastest run being 193mph, and have a restored V860 powered Speedway Car built by his father in 1954 that runs occasionally at Vintage Speedway meetings. Through his business interests over the years he has been involved in many other areas of motorsport, primarily as a sponsor and this included sponsoring people such as Barry Butterworth (Speedway ..cars), Greg Joint (Speedway…Bikes), Paul Radisich (Formula Pacific), Warwick Jones (GP Hydroplanes) and Rodger Freeth (Circuit racing). 2006 Ford GT – In the 1960’s Ford USA produced the Ford GT40 with the aim of beating Ferrari at LeMans. This they did successfully over a 4 year period. 40 years later, In 2005/2006 Ford recreated the GT40 using more modern engine and drivetrain and this is known as the Ford GT. The original LeMans winner had a 427 CI engine producing 485HP and a 4 speed gearbox. The “new” version has a supercharged 5.4 litre DOHC all alloy V8 producing 550HP and a 6 speed gearbox.
John Holmes – 1960 Lotus 18 Formula Junior
John is a dental surgeon, practising in Auckland. He restored this car in the early 1980s and has been competing in Historic racing in New Zealand and occasionally Australia ever since. In November 2011, he and a number of others took their cars across to Perth to compete in the 50th Anniversary meeting of the 1962 Australian Grand Prix. The 1962 race was run on the Caversham circuit and was won by Bruce McLaren. Two weeks later the cars ran at the Tasman Revival meeting at Eastern Creek before returning to New Zealand. 1960 Lotus 18 Formula Junior – The car was originally built by Lotus in 1960, one of about 125 Lotus 18s made specifically for International Formula Junior racing. It was brought into New Zealand by Bill Gardner in about 1962/3. It was sold to Clive Bush who raced it at Levin and did a few hillclimbs before stripping off the body and adding extensions onto the frame to run as a sports-racing car with a new full-width body. It ended up in the South Island. John traced it to Christchurch where he bought the remains of the original car in 1982. The entire original bodyshell was found in the rafters of a garage in Wellington, the transaxle and alloy bell-housing in a farmer’s shed in Hastings, and he restored the original single-seater in time to run in the Historic support race at the Wellington Street races in 1987. He has been racing this car ever since.
Leigh Hopper – 1995 Subaru Impreza
Leigh entered into the Targa New Zealand race from 2007 – 2012. 1995 Subaru Impreza – This car is a two door coupe implanted with 2003 WRX STI running gear. Modified 2.0 L eng, dry sump, output approx. 300 kw. It was designed in Targa spec and NZ’s typical rural tarmac roads.
Barry Howard – 1947 Stanford Special
Barry’s first racing experience was 1975 in a vintage invitation race, pre grand prix, at Pukekohe, racing his 1932 Sunbeam Saloon. He has extensive hill climbing experience with different sports cars and competed at club level and Chelsea Hill Climbs for the past 25 years. He raced in the Roycroft Trophy Meeting at Hampton Downs, April 2011. 1947 Stanford Special – Built as the Stanford Special in 1947 by Mr Bob Crisp, he hilled climbed it extensively throughout NZ winning the South Island Championship in 1950/51. This was the 3 mile hill, Dunedin, organised by the Otago Sports Car Club. March 15th 1952, NZ Championship Hill climb, Northern Sports Car Club, competitor R Crisp, 1st plce time 71.5 Seconds. R Crisp sold the car to Bruce McLaren in september 1955. Bruce brought the car without an engine, and fitted the 1172cc Ford engine. Bruce raced it without mudguards and windscreen and won the sports car race at western Springs in May 1956. He also won an autocross race in Kumeu the same year. He also raced the car at Muriwai beach. It was then owned by Edmund Sharrock. Bought in 1990 by Barry Howard in poor condition. Restored, restoration completed in 2010. Vehicle Identity Card, R status, HRV585PWV, Historic Racing Vehicle. Stanford 1937 flying 8 chassis, Ford 100E Running Gear, 1172CC, supercharged, Hand built alloy body. Front suspension independent as per 1937(factory).
Noel Howe – 1970 Harley Davidson XRTT
Noel started collecting motorcycles at age 17, and he now has 36. He started racing in 2000 with a modified Harley Davidson road bike, no.266 in photo, and has consistantly finished 2nd and 3rd in the Pre’63 Open class championship of the NZ Classic Racing Register. Noel also raced in the 250 class on a Ducati, 2nd equal 2011, and the 350 class on a Norton, championship winner 2009. He has raced at two Philip Island meetings, once on the Harley and once on a Triumph. 1970 Harley Davidson XRTT – Harley Davidson XLCH modified road bike, no. 266 in photo. The bike was purchased in 2000, it had been in a Christchurch motorcycle shop for several years unsold until offered as the prize in a radio station promotion. It then passed through several hands before Noel purchased it with the intention of racing. It has been riden every year since, regularly finishing 2nd and 3rd in the Championship. Harley XRTT, factory race bike, no.27 in photo. Purchased in 2006 from Holland. One of 200 built in 1970 only. Many remained unsold in 1972 so over 100 were scrapped as a tax write off. Used now for show and parades only.
Max Irwin – 1968 Ford Escort & 1990 Kodiak Chevy Lumina
Max started dirt track racing hillclimbs, rally’s, and rallycross. In later years Max competed in rally sprints from 1974 – 1985. He started racing a Ford Anglia with Possum Bourne as his co driver. He eventually built a V8 powered Ford Escort with Mike Taylor and Rodney Atchinson as his co drivers. They won many competitions this car. Max holds two Rallycross championships in addition to many hillclimb and rallysprint records from the late 1970s and early 1980s. 1968 Ford Escort – Built in 1974 with an Oldsmobile aluminum V8 Munsee gearbox with a Wolsey diff. Max sold the Escort in 1985 and it was turned into a circuit car. He bought it back in 2010 for Rods 60th birthday hillclimb. One of the best things he ever did, It was a lot of fun! 1990 Kodiak Chevy Lumina – This car was run by Ken Schrader in the 1992 -93 sprint cup series under sponsorship of Kodiak Chewing Tobacco, this car is now owned by Max and Denise Irwin . Last year it was driven by Elliot Forbes Robinson a well know race legion. This year Max is driving.
Grant Kern – 1965 MG B V8 Roadster “Queen Bee”
Grant has been racing MG’s for over 30 years. Own 3 MG’s; 1952 MG TD, a MG Special which looks similar to a 1933 K3, and the MGB V8. Have done all types of adrenalin type sports including parachuting and Jousting on horse back with real Armour and a lance like in the movie” A Knights Tale.” He won the Flying 50 pursuit street race held around the streets in Manukau City Managed to win 1x Race the 2012 Festival of Motor Sport. He also won the Arrow Wheels Series twice. 1965 MG B V8 Roadster – This car has been raced for about 12 years. It was entered the Drive NZ Challenge in 2010. It covered all the race tracks in NZ from Pukekohe to Invercargil with special stages between each Track.The car used to be a 4 cylinder GT model. Then it was cut down to a B Roadster model and fitted with a Fuel Injected 3.9 Rover V8 engine. It has about 230 BHP at the rear wheels.
Lindsay Kyle – 1950 Vincent Grey Flash Replica
Lindsay has owned & raced Classic British Bikes for the past 10 years. He won the AHRMA 2011 Class C World Championship on the Vincent Grey Flash Replica. 1950 Vincent Grey Flash Replica – This bike was built in the 1990’s by the staff at McIntosh Racing. Raced in 2010 at Phillip Island, won the 2011 AHRMA Pre 1951 World Championship at Barber & Daytona, USA and also won the 2011 NZCMRR Championship.
Glenn Leach – 1965 Cortina GT
In the late 1960s, Glenn raced the last two years of group two saloons in a 1963 Lotus Cortina. Around the same time, he contested hill climbs and grass track racing around North Island in a 1964 Cortina GT. He was also a member of both Auckland and Thames Valley car clubs. 1965 Cortina GT – Original stock standard.
Philip Macey – 1984 Ford XE
Philip is 44 years old and has been in motorsport since 2005. He competed in 5 Targa events not including 2012 Targa. 1984 Ford XE – Current build based on DJR Falcon correct wheels and flare kit by Wayne Draper. It is the correct colour and decals from DJR racing, interior modern for safety reasons, 351 cleveland and tremac gerbox, 500 horse power, road legal targa car, completion date to be prior to Leadfoot Fesitval and the Festival will be its first event. Exterior to be exact replica of DJR car.
Neil MacFarquhar – 1988 Ford Texaco Sierra
Competed previously for 10 years or so in Rallying here in NZ, Targa, Hill Climbs etc, recently switched over to Group A racecars, and the NZFMR. 1988 Ford Texaco Sierra – One of just 3 examples of the very famous Ford Works-Texaco Sierra Cosworth RS500’s known to remain in the world today. Built, prepared, and run by Ruedi Eggenberger & his very successful team at Eggenberger Motorsport, Switzerland. This is a genuine Ford factory works-Eggenberger team car, right down to its original LHD race shell, running gear, race fittings and Bosch electronics. Driven and raced by all of the famous European drivers that Ford had on its payroll at the time, with an impeccable race and championship winning history. It is presented here in near ready-to-race trim in its striking red and black Texaco livery from 1988.
Bruce Manon – 1975 Ford Escort MK2 RS2000
Bruce started racing in 1970 as an17 year old following in the footsteps of his father “Shack” Manon. His first car was a Morris Oxford fitted with a 4 cyl Austin Healey motor. He then raced a Holden GTR XU1. His move to Ford Escorts followed in the early 1980’s with a Turbo charged RS2000…he was awarded “Rookie” of the year in his first year in the National Championship and then went on in the mid 1980’s to win the National Championship and then defend it the following year. In 1990 he acquired his current race car also a Ford Escort Mk 2 RS2000 (but not turbo charged) which he has developed over the past 23 years. The engine was originally a SOHC 2 litre Pinto engine but this has now been discarded in favour of a Holbay. 1975 Ford Escort MK2 RS2000 – Ford Escort Mk 2 RS2000 acquired in 1990 and developed over the past 23 years. Originally a SOHC 2 litre Pinto engine but this has now been discarded in favour of a Holbay. The Holbay still uses the Pinto block and bottom end but has a DOHC 16 valve aluminum head. This car has all the heavy original steel body panels, boot and bonnet, all the interior trim, carpets and seats (apart from the drivers seat). The car still runs leaf springs in the rear although the handling has been developed, with the help of Bruce’s business partner John Butler, to a very high level. The engine is the jewel and Bruce as a well respected race car engine builder has continually developed and experimented with his engine such that today it readily runs into the high 9000 rpms and does so with absolute reliability. The sound when on full song never fails to delight.
