Bodie Abrahamson - 2012 Corvette Spaceframe C5

Whitianga local, Bodie, started racing speedway at the age of 15 and entered the saloon class as New Zealand’s youngest driver in 2011. Six years later, Bodie is known as one of the country’s top speedway saloon car drivers. Recent results include second in the New Zealand Grand Prix, second in the North Island Championship and second in the North Island Speedweek series. Bodie has experience in the speedway racing scene in Australia having raced super sedans and recently crewing on Late Models in America.

2012 Corvette Spaceframe C5:

The V8 dirt car has a full spaceframe, built by Pro-X Chassis in Tauranga. It is based off a C5 Corvette with the same wheel base and a C5 fiberglass body. It is running a 520hp Chev 358ci V8, with a Winters quick-change diff and heavy adjustable Wilwood brakes. The car is strictly designed to turn left only, on a dirt speedway track. This car has won almost every championship on offer in New Zealand, including the New Zealand Championship (NZ1), New Zealand Grand Prix and South and North Island Speedweek series.

Paul Adams - 1970 BMW 2002 Ti

Paul began his motorsport career in the 1960s driving a Morris 1100 and competed in the first ever hill climb run at Cosseys’ Farm in Drury run by the Northern Sports Car Club. It belonged to a salesman working for his father, who had no idea it was being used to race on. From this small beginning, Paul went on to win three separate New Zealand championships; the NZ Rally Championship, the NZ Hill Climb Championship and the NZ Rallycross Championship. Paul was also a factory driver in New Zealand for both General Motors (Vauxhall Chevette) and Toyota NZ (Toyota Starlet and Corolla AE86). He has also competed overseas doing a number of the Southern Cross rallies in Australia.

1970 BMW 2002 Ti:

This car won New Zealand’s first international rally, the four-day 1970 Shell Silver Fern outright. It is competing with all the same livery that it had during that event 47 years ago. It was also used very competitively around the North Island race circuits, in the standard production class, thrilling the crowds especially at the Bay Park circuit in Tauranga with its very tail-out approach to Baypark’s unique turns. About 22 years ago Paul purchased this current car and began the restoration process (with tremendous help from Don Fenwick, Peter Davidson, Earle McFarlane, Peter Jordan and numerous others about six years ago. It runs a two-litre engine of around 200hp with a ZF five-speed gearbox and a limited slip differential.

Grant Aitken - 2016 Porsche Cayman GT4

The Shellsport Series was the premiere category of the 1980s, with Grant winning nine races in the 1984 season. He was the outright winner of the 2010 South Island Endurance Racing Drivers Club series (SIERDC) in a Porsche 996 Cup Car. Grant has also won the Rally of Asia twice. Today, Grant is passionate about his Porsche and is currently racing a Porsche GT4 in the SIERDC series. He created and ran the Race to the Sky event from 1998 to 2007.

2016 Porsche Cayman GT4:

This FIA GT4 category factory race car weighs 1300kg and has a 3.8-litre flat six 385hp engine with 420Nm torque and max rpm 7,800. It runs a PDK dual clutch transmission, with aluminium mono-bloc six piston front, four rear brakes. The tyres are Porsche 9J and 10.5J x18 rims with Michelin slicks. Its bodywork includes a fully-integrated FIA roll cage, carbon rear wing and a factory-fitted three piston air jack system.
This category is growing rapidly worldwide with factory GT4 cars being produced by Porsche, McLaren, Aston Martin and Ginetta at around half the cost of FIA GT3 cars.

Stephen Aldersley - 1929 Austin Seven Special

Stephen’s day job is working as a Medical Service Engineer servicing medical equipment in the Waikato region and Pacific Islands. He is based in Te Kauwhata and plays the keyboard/piano for a local band. Cars also feature and he has been involved with the Vintage Car Club for 30 years participating in hill climbs and circuit events. His vehicles include an Austin Seven Special, an Alfa-powered Lotus 11 and Jaguar C Type replica.

1929 Austin Seven Special:

Stephen put this car together in 1988 (with a lot of help from Wallace and Robert McNair). It has been used continuously in VCC speed events since then and modified as needed. A supercharger was added in 2009 and still goes! This car is based on a 1929 Austin Seven chassis with 3 speed gearbox, two main bearing engine. It has a supercharger driven from camshaft gear as per Austin ‘Grasshopper’ factory cars. It competed at Leadfoot 2016.

Shane Allen - 2008 Ford Shelby

Shane (24) started racing speedway at the age of 12 and was picked for the New Zealand Youth Ministock Team, which raced in Australia for three years. He was named Speedway Competitor of the Year by the Rotorua Stock Car Club and moved onto the D1NZ at 18-years-old. Currently, Shane has been competing in the D1NZ Drifting Championship. He first started in the Pro Am class where he finished 8th overall. He then moved on to the Pro Class, and has worked his way up to be in the top 14 every year.

2008 Ford Shelby:

This 2008 Shelby Mustang has been built to race as a drift car. It houses a 468 cube small block Ford, 800 plus horsepower and 750ft pounds of torque, all alloy block, d3 NASCAR heads, Baswell carb, Callies billet crank and rods, 3 plate Tilton clutch and runs a hgt 5 speed sequential gearbox with a 9 inch diff. The Mustang also runs JRI double adjustable shocks, custom-made bottom front a-arms, custom-made front spindles and sway bars, front Endless 6 pot, and the guards have been widened 2 inches. The front wheels are 18×10 works wheels with 245x40x18 Zestino tyres, while the rears are 18×11 works wheels with 265x40x18 Zestino tyres

Barry Armiger - 1981 Mazda RX7

Barry has been competing for about 33 years now – 29 of them in this car. He did a number of rallies around the top half of the North Island many years ago but mainly does hill climbs and rally sprints in the Northland area. Most of the time he gives the 4WDs a hurry up. Barry has built and developed this car himself and does all his own engine work. He competed in the last four Race to the Sky events, winning the 2WD rally course class in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2015. He held the fastest 2WD record in 2006. Barry has finished in the top three in a number of tarmac hill climbs over the past few years. He just likes getting out there and showing the public how quick these old cars can go.

1981 Mazda RX7:

Barry built the RX7 in 1989 with the advice of Neil Allport. It was first raced in 1990 and has seen many changers over the years. The RX7 was the only car to win the Race to the Sky 2wd rally course class in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2015.

Cole Armstrong - 1999 Nissan Skyline R34

2017 and 2018 d1 drifting champion, Cole is the driver of the 2001 V Energy drink 250GT Skyline, which is powered by an 800+hp rb30/26 straight 6. He has been involved in competitive drifting for the last ten years in New Zealand and worldwide, including competing in the Chinese World Drift Series, where he placed in the top five. Cole also competed throughout Australia with the ADGP. He is the 2016 and 2017 New Zealand Drift Champion with the D1NZ Championship.

1999 Nissan Skyline R34:

The Nissan G35 Skyline with a 5 speed sequential gearbox, Holset turbo, and over 800hp at the wheels.

Stephen Armstrong - 1982 Mazda RX7 Group C

Stephen has been involved in motorsport since the 1980s, predominantly campaigning Mazda rotary cars at club and national level. He competed in the Production Supercar Series in a giant-killing RX3, before being part of the team that started and ran the North Island RX7 Class (now Pro7). He was also part of the Adams Rally Team building cars and navigating for Paul Adams. This is Stephen’s fourth time competing at Leadfoot.

1982 Mazda RX7 Group C:

This car was built in 2010 as a detailed replica of Alan Moffat’s Peter Stuyvesant-sponsored Mazda RX7. Alan’s car competed in the ATCC and Bathurst and he drove the RX7 to four consecutive top-six finishes at Bathurst between 1981 and 1984. It was a hero car for Mazda rotary enthusiasts. The #43 car runs a fuel-injected 13BPP motor, 6-speed sequential gearbox and factory racing hardware. It is a very detailed tribute to the actual Moffat car.

Alan Austin - 1992 Mazda RX7 Series 6 V8

Alan has been racing this car for 11 years and has competed in over 140 events . He holds several hill climb records, loves the challenge of a new event and gives it everything he has to try and beat the turbo and 4wd boys. He won the 2017-2018 Duncan MacKenzie Wellington region Hill
Climb series.

1992 Mazda RX7 Series 6 V8:

This RX7 was imported to turn into a race car. A 1UZFE was chosen as the power-plant along with a Toyota W58 gearbox. The engine was run stock standard with a link ECU and a custom-made exhaust system. BC suspension was fitted and Ferrodo pads thrown into the calipers. The gearbox lasted a year then was upgraded to an R154. Four years later the engine got pistons, cams and head work. Individual Throttle Bodies and the front brakes were up graded to Wilwood.

Fred Bailey - 1963 Ford Consul Classic

Fred is a retired mechanical engineer and has been involved in New Zealand motorsport since the mid-1960s. Fred joined the Triumph Car Club in the early 1970s with Allan Woolf and his team and he raced his Falcon UTE at Baypark and other club events. Fred then joined the Auckland Car Club in the mid-1970s, where he is still a member – competing in club and national race meetings with a Mini Cooper S, Ford GTHO Falcon, Ford RS2000 and Anglia twin cam.

1963 Ford Consul Classic:

This 1963 Ford Consul Classic Two Door Saloon is a very rare original 116E 1500cc two-door model. It was assembled in England and is possibly one of only two left in New Zealand.
Fred rebuilt this car some years ago for motorsport events, making a fibreglass bonnet, boot, front guards and bumpers to help reduce it’s weight. The engine is still the original non-cross flow design and is fitted with twin side draft weber carbs.
Fred says it is still fun to drive and a great challenge for an “”old boy and an old classic””.