Richard Mason – 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STi
Phil Mauger – 2006 SLR Mercedes McLaren
Phil has been racing F5000 since 1992. The most memorable moment of his career was in Anderstorp (Sweden) in 2008 where Denny Hulme won the 1973 Swedish Grand Prix in the McLaren M23. In 2013 he hopes to win the F1 section of the MSC Tasman Revival series for the 5th year in a row! 2006 SLR Mercedes McLaren – The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is grand tourer car jointly developed by Mercedes-Benz and McLaren Automotive, built in Portsmouth and the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, Surrey, England. SLR stands for “Sport, Leicht, Rennsport” (sport, light, racing). Mercedes-Benz stated that they would build 3,500 SLRs over seven years, with an annual production of 500 cars. The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren was inspired by the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe & Racecar of 1955, which was a modified Mercedes-Benz W196 F1 race car. It was introduced on 17 November 2003. On 4 April 2008, Mercedes announced that they would cease production of the SLR.
Joe McAndrew – 2002 Jeti 1000
Joe was the NZ Rally Champion in 1993, ’94 and 96. He was the London-Sydney overall winner in 2004, the Marthon Rally winner Sweden – Jordan 2002 and the Targa NZ winner 06,+ 07, 2nd overall 05 and 08. 2002 Jeti 1000 – This single seater car was bought as a partial kit from its UK makers, Jedi Racing Cars, in 2001. Much of the manufacture and completion work was carried out by Don O’Connor in New Plymouth. Further development was done by Graeme Sutton also of New Plymouth, who has raced it successfully in many hill climb events throughout the North Island. Using a tubular steel space frame, this car is powered by a Yamaha R1 998cc motorcycle engine developing 165hp. With a dry weight of 295kg the Jedi has an excellent power to weight ratio. O-100kph in 3 secs, standing ¼ in 10.8 secs and a top speed in excess of 260kph.
Tony McCall – 2012 BSL Terror
Tony McCall started racing off roaders in 1980, 5 years racing of sprint cars, won numerous titles. 10x New Zealand Off road racing Championship, 8x New Zealand short course championships 5x Woodhill 100’s 2x Taupo 1000 races. 2012 BSL Terror – Built in 2011 by BSL racing. Its a single seater mid mounted chev engine, with a sequencial trans-axle.
Paul McCarthy – 1974 Ford Escort RS 1600
Paul has been involved with motor racing since his early teens. He has owned several Mini Coopers and RS Escorts. He has also driven various race cars including March 722, Lotus 7 Lotus 47GT and several RS1600 BDG Escorts. 1974 Ford Escort RS 1600 – Rebuilt similar to 1974 DRM RS1600 as raced by Zakspeed. It has many correct features such as bodywork, mechanical Lucas fuel injected BDG engine and Magnesium BBS wheels (given to Paul by Stig Blomqvist). It has raced quite successfully at several Nerw Zealand Festival of Motor Racing events.
James McIntosh – 1961 Norton Manx
James was the 2009 & 2010 New Zealand Classic Motorcycle Racing 350 cc Factory Champion. 2011 place 3rd in the AHRMA World Championship 350cc Grand Prix. 1961 Norton Manx – 1961 350cc “Manx” Norton was purchased directly from the Norton factory by NZ Grand Prix rider Peter Pawson of Matamata who raced professionally in the World Championships from the late 1950’s to the early 1960’s. The bike was prepared from new, along with a matching 500cc Manx, by the legendary British tuner Ray Petty and incorporated a number of his modifications to make it competitive at the top level. It was used by Peter Pawson in all the World Championship races in the 1961 season plus the many International meetings which paid better start and prize money than the GP’s. Pawson returned to NZ with both bikes and competed for another season with success. He then sold the bike to Max Cleverly of Hamilton.
Ken McIntosh – 1927 Brough-Superior SS100
Ken has been racing motorcycles since 1974. He is the owner and founder of McIntosh Racing. 1927 Brough-Superior SS100 – Brough-Superior was the most prestigious and expensive British motorcycle made before WW2, and was advertised as “The Rolls Royce of Motorcycles” The SS100 came with a guarantee of having achieved over 100 mph, even when first introduced in 1924. At that time most cars struggled to do 60 mph. Brough-Superior held the outright motorcycle World Speed Record three times including the 1937 record of 169.79 MPH, and the all time Brooklands lap record at 124.51 MPH. Brough-Superior was also made famous by the patronage of “Lawrence of Arabia” who owned five successive new SS100’s until his death while riding one in 1935. This bike was imported from UK and completely rebuilt in Auckland by McIntosh Racing in 2008. It has been regularly raced at the Pukekohe Classic Festival, winning many Vintage Class races. The bike is in basic SS100 road trim, (less lights), and has easily topped 110mph on the Pukekohe back straight, easily exceeding the makers 100MPH guarantee.
Bruce McKenzie – 1978 Ford Escort RS1800
Bruce began his motorsport career in Go-Karts in 1967 and progressed to car club events in 1972 winning the club over 3.0 litre championship in a Falcon GT. Bruce progressed to rallying in 1974, with success in a Datsun 240Z before changing to a variety of Ford Escorts. He had class wins and good overall placings, regularly in national and regional events in an Escort Mexico MKII. Bruce and Malcolm Stewart ran the two car London Wool Brokers Rally Team running consistently for several seasons before converting the cars into GP2 RS1800s and competing in two rounds of the British Rally Championship and the Lombard RAC rally in 1981. 1983 saw Bruce build a very potent Toyota Starlet in which he had many class wins and won the central region rally championship, with a 100% points score, and also finishing well in the International Rally. 1984 was the year of the introduction of Group A, Bruce built a new Toyota AE86 Corolla to contest this new group, winning the National Group A Rally Championship in 1984 and 1985 against the factory supported efforts of Paul Adams and Possum Bourne. 1978 Ford Escort RS1800 – Bruce and Mick Crowe built the car to group 4 tarmac specifications from an Australian heavy duty body shell in 2010 and 2011, using parts from UK. The car is finished in the livery of Ari Vatenans, David Sutton, 1981 Lombard RAC car.
Keith McLeod – 1928 AJS K6
Keith has been racing girder fork bikes for many years. He has raced mostly on tracks and street races in the South Island including the Burt Munro. 1928 AJS K6 – Picture was taken at Wyndham street race (part of the Burt Munro Festival #114)
Robert McNair – 1931 Riley Special
Robert McNair is an aircraft engineer, vintage car restorer and vintage aviator. His driving experience includes vintage club racing, hill climbs and rallies with vintage cars. While his passions are flying vintage aircraft, aerobatics, and exciting motor cars from all periods. Roberts current work is the restoration of a 365 Ferrari Daytona and a vintage Type 59 GP Bugatti. 1931 Riley Special – A true New Zealand built Special based on Riley 9 components fitted with an engine from a De Havilland Tiger Moth. It was inspired by the Brooklands Riley, the Type 59 GP Bugatti and the GP Delage from 1927. Robert is an air craft engineer by trade and had just restored a Tiger Moth for himself and with the Riley project starting and the remaining engine parts left over from the Tiger it was an obvious solution for his special. Robert McNair incorporated aircraft style riveting on the body and aero instruments of the period to give the car an aero nautical feel. The result is a car with performance similar to proper Grand Prix cars of the period and intriguing details. Aero engined cars were famous for record breaking and high speed touring in the early days due to their effortless performance with the big engines. This shows up true with his Riley. The Riley has only been going for 18 months, with Leadfoot 2012 being its first major public outing. It has since been run at Hampton Downs successfully for the Roycroft Trophy.
Rhys Millen – 1985 Group B RX7
Rhys is one of the America’s top competitors in drifting and the current overall world champion at Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado USA. Prior to that he was a top rally driver in the US, and became the first works backed driver from a car manufacturer with GM in 2004 after narrowly losing to Ken Nomura in the US D1 Grand Prix exhibition event in 2003. In 2011 Millen raced a 500bhp AWD Hyundai Veloster in the US Rallycross championship, in 2012 he will compete in the US-based so-called Global Rallycross Championship. In 2012, Rhys finished 3rd place in the Formula Drift Championship as well as 3rd place in the Global Rallycross Championship. 1985 Groub B RX7 – This is one of eight still existing Factory Mazda Rally Team Europe Group B RX7’s. Rod drove for the team in the 1985 RAC rally finishing 9th overall and 2nd 2WD. while the original shell of the car he drove in 85 was destroyed in the 90’s all the parts are from the 001 car he drove have been installed in shell number 011 that Rhys purchased from Belgium last year.
Rod Millen
To learn more about your host and the cars he has on the Leadfoot Ranch, click here!
Gordon Molesworth – 2005 Harley Davidson Buell XBRR
Gordon raced in harley davidson series from 1992- till cancellation of series .approx 1999. In 1996 rode harley support class at phillip island and also in 1996 rode same series eastern creek support class moto gp. He raced sporster 1200 suzuki series NZ gisborne, wanganui and paeroa street races. Gordon raced sporster and buells bears meeting ,pukekohe,manfield,ruapuna to date. In 2010 he tried for the pushrod land speed record in Bonneville. His top speed was 168mph. 2005 Harley Davidson Buell XBRR – This is a factory built Buell XBRR. Only 50 were produced for AMA racing. It is 150bhp with 100 lbs of torque at redline of 8500 rpm. Only sold to private racers upon application to Harley. This was so they would be used and not collected. This one was the only one at the time in australasia.
Peter Morelli – 1949 Vincent Black Lightning
Peter has been an enthusiastic motorcyclist for most of his life. He was a founding member of the Cape Town Classic Motorcycle Racing Club. In New Zealand he has campaigned the Vincent Black Lightning at the Pukekohe Classic Festival for a number of years. 1949 Vincent Black Lightning – Originally owned and ridden by Springbok Motorcyclist Vic Proctor. Proctor used the machine to make three attempts on the Motorcycle Land Speed Record. The first of these was at Verneukpan (a dry lake bed) in the Northern Cape, about 450 miles from Cape Town. Verneukpan was used several years earlier by Sir Malcolm Campbell and the renowned Bluebird. Although the surface was unsatisfactory Proctor succeeded in setting a new South African mark for the flying mile of 136.26 mph. His next attempt at Kaalfontein, with a streamlined shell, nearly cost him his life when the machine took command at 170 mph. In 1952 – on his birthday and minus the streamlining – he pushed the South African record up to 148.89 mph on the national road near Beaufort West in the Cape Province. Proctor was awarded his Springbok colours for Motorcycling. The Vincent Black Lightning has a famous New Zealand connection, being the model used by Russell Wright to set the World Land Speed Record for motorcycles at over 185 mph. Incredibly this was done on a rural road outside of Christchurch.