Aidan and John Barrett - 1999 JGTC Mazda RX-7 GT300

John started racing in 1968 in a Mini Cooper S 1293cc with his brother Murray as Team Barrett. They raced at Pukekohe, Levin, Bay Park and Ruapuna. A move to Taupo in the 1970s saw John join the Peugeot Rally Team for the New Zealand round of the international rally in the Group B era. Then he joined the Mitsubishi World Rally team in 1987 with the VR-4 Galant. John introduced his son Aidan to racing, continuing the Team Barrett tradition. Aidan has a love for rotaries which has developed with his dad over the years. Aidan is lucky to have a Dad passionate about motorsport and they now share the seat & memories.

1999 JGTC Mazda RX-7 GT300:

The “Golden era of Japanese motorsport” is pretty much anything from the early nineties through to around 2003. When Skylines, RX7s, NSXs, Silivas, Mclarens, Porches, Supras were all battling it out on track. This the RE Amemiya & Mazdaspeed Japan built JGTC GT300 RX7 competed in the 2000 – 2001 championship. It is powered by a peripheral port 20B engine that was restricted to 300hp via a FIA air restrictor. It is restored to the 2000 spec that won the first ever fly away round at Malaysia’s Sepang circuit & other podium finishes throughout the season. Its also competed in the 2001 1000km race at Suzuka among many others. Some will also remember this car as one of the “unlockable” cars featured on the Gran Turismo 2 video game.

Rick Bone - 1972 Datsun 1200 Coupe

Rick has owned, built and raced his purpose-built 1972 Datsun 1200 Coupe circuit car for the last 12 years. He has raced in various classes including SS2000, GTRNZ and GT2, with much enjoyment and success.
More recently taking a break from circuit racing, he has enjoyed the thrill and honour of attending the Leadfoot Festival in 2015 and 2016, gaining a second place in the Pre-1975 class in 2015, and first place in 2016, running a 2ltr Nissan SR20 Turbo. He has recently refitted the Datsun 1500cc pushrod injected motor originally built by Marsh Motorsport. Rick is excited to be invited back to be a part of this amazing festival.
This year he races in the memory and honour of his long-time friend, sponsor and owner of Auckland Engineering Supplies, Stephen Harris.

1972 Datsun 1200 Coupe:

This 1972 Datsun 1200 Coupe is a purpose-built circuit car, built in the early 90s for the SS2000 class.
The engine is a Marsh Motorsport Datsun A15 Pushrod, 1638cc 9000rpm 200+hp with a Cosworth crank. It is also dry sumped and fuel injected.
The Datsun motor has been refitted for some classic racing in the future and brought back to its original configuration,
The sound of the Datsun motor motor was something Rick missed when running the turbo motor.

Stephen Briggs - 2009 KTM 450SMR Supermoto Bike

Stephen has had over 35 years racing experience and held multiple New Zealand titles in junior motocross, speedway, road racing and Supermoto. He was a professional rider for 10 years at World Championship 500cc level on the BSL 500, including World Superbike rides for Muzzy Kawasaki and Lemstra Motoren in the Netherlands competing on a Ducati 998 Corsa. Stephen also rode for Netherlands Yamaha, competing in the SuperSport 600 class at the European Championship. During 1995-97 he competed on the then Italian-owned CR&S Britten in the World Championship Battle of the Twins & Bears Series and finished runner-up in the 1995 World Championship. Further racing included competing at World Championship Endurance racing for Phase One Kawasaki and representing KTM at the World and New Zealand Supermoto Championships.

2009 KTM 450SMR Supermoto Bike:

The KTM SMR model was built by the KTM factory specifically for the Supermoto World Championships. It is a single-cylinder 450cc twin cam and makes approximately 60-65hp. It has 97mm bore and four titanium valves. It has 320mm diameter brake discs on the front with 4-piston CNC race calipers and forged one-piece racing hubs. It comes with tubeless 17″ wheels, a factory-fabricated swing-arm, adjustable steering head angles, full titanium/carbon Akropovic exhaust system and a Suter slipper clutch. A bike identical to this was raced by Stephen in the NZ Supermoto Championships from 2009 – 2010, winning a number of titles.

Greg Brinck - 2009 Audi S3

Greg has probably got one of the most unique and successful CVs in motorsport. A New Zealand Championship winner in motocross in the 1970s and 1980s, he raced Touring Cars in the 1990s and competed in Offshore Powerboat Racing from 2005 – 2013. Greg’s latest challenge was the 2016 Targa New Zealand back in October where after missing day one due to engine problems, he came back on day two setting fastest stage times in his class and climbing back to third in class by the end of the four-day rally. This is Greg’s second attempt driving in a hill climb, after having attended previous events hosting customers and flying the Giltrap Group flag. Greg is General Manager for Independent Prestige – the Giltrap Group company that looks after Aston Martin and Lamborghini here in New Zealand.

2009 Audi S3:

The Audi S3 was commissioned by Audi NZ and built by International Motorsport to compete in the 2010 Production Championship. Simon Sceats competed successfully in it for one season and the car has been in storage since. Greg was interested in competing in Targa New Zealand and purchased the car in the middle of 2016 and prepared it for the Targa in October. The car is essentially a standard Audi S3 with a 2 litre turbo with a stage 1 engine tune, producing about 210kWs at the wheels. It is 4WD with a DSG gearbox.

Casey Bullock - 2013 KTM 450 SMR

Casey has been a motor racing fan since he was a child and his main passion is motorcycles. He has been racing supermoto bikes since he was a teenager and still loves this high-speed action-packed kind of riding. The sport has been good to him in that he has met some really good friends both on and off the track and along the way managed some good race results with numerous championship wins. He is lucky to have the support of his family and sponsors, and loves the idea of riding in the Leadfoot Festival.

2013 KTM 450 SMR:

This bike started life as an off the shelf 2013 KTM 450 SMR purpose-built super motard bike. It has undergone numerous modifications to make it competitive in the New Zealand supermoto class. The engine was built and tuned by Craig Flood of Midwest Motorcycles with lots of custom made parts to make 65 (reliable) rear wheel horsepower on pump fuel. It has a custom-made chassis and suspension components, which makes this bike handle great on high-speed circuits but also able to tackle tight twisty corners with ease and soak up the big jumps.

Gordon Burr - 1974 Ferrari 308 GT4 LM

Gordon competed in motorsport for 35 years mainly in classic and historic car events, including Porsche Bridgestone Championship races and the Targa Rally New Zealand in a Ferrari 308 GT 4LM. He competed in all New Zealand Festival of Speed events with an ex-Moffat Cologne Capri in the Historic Touring Car Class and drove the ex-Algie Alfetta in the Historic Sports Sedans. Gordon has competed in car club hill climbs in the ex-Ian Taylor Gold Star Championship V8 302 Escort. He has raced in the Leadfoot Festival three times previously in the Escort, Ferrari and Alfetta.

1974 Ferrari 308 GT4 LM:

Originally a road-registered Ferrari 308GT4 this car was involved in a ‘minor’ road crash in the Wairarapa. Gordon purchased the damaged Ferrari in the 1980s and rebuilt it to the factory Le Mans race spec car, chassis 08020. The specifications included lightweight fibre-glass body extensions, Ferrari Daytona Pistons and rods, modified heads and cams, plus larger carburetors, plexiglass windows, Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer larger brakes and 15” wheels. This car has competed in the Dunlop New Zealand Targa Rally, many historic track race meetings and the 2013 Leadfoot Festival.

Craig Carlyle - 2007 Stamper Prolite

Patriarch of Carlyle Motorsport, Craig Carlyle heads up 4 generations of motorsport covering tarmac, speedway and off-road racing. Boasting a team of stadium trucks, off-road racers (and the cute-as electric prolite cart) and drivers are from 57 to 5 years old. The Carlyle Motorsport family team has petrol fumes in its DNA.

Craig Carlyle began in speedway stock cars and modified’s before “retiring” to off-road racing. With his two sons now established as hard chargers in off road racing, Carlyle senior is enjoying playing with the excessive horsepower of his beloved and popular “Bluesmobile” USA Prolite Stadium Truck.

2007 Stamper Prolite:

The Bluesmobile Stadium truck is an American Stamper Prolite designed for the massive stadium tracks enjoyed by Rod millen in the USA. This truck was imported from California in 2017 and converted to dual seat with 500HP LS1 350 Chev for the new off-road stadium track being built at Colin Dale Park near Auckland Airport. Starring as Elwood in the NZ “Blues Brothers and Sisters Show Band Review” Craig’s choice of cop car based themes for this excessively powered rear wheel drive is a no-brainer.

Bryan Chang - 2007 Ford Falcon Ute – Class 8 Prolite

Bryan has been off-road racing for 32 years with a number of ORANZ National Class 8 titles, Southern Series titles, a couple of class wins at the Taupo 1000 and he has also finished in the top 10. The team is sponsored by GT Radial Tyres. The truck itself has won the ORANZ NZ1 title in the hands of Bryan’s son Owen Chang in 2015. Bryan had also competed in the Race to the Sky nine out of the ten times it was organised by Grant Aitken and he won the off-road truck class at Grant’s final event.

2007 Ford Falcon Ute – Class 8 Prolite:

This ute was built here in New Zealand by Bryan to the American Prolite specs, which is the same design as Rhys Millen’s jump truck. It runs a Nissan SR20DET and Jaguar E type gearbox through a Nissan Safari diff. Bryan runs in the Off-Road Association of New Zealand Class 8 unlimited truck class and has had National Series Class 8 and Southern Series Class wins. https://www.facebook.com/goYoda/

Poul Christie - 1969/70 McLaren M10B Formula 5000

Poul raced in the NZ Offshore Powerboat Championship from 1974 – 1978. He also competed in the 1976 NZ Jetboat Championship and was second in the World Jetboat Championship Canada in 1977. His on-land competitions include the NZ Touring Car Championship in 1984 – winning Class C in 1985. In 1986 Poul started historic racing in the Lotus Cortina you see today. He has done historic F5000 racing from 1994 until 2015 winning the A Class Championship five times.

1969/70 McLaren M10B Formula 5000:

In 1970 this McLaren was run by Sydney Taylor and driven by Peter Gethin to convincingly win the European Championship, with thirteen first places, three seconds and one fourth.
It was sold to Keith Holland in late 1970 and raced to eighth in the Australian GP. In 1971 it was campaigned in three Australian rounds of the Tasman Series. In 1972 the car returned to Europe and competed in eight rounds of the European Championship, ending the season in eighth. From 1974 to 2000 the McLaren had various owners before being purchased by Poul and restored to run in the 2014 Tasman Revival Series.
The McLaren runs a 5000cc Chevrolet Lucas mechanical injection 530hp motor. It has a Hewland DG300 gearbox and weighs only 549kg (without fuel and driver).

Ross Clarke - 1983 TA64 Celica Turbo Group B

Ross entered rallying in the early 1980s with a Mk1 Escort Mexico. He then proceeded to a RX3 Mazda Coupe until late 1984. He started a business and a family around that time which slowed rallying until 1988 when he purchased a Mazda 323 BMFR 1600 turbo to compete in the New Zealand Rally Championship and Rally New Zealand. Ross successfully finished both then he sold the car.

In 2011 he built a Toyota RA20 Celica to compete in the Targa Rallies and in 2015 sold the car to a collector in the United Kingdom. The Toyota Group B car is the next chapter he would like to campaign in the New Zealand Classic Rally Championship.

1983 TA64 Celica Turbo Group B:

Of these recreations of a TA64 Toyota Celica Group B, only seven of the original 35 cars built by TTE (Toyota Team Europe) still exist in the world. Up until recently this was the only true attempt to replicate the original cars by performing the extensive fabrication work to the chassis the same way as it had been done at TTE. The motor is a genuine TTE Group B (396 Evolution motor), which was only used in the Group B cars and IMSA series racing in the United States. Its serial is #111 and it was built in 1985 and used by Juha Kankkunen in the Thousand Lakes Rally. The motor is a 2.1litre, with 400hp, and one bar boost pressure.

Colin Cole - 1979 Ford Escort RS 1800

Colin has been competing in rallies and club events from the age of about 17. Manly in 1300cc Ford Escorts until about 1993 when he retired to have a family. From 2007 he navigated for Alan Lewis in his Supercharged 240z in the Targa until he finished building his Escort RS1800 which he is currently enjoying completing in again.

1979 Ford Escort RS 1800:

This Ford started life as a rusted-out 1600 Sport. Over eight years Colin built it to be a modern version of a historic Ford Escort RS1800. Owning an engineering business, Colin made and machined about 90% of the parts in the car. Instead of the classic BDG engine it has a Honda S2000 motor and 6-speed gearbox, unmodified other than dry-sumping, it puts out about 250hp.

Dave Cole - 1991 Yamaha TZ250B

Dave started racing motorcycles in 1987 and hasn’t really stopped. A self-employed motorcycle engineer, specialising in race bikes and Italian machines, Dave has won four New Zealand Road Race Championships. Three of those championships were aboard Yamaha machines and Dave competed in four Australian Historic road racing championships riding a 1959 Matchless G50 for Ross Graham

1991 Yamaha TZ250B:

This 1991 Yamaha TZ250B is a production Grand Prix racer. It has a two-cylinder, two-stroke engine producing about 80hp. Its approximate weight is 100kg. This bike competed in the 1993 Malaysian 250 Grand Prix ridden by the late Kit Veng Tong. Dave, with help from Bob Haldane, purchased and imported the bike to race in the NZ Formula 2 Championship in 1993 and 1994 and won the title in 1994.

Graeme Coley - 2001 Audi RS4

After being brought up watching and participating in gravel rallying with the Hibiscus Motorsport Club, Graeme was an avid follower of the Millen boys as they lived nearby in Mairangi Bay and he recalls watching Rod Millen in the V6 buggy on a ‘test’ course through the suburban streets. Graeme has since returned to racing and caught the Targa bug but wanted to compete in something really interesting. The Audi proved to be a hit with the spectators as it is a station wagon and Graeme secured a top five outright finish in a Targa event. He also competes in the 2K Cup and endurance races.

2001 Audi RS4:

The car was built brand new with no expense spared by Ron McMillan at Road Race and Rally for the Targa. It features MCA suspension and Movit brakes, otherwise is in production form. The Audi RS4 has a twin turbo V6 tuned by Cosworth and can be tuned to 1000hp. Only 600 RHD were produced worldwide and only 36 came to NZ. The car was successfully campaigned by John McIntyre and Mike Eady to win in the Manfeild 4hr round of the endurance series. It returned to Targa trim in 2007 and has been campaigned in Targa events since. It is one of only two known B5 RS4 station wagons made into race cars in the world.

Glen Collinson - 2011 Ford Falcon FG NZV8 UTE

Glen had a start in motorsport in the late 1990s. He is currently racing in the NZ V8 Ute Championship, after finishing fifth in last year’s series after a strong third the previous year. Glen will be heading to the third round of the 2017/18 Championship the weekend following the Leadfoot Festival – hopefully in a better position than last year. Glen also recently took part in the Australian Series in Townsville. He hopes to re-join the NZ Endurance Series soon.

2011 Ford Falcon FG NZV8 UTE:

This particular ute is the only New Zealand or Australian V8 Ute series vehicle to be built outside Australia and the only FG currently running in New Zealand. Assembled in Hamilton by the Panorama Motorsport outfit with parts supplied by the V8 Ute category in Australia and New Zealand, it debuted at Highlands Motorsport Park in January 2014. The team ran their spare chassis in selected events in 2015 and resumed racing this ute in the 2016 Sprint Series. 

Bruce Commerer - 1969 Ford Escort Mk1

Bruce hails from South Taranaki and purchased his first race car – a Ford Escort Mk1 in 1994. His love of Mk1s has continued and now he is racing his fourth Mk1 since those early days. He belongs to the South Taranaki Car Club, Taranaki Car Club and the Egmont Classic Car Register. Bruce has competed in hill climbs, bent sprints and street sprints throughout Taranaki, Whanganui and Hawke’s Bay as well as the Taranaki Tarmac and Hamilton Rallies.

1969 Ford Escort Mk1:

This Escort was purchased from Christchurch, without an engine and gearbox. It was built in Timaru and mainly used for endurance races at Teretonga, Ruapuna and Timaru. Eighteen months later it now runs a dry-sumped 1800cc Zetec engine with twin webbers, Quaife 6-speed sequential gearbox, adjustable front platforms, 5-linked with coilovers in rear and Quaife LSD. It has 300mm front discs with Wilwood callipers, 235 rear discs with Toyota callipers and a Wilwood floor-mounted pedal box.

Josh Coppins - 2018 Yamaha YZ450

Josh retired from racing in 2013 after his successful professional motocross career in Europe and Australia. During his seventeen years professional racing, Josh had thirteen world championship race wins and was runner-up world champion twice. He is now Team Owner/Manager of motocross team Altherm JCR Yamaha and has a training facility based in Motueka, Nelson. Over the four years, his team has won nine national titles.

2018 Yamaha YZ450:

The 2018 Yamaha YZ450 is a state-of-the-art bike, featuring numerous changes and some of the most innovative technology available to the consumer to date. As a test rider for Yamaha, Josh has been lucky enough to be involved in the research and development of this model and is looking forward to enjoying its benefits at the 2018 Leadfoot Festival.

Rod Corbett - 1959 Triumph TR3A

Rod and Anne Corbett started track and Targa racing 20 years ago in a 1955 Triumph TR3 (which they still own).
In 2004 they bought Bert Dove’s racing Triumph TR3A and have raced, rallied, hill climbed and competed in Targa events in it ever since.
Many trophies have been achieved with this car, but pride of place for Anne and Rod is the 2009 Targa New Zealand Peter Brock Memorial Award.
The previous owner Bert Dove will also share driving the car this weekend.

1959 Triumph TR3A:

This special Triumph was registered as New Zealand-new in Christchurch. Its early history was unknown until it was bought and raced very successfully by Bert Dove, of Tauranga, from the early 1990s. Bert rebuilt the car in 1994 after a 360-degree roll-over at a Taupo winter meeting and went on to win many trophies. In 2004, Bert sold the car to Rod and Anne Corbett of Wanaka who’ve raced, rallied (but not yet rolled) it ever since. Over the years many period modifications have been made to keep the car alive, but under the bonnet it’s still essentially an improved Ferguson tractor motor!

Carl Cox - 1972 Ford Escort RS2000

One of the world’s most-recognised DJs, Carl is also addicted to anything with an engine! From collecting motorcycles, English classic cars and historic American muscle cars, he’s now out on track regularly himself, although normally he is piloting a 2000hp Ford Capri drag car and a Porsche GT3RS. This is his first time running up the hill at the Leadfoot Festival and Carl will show his love for classic British Fords by being behind the wheel of a MK1 RS2000 Ford Escort.

1972 Ford Escort RS2000:

This 1972 MK1 Ford Escort – (RS2000 replica) is a New Zealand new car and rumour has it that is was originally sold in New Zealand as a Mexico.
It is running a very well sorted 2-litre Ford Pinto, side draught Delortos, and a 4-speed gearbox. Although it is road legal, it has been a competition car since 1998. The previous owner loved this car for over 15 years and Carl purchased it specifically to enter the 2018 Leadfoot event, after attending as a spectator in 2017.