Steve Murphy – 1985 Mitsubishi Cordia
Steve built and raced 500cc Dirt Go Kart and a V8 Monaro at Pukekohe. He built and raced a V8 HA Viva at RallyCross, Mystery Creek and Hamilton. He won the New Zealand Rallycross Champship twice and the North Island title twice. Steve raced Hickmans V8 Avenger 4-wheel drive and also helped to build and race his V8 Starion. He built up his V8 Cordia and with his son Clint has won various local sprints and the South Island Ashley Forest Rally sprint 3 times. 1985 Mitsubishi Cordia – In 2000, Steve completed a six year build of the Mitsubishi Cordia. Specs: Engine 377 Chev 600HP, Engine & gearbox turned 180°, Clutch 9″ twin plate, Gearbox close ratio Super T10 Dogbox, Front transfer case using 2 gears from a Kenworth gearbox with a 5″ treble clutch adapted to the rear of transfer case which disengages the rear drive when handbrake is applied. Rear Transfer case is a Pagero unit cut in half and adapted to fit the rear diff. Diffs are Mitsubishi GTO fitted with modified Pagero LSD units.
Rhys Nolan – 1934 Austin 7 Special
Rhys has been messing about motorsport since the mid 1960s, always on the fringes, and never made the steps to compete at any serious level until the last 3 years. Previously in the 70s he had a Buckler, Hillman Husky with the obigatory bigger engine, earlier model than the famed Millen Cob, rallied one of the ex Heatway Skodas, and then stumblled across the sheer fun of Vintage racing. 1934 Austin 7 Special – This car was inspired by the McLaren Austin 7 with a touch of Bugatti T35 and created to be welll finished and useable car for vintage events. The creator was Steve Sharp of Greenhithe who has given an artists perspective to it. It has taken part in many of the VCC events in the North Island, with Chelsea Walsh Hillclimb, Pebblebrook, Ngawhini, Roycroft Trophy and Taupo meetings under its’ wheels. It is huge fun, well mannered and performs well for its’ 17Kw at the wheels.
Tim O’Connor – 2012 Ferrari 458 Challenge
First motorsport competition was entrant in the last Golden Shell Rally. Heatway Rally marshall and then 6 times Targa New Zealand entrant. 3 times in my 1973 BMW CSL, 2 times in Ferrari F355 Challenge and 1 x Ferrari F430 Challenge. 2 x seasons in north and South Island Endurance Series. Won the 2012 Pukekohe 6 hour endurance “Dan Peoples Memorial Trophy” race. 2012 Ferrari 458 Challenge – New Ferrari 458 Challenge, purchased ex UK and currently in a container being shipped to NZ. ETA late September. Fist competition in 2012 will be the SIERDC South Island Endurance Series.
Lindsay O’Donnell – 1973 Begg FM 5
Lindsay has competed in many forms of classic & endurance racing here in New Zealand and overseas and enjoys the participation at interesting events in interesting cars which he says excuses him from not being so focussed on achieving podium finishes. 1973 Begg FM 5 – Designed by well known New Zealand engineer George Begg and Fred McLean. Constructed in the PDL workshops and sponsored by PDL in 1973, hence its unusual racing colour – nick named ‘Possum Scrotum Pink’! Competed successfully in the Tasman Serries by owner drivers Alan McCully and then Graham Baker before being sold to various Australian drivers. Purchased in 2003 by Lindsay O’Donnell who had it restored to its former glory and has competed in it in various Tasman Revival F5000 meetings in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. Monocoque tub, McLaren suspension, Chev 5 litre V8 engine running 4 weber 48mm IDA carbs and Hewland DG300 gearbox. 13×11 inch front and 15×13 rear tyres.
Scott O’Donnell – 1971 Dodge Daytona
Scott is a classic racer turned endurance racer. He competed at Nurburgring 24 hr, Bathurst 24hr and 12hr plus Silverstone 24hr. He finished 5th overall and 2nd in class at Bathurst 12hr 2012 in Porsche GT3 cup car. 1971 Dodge Daytona – Built from bare shell in 2012. It has a 358 cu in MOPAR NASCAR Engine.
Dave O’Leary – 1976 Holden Torana SLR5000
Dave started racing Motocross at 14 and still compete at the occasional MX event. He raced Jetskis from the late 80’s to 2000’s and have been racing in the Muscle car series from 2004 onwards. 1976 Holden Torana SLR 5000 – The SLR5000 was purchaced in 2002 as a daily driver. It is a genuine SLR, but needed alot of love! After the daily driving chores were over Dave decided to rebuild it into a race car, completing the build in 2 years. He has raced it alot over the last 9 years, and it has been a teriffic, reliable fun car, and as a bonus it has been competitive too!
Tony Olissoff – 1953 Maserati A6GCS Barchetta
Tom is a late starter to racing, only getting involved with the Alfa Romeo Owners Club racing series when he was 45. Now racing an Alfa Sud in that and the Arrows series, he holds the lap record for any Alfa Romeo at Pukekohe raceway (1:08.3) but also run a BMC engined Formula Junior in Historic racing. While late out of the blocks, he has always been enthusiastic about racing. Enough to walk from Timaru to Levels raceway and back as a youngster, sneaking in through the hedge to watch Ernie Sprague, Red Dawson, Dennis Marwood, Rod Coppins and the like battle it out in hot Humber 80s, then hand grenade Anglias, Cortinas and such. Glory days, with spectators 3 deep along all the fences. 1953 Maserati A6GCS Barchetta – The Maserati A6 series cars derived from the A6 F1 cars of the early 50’s, with outrigger chassis rails to support sports car and touring bodies, with inline 6 cylinder DOHC motors starting at 1.5 then extending to 2 litres. Culminating in the 53 A6GCS Barchetta at 2 litres and 170bhp, this model, most widely bodied in this Fantuzzi coachwork, dominated the under 2 litre sports car category for several years, with overall 3rd and 5th place finishes in the ’53 and ’54 Mille Miglia. Constructed in NZ by ’53 Barchetta Ltd, this was the prototype for a series of design and dimensionally accurate cars manufactured and exported to the US, UK and Australia. ‘EGY145’ is indeed an ‘edgy’ wee beastie with a 2.8l Bi-turbo V6 running 650 x 16 inch tyres on wire wheels, but an evocation of the bare knuckle days enjoyed by Fangio and Moss in road legal race cars.
Mark Parsons – 1978 Triumph TR7 V8
Mark has been competing in motorsport for 43 years. Top Half Rally Champion Driver 1983 / Co-driver Champion 1999. Many years of gravel rallying in Holden Monaro’s, Mazda Rotary’s and Escort BDA’s. He as been a Targa competitor since the beginning in Holden Torana GTR XU1’s and the Triumph TR7 V8. He also competed in Classic Circuit racing in most of these cars. 1978 Triumph TR7 V8 – Factory Works spec Triumph TR7 V8 Rally Car, 1997 Targa Tasmania 3rd Outright, 1999 Woolf Mufflers Rallysprint Series Winner, 1999 Liesuretime Classic Race Series Winner, 2000 Targa Bambina Outright Winner and plenty of Targa Class and Category Victories and Outright top ten finishes.
Kerry Piggott – 1920 Harley Davidson J
Kerry has been riding motorbikes since he was 14 years old. He owes his love and addiction of old bikes of any make to his late brother Bernie. Bernie rode Triumphs until the day he turned up on a WLA Harley. That was it, Kerry has been hooked on old Harleys ever since. He has been a member of the New Zealand Classic Motorcycle Racing Register for 20 years. He has also been racing this bike competitively in the Vintage Class since 1999. He won the Perrone trophy and Championship firsts, and has also received awards for best performance on a hand change machine. He has achieved a top speed of 98mph so far. 1920 Harley Davidson J – This motorcycle started its life as a road going machine. It has been built up as a racer to represent the many road motorcycles that were modified for the various types of racing that existed in the late 1910s and 1920s in New Zealand. The specialist type “Factory Race Motorcycles” (in this case the Harley Davidson 8 Valve Racer) were expensive at $1500 US in 1918, and not in abundance in early New Zealand, hence many road going machines were modified for racing. Machines competed with success on “cinder tracks”, in local A&P Showgrounds and on beach circuits, road racing did not appear until the early 1930s. The infancy of the sport always guaranteed large crowds would gather to witness the “Dare Devils of 2 Wheels”. This bike is a 1000cc inlet over exhaust V Twin with total loss oiling system. It has a 3 speed hand change transmission with a foot operated clutch. It is push start. Front and rear brakes have been fitted for safety, as the original competition bikes had none.
Clark Proctor – 1973 March 73A & 1973 Ford Escort
From the age of 15 Clark has been involved in the dynamics of wheels, speed and racing. He started with motorcycles, road racing and motocross. At age 17 he became more interested in 4 wheels and started racing stock cars. He quickly moved through the grades in the first season from C to A grade. Over the following 20 years six new cars were built and raced by Clark. All engineering works on the cars including engine rebuilds were undertaken by Clark in his own workshop. Clark is the owner/Managing Director of Metalman N.Z. Limited a well established scrap metal exporting business with its Head Office in Auckland. He brings the same passion and will to succeed to his driving as he has used to create this highly successful business. 1973 March 73A – F5000 vehicle. 1973 Ford Escort – Raced in Targa as well as GTRNZ.
Dallas Rankine – 1995 Ducati SuperMono
Dallas has raced motorcycles for 30 years in New Zealand and overseas. Best championship result was finishing runner up ‘Open Class’ in 1980. He is recently retired from Classic Racing. Long racing involvement with Ducati bikes in NZ as a rider and then sponsor. Team riders included NZ champions Paul Pavletich and the late Robert Holden. 1995 Ducati SuperMono – This machine is one of only 68 made over a three year period by Ducati, making it one of the rarest customer race bikes ever offered by the factory. Primarily designed to compete in the European single cylinder championship series, the 582cc 4 valve desmodromic fuel injected engine features an unusual twin con rod articulated counter balance system which allows maximum revs to exceed 11000. This was unheard of for such a large single. Peak power is 75hp at 10000rpm, with a top speed in excess of 250kph, due somewhat to it’s very slim profile. Extensive use of carbon fibre keeps the weight down to 115kg. With the late Robert Holden riding, this bike topped the practice leader board in it’s class at the 1996 Isle of Man TT. The previous year Robert won the same class on a sister bike to this one. Sadly Robert died at that ’96 TT, during practice on another machine. This SuperMono also won several NZ titles in the hands of Rodney O’Connor. Only two such examples of this fine and rare racing Ducati are in New Zealand.
Jim Richards – 1992 BMW E30 M3 Sport Evaluation
Jim has competed in many races through the years. Things like the Silver Fern Rally, Heatway Rally’s and Saloon Car Racing at Stock Car Meetings. He was the back to back NZ Saloon Car Champion in 1971 and 1972. During that time, he was also the back to back champion of the Benson and Hedges race. He was also a 7-time champion at Bathurst 1000 race, an 8-time champion of the Targa Tasmania rally and a 4-time Nation’s Cup Championship, Australia. He has also won many other races throughout his long career. 1992 BMW E30 M3 Sport Evaluation – This is a group A Race Car. The original Group A example from the 1992 DTM (2.5lt engine example). Limited race history over its life, but an original example none-the-less. Livery is as per the 1992 DTM Schnintzer entry for A. Heger.
Roy Rowe – 1938 V8 60 Special
Roy was born 1942 and lived in Hamilton nearly all his life. His first car was a 1930 Ford Model A that he purchased when he was 16. He joined NZ Vintage Car Club at that time and has been a member for 54 years. Roy has owned a wide variety of early Fords and V8s, Lincoln Zephyrs and more recently delved into vintage racing machinery – speedway midget, hill climb sprinter, both fitted with V8 60 engine and driven in a few vintage hill climb and circuit race meetings. 1938 V8 60 Special – This car was built up at the turn of the century as a period special from the 1930s using an American 1938 Ford V8 60 engine, 2.3 litre, 136cu.in.; 1938 Lincoln Zephyr 3 speed gear box, with 1940 English Ford front and rear axles and steering box; using transverse springs and cable brakes; aluminium body. It has competed in several vintage hill climbs and circuit race meetings during the last 10 years.
Nick Ross – 2013 Holden VE TLX
NZV8 Driver Currently 3rd in Championship 2013 Holden VE TLX – Brand new January 2013. Built by Concept Motorsport to contest NZV8 Championship.
Carl Ruiterman – 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX STI
Carl Ruiterman is one of New Zealand’s most accoladed drivers in Professional Drifting. Driving in the national and international pro drift circuit now for his seventh season, Carl re-confirmed his skill and ability at the 2012 World Drift Championship, China by qualifying in 2nd place against some of the world’s greatest. Skilled in the art of pushing a car to it’s limits and handling this with precision in it’s most out of control state, Carl will be putting on a spectacular show for the Leadfoot crowds again in 2013 with his GT Radial Subaru ‘Ken Block’ style gymkhana WRX. 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX STI – The GT Radial Subaru WRX was dreamt from concept and built solely by Carl himself after campaigning his RWD Nissan Silvia titles in NZ and offshore. With the WRX shell and running gear acquired from Possum Borne Motorsport, Carl (also a full-time performance mechanic and co-owner of E&H Motors, Pukekohe) poured hundreds of man hours into development and completion of the 4WD next-generation drift project. Built to emulate a multi-purpose capability across several disciplines of Motorsport, Carl features the WRX nationally in Gymkhana, Rally-Cross, Drift, Hill-Climb and tarmac rally events. Packing a punch from it’s EJ20 factory head with 2.5l block and powered by Gull Force Pro E85 with thrust from it’s Borg Warner EFR turbo and handling from it’s KAPS sequential gear system, the you’ll be seeing all 450kw from the Subaru in full flare at Leadfoot this March.
Timothy Rush – 1972 M22 McLaren
First drove a single seater around Manfeild at the age of 3 and from then on petrol has flown though the veins, Mazda Mx5 and then moving into a faster Morris Minor powered by a Toyota twin cam and then into supercharged Chevron sports car, with class wins 3 years in a row. Then Dad (Terry Rush) brought the FM4 Begg F5000 and since then driving experence’s has grown with the other cars in the Rush Collection. 1972 M22 McLaren – Brought brand new from Mclaren by Tom Jones in USA, brought to NZ by Tony Roberts in 2007 from the Mathews Collection in USA, added to the Rush Collection Feilding NZ in 2008. Driven in historic events, in Australia and New Zealand by Tim Rush.
Alastair Russell – 1972 McRae GM1/02
Raced Porsche 911’s in PCNZ series in the late ninetys till 2004 the the F5000 from 2006 onwards. 1972 McRae GM1/02 – McRae GM1/002 was built for Evan Noyes to race in 1972. It was raced in the US in 1972, the Tasman series in 1973, and the US Formula A championship in 1973. Thereafter GM1/002’s custodians were Jim Sechser and then Fred Schilpin, who retained it until 1996, when it was restored and subsequently owned by Roger Williams in NZ. In 2006 the car was purchased from Roger by Alastair Russell.
Nigel Russell – 1960 FMZ Formula Junior
An avid collector, restorer and competitor of Formula Junior, Nigel beside the FMZ has previously restored and competed in an Emeryson Elfin FJ. Described by a friend as having “Formula Junior Tragedy”, currently he is working on restoring two other formula Junior projects; The 1960 Front engine Stanguellini Formula Junior he recovered from Mexico, that had been owned and run in the Mexican Formula Junior races by Ricardo and Pedro Rodriguez. The second project recovered recently from the USA is the Chequered Flag built Gemini Mk3 FJ which was driven for the team by Geoff Duke, Tony Maggs, Sir John Whitmore and Peter Ashdown and subsequently for Gemini Racing team in the USA by Charlie Kolb. Nigel is actively involved with the NZ Formula Junior Register; currently organising the Formula Junior local and international competitors for the coming ENZED, Skope and Evolution Classics (Southern Festival ) events in early 2013. He is the Historic Racing and Sports Car Club registrar and is also a MSNZ Historic Commission member. 1960 FMZ Formula Junior – Constructed in New Zealand in 1960 by Alan MacDonald, at the then Whakatane Board Mills whilst he was still an Apprentice. The FMZ was the only front engine Formula Junior car built and raced in New Zealand. The design for the FMZ was carried out by MacDonald aboard a yacht on a delivery voyage to San Francisco in 1959. FMZ stands for Paul Fafeta, the engine builder, Alan MacDonald, the constructor and Harry Zanden, the body jig builder though the alloy body was constructed by Graeme dart, an Aircraft fitter. The FMZ has a BMC A series 1100 cc motor of approximately 85 b.h.p and BMC close ratio gearbox. Rear drive train is Independent, comprising a cut down Ford 10 axel and differential and sliding articulated drive shafts. Brakes are aluminium/Steel Bi metal drums all round, inboard at rear, all constructed by MacDonald. The FMZ took part in the New Zealand drivers race at the Levin International GP in 1961, Pukekohe, 9th International in 1962 and 12th International in 1965. Nigel rescued the car in 1979 and since restoring it it has been extensively raced and hill climbed in New Zealand and at Phillip Island, Calder and Eastern Creek circuits in Australia.
Danny Ryan – 1919 Lancia Kappa Sport
Danny has been restoring vehicles since the late 1970’s. He is an avid restorer with an eye for detail. Each restoration has many hours of research searching for the most correct syle or design of each part. The reward is the enjoyment everyone receives when seeing these vehicles in use on the roads, whether it is race track, hill climb events or touring the country. 1919 Lancia Kappa Sport – Found in 1970’s at Donnelly’s Crossing, Northland, New Zealand. It was restored 2001.
Michael Sexton – 1970 Ford Escort Mk1
Michael came to motor sport later in life but has now been racing for many years. He has competed in numerous Targa and other tarmac rallies and also classic race meetings in NZ. He has also been lucky to have raced in Europe at circuits such as Monza, Imola, Dijon, Spa and Jerez and have also competed in several tarmac rallies in Spain, France and Italy as well as recently competing at Barbagallo in Perth, W.A. and Eastern Creek, NSWs. 1970 Ford Escort Mk1 – This car started its life as a rally car first competing in the Heatway Rallies and then in the first ever Targa NZ event in 1995. The car was converted to a circuit car in the late 90’s but the underside still gives testament to the cars gravel rally origins. It has been in my ownership for the last 10 years and it has been extensively campaigned during that time. Over its life it has had many engine options including BDA, Crossflow, Pinto and now it runs with a 2.4 litre DOHC Ford Holbay on twin SP50 Webers that drives through a straight cut gear set.
George Sheweiry – 1969 Ford Boss 302 Mustang
George started racing when he was 16 after purchasing the ex Robbie Francevic GTHO that he ran in a few Castrol GTX series races. He then bought the Richards Sidchrome Mustang and ran that in the Sports Sedan series and at the same time he bought a Falcon Cobra that he ran in the Penzoil Production supercar series.George then raced the ex Francevic Metro magazine GpA falcon. He also built up a Z28 Camaro for the Production Muscle Car series that my brother Clive and I started. At the same time I built a 65 Mustang to run in Pre 65 and managed to win the series 2 yrs in a row replacing it with a mercury Comet that he built in 1998. George then built his own Transam Mustang and ran that for a few seasons till he sold it and bought the ex Richards/ Silvester Tranzam. 1969 Ford Boss 302 Mustang – The Sidchrome Mustang was built by Murray Bunn in Auckland for Jim Richards to contest the BNSW series in 1971. It is powered by a mid mounted dry sumped 366 Gurney Weslake V8 engine with 4 x 48mm IDA webers thru a 4 spd close ratio toploader gearbox to a 9″ full floater Detroit Locker diff with 4 bar watts linkage on sliding leaf springs, it has konis and AP 4 pot clipers all round with 15×15 rear rims and 15×11 fronts. Jim won the NZ saloon series in the car then in 1974 shipped it to Australia to compete in the $100,000.00 Marlborough series. He was also very successful in that series and eventually sent the car back to NZ when he recieved his new Falcon Sports sedan again built by Murray bunn. I bought the Mustang from Jim in 1977 and raced it in the NZ sports sedan series till 1984 and has sat while I have raced in other classes and added to my collection of 28 cars. George is just finishing a 2 year full restoration of the car.