Sloan Cox - 2004 Hillclimb Special Evo 8

Sloan started competing in the New Zealand Rally Championship at 15 years old and was accepted into the Elite Motorsport Academy. At 18, he upgraded to the current Taslo Engineering Evo 10 rally car. Sloan became the 2010 and 2016 New Zealand Junior Rally Champion and the New Zealand Hillclimb Champion in 2011/12. At the end of 2014 the Hillclimb Evo was purchased for Sloan to compete at more high profile events, such as Race to the Sky 2015, where he finished fourth. At the 2015 Leadfoot Festival, which was also Sloan’s first event in this car, he finished fourth and a year later finished on the podium in third. The last two years Sloan has finished second overall behind Alistair McRae and he will be pushing hard to knock Alistair off the top spot. Over the last year Sloan has been competing in Europe in the RallyCross Academy in a front wheel drive Renault Cilo and he hopes the skills he has learnt will help contribute to the win.

2004 Hillclimb Special Evo 8:

Cox Motorsport have owned the Hillclimb Evo since 2015 and the modifications are getting better every year. It has a 6-speed sequential Holinger gearbox with the lowest gear ratio giving the car a super-fast take off. It has a Borg Warner EFR Turbo for more power low down and weighs 1,000kg. A fresh tune gave it over 500kw at the wheels, but its 6 pot front brake calipers, 4 pot rear brake calipers can pull it up with ease. The Evo has a custom space frame set up and great power to weight ratio. Since last year’s event, there has been a focus on balancing the car and the radiator has now been rear mounted and suspension work has been done to improve the handling.

Steve Cox - 2002 F40 Silhouette

With over 30 years of racing, Steve has competed and been involved in all sorts! He began at club events like hillclimbs, sprints and motokanas and progressed to the Wellington Street Race back in the 1980s and numerous national and international rallying events, plus karting at both a local and national level. Steve has also competed in  circuit racing throughout New Zealand.   This will be Steve’s fourth visit to Leadfoot which he feels excited and privileged to be a part of once again.  He will be bringing along his ‘other woman’ – his prized Ferrari F40 Silhouette which has been a crowd favourite at Leadfoot over the years and promises another spectacular showing again in 2017.

2002 F40 Silhouette:

This car is a well-known replica of the iconic Ferrari F40. It is powered by a race-prepared twin turbo Lexus V8 pumping out 750hp. Drive is delivered via a heavily-modified Quaife 6 speed sequential transaxle. It was initially a five year project and is the only one left in New Zealand. It ran in NZ Super Sedans with great success in the mid 2000s before being retired. These days the only time it gets used in anger is at Leadfoot, and while not the ideal car for the driveway, Steve certainly enjoys throwing it at the hill.

Greg Crene - 1985 Toyota Corolla FXGT

Greg has always had a passion for speed, starting at a young age with home-built karts on dirt tracks, beaches and gravel roads. He then raced karts, and more recently has competed in Targa and club events as a driver since 2006. He has achieved over 20 class podium finishes, including six firsts in category and a fifth outright in the Targa Classic category. The Leadfoot Festival has always been on his bucket list.

1985 Toyota Corolla FXGT:

Greg purchased this car in 2006 and has successfully campaigned it for over 7500 race kilometres with an enviable finishing record – reliable just like these cars were at Bathurst! The car has raced on every race track in New Zealand, except one. In 2014 the 4AGE motor was bored/stroked to 1750cc to become what is known as a 5AGE. It produces a moderate 195bhp at the wheels through a Levin 6-speed gearbox.

Paul Dallenbach - 2000 Wells Coyote PD01

Paul has raced a wide variety of cars ranging from saloons to formula
cars, including Indy Lights, Formula Atlantics, Daytona Prototype, S2000, Trans-AM and Super Vee. With one day of practice Paul made his mark during the 1991 Pikes Peak Hill Climb finishing 5th in the Open Wheel Class out of 25 cars.
Just two years later in 1993, Paul broke the overall record in his open wheel car that was set by Ari Vatanen. Paul also won the CHCA (Colorado Hill Climb Association) hill climb championship and set records at the Land’s End Hill Climb that still stand today. Paul has won overall at Pikes Peak three times and is a 9 time class winner. Paul is also a two-time Colorado Hill Climb Champion and has achieved a second place at the 24 Hours of Daytona. In 2018, Paul had wins at Temple Canyon and Lands End Hill climbs with the 2003 4×4 Wells Coyote “Dallenbach Special”

2000 Wells Coyote PD01:

Pikes Peak International Hill Climb winner in 2000.
It has a 410 ci Small block Chevy, is four wheel drive.
It is only 1 of 3 4×4 Pikes Peak Open Wheel cars built by Wells.
2018 Paul entered 2 CHCA hill climbs and finished 1st overall in both. Temple Canyon and Lands
End Hill Climbs. Also won the 2018 Pikes Peak Hill Climb in Open Wheel in the other Dallenbach Special.

Richie Dalton - 2017 Ford Fiesta Rally Car

Richie Dalton is an Irishman living in Sydney Australia. His background is rallying but he was a late starter at 31. In 2013, Richie finished runner-up in the 4WD Australian Rally Championship that year, and went one better in 2014 taking out the 4WD Australian Rally Championship. In 2018 Richie will take on the New Zealand Rally Championship in his newly-built, high-spec Ford Fiesta.

2017 Ford Fiesta Rally Car:

Newly-built in 2017, this Ford Fiesta is the highest spec, boasting a billet block engine with over 600hp from a World Rallycross turbo, complete with a six-speed sequential paddle shift gear box.

Nic de Waal - 2003 Subaru WRX Targa Car

Nic started rallying an Alfa Romeo in the early 1980s doing club events in his native South Africa. He soon moved on to dealer teams and then landed his first works drive with VW/Audi in 1986, rallying a Mk2 Golf. The following year he moved on to driving an Audi Quattro for two years, followed by stints with Toyota and Nissan. Nic also started racing Group N and Touring Cars in the early 1990s and won numerous events before moving to New Zealand in 1996. After an 18-year drought he got back into motorsport entering a 2014 Targa event where he now is a regular competitor often finishing in the top three.

2003 Subaru WRX Targa Car:

In the last Targa event of 2015 Nic was involved in a massive off-road excursion which destroyed his 2002 Subaru. He found a previously-loved Subaru WRX Targa car which was given a new lease of life for the 2016 season. The new car sports 18” wheels, fitted with road-legal slick tyres and large 6-pot front brakes, MCA suspension and a 6-speed Modena non-synchro gearbox. It is fitted with an adjustable centre differential, allowing different set-ups for varying road conditions. Delivering more than 450hp through 4WD the car provides super fun on the twisty tarmac roads.

Scott Dixon - 2017 Honda Civic Type R

Scott marked his 16th year with Chip Ganassi Racing in 2017, which is the longest tenure for a driver in team history (1990-present). Scott, who finished third in last year’s series, holds the distinction of being the most victorious, active IndyCar driver with 40 victories and he is currently ranked fourth on the all-time IndyCar win list.
Scott started his racing career in karting and captured two championships in the New Zealand Formula Vee series. After a successful racing career in Australia and New Zealand, including a championship in the Class One Formula Ford Series and a Rookie of the Year award in the Australian Formula Holden Championship, Scott moved on to Dayton Indy Lights series in North America.
In 2000 he became the second-youngest driver in history to win the Indy Lights title. He moved up to the CART Series in 2001 and was named the Rookie of the Year.
In 2002, Target Chip Ganassi Racing picked up the young Kiwi driver and the rest, as they say, is history.

2017 Honda Civic Type R:

On April 3, 2017 the all new, fifth generation, Honda Civic Type R set a new benchmark lap time for front-wheel drive cars at the Nurburgring Nordschleife. It lapped the world famous German circuit in 7 minutes 43.80 seconds, an improvement of nearly 7 seconds compared to the model’s predecessor.
Honda has created the Type R as the perfect sports machine for the road but with track performance imprinted into its DNA.

Bert Dove - 1959 Triumph TR3A

Bert started circuit racing in the early 1990s in a Triumph TR3A. He built the car up to become the quickest TR3 in the country and won the 1992/1993 season inter-marque classic car series held over several race meetings at the old Bay Park and Taupo circuits.
In 1994 the car had to be rebuilt after a 360 degree roll-over at a Taupo winter meeting. The car went on to win a number of trophies after that until it was sold in 2003.Bert purchased an ex-Jeff Gordon NASCAR from the United States and he has entered the car here at the Leadfoot Festival for the last four events.

1959 Triumph TR3A:

This special Triumph was registered in New Zealand new in Christchurch. Early history unknown until it was bought and raced very successfully by Bert Dove of Tauranga from the early 1990’s. Bert rebuilt the car in 1994 after a 360 degree roll-over at a Taupo winter meeting and went on to win many trophies. In 2004, Bert sold the car to Rod and Anne Corbett of Wanaka who’ve raced, rallied (but not yet rolled!!) it ever since. Over the years many period modifications have been made to keep the car alive, but under the bonnet it’s still essentially an improved Ferguson tractor motor!

Andy Duffin - 1996 Mazda RX7

With a passion for Rotary-engined vehicles stemming from a misspent youth Andy turned to circuit racing to satisfy his need for speed! Starting his racing in the S22000 series in 1996 in a modified RX7 he quickly got the bug. After a break of several years, when the time was right, he purchased a Pro7 car. Three NZ titles later and it was time to go back to SS2000. Winning that championship in 2011/2012 his dream of racing a 20b or 3 rotor engine in the GTRNZ was realised. A big crash driving a friend’s Nissan at the V8 supercar meeting at Pukekohe in 2013 and a trip to hospital nearly ended his motorsport days. Andy recovered and won the GT2 2014/2015 title.

1996 Mazda RX7:

This is New Zealand’s fastest RX7 after being built in a mate’s dad’s garage in Hamilton, to compete in SS2000. It runs a 20b 3 rotor engine, is naturally-aspirated and makes around 515hp. The car had some serious aero added to it for competing at World Time Attack Challenge in Sydney, which it has been to twice. The RX7 will be running NOS for the Leadfoot Festival and that should give it a further 200hp! Last year it finished fifth overall, fastest naturally-aspirated car and fastest 2WD in the final 10. Leadfoot has become one of Andy’s favourite events on the NZ motorsport calendar.