Martin Short – 2013 Toyota Camry V8
Martin was the NZ Formula Ford Champion in 2009/2010 and finished 5th in the 2006 World carting championship in Potugal. 2013 Toyota Camry V8 – New for the 2013 Motorsport NZ Summer Series NZV8 Championship.
Grant Silvester – 1938 Chevrolet Coupe
Grant started racing back in ’92 with Mazda RX 7 class racing, known now as Pro7 RAcing. He raced for several seasons winning the championship and doing many endurance based races on NZ tracks. Then he moved to NZ TransAm racing which he ran a Ford Mustang car that was previously race by Jim Richards. He won the NZ TransAm championship then with some new found enthusiasm, he took his car to the USA to run in the SCCA TransAm rounds in Texas, LasVegas, Laguna and San Diego. Now he enjoys the driving and display of the Old Coupe of Dads and look at his job as the cars ‘caretaker’ until his sons take over! 1938 Chevrolet Coupe – The coupe was one of several Grant’s late father, Ron Silvester, owned and raced in the sixty’s. This car was built by a very good friend and work mate of his, named Jim Walker. Jim was such a meticulous engineer and would hand make anything needed for the car and as with all passions working 24 stints to build the car up after an insidence was ‘fun’ for Jim. Sadly both have passed away or the stories could be on going for ever. The Coupe was badly damaged in a race at Ruapuna where Ron got his jandels stuck under the pedals. This caused a panic in the time to get the damaged car ready for a race that was to be two weeks from the time of the crash, so whilst Ron was getting repaired in hospital with a damaged shoulder etc Jim was building the car to race again. The Coupe had some great wins over that period . The car is all steel and original 1938 solid beam front suspension with a 1955 Chev diff with 3.72 ratio detroit locker unit, Muncie 4 speed rockcrusher box with Tilton triple plate clutch unit, Chev 327ci engine that has been bored and stroke in the ’60’s to 370ci. The main feature being the original 6 x 2 barrell ’97’ stromberg carbs that feed the engine.
Ralph Smith – 1955 Lycoming Special
Ralph has been involved in Classic Racing for 37 years, driving car such as the Lycoming 1955/56 H.W.M. single seater 1951, Lola T70 1966 and Rhubarb 111 1975. He was the founding member of The Classic Motor Racing Club. 1955 Lycoming Special – The Lycoming is considered one of NZ’s most historic Racing cars by its racing record, having been designed constructed and raced by Ralph Watson. Its design is totaly unique with all main components having been highly modified which includes a hand built fuel injection system. It has been raced in the U.S.A. and Australia on several occaisions. It has been driven by Bruce McLaren and Jimmy Clark. The car has been featured in major classic car magazines world wide.
Rayden Smith – 1968 Ford Escort Twin Cam
Rayden started competing in club events in a Singer special at age 16 and has owned and raced the ex – Jim Richards Willment Escort twin cam since 1990. 1968 Ford Escort Twin Cam – Built by John Willment Group for Mike Crabtree early 1968. Mike won the 1969 2ltr Grp 5 class of the British Saloon Car Championship. Jim Richards raced her very successfully in NZ through 1970/71/72.
Craig Stacey – 1971 AMC Javelin & 1965 Ford Breadvan Anglia
Weekend Racer , started racing 1999 , Production Muscle Car Club with a Big Block Mustang. Then decided to build Replica Trans am Penske/Donohue Javelin. Mark Donohue won 7 of the 9 Trans am races in 1971. Donohue had influence in the AMC body shape of the 1971 model with the large fenders for bigger rubber and the air spoilers front and rear. 1971 AMC Javelin – Started build in 2000 , 3 year build. Transam Replica. Mark Donohue won 7 of the 9 Trans am races in 1971. Donohue had influence in the AMC body shape of the 1971 model with the large fenders for bigger rubber and the air spoilers front and rear. 1965 Ford Breadvan Anglia – Original car raced by Saloon Car Champion Paul Fahey in 1965. Nicknamed the Breadvan Anglia. Lotus Twin cam engine and running gear.
Don Suckling – 1948 Ford Gee Cee Ess
Donald Suckling has been a member of The Vintage Car club of New Zealand for over 50 years. He first started racing and hillclimbing in 1970″s with his very original polished aluminium bodied 23/60 Vauxhall Tourer attenting the inurgural VCC Race meeting at Pukekohe. He obtained the Late George Smiths Famous No 44 Ford Powered Gee Cee Ess Special in a heap of bits from Bill Clark of Christchurch in 1979 and began putting it together to what the car is today. Donald is the only person apart from the late George Smith to regulary drive the car and has won many events including Hill Climbing, Sprints and Circut Racing. The Gee Cee Ess is most suited to shingle hill climbs and only a very few people have ever beaten Donald on shingle they being Bill Veitch of Otago on a BSA scrambler motorcycle at Dunedin and Peter Henry on a BSA & Sidecar on Ashly Forest Hillclimb. 1948 Ford Gee Cee Ess – The Ford Gee Cee Ess Special began its life as a Western Springs Midget in the 1937 / 38 racing season as number 44. Built by the Pioneer of New Zealand Motor Racing the late George Smith and his mechanic the late Tom Sheehan the car was made up of Model A and Model Tee bits and pieces and powered by a Model A Ford Motor. In 1948 George decided it was time to build a car for Road Racing, Sprint Events, Hill Climbs and Circut Racing. The front and back end of the chassis was cut up and new chassis rails folded and welded to the Model T chassis housing.Ford V8 brake drums were fitted to the Model A front axle and back axle, the Model A crown wheel and pinion adapted to fit the Ford V8 diff housing, Ford V8 gear box modified and fitted to a Ford V8 modified motor. The radiator was build by George Mahalivich of Auckland, the Fuel Tank built byCharlie Galbraith Plumbers of Henderson and the skuttle rear body panels taken off the old midget number 44 and adapted to fit the current Gee Cee Ess by Auto Parts Panel Shop Auckland. In its first event in Taeri Otago (complete with V8 Hubcaps) the car driven by George won the event. It then went onto win in 1952 – 53 season the New Zealand Sprint Car Championship, The New Zealand Road Racing Championship, The New Zealand Hill Climb Championship and the New Zealand Beach Racing Championship. When George retired the car was sold to Frank Shuter of Christchurch, raced once for the opening of Ruapuna Raceway then dismanteled and on sold by Franks son Rod in a heap of bits to Bill Clark of Christchurch. In 1979 I negotiated with Bill to become custodian of the car and rebuilt the heap of bits to it to its current Road Racing Form with the help of several friends to obtain bits for the Gee Cee Ess. Since 1983 the car has been raced by myself winning numerous Hill Climbs and Sprint Events throughout the country for over 30 years. The car is now owned by the Herrick Family Trust and I have a lease over the car for 10 years. The only thing missing is the original grill stolen from my house in Paraparumu and the set of Ardun Heads which are in safe hands of the current owner of one of Georges other cars the Allard Sports Car in Queenstown.
Peter Sundberg – 1990 Ferrari F40 & 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C Monza
Peter Sundberg’s racing career started in the seventies, where he was fortunate to gain full sponsorship competing in those “golden days” when race meetings attracted sell out spectator crowds. He competed with distinction, gaining a reputation, usually justified, as a somewhat wild and spectacular driver. Car of choice back then was the venerable Lotus Twin Cam Escort, highly modified, air to say however, not sophisticated compared to what is available these days. Peter has also rallied, both on gravel, in a Rotorsport prepared Mazda RX3 and on Tarmac in a Ford Escort Cosworth and then in a very quick Group B MG Metro 6R4, both in NZ and Ireland. He has also competed in classic motorcycle racing, on a Manx Norton, Moto Guzzi or MV Agusta 4 cyl. He is currently driving the ex Kevin Bartlett John Walker Lola 332 in the F 5000 series. This weekend sees a change of machinery, the beautiful 1932 Alfa Romeo with its supercharged 8 cyl engine, then a complete contrast with a 1990 Ferrari F40. Interestingly ,both these models had direct links to Enzo Ferrari himself, he ran the Alfa Romeo racing team in the early 30’s and the F40’was the last car Ferrari had a direct influence in the design of. 1990 Ferrari F40 – To celebrate 40 years of Ferrari, Enzo Ferrari had his design team create a supercar that translated racing car technology to the road. Furthermore, it was built with only the most essential systems and in many regards is a supercar with functional simplicity. It was also the last car developed and built under Enzo’s direct supervision before he died. 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C Monza – The dominant racing car in the early 30’s, the Alfa Romea team was run by Enzo Ferrari prior to the manufacture of his own marque. Truly a piece of Italian mechanical artistry, this particular car is powered by a straight eight supercharged 2.6 engine. In its day capable of winning almost every event in which it entered. A complete contrast to the Ferrari F40 which Peter is also driving up Rod’s driveway this weekend.
Trevor Taylor – 1974 AMF Harley Davidson RR350
Trevor bought his first motorcycle in 1970 as a 15 year old, a Puch 150 scooter and he has bought approximatly 90 more to date. Started racing motorcycles in 1973 on a Yamaha TD1B and progressed to a 350cc TR2 the same bike once owned by Dick Waterer. He hung up his leathers in 1978 to get married, travel and raise his 2 daughters. Trevor started racing again in 1999 with a TZ350 Yamaha and has built up a collection of mainly Yamaha 2 stroke racing motorcycles since. He has had a good degree of success in recent years and gets great pleasure out of doing all my own work on the machines, racing with like minded people and especially competing against notable riders of the 1970s like Ginger Molloy, Trevor Discombe and Dick Waterer who he raced with as a youth back in the 1970’s. 1974 AMF Harley Davidson RR350 – Harley Davidson bought the Aermacchi factory in Italy in the 1960s to build and supply small bikes to the American market. The majority of production were 4 stroke 250 and 350 singles including production racer versions. The 2 stroke racers were developed in the early 1970 to replace the aging single cylinder 250 and 350 4 stroke race bikes. Factory versions won multiple 250 and one 350 world championship in the 1970’s.
Garth Thomas – 1964 Cooper T72 & 1953 MV Agusta Monoalbero Corsa 125cc
Garth Thomas, an IT Project Manager with Ford Motor Company, is a keen motor vehicle enthusiast. His many and diverse hobbies includes the restoration of classic and vintage vehicles. In his earlier years he competed in motorcycle circuit racing, which included competing with his farther’s (Bryan Thomas) NZ designed and manufactured motorcycles and classic historic factory racers. He has just recently progressed to driving his collection of restored classic performance vehicles and bikes on the race circuit. 1964 Cooper T72 – 1964 Formula 3 Cooper T72, (Chassis F3-1-64) this is the very first Formula 3 single seater race car manufactured by Cooper Race Cars UK (aka Mini Cooper fame), and sold to Daniel Richmond, owner of Downton Engineering UK. Downton Engineering was the premier performance engine and accessory company of 1950’s 60’s and 70’s, they supplied performance accessories to the BMC mini enthusiast, they worked closely with BMC (British Motor Corporation) Competition department to develop Mini Cooper performance and race engines. This vehicle has been driven at prominent European Motor Racing circuits in 1964-1966, Prominent drivers such as John Rhodes and Rob Slotemaker have competed at Silverstone, Brands Hatch, Monaco, with a podium finish by Slotemaker at Zandvoort Holland. The car in 1968 was exported to the USA, where it was raced successfully in the SCCA track events, and was converted to the US spec Formula C livery. The Cars last USA race was in 1984 at Riverside California, it was then retired to a garage, only to be discovered after 25 years as a “Barn find”, it was imported to New Zealand in 2007, and has just recently been restored to its original Formula 3 specification. The Cooper T72 is the same model which Jackie Stewart won his first British Grand Prix Series in 1964. 1964 MV Agusta Monoalbero Corsa 125cc – A Production factory racer which was developed from the successful 1952 World championship winning 125cc MV Agusta bialbero (double cam) bike ridden by Cecil Standford. Italian “Monoalbero Corsa” translates to “single overhead cam racer” it was developed by the factory as a race bike for privateers to purchase and race. This bike was purchased from a museum collection, and restored by Bryan Thomas to period condition as was delivered for racing in 1953. It is fitted with an original megaphone exhaust system which delivers a vibrant quivering sound of yester-year motorcycle racing.
Anne Thomson – 1906 Grand Prix Darracq
Anne’s competitive driving career began with her purchase of the Darracq in 2003. She had lusted after the car for some 20 years after seeing it in Christchurch in a derelict condition. She has been involved with driving and owning Vintage & Veteran cars for many years and the 14 litre Grand Prix Darracq was what every girl should own! After restoration was completed, in 2005, by Wallace McNair, Anne was invited by the Automobile Club of France to take the car to France to take part in the Centenary of the Grand Prix in June 2006. As the only known survivor of that first Grand Prix the Darracq was the centerpiece of the event which ran the cars around the original 107 km circuit and was widely demonstrated in France including a race around the inner streets of Paris, laps at the French Grand Prix and the 24 hour race at Le Mans. Anne also took her car to England in 2006 where she raced it with the very competitive Vintage Sports car club winning her class at Loton Park and Shelsley Walsh, a 4th at Mallory Park, 3rd at Goodwood Festival of Speed and winner at Prescott Hill Climb. In 2011 Anne ran the Darracq at Philip Island and ran demonstration laps at the Australian Grand Prix. She takes part in as many events locally as possible as she feels that as the current custodian of the very historic vehicle it is her pleasure to share it with other enthusiasts. 1906 Grand Prix Darracq – Anne’s Darracq was built in 1906 as one of the Team Cars for the first Grand Prix held at Le Mans. The event was a 2-day affair running six laps of the 107km road circuit each day. The 3 Darracqs all withdrew with valve problems, but her car went on to America a few months later where it won the Vanderbilt Cup at Long Island, again being driven by Louis Wagner. This was the second win at this prestigious event for Darracq. In 1910 it was purchased by Malcom Campbell in England and christened Bluebird – the first of a long line of his cars, boats and aircraft so to be named. Campbell raced the car with success at Brooklands until selling it in 1914 to his friend Neville Minchin. In 1960 the engine was acquired by Bob Beardsley who set about the task of finding the correct parts to recreate the car into its original form. Although Bob never got the car to run he did succeed in piecing together the major parts into a rolling chassis, so saving the project. Anne’s pestering over a 20 years period finally saw its purchase in 2003 and complete restoration by her husband Wallace McNair. The car has been returned to its 1906 Grand Prix form but still incorporates some of the mods done pre WW1. Technical details; 4 cylinder 180mm x 140mm, 14.25 litre, 4 speed Darracq gearbox with 1.75:1 axle, top speed 100+ MPH at 1650 RPM.
Peter Thomson – 1911 LMC Touring 3.5 HP
Peter was born into a motorcycling family, motorcycling was in his blood, so it was no suprise when he got my first bike at age 12. It was a 1934 1200cc Harley-Davidson, no doubt the reason he has a passion for Harleys to this day. Owner of the Thomson Motorcycle Museum, a world renowned collection of about 300 bikes and associated memorabilia, initially started by his father, Andrew Thomson, who began collecting veteran and vintage motorcycles in 1946. My passion is now researching and recording New Zealand motorcycling history to preserve the stories for future generations. 1911 LMC Touring 3.5 HP – LMC stands for “LLoyd Motor Company” a business that was established in 1907 by the owner Mr W.J. Lloyd who had been involved in the motor/motorcyle industry right from the start in the late 1800’s. This motorcycle is an unrestored 2 owner 500c.c. machine and is fitted with LMC’s patented “Auto-varia” two speed gear. Purchased from the original owner in Napier during the early 1950’s this motorcycle is now an exhibit in the Thomson Motorcycle Museum.
Dave Thompson – 1970 Ford XY GT Falcon
Dave has been competing since the mid 70’s, mainly in rally at state, national and international events. He is the two-time Australian Rally Champion, winning the 2002 P4 2WD championship and the 2002 Australian Class championship. Now he enjoys competing in the Classic class of rallying in his Xy GT Falcon. 1970 Ford XY GT Falcon – The XY GT was built by Australian Rally Legend Barry Lowe. Barry Lowe competed in the State and Australian Rally Championships with the vehicle until the 1990. It won the State Championship the first year it competed, winning outright its first State Championship evert. It was then sold to Mark Taylor (husband of Toyota Rally team member Coral Taylor). Mark competed from 1991 to 1994 winning the P4 class Australian Rally Championship. It then went to an owner in Queensland that used it in Targa Tasmania. It was then sold to a wrecking yard in Perth, it was then bought back by Mark Taylor in 2004. Mark then sold it to me and a full restoration was undertaken to bring the car to its former glory.
David Thompson Sr. – 1968 Ford Escort Twin Cam
David Thompson, 63 retired, club racing in 1970s did 1 year Shell Sport. In 1997 he did Targa with his son, then they got back into racing on a regular basis, many events at Pukekohe, Taupo and Manfield. Racing in classic saloons and now he races historic saloon class. 1968 Ford Escort Twin Cam – This car was built by Jim & Ross Stone to contest under 1300cc class in the Bank of New South Wales championship, with a special 1300cc twin cam, built and developed by Jim. Then it was owned by Roy Harrington, raced in the under 2 litre Shell Sport championsip, with a 1598cc Brian Hart twin cam. It won 1982 & 83 under 2 litre championship. The car sat from 1984 until David purchased it in 2004 from Roy Harrington.The car has had a full rebuild using as many original component as possible. Only major items changed are the roll cage, seat and dry sump tank. The car now races in under 3 litre historic saloons.
Clive Thornton – 2010 Desert Dynamics Chev Class 1
Clive has been involved in offroad racing on and off over the last 30 years but really renewed his interest when his son Max became involved as his co-driver in 2004. Over those years they built 3 cars together and raced them with the progression of him share driving this car at the Taupo 1000 in 2011 with his Son in Law Sam now in the co-drivers seat. This is truelly a family affair with his wife, Mary, daughter Stacey and now my his Grandson Tanner being hugely involved with the many race meetings. Clive has won the Taupo 1000 in 2009, the Woodhill 100 in 2008 and a 2nd and 3rd Place in The Woodhill 100 2012 & 2010. 2010 Desert Dynamics Chev Class 1 – American built Desert Dynamics 2 seater Class 1 Offroad Racecar imported from the USA in 2010 as rolling chassis installed Danzio built 6 Litre 383cu.in. Chev LS6 (450hp) and new Albins 5 speed sequential gearbox. Runs 24inch of front suspension travel and 22inch rear. The top speed is 210kph.
Conrad Timms – 1992 BMW E30 M3
Conrad has been in motorsports for 20 years as a mechanic, engineer and a weekend warrior. 1992 BMW E30 M3 – BMW works 1992 DTM car.
Neil Tolich – 1970 Ford Capri V8
Neil was born in Te Awamutu in 1951. He has raced and rallied in Club events since he was 15 ( Valiant and Morris 1100) and competed regularly for 30 years in my Jag 3.8 and Porsche 356s. Over the past 10 years he has been competing in NZ and Europe in many varied events and race in all sorts of cars including my UK based Kiwi mates Ferrari 275GTB/c, Porsche Carrera Abarth and 2.7RS, BRM F1 car, Alfa GTA and TZ1 on many of Europe great circuits and rallies. In 2009 he took his own Kiwi ‘Fleetwood’ Mustang to Europe and raced it for a year, including winning the Spa 6 Hour Touring car race. In NZ he raced the Mustang, the Jocko FJ, Porsche 356 Speedster, and his beloved Ford Capri V8 Perana Targa and track car. The Capri is a standout car, winning many Targa Classic and circuit events. He is retired and lives in Auckland with Irena, and Lenny the mini Schnuazer. He has two grown up kids Ben and Hannah, and granddaughter Mila. 1970 Ford Capri V8 – The Ford Capri Perana V8 was made in South Africa from 1970 to 1973. The manufacturer, Basil Green, produced over 500 cars fitted with the 5 litre Mustang Windsor V8 which replaced the English V6 3 litre. The cars dominated South African saloon car racing and were formidable road cars being lighter and more powereful the the Mustang. In 2002, Neil Tolich asked Mal Clark at ByGone Autos in Auckland to build him a Targa rally car. The basis was a tired V6 Capri which was transformed into an orange ‘Perana’ V8. From its first outing 10 years ago it has been a winner with many Targa Classic wins, and has been placed as high as second overall in front of WRXs, Evos, GT3s and many other modern and classic Targa cars. It is also effective on the race track despite its higher and softer rally setup. The car is road registered and is a delight to drive hard and fast with 450hp.