Ray Ferner - 1931 Ralph Watson BSA FW32

Ray was brought up in a motoring family with a plethora of vintage and veteran cars including Alvis, Lea Francis, Minerva and Riley. A keen interest in cars developed and Ray spent much of his youth touring in an old Singer and Triumph TR6.
Ray’s more interesting vehicles include a rather pedestrian London Routemaster double decker bus and an Aston Martin DB2/4 MKII. The Aston had an early racing history and was class winner of the 1958 Tulip Rally and completed the Monte Carlo rally in 1958.
Ray recently restored the car from barn-find condition and it was a big job that took ten years. He has also become the keeper of the Ralph Watson BSA special and will campaign the car in various historic races and hill climbs.

1931 Ralph Watson BSA FW32:

The BSA was developed into a racing special by Ralph Watson in early 1950s. The car was modified with a lowered chassis, a lightweight body and doubled horsepower from the original. Ralph raced the car until 1954 when he sold it to develop the Lycoming Special.
Thirty years later the car returned to Ralph and he restored it back to its 1950’s form but with a new lighter body, new gears, a higher final drive ratio and a lighter real axle. Ralph raced the car around New Zealand and further developed it in the late 1980s to include rotary valves. They were a real engineering challenge and sealing the combustion chambers and the oil system took much experimentation. The result was more horsepower and more torque across the rev range. Ralph machined a new crank case from an aluminum billet. The BSA has been extremely reliable.

Ian Ffitch - 2002 BRM 1000 Superquad LT500R/GSXR1000

Ian has accumulated close to 40 national titles over nearly 30 years of racing. He has enjoyed success overseas and was the only non-American rider to win a United States national title achieving this back in 1996. Ian took 3rd in the prestigious 12 hours of Pont De Vaux in France in 1999 however some of his most special moments have being achieved at home competing on his Superquad at not only Race to the Sky but here at the Leadfoot Festival. At Race to the Sky Ian regularly placed in the top ten overall taking out top position in the quads all but once when he had a DNF. But bigger than all this was when he became the inaugural winner of the Possum Bourne Memorial trophy for his 3rd overall and 1st resident Kiwi home in 2004 – a feat he repeated at the last edition of the race in 2015.

2002 BRM 1000 Superquad LT500R/GSXR1000:

This Superquad was hand-crafted by 2 Way Industries with pure speed and handling in mind to conquer Race to the Sky and although it’s definitely not designed for tarmac and it’s a handful, it’s still fun to ride at Leadfoot. It started as an early 1990’s Suzuki LT500R 2 stroke quad before being replaced with a 2001 GSXR1000R in 2002. The original frame was modified to take the larger engine and only 20% of the frame is original and only 10% of the whole bike is original, with the rest custom-built. The engine package putting out around 140 rear wheel horsepower was sorted by Auckland’s BRM Dyno tune while the rest was built by 2 Way Industries’ owner Jason Way in Auckland. The suspension is custom-built by PEP suspension, in America, and handles the extra weight and power and maximises the many tuning features. The BRM1000 has a more than 230kmh top speed.

Ian Ffitch - 2008 HONDA TRX450R

Ian has accumulated close to 40 national titles over nearly 30 years of racing. He has enjoyed success overseas and was the only non-American rider to win a United States national title achieving this back in 1996. Ian took 3rd in the prestigious 12 hours of Pont De Vaux in France in 1999 however some of his most special moments have being achieved at home competing on his Superquad at not only Race to the Sky but here at the Leadfoot Festival. At Race to the Sky Ian regularly placed in the top ten overall taking out top position in the quads all but once when he had a DNF. But bigger than all this was when he became the inaugural winner of the Possum Bourne Memorial trophy for his 3rd overall and 1st resident Kiwi home in 2004 – a feat he repeated at the last edition of the race in 2015.

2008 HONDA TRX450R:

This 2008 HONDA TRX450R has a highly modified engine from Sparks Engine Racing USA, but runs the standard bore and stroke making it 450ccs. It runs a standard frame with mostly aftermarket chassis components. The suspension is by United States’ company PEP and its A-arms and steering components are made by Laeger custom fabricators. Its top speed is 120kmh but it is light, so you can be freely aggressive on the tarmac.

Hayden Fitzgerald - 2016 bLU cRU Yamaha YZF-R1 Superbike

Hayden has grown up around bikes all his life with his dad, Terry Fitzgerald. Racing motorcycles has taken him all over the world. He has raced the Isle of Man Manx GP in 2004, the Australian Superbike Championship in 2005 and the British Superbike Championship in the United Kingdom and Northwest 200 in 2007. Hayden won the ARMHA World Vintage Championship in 2011 and now has the privilege of riding at the Leadfoot Festival onboard the bLU cRU Yamaha YZF-R1.

2016 bLU cRU Yamaha YZF-R1 Superbike:

Hayden raced this bike for the second half of the 2017 NZSBK and won every race and also setting the Superstock 1000 Lap record at Hampton Downs. The bike has also taken home the Victoria Motorcycle Club Senior trophy and Senior Sprint Cup titles in 2017. It was also fifth at the Motul Six-Hour race at Hampton Downs.

It has some amazing features – traction control, slide control, anti-wheelie, launch control and quick shifter – which are all standard MotoGP technology.

Elliott Frame - 1974 Alan Mann Mk1 Escort

Elliott (25) is an engineer from Auckland, who has had a passion for motorsport and classic cars since a young age. At just 14 he purchased his first Mk1 Escort, which he learned to drive in. He then began modifying and then racing what was essentially his daily driver. Four years later, he purchased his second Mk1 Escort which he has turned into a race car, with the help of his dad, in their carport over the last six years.

The car was completed early 2016 and Elliott wasted little time in putting the car through its paces by competing in rallies, hill climbs, drag racing and circuit racing. His most recent result being 1st in class at the Taupo Tarmac Rally. He is thrilled to be making his 2nd appearance at the Leadfoot Festival.

1974 Alan Mann Mk1 Escort:

This car was purchased in 2010 as a standard 1300cc automatic Mk1 Escort. Elliott has built the whole car in his parents’ car port over the past six years. Everything from panel repairs to the homemade suspension have been undertaken to create a replica of the famous XOO 349F Alan Mann Racing Escort.
The Escort is powered by a 2.1 litre SOHC Pinto engine with twin Weber carbs. It has a 5 speed Toyota gearbox and Hilux diff with a Cusco LSD. It has adjustable coilover suspension all round with a 6 link rear end and Wilwood brakes front and rear, while the inside features a works-style dash with period Smith’s componentry.

Elliott would like to thank his dad Mark who has spent many a weekend on the spanners and in the co-driver’s seat.

Lewis Frayne - 1996 Subaru WRX

Aged 24 and originally from London, England, Lewis has been in New Zealand for just over nine years. He has always loved racing and started in total max go-karts at Rye house in Hertfordshire, England, where Lewis Hamilton began racing. Ten years on and he is now racing in the New Zealand Production series. Lewis has built this Subaru from the ground up over two years and it is his dream to run at the Leadfoot Festival.

1996 Subaru WRX:

This Team Chilli Racing WRX, car was actually one of only ten cars used by Subaru to take out clients round the Suzuka circuit in Japan and was used from 1997 to 1998. The car has been brought back to its original condition and then made into a race car by Lewis here in New Zealand.

Matt Gaskin - 1990 R32 Nissan Skyline Quad Cam V8

Growing up in a Motorsport family it was inevitable that Matt would get the bug. His family has several national speedway titles to their name. After a stint on the dirt qualifying for multiple national titles and winning a Wellington championship Matt decided to give tarmac racing a go. Matt has competed in several Targa New Zealand events always finishing. He has won numerous hill climbs and strives for top results at every event. “There’s not much that beats the excitement of racing on a new hill with cold tyres and brakes.”

1990 R32 Nissan Skyline Quad Cam V8:

The R32 Skyline started out life with a RB25 turbo and 5 speed factory gearbox. It now runs an all alloy Nissan Quad cam VK56 V8. Same engine used by the Kelly brothers in the V8 supercars but with less restrictions. The engine is dry sumped, has 13 to 1 compression and produces 580hp at the wheels running on e85 fuel. It has custom built CNC’d manifolds and throttle bodies. Gearbox is a TT Industries 5 speed sequential. Engine Management is controlled by a Link G4 extreme ECU which enables flat shifting and launch control.

Jason Gibbs - 1990 Honda Civic EF9

Jason is mad about Hondas and racing, He has successfully competed in two seasons of the Honda Cup, finishing an impressive second in class and 10th overall in his rookie season. Jason has done numerous race car liveries for others in the racing community and hopes to build on this involvement in the coming years. Growing up around cars and itching to learn to drive and then drive fast has been a focus point as long as he can remember.  So when the opportunity came up for Jason to persue his passions on the track he jumped at the chance to get into the thick of it.

1990 Honda Civic EF9:

After being rescued from death’s door, this genuine EF9 Honda Civic has been transformed into a track weapon. It is fully equipped with a forged 1800cc Vtec engine producing 160wkw, quad throttle bodies, upgraded suspension, brakes and drivetrain. Weighing in at just 900kgs this makes for one seriously quick package. It’s period-based livery was inspired by the mid 1980s Motul Honda Civic based in Japan. The ef9 is a cult classic and is becoming rarer all the time. All the work on the car has been done locally in Hamilton courtesy of Andrew at Waikato Honda and Mark at Motivation. The engine was built by Ivan Udy at Udy Automotive and tuned by Linn at CDM.

Vaughn Gittin - 2017 Mustang RTR Spec 5-D

World Champion Drifter and ‘Professional Fun-Haver’, Vaughn Gittin Jr., is best known for his aggressive, foot-to-the-floor, big-smoke driving style from behind the wheel of arguably the most recognisable cars in the sport – the Monster Energy Nitto Tire Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5-D.
In the United States, Vaughn won his first Formula Drift title in 2010, and was awarded the Ace Driver of the Decade title in 2013 to recognise an impressive competition record that saw him take more tandem battle victories than any other driver in 10 years of Formula Drift history. Vaughn finished third in the Formula Drift Championship for the 2016 season, marking an impressive year highlighted by two victories. Most recently Vaughn finished fourth in the 2017 championship chase after successfully campaigning a brand-new engine programme and two-car team.
Vaughn is also a three-time World Drift Series champion (2011-2013). In 2005, he became the first American ever to win a D1 Grand Prix event when he stood atop the podium in the 2005 USA vs. Japan competition. Vaughn again brought the title home for the USA in the 2007 World Championship.
Based in Baltimore, Maryland, Vaughn is the owner/driver for the RTR Drift Team. In 2010, he launched Mustang RTR – his vision for a new generation of Mustang that is available at select Ford dealerships worldwide.

2017 Mustang RTR Spec 5-D:

The specifications for Vaughn’s Mustang RTR Spec 5-D are: tyres – Nitto NT05; engine – Ford Performance 5-litre Aluminator XS; horsepower – 750hp; suspension – BC Racing Custom Coilovers; brakes – Power Stop; exterior – RTR Spec 5-D widebody; RTR carbon fibre body panels; RTR chin; RTR spoiler; RTR rocker splitters; RTR grille with integrated lighting; interior – Recaro seats, Takata Racing harnesses, ASD Motorsports hydraulic handbrake.

Regan Gough - 1989 Swift FB89

Dean Gough, Regan’s father raced this car at numerous hill climbs and circuits around New Zealand and broke the record in 2006 when he won the Auckland Domain Hill Climb. Dean also holds the record at Ngawhini Hill Climb, which is one of the oldest hill climbs in New Zealand. He is handing the car off to his son. Regan is a triple world champion cyclist and Olympian but has petrol pumping

1989 Swift FB89:

This car won Formula Ford 1989-90 season championship driven by Paul Larsen. It managed to only lose one race in the whole season. The car came second the following season driven by Gary Croft. Other drivers of note were Rhys McKay and Brady Kennett. The car is a record holder at the Auckland Domain and Ngawhini Hill Climb. It has won numerous times at Hawke’s Bay’s Pukeora and, another of New Zealand’s oldest events, the Te Onepu Hill Climb.

Colin Grant - 1997 Beattie Clubsport

Colin has been involved with motorsport for the last 40-odd years, firstly in speedway TQ midgets for 18 years – winning all championships in New Zealand a number of times, along with two national titles. He started driving this current car for Bill Dalton Motorsport in 1998 before purchasing it and has carried on having great success and fun with it over the years. After going to Leadfoot for the past two years, helping others, Colin thought it was time to have a go.

1997 Beattie Clubsport:

The car was designed and built by Stephen Beattie in Auckland, its chassis number two of six built before being on-sold. Based on the Lola/Lotus with tubular frame, ally and light weight fibre-glass. The car weighs in at 580kg and is powered by a twin cam Toyota with a Toms head and cams, twin 48 Decoe webbers producing 275hp. The transmission is a 4-speed Quaifie with Ford Quaifie LSD diff. 15’ wheels with Hoosier tyres.

Chris Green - 1974 Mazda RX3 Savanna GT

Chris is the younger of the two brothers that make up Green Brothers Racing. He is passionate about all things automotive but especially the Mazda rotary engine. An accomplished drag racing pilot, Chris has driven the Green Brothers Racing ‘shop wagon’ to a very respectable 8.8 second quarter mile. Not bad considering it’s a street-driven 323 station wagon! Chris is driving Andy Duffin’s RX3 Savanna GT coupe as a way of repayment for all the hard work he has done on Andy’s Time Attack RX7.
Instead of swinging spanners Chris will enjoy driving at an event – although Andy still expects him to work on the RX7 between runs!

1974 Mazda RX3 Savanna GT:

This RX3 Savanna GT coupe was imported from Japan in the condition you see it in today. Although only used for karting shows and the odd sealed event in Japan, it has many rare and hard to find accessories on it that were purchased from Mazda dealers back in the day – including those crazy wheel arch flares!
Now belonging to Andy Duffin, it will have a complete rebuild over winter including a full roll cage and a significant upgrade in the engine department. The engine and driveline remain relatively stock at the moment although the 13×9 inch front and 13×11 rear wheels make for plenty of grip. It is piloted by Chris Green of Green Brothers Racing fame for this event.

Phil Hall - 1996 Subaru WRX STI Type RA

Phil has been involved with cars and motorbikes from a young age. His earliest memory was his dad racing around Pukekohe. He started competing in motokhana/autocrosses and won the Dayle ITM series and Auckland Car Club (ACC) ‘Exide trophy’ in 2006. Phil took a break whilst starting his family then entered the Production Race Series (PRS) for the 2016/17 season and won class B and finished second overall in series. Phil has also won the Auckland Car Club Endurance Series Trophy and the Victoria Trophy. He is currently competing in 2017/18 PRS.

1996 Subaru WRX STI Type RA:

The Type RA was built from the factory as a lightweight version of the original WRX STi. This car has been created within the mould of a circa 1990’s Group A touring car by the Hall SpeedSport team. It has circuit-spec body preparation, plus a late model STi driveline components, which are augmented with numerous motorsport upgrades. It runs Yokohama tyres and Subaru All-Wheel Drive puts down the power of the strengthened STi 2-litre Boxer engine that uses Motul fluids and produces about 390hp.

Layton Hammond - 1973 Mk1 Ford Escort

Layton has been competing on the race track most of his life. Previously in his Mini Clubman until purchasing his MK1 Escort in 2009 and having great success with numerous podium finishes in the Manawatu Winter series. Recently this car has been fully rebuilt from the ground up, including an engine transplant and various brake, suspension and body changes. These changes made the car even more competitive, dropping three seconds on his previous personal best at Manfeild. He has been the Classic Winter Series Class and overall champion for two years running. Layton has also recently been expanding away from the race track and is now making appearances at the local hill climbs and other tracks around the country.

1973 Mk1 Ford Escort:

This Mk1 Ford Escort was previously running a 1780cc stroked cross flow Kent engine producing 160hp but it now houses a worked 2-litre Ford Focus Duratec motor. Producing over 240hp at the wheels, the power is delivered via the MX5 gearbox, Toyota rear LSD diff to 205/50R15 rims. Almost everything on this car has been custom made, from the fibre-glass body parts to the electronic individual throttle body setup and exhaust headers.
The engine is a 2-litre dry-sumped Ford Duratec, with a ported head, custom cams, forged bottom end with high compression pistons, 48mm throttle bodies, which are all controlled via the Link G4.
The suspension, brakes and drive-line are made up of Bilstein coilovers all round, 4 link rear end, adjustable castor and camber arms, 285mm front discs with Wilwood calipers, 266mm discs and Nissan calipers, 2008 Mazda MX5 gearbox, Toyota F Series diff and Altezza LSD.

Keith Hamnett - 1979 Vauxhall Chevette

Self-confessed petrol-head, Keith has a life-long love of all things cars, but high on the bucket list for many years has been the Leadfoot Festival.
Starting out in the United Kingdom, Keith’s passion was for stock car racing and rallying, both behind the wheel and as part of a service crew. He moved to New Zealand in 2007 and re-kindled his love of motorsport, so retirement has never really been a consideration, because the lure of a V8 has proved too much.
The Chevette was Keith’s last rally car in the United Kingdom, and when this particular car was seen at Hampton Downs with Tony Lynch, he just had to own it – especially because it was in the exact colour of the rally car. A dream come true.

1979 Vauxhall Chevette:

Re-engineered from the suspension upwards, this 1979 Chevette is a dream to drive. It was built for Targa and circuit racing. A wolf in sheep’s clothing, the Chevette has a 4-litre Lexus V8 engine which has been completely reworked, producing 327hp and 288 ft. pounds of torque. With a top speed of 260kph (plus) and a rev limit of 8500rpm it makes for an exciting ride. The gearbox is a Toyota W55 Supra 5-speed with a custom gear set and the rear axle is a modified Hilux LSD 4.5:1. All the brakes and both front and rear suspension have been custom-engineered for the car.

Keith Hamnett - 1950 Northland Special

A love of all things ‘car’ brings Keith back to the Leadfoot Festival again, with the beautiful Northland Special. For a Jaguar lover, this is a dream come true. This car has such a fascinating history, having many transformations along the way since first being built in Wellington. Keith has driven many different types of race car over the years but not many can beat the iconic Northland Special.

1950 Northland Special:

The long history of the Northland Special is amazing. It was the winner of New Zealand’s first ever grand prix at Ohakea in 1950, driven by John McMillan. It was built at the Jackson Engineering works in Wellington as a single seater with a tubular frame and its original transmission was from a series M Morris, powered by a Ford Mercury V8, which at that time was considered to be the prototype for a range of racing cars.

Duncan Hart - 2013 Yamaha Supermoto YZF450

Duncan is a 41-year-old from Tauranga. He is married to Kelly and they have two boys Connor and Asher.
He raced club motocross at 19 years old, then moved into Supermoto, racing all over New Zealand with success over the last few years. Duncan won street races and the Suzuki Tri series, three years in succession.
He also competed at the Burt Munro Challenge, winning a national title in the hill climb.

2013 Yamaha Supermoto YZF450:

This bike is a modified motocross bike, with the modifications including 320mm front disc and 4 pot calliper; shortened and widened swingarm and 17″ x5″.5 rear wheel 16″ front wheel. The suspension modifications are a quickshifter, custom twin exhausts, ported head, motard-spec camshafts, modified air box, undercut gearbox gears, high compression piston and anything else Duncan can think of to get an advantage over the opposition. 