Roger Townshend – 1972 Ford Cologne Capri
Roger started competing in a standard MK 1 Escort ( on crosply tyres) in South island shingle hillclimbs and Autocrosses. He watched many early rallies including early 70s Heatway international events in the South Island and became hooked on rallying. Navigated for a while and then he started rallying Datsun 1200s in the 1979 Westland rally where he won several mainland 0 to 1300cc championships in 3 differant 1200s. Upgraded to ex Paul Adams RS1800 BDA Escort in 86 and won mailand rally chanpionship overall. Continued to rally and race this car in many varied events including 3 memorable Wellinton street race sports and GT events (winning 2 of them). Went circuit racing in early 90s where he started the Mazda RX7 class which still survives to this day. Competed in the 1990 Nissan mobile race at wellington in a Corolla, 3 Targas in the Escort with 3 consecutive top ten places only spoilt by a big accident as a result of a compnent failure on the very last stage after 6 days while in 5th overall. Competed in an ex BTCC Honda Accord and Nissan Primera in the 99 Australian super tourer championship. Bathurst 24 hour in a BMW and Yellow pages 500 in NZV8s 2nd overall. Still have the Escort and continue to rally and race it. Along with the ex works Cologne Capri, and Trevor Crowes origional flathead V8 powered MGj2 special shared with my brother Geoff. 1972 Ford Cologne Capri – Built early 72 by the Ford works competition department as one of 3 chassis to compete against BMW Alfa Romeo and others in the European Touring Car championship. 330hp injected dry sumped V6, ZF gearbox, lots of Magnesium, Fibreglass and Perspex so only weighs 956kg. A very succesful car in Europe, the team cars won 16 out of the 17 qualifying rounds in 72 including a class win at Lemans 24 hour and this car won the Spa 24 hour race in 1972 (Hans Stuck/Jochen Mass) Drivers during the year also included Jackie Stewart, Gerry Birrel, Dieter Glemser. Purchased in 93 in totally origional as raced in 72 condition and restored by the owner early 2000. The ex Paul Fahey 73 ex works Cologne capri that we have owned for 26 years is well underway and will appear as it ran in the European Touring car championship and the NZ saloon car championship (winning in 1975).
Scott Tristram – 2009 Fraser Clubman S
Fraser Cars has been handcrafting sports cars for 25 years. After years working as a chassis builder for the business, Scott Tristram bought Fraser Cars with his wife, Ida, in 2006. It’s an exciting business with an amazing heritage built on true craftsmanship. We have brilliant craftsmen in New Zealand, as well as the great Kiwi ‘can-do’ attitude. This means we can keep the quality but still think creatively so we can deliver what people really want to drive. Scott actively competes in hill climbs, rallies, motorkhana and track events. 2009 Fraser Clubman S – For a modern sports car with plenty of grunt for the racetrack, the Fraser Clubman S is hard to beat. DMOFSR was built as a demonstrator for Fraser Cars in 2009. This Fraser Clubman S is powered by a Toyota 20V 4AGE.
Shane Van Gisbergen – 1999 Ford Falcon GT
Shane Van Gisbergen was born to race. From pestering his Dad Robert to buy him a Suzuki ATV at the tender age of five, to signing – at just 17 years of age – a contract to race V8 Supercars for top Ford team Stone Brothers Racing, the constant in his life has been competition. Raised on the rural fringe of New Zealand’s largest city Auckland, Shane spent his formative years racing ATVs on natural terrain Motocross tracks and a Quarter Midget on speedway ovals before a brief but typically successful dalliance with karts and a year in the Formula First class courtesy New Zealand’s SpeedSport magazine Scholarship programme saw his focus turn to tarmac. Since then he has been on a fast track to major league Australasian success, winning the New Zealand Formula Ford championship in 2006 and finishing a close second to teammate Daniel Gaunt in the Toyota Racing Series in 2007. Later the same year he signed a long-term driver contract with Stone Brothers Racing, making the V8 Supercar championship debut he has always dreamed about at the Oran Park round in August. 2002 Ford Falcon GT – 1999 ex Dean Perkins V8 Touring Car. Full aluminium Ford V8 Windsor. 456 cube and 780hp. 680 foot pound. Dart alloy bloke, D3 Nascar Heads, 4 speed gearbox, 9″ diff. Currently set up as Drift Car.
Richard “Dickie” Waterer – 1963 Greeves Silverstone RAS 250
Dickie was born in Coventry, England in 1942 and emigrated to New Zealand 1955. He started motorcycling in 1957 and formed an interest in road racing, joining the Auckland Motorcycle Club in 1960 and taking part in local events. He went to UK in 1963 and purchased Greeves RAS and entered several events in England before competing in 1964 Manx Grand Prix in Isle of Man, finishing 19th in the Lightweight Manx Grand Prix. Dickie returned to NZ with Greeves and campaigned in NZ for 4 years with this machine. He then Imported a 1968 Greeves RES to NZ in that year, racing that around the country before switching to Yamaha 350 TD2 in 1971 and winning New Zealand TT at Pukekohe. He owned and raced 3 other Yamaha machines before retiring in 1974. Dickie started racing again in 1997 in Post Classic Racing with a 1977 Yamaha TZ 350 D machine which he had restored from bits and currently has a 1979 Yamaha TZ350 F model which is raced at three or four meetings per season. 1963 Greeves Silverstone RAS 250 – Purchased in England in 1963 by Dickie Waterer. Raced at Oulton Park, Snetterton, Silverstone and Ilse of Man. Imported into NZ by Dickie in 1964 and raced succesfully in most North Island road races. Sold in 1968 to make way for a new model. 250cc single cylinder two stroke. Based on production Villiers engine with Greeves designed crankshaft, cylinder barrel, head, piston and expansion exhaust. Four speed gearbox with close ratio gears. Greeves designed and built frame, Girling shocks and single leading shoe brakes front and rear. 18 inch alloy rims, shod originally with Dunlop racing tyres.
Donn White – 1971 Austin Mini Clubman GT
Donn White has a first hand involvement in motoring and motorsport that goes back 45 years. He started racing when he turned 18 and has worn a number of motorsport ‘hats’ over the years. He co ordinated events for sports cars on a ational level in the 1970’s and then went on to be an enthusiastic promoter of events for classic cars when events were first staged for them in the 1980’s. One of Donn’s initial race category concepts has since morphed into the Leisure Time Series for classic cars and is still hotly contested by dozens of competitors. Donn also worked as a free lance motorsport photographer and journalist on both sides of the Tasman for nearly 20 years. A self confessed accumulator of many things motorsport Donn’s fettling over the years has also resulted in his work receiving a number of awards. Donn won the Pomeroy Trophy at the International VCC meeting at Manfeild in 2012. He presently heads the Tauranga Mini Owners’ Club that last year helped host the Mini Nationals with a good smattering of international entrants. 1971 Austin Mini Clubman GT – There are only 41 documented examples left known on both sides of the Tasman. Donn purchased this car new in June 1973 and raced it over the 1973/74 season before selling it. One of the 17 owners after that was Heather Spurle who used this Mini as her first competition car. Spurle is still the holder of the NZ Waterspeed record and was awarded a MBE for her motorsport involvement. Donn purchased this rare Mini back in 1990 as a ‘basket case’ and after a big restoration job has made a number of appearances at Classic and Historic meetings. The car has been restored back to road trim similar to how it was campaigned by White and Spurle in the 1970’s.
Ray Williams – 2012 HyperCars NZ DSN390GT
Ray was nicknamed ‘Racing Ray’ by his 4 brothers when I passed the ‘100 race win total’. The total now stands at more than 300 victories, over 40 years of competing. He is still active in Classic and Endurance Racing and Driver Training. 2012 HyperCars NZ DSN390GT – The DSN390GT is the handcrafted work of Neil Gray, the vehicle has been in development for the past 7years. Powered by the very successful NZ-made Synergy V8 the DSN is a very high performance lightweight car. In the late 2012 they began testing the GT with drivers Jason Liefting and Ray Williams. Feedback to date has been very positive. In 2013 they will put the car into selected competition and fine tune for small scale production late in 2013.
Rob Williams – 1939 Ford Coupe
Rob started motor racing in a Ford Y in l957. He was a member of the Northern Sports Car Club, and took part in gymkhanas and grass track racing. Rob was apprenticed to RJ Bainbridge Panelbeaters at the time. Two years into his training, he bought a l939 Ford V8 Coupe Deluxe after watching Ted Thompson of Kumeu racing his 39 Ford Coupe at Ardmore in a support race to the NZIGP. Rob started his own panelshop in l960 and in between jobs restored and customized some bodywork of his Coupe. He’s had a tremendous lot of fun taking part in rallies, circuit and grass track events, sealed hillclimbs, rallycross, sprints and mudplugs. Currently he is a member of the Historic Racing and Sports Car Club, running his l959 front engine Elva Formula Junior at all the circuits in New Zealand, also the Wellington Street Race in l994 and the odd hillclimb round the country. Speedway has been a great love. With a mate, Rob built a Dodge powered midget car and raced it at Western Springs. He was also part of the pit crew for Ian Holden in his V8 60, No. 76. Later on he owned a Jeep powered midget, No. 44 ex Barry Hanlon, and ran it with the Vintage Speedway Club at Rosebank Road, Avondale. Rob also owned and raced an Arnott Formula 3 car for a few years. It was built in England in l952, ran a JAP500 motor and Norton gearbox. Last year it was sent back to England where more competitive racing is available. 1939 Ford Coupe – Purchased in 1959, and restored by Rob. This Coupe was the Feature Car in the Hot Rod 500th issue magazine in November 2009.
Roger Williams – 1978 Mercedes 450sl
Roger has been racing for 12 years. 1978 Mercedes 450sl – 1985 australian sports sedan championship wining car reaced for many years in Australia and now New Zealand.