Andrew Hawkeswood - 2017 Mazda 2 AP4

Andrew started racing dirt track cars at Meremere Dirt Track Club aged 15 and competed in his first hill climb at age 17. He has been involved in national championship rallying since 1995, but only committed to full seasons four times in the last 20 years. He has finished on the podium three times. Andrew was a National Hill Climb Champion in 2002; has competed in the Asia Pacific Rally Championship and has been to Pikes Peak International Hill Climb twice – narrowly missing victory there in 2005 due to a puncture. He has also raced off-roaders, off-shore power boats, speedway, endurance racing and the Hump 100 Camel Race. After finishing runner-up three times over the years, Andrew won his first New Zealand Rally Championship in November 2017.

2017 Mazda 2 AP4:

This is the latest version of the new generation AP4 rally cars being built by Force Motorsport for the New Zealand Rally Championship. They are now being exported to Australia and China. This car runs a larger 2.2-litre engine, which puts out about 500hp and it will be sporting carbon-fibre panels to keep its weight down.

Leigh Hopper - 2004 Subaru STi C Spec RA

Leigh Hopper is a regular competitor in Targa events. He entered his first Targa event in 2007 in a standard WRX STi Subaru only to bin it on the fourth day. Having caught the bug, subsequent Targa entries have generally been Subaru variants running in the modified 4WD category with registration HTR969. With five event wins, Leigh is a top contender but also carries a healthy reputation for regularly binning his cars (fortunately no injuries) including shaving some bark off a 1m diameter pine tree here at the Leadfoot Festival Hopefully he will survive the main Targa event to line-up at Leadfoot in 2017.

2004 Subaru STi C Spec RA:

This is a Subaru STi C spec RA Targa car. It has many of the mechanical components of Leigh’s previous Targa cars. The last car experienced an unceremonious encounter with a power pole during the prologue for the October 2015 Targa Rally. Built by Leigh’s nephew Ricky Gray of Mach1 Engineering, the car has a healthy 400kw output and is coupled to a 6 speed Modena sequential gearbox. Extracting reliability has been a progressive exercise over the years and Leigh has made incremental improvements and adjustments to keep up with and on occasions ahead of other competitors with far more modern computer-assisted technology.

Jeremy Hosking - 1969 McLaren M8B

Jeremy is a 43-year-old Civil Engineer from Auckland and a long-time motorsport fan. Jeremy raced Yamaha and Rotax karts around the North Island for a number of seasons in the early 2000s. After several years away from the sport, Jeremy purchased the McLaren M8B replica and has campaigned and presented the car at various events and shows around the country.

1969 McLaren M8B:

The car is a visual replica of Denny Hulme’s 1969 McLaren M8B Can-Am car. The McLaren team (Bruce McLaren and Denny Hulme) driving McLaren M8B cars, swept the 1969 Can-Am season, winning every single race. This car was built in New Zealand in 2009. It weighs in at 650kg and features a modified all-aluminium GM V8 with four Dell’Orto carburetors, mated to an Audi 5-speed transaxle. The #5 car ran demonstration laps at the inaugural Historic GP in Taupo in 2017.

Barry Howard - 1947 Bruce McLaren Stanford Special

Barry’s first racing experience was in 1975 in a vintage invitation pre-Grand Prix race at Pukekohe, driving his 1932 Sunbeam Saloon. He has extensive hill climbing experience with different sports cars and motor bikes and competed at club level at Hawkes Bay, Chelsea and Pebblebrook hill climbs. Barry is an enthusiastic motorsport owner/driver. He purchased the Bruce McLaren Stanford Special in 1993 in poor condition and completed the car’s restoration in 2010. Barry has been invited and has attended six previous Leadfoot Festivals in 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

1947 Bruce McLaren Stanford Special:

Built as the Stanford Special in 1947 by Bob Crisp, he hill climbed it throughout New Zealand, winning the South Island Championship in 1950/51 and the New Zealand Championship Hill Climb Northern Sports Car Club in 1952. Bob sold the car to Bruce McLaren in 1955 and Bruce fitted an 1172cc Ford engine, then raced it and won a sports car race at Western Springs in May 1956, and an autocross at Kumeu in November 1956. He also raced the car at Muriwai Beach. Barry purchased the car in 1993 and finished restoring it in 2010. The car features a 1937 Standard flying 8 chassis and Ford 100E running gear. It is 1172cc and supercharged, with a hand-built alloy body.

Ben Hunt - 2015 Subaru WRX STI

Ben is very passionate about all forms of motorsport and has been competing in the New Zealand Rally Championship since winning Rally New Zealand Rising Stars Scholarship in 2009. Along the way he has picked up various titles before winning the 2015 New Zealand Rally Championship in his 2008 Subaru WRX STi. Ben is now a Subaru of New Zealand Brand Ambassador and competes in the NZRC in a brand new 2015 Subaru WRX STi.

2015 Subaru WRX STI:

This Subaru WRX STi was built by Speed Hub Motorsport with assistance from the Hunt Motorsport Team. The car has competed in the 2016 and 2017 New Zealand Rally Championships. Make sure you go and have a look at this car in the pits and see Bryan from Speed Hub Motorsport’s carbon magic on it, plus check out its other features.

Bob Hyslop - 1974 Mazda RX 2 Coupe

Bob has competed continuously since the mid-1960s. Like many of his generation he started competing in trials and went on to compete in speedway, go karts, rallying and variety of circuit cars. He won multiple sport sedan titles, the New Zealand Sports Car Championship (1975), the Ken Warton Memorial Trophy (1970 NZGP) and the Coca Cola Rally Sprint at Mystery Creek in the early 1970s. He currently spends his time resorting and racing his collection of vintage and race cars.

1974 Mazda RX 2 Coupe:

Owned since 1977, Bob’s RX2 was being used as a dog kennel when Bob rescued it and turned it into a rally car. Originally competing as a Group 2 car (production-based) with minimal modifications, it competed in many national rallies and circuit events in the early 1980s, including three consecutive Motogard Rallies (1980, 1981 and 1982). It sat in storage from 1986 until 2012 when it was restored and it currently runs in historic racing classes.

Craig Innes - 2008 Seat Leon Supercopa

Craig is a 39-year-old Auckland-based Dealer Principal at Mercedes-Benz Northshore. His racing history is that he raced karts from 1990 to 2004, then Formula Fords from 2005 to 2007; BMW Mini Challenge (NZ Champion) 2009 to 2010; Suzuki Swift Sport Cup 2009 to 2010; New Zealand Production Racing Series (New Zealand Champion Class B); 2010 to 2011 BMW Mini Challenge (second overall). Craig also raced from 2010 to 2017 in the North and South Island Endurance Championship.

2008 Seat Leon Supercopa:

From 2008 to 2012 this Seat Leon Supercopa competed in the one-make series in Europe. In 2013 it was purchased by Sam Fillmore and Kevin Gallichan who finished third in class and 28th overall in the Bathurst 12 Hour in it then used it for New Zealand events. In 2015 Craig bought this car for the North Island Three-Hour Endurance Series, where he finished first in class and fifth overall. In 2017 Craig also contested the North Island Endurance Series.

Richard Ive - 1978 Ford Escort RS1800 Group 4

Richard won his class in his first event – a car trial, over 40 years ago! Learning through road rallies, he went on to special stages, winning in both categories. He worked with International Rally Services throughout Europe and competed in Belgian Internationals, gaining class wins and top five results. Having moved to New Zealand, he experienced “the best roads on the planet” in Rally New Zealand 2006 and achieved a second place in the 2009 Possum Bourne Memorial Rally.

1978 Ford Escort RS1800 Group 4:

This is a 1978 full house Group 4 Escort built by Silver Fern winner Merion Evans of West Wales Motorsport. It has FIA historic classification and uses all the correct period parts. It has a 2-litre alloy Cosworth BDG, 5-speed ZF and Atlas axle. Used by Merion Evans initially it went for a short spell to Ireland. Now recently refreshed by West Wales and imported by Richard, this Escort will see her first New Zealand action at the Leadfoot Festival.

Tim James - 2016 Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport

Tim has competed in Targa, NZRGT, NIRDEC, SIRDEC and the Pirelli Porsche Series. His highlights are winning the 2013-2014 Pirelli Porsche Series and Motorsport New Zealand Porsche Championship and various class placings in Targa. With motorsport you get some lows, which are made up of a couple of big moments – one being in the Bathurst endurance event in 2015.
Tim has support from race engineer Aaron Robinson and mechanic and 2k Cup racer James Parkinson. He has also had lots of help over the years from Continental Cars, Castrol and Woods. Special mention goes to Viv James who supports this motorsport passion. Tim competed in the 2015 Leadfoot Festival and is looking forward to running a Porsche up Rod and Shelly’s driveway in 2017.

2016 Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport:

The Leadfoot Festival will be this GT4 Clubsport’s first event, so Tim and his team are on a journey to create a little history for this cool car! The GT4 is a Porsche factory race car built to compete in the GT4 class racing in Europe and the USA, which is also becoming a popular endurance race class. The GT 4 Clubsport has a 3.8 litre motor and paddle shift pdk gearbox. It is running on the Porsche GT3 suspension and brakes. The car has air conditioning, which is a real treat for the driver! It is a full factory race car. Big thanks to Tony and Luke at Continental Cars for making this car real.

Paul Jones - 1972 Toyota Levin TE27

Paul is an A-grade mechanic who holds an interest in motorsport going back to the mid-1970s predominantly in a rally service team. He has recently also been involved in track racing both in the BMW Series, plus the New Zealand Touring cars, as a mechanic and co-driver for Lance Hughes. He also competed in a 3-hour race at Manfeild and in the first 12-hour event held at Hampton Downs in a BMW team, which came second behind Rick Cooper’s GT40.

1972 Toyota Levin TE27:

This car was developed by Toyota New Zealand in 1972 into a rally car, as part of a three-car team to compete in the 1973 Heatway Rally. Alan Brough owned the car for a year after Ian then it went onto Steve Lachman, Rob Aitken and Paul has owned it since 2007.
It is running similar to how it did in the 1973 Heatway, except for the addition of rear disc brakes. It also displays its original livery.
This body shape in New Zealand had KE25 as a model code but this car came standard from the factory with a 2TG engine which makes it a TE27.

Peter Jordan - 1951 Citroen Light 15 V8

Peter is a highly-skilled panel beater and fabricator. His driving experience includes hill climbs in the 1970s Northland Car Club, the 1980s Kaikohe Car Club and dirt track racing. He has built and raced three cars – an Anglia, Escort, and a MK 3 Cortina. He was invited to bring the Citroen Light 15 to Leadfoot as a competitor in 2016, and placed second the Pre-1960’s category.

1951 Citroen Light 15 V8:

This 1951 Citroen Light 15, was a standard road car, rebuilt and fabricated by Peter. He designed and re-powered it with a 351 Windsor V8 engine and it has gone from no power to plenty. He changed it from manual to auto and from front wheel drive to rear wheel drive, with independent suspension, 4-wheel disc brakes. Peter hand-fabricated the floor, mud guards, running boards, bonnet, boot, grill and pretty much everything. He says it is exciting to drive. 

Darren Kelly - 2011 Nissan R35 GTR

Darren is the 28-year-old driver of the 800+hp RB34det Straight 6 Nissan-backed R35 GTR. He has competed in professional competition for eight years and has never gone away from Nissan. Currently he has an R32, R34 (Pro Championship-winning car) and an R35 – all set up for drifting. Starting with an R32 chassis, he competed in many drift events becoming New Zealand Pro-Am Champion in 2011-2012 and then winning the D1NZ Pro Championship in 2013-2014 in the R34. Darren has also competed in other countries and has returned for the International Drift Challenge in Sydney, Australia. Darren is super pumped to be returning to Leadfoot Festival this year and put on a show for the crowd.

2011 Nissan R35 GTR:

This car started as a bare shell from Dodson’s Motorsport and over the space of two years has been turned it into what we have here today. It was an extremely hard and long build with everything custom made and very few off the shelf parts. TTT Auto Engineering has done an amazing job with the car and helped with developing it to its gen2 version that we will be bringing to Leadfoot Festival 2018. Driveline: This GTR runs an 800+hp dry-sumped RB34det with a TTI sequential 6 speed gearbox, Winters 10.5inch quick-change diff and Driveshaft Shop axles which spin an 18×11 Work wheel coated in a 265 Zestino semi slick. Steering: Ireland-based TDP created a huge lock steering kit to bolt into the R35 chassis. Cooling: This car has a Fenix radiator mounted in the boot. ECU: Link ECU kitted out the R35 with the Link Thunder and their Link Dash 2 Pro. 

Brett Killip - 1995 Mazda RX7 Series 6 'Batman'

Brett started racing in the local Hamilton Car Club events as a keen 16-year-old in a Mini, before moving up to a Toyota Starlet. He had numerous class and club wins then went on to Mazda Pro7 RX7 racing in 2003. Brett won the North Island Championships for back-to-back seasons in 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 and won the New Zealand Championships in 2008/2009. He took a few years off from driving to run the team and won more New Zealand and North Island championships as a team manager. Brett moved across to the SS2000 series and has finished third and second, then won the championship in 2014/2015, resetting all North Island lap records in that season.
A mechanic by trade, Brett is heavily involved with the Andy Duffin’s three rotor racing team. Waikato born and bred, Brett lives in Ohaupo with wife Rochelle and two kids Mikayla and Tyler.

1995 Mazda RX7 Series 6 'Batman':

Imported into the country in 2008 as a road car, this RX7 was stripped and built into a race car to run in the SS2000 series by Brett and his team over the next two years. It runs a Green Brothers Racing-developed Mazda Rotary 13B peripheral port engine, 6 speed sequential gearbox and Koni shocks. In SS2000 trim it weighs approximately 1180 kg, so ballast weight is used to bring it up to minimum weight requirements. It runs a Link engine management system with data logging to keep the engine tune and temperatures under control. It is a current lap record holder at all North Island tracks for SS2000. Brett is always looking for more ways to extract extra power and speed from it and his team have improved the car year on year.  

Glenn Leach - 1964 Ford Lotus Cortina

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 the North Island in a 1964 Cortina GT. He was also a member of both Auckland and Thames Valley Car Clubs. Glenn is the ex-Mayor of the Thames-Coromandel District Council. During his term as Mayor he was instrumental in the return of Rally NZ to the Coromandel. This is his fourth Leadfoot Festival and thanks must go to Rod Millen for rekindling Glenn’s love of motorsport. Glenn is looking forward to competing on a more regular basis around the country in his retirement.
He currently resides in Kuaotunu with his wife Trudi.

1964 Ford Lotus Cortina:

This car is running a SR20DET Nissan 320hp 6 speed C/R Box and has a Toyota Hi Lux LSD diff. It is painted in Alan Mann colours.
In 1964 Ford contracted Alan Mann Racing to run the works Cortinas in the European Touring Car Championship. The lead driver was Sir John Whitmore. The team was highly successful with a number of wins but did not take out the overall championship. The following year improvements were made with a class win and the overall championship win. The car proved to be reliable and quick. BRM built the engines and they were producing 150hp. The racing weight was 770kgs, creating a great power to weight ratio.

Allan Lewis - 1972 Datsun 240z V8

After years on the side line at motorsport events, Allan decided it was time to have a go himself, so in 2004 he competed in the Targa Tour in a BMW Z3 Coupe. That was that – he was hooked. He was worried the Z3 wouldn’t have enough power to compete in the main Targa, so a plan was hatched to shoe horn a big motor into a small car. This was the birth of the 240z V8 that Allan built himself. Allan’s first competition event was Targa Rotorua 2007 and he has competed in most Targa events since. Last year Allan had the opportunity to have a go at the Leadfoot Festival, which he really enjoyed and he is hoping to become a regular.

1972 Datsun 240z V8:

The 240z V8 was built between 2005 and 2007 to compete in Targa-type events as well as the odd track day. The start point was a standard 240z that Allan fitted with a supercharged LS1 Chevy V8 under the hood. To handle the 700-odd-horspower, everything else in the drive line had to be upgraded. Over the next couple of years more horsepower was added, with further upgrades need for the drive line to cope. The theory was if the engine had to come out, it had to go back with more power – who can argue with that? For the last few years the car has run trouble-free and is one exciting ride.

Jean-Louis Leyraud - 2009 Skoda Fabia Group C

Jean-Louis comes from New Caledonia and has been a regular competitor in New Zealand since his first rally here – the Heatway in 1972. He has been rallying around the world since 1971 and is the 13-time New Caledonia rally champion. He also did the famous single seater driving school at the Circuit Paul Ricard in France where he finished as a finalist.

2009 Skoda Fabia Group C:

This car is factory-built by Skoda Motorsport and has been bought by Race Torque in Australia to do the Asia Pacific Raly Championship (APRC). It has been driven by Chris Atkinson, Esapekka Lappi, Gaurav Gill. It has won the APRC and is a New Caledonia championship-winning car. Jean-Louis bought it in 2015 to do the Pacific Championship and he finished second behind Pontus Tidemand.  

Philip Macey - 1982 Ford Falcon Group C

Philip commenced racing in 2004, starting with a 1961 Sunbeam Rapier then and progressed to an Evo 2 for Targa racing. He competed in three Targas winning the index of performance class in 2013. Philip competes in vintage speedway and owns/races a VW LTC and Holden-powered midgets. He is moving towards classic circuit racing at selected events and has competed at Leadfoot three times previously. His 2018 goal is sub 58 seconds.

1982 Ford Falcon Group C:

Built from a base model Falcon, acquired as a bare shell, this car was built as a tribute to Dick Johnson’s 1982 Bathurst car. The original car is no longer in existence as it was the car that was involved in Dick’s infamous tree incident at Bathurst. This car turns a 351 clevlend block, tremec TKO gearbox, huge 18*13inch rear rims with 335m wide tyres.

Mike Marshall - 2001 Peugeot 106

Mike Marshall’s first events were reliability trials in the 1960s. His first stage rally was the 1970 Shell Silver Fern driving a 1600cc Ford Anglia. He led from stage one but a navigating error on a touring stage cost him the lead after missing several stages. Subsequent results: 1971 Heatway Rally third overall; 1972 Dukeries Rally England eighth overall; 1973 Heatway Rally second overall; 1973 Snowman Rally Scotland third overall and 1975 Heatway Rally first overall.

2001 Peugeot 106:

The Peugeot 106 arrived into New Zealand in 2004 as a left-hand-drive road car. With the contacts the Marshall family had with Peugeot Sport, the components required to develop it into a Super 1600 rally car were imported. The car has recently had further modifications with a new engine from Poland and a SADEV 6 speed gearbox with a Geartronics Paddleshift system. A weight reduction programme brings it to 60kg below its homologated weight.

John Marslin - 1971 Holden Torana XU1

John is 72-years-old. He joined the Wellington Car Club in 1963 and started racing in 1965. In 1974 John raced an XA Falcon coupe for four years, then a RX3 Mazda till 1983 when he then shifted to Rotorua in 1984 and built a panel beating and paint shop from scratch. In 1991 John found Jim Palmer’s first 1971 Holden XU1 in a wrecker’s yard and rebuilt it and raced this car on and off until 2012. John also drove the XU1 in the 1996 Targa Rally and has been racing the 1965 replica Rod Coppins Zephyr Corvette.
He also managed Joe McAndrew and his rally car for the 1992 and 1993 rally seasons.

1971 Holden Torana XU1:

1971 Holden Torana XU1, first raced by Jim Palmer