Will Williamson & Julie Loveridge – 1955 Triumph T110
After buying the outfit in 1973, Will has raced at every opportunity, at many types of events, including hillclimbs, street and road circuits, speedway, and even raced the bike as a solo. As well as riding, he is also chief mechanic. Julie had her first experience as a passenger in 2007, swinging for Will at Manfeild, and they have raced together ever since, winning the CMRR Classic Sidecar Championship the last four years. In 2008, they fulfilled Will’s dream of racing on the Isle of Man, where they finished 9th in the Pre TT Classic. They carried on to make a 5 month overseas race tour, also taking in circuits in England, Wales, Scotland, Belgium France and the Netherlands. 1955 Triumph T110 – The bike left the Triumph factory in 1955 as a Tiger 110. Brought to New Zealand by an emigrating English doctor, it was sold in the early 1960’s to Shorty De Malmanche of Pahiatua. Shorty added the sidecar, and with passenger Gary Binyon, raced successfully at circuits all over New Zealand, until they won the National Sidecar title in 1972. This is the last stock-framed, full-sized motorcycle with a sidecar bolted on, (and the last Triumph), to win the NZ Sidecar title. In 1973, El Tigre was sold to its current home in Whanganui, where it has been preserved in its original form, and raced in various branches of motorcycle competition ever since. Depending on what bits are broken, capacity can vary fron 650cc to 780cc, while the gearbox is either a 4- or 5-speed.
Noel Woodford – 1961 Gemini Mk3A Formula Junior
Noel attended his first race meeting in 1954 age 10 (AGP Southport, Queensland). In 1963 he attended the first Bathurst endurance race (Armstrong 500). 1964 was his first competition event in an early model Holden. Later drove GT Cortina and a modified Anglia. Started racing open sports cars in NZ from 1987. Rebuilt and raced successfully a 1964 Lotus Elan. Noel won the NZ Sports Car Championship 2006-7 and again in 2008-9 in his own designed and built car, which won the George Begg Trophy for Best NZ Special. Imported and rebuilt the Gemini Mk3A Formula Jnr, which turned out to be a Works car driven by Mike Parkes. Raced at the McLaren Festival 2011. In 2012, Noel won the Toll Formula Junior Grand Prix, at Levels Circuit, won the re-enactment of 1962 Australian GP at Perth International. 1961 Gemini Mk3A Formula Junior – This car was the third of nine Mk3A’s built by the Chequered Flag organization in London in 1961. It’s first race was at Goodwood in the X111 Chichester Cup 3 April, 1961 driven by Mike Parkes (who later raced F1 for Ferrari). As a team car, it had many races in the UK until 1 October 1961. It was then air freighted to the USA where it was raced at Riverside, California by Ed Leslie. It won at its first appearance on 14 October 1961. It was very successful racing against drivers such as Carroll Shelby, Roger Penske, Jim Hall and Pedro Rodriguez. In 2012, this car competed in the Formula Junior Grand Prix and the Re-enactment of the 1962 Australian GP at Perth International.
Allan Woolf – 1958 Volpini Formula Junior & 1964 Brabham BT9
A motorsport competitor for some 60 years. Firstly competing in the Auckland Car Club hillclimb series at Muriwai driving a 1933 Ford Y, 8 hp. Allan also ran this car in the Indianapolis and Hepolite car trials and gained a second overall finish. This little rocket ran in the Ardmore Grand Prix meeting in 1956 and also at the Ohakea airfield race. Many saloon car races followed eg. the GTX series driving a Holden GTR. In 1972 daughter Sue (later married to Paul Adams) was Allan’s co-driver in the Heatway Rally and the following year son John co-drove in a Ford Capri in the same event. A Triumph Vitesse was built up and this successful car travelled the length of New Zealand, in the later stages driven by John. Allan drove in many long distance races including the Benson & Hedges series with co-drivers Joe Hayes, Bill Beasley, Robbie Booth, Garry Pedersen. He also competed with son-in-law Paul Adams in a Toyota Sprinter in the Wellington Street series, Manfeild, and Pukekohe. Allan has raced the Production class in a Fiat 124 at Baypark and Manfeild and Pukekohe. The successful car of the Halliday Bros a Ford Escort was bought by Allan and with this vehicle he won the NZ Saloon Car Championship in 1975. At one point a new engine was ordered from the U.K. but the powers to be altered the rules and this engine was not eligible. However, with the addition of a smoky glass case it was turned into a fine looking coffee table in the Woolf household lounge. It became a talking point. In 1983, Rod Millen kindly made available an RX7 Mazda for Allan to drive at the Pikes Peak hillclimb event. It was an amazing experience and Allan won the Rooky of the Year in the rally car class which matched the efforts of his late son John in the same class in 1981. Allan returned to the event in 1984 and 1986 driving Rod’s 4wd RX7 cars and the experience provided some great memories. Not getting any wiser with age, in 1989 Allan purchased the Brabham BT9 from the Simpkin Bros in Sydney and so started another era. This car has been run the length of New Zealand and admired by many. The purchase of the Volpini in 2005 was added to the collection. 1958 Volpini Formula Junior – This car is one of just fifteen built. Chassis No’s 006 and 013 were the Volpini works cars, driven by Lorenzo Bandini, who went on to drive in Formula 1 for Ferrari. Bandini won the Italian Formula Junior Championship in 1959 with #013, including fourth place in Monaco. Count Johnny Lurani, the originator of the Formula Junior formula, then purchased the car. It spent the next three years as a ” Hire and Drive” racing car, years that included a spell of ice racing in Sweden. Lurani sold the car to Mr Lombardi in Genoa, northern Italy. His daughter Lella Bombardi, is still the only female Grand Prix driver to ever earn World Championship points. The car languished for a number of years, slowly falling into disrepair, until purchased in the mid- 1980s by Geoff and Barbara Manning. They brought it back to New Zealand where Geoff completely restored the car. It made its debut at the 1989 Ardmore Grand Prix re-union. Since then it has been raced in Historic meetings throughout New Zealand. It has won its class in the Thoroughbred & Classic Car Owners Club (TACCOC) Historic four times since 1990, driven by Geoff. Considering the Volpinis vintage with engine and drum brakes from the 1950s its 88 hp really does it proud. Perhaps the fact that it was designed by the great Gioacchino Columbo, who was responsible for the Alfa Romeo 158, among others, has something to do with the cars wonderfully handling characteristics. Geoff Manning built and raced specials in New Zealand before going to England in 1962. There he worked on historic, sports and racing cars, and for teams in Formula 1 and 2 and Group 6 sports cars, plus hillclimb and sprint cars. He built the awesome Cooper Chrysler with which Jonty Williamson won the 1970 British Sprint Championship. He worked as mechanic for Jaques Lafitte, Graham Hill, Bruce Mclaren, Chris Amon, Frank Williams, Ron Dennis (in Formula 2). He has prepared historic racing cars for Stirling Moss, John Harper, Richard Bond and Robert Cooper. He worked for the Ford competitions department in the 60s under Fords famous designer Len Bailey, and was chief mechanic for Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon in the team that won Le Mans with the GT40 in 1966. He was also involved with the development of the Mk. 1 Escort for racing. In 2004 Geoff and Barbara took the Volpini to Monaco for the Classic Grand Prix and an amazing achievement with Geoffs health failing. In 2005 the Volpini was sold to Allan Woolf and with its classic appearance attracts a lot of attention and great to drive. 1964 Brabham BT9 – Ford 4 cylinder, 1097cc, Hewland gear box. Period History: In May 1964, a party of British drivers left with their Formula junior cars for the Japanese Grand Prix, a 2 heat race round the 6km Suzuka circuit. One of the drivers was Mike Knight and with this car he won the second heat and was the overall winner of the Japanese Grand Prix. The car also ran at Macau . The victorious car returned to the U.K. for the summer racing (the Neinster trophy in Ireland and the Hawthorne trophy in Snetterton) before Bill Knight (Mikes father ) decided to sell it. The influential enthusiasts, Arsenio “Dodjie” Laurel, knew Bill Knight, and having seen the BT9 dominate at Suzuka arranged to purchase the car. The Brabham BT9 would begin a new chapter in Asia and given the “run what you brung” wide open Formula Libre rules that applied in Singapore, Selangor and Macau it was fitted with a larger twin-cam engine and was for a time called the BT10. It continued its successful life, the Brabham became redundant and abandoned in Singapore and later found in the jungle (the story goes) and later with a BT23C was loaded into a container for Sydney, Australia. The BT9 was sold to Gary Simpkin an ex Hawkes Bay boy and he restored it to its original BT9 Formula Junior specs., before selling it in 1992 to Allan Woolf (sight unseen) and has been raced throughout New Zealand and proved to be a very reliable car and a pleasure to drive.
Bevan Wright – 1989 Almac Cobra 427R
Bevan Wright has been a competitor in grass roots level Motorsport for the last 25 years, competing in street sprints, hill climbs and circuit racing. Bevan has had a passion for racing Minis, Escorts and his Cobra replica and enjoys racing and meeting other drivers at any level of the sport. 1989 Almac Cobra 427R – 1989 Shelby Cobra replica built by Graham Berry Race Cars as a purpose built race car in the classic race series. The Cobra has been a front runnner with the Whittakers Tuscan, Stew McCondacks Ferrari, raced against the Lighting Direct Porches and the PDL Mustang at Ohakea Airbase, and at the Wellington Street Race. The Cobra is powered by a 454 Chevrolet LS7, Hillborn Injected and Dry Sumped, running approcimately 650Hp. The bodywork is Kevlar.
Allan Wylie – 1936 Ford V8 Coupe
Allan is a Christchurch mechanic who has had an interest and minor involvement in motor sport ever since sneaking in to watch the Levin motor races at age 10. For the last 27 years he has worked at Auto Restorations in Christchurch, first as foreman mechanic and currently as general manager. His first involvement in motor sport was crewing for, and eventually driving, a TQ midget at Templeton speedway at age 18. Allan raced classic motorcycles for a few years and was a founder member of the BEARS motorcycle racing club. A career highlight was the time he spent helping his friend John Britten build and develop the first Britten motorbikes. 1936 V8 Coupe – Allan bought his 1936 Ford Coupe when he was an apprentice in 1969. It was pretty rough but he had plans to fix it up and modify it by fitting a hot Mercury engine, hydraulic brakes, etc and then enjoy driving it. This was duly accomplished and he’s still enjoying driving it 44 years later. The car has been constantly refined over the years with upgrades to improve performance, comfort and reliability. In the 1990s Allan completely stripped and rebuilt the car and added further refinements such as poweer steering and electronic fuel injection. It still retains beam axles, transverse springs and the same 59A flathead Mercury engine originally installed in 1970. Allan has run it in club level motor sport events from time to time at such venues as Wigram, Ruapuna, Little River, Hawkswood and Ngapara, often in company with his friend Joe Gillman’s 1935 model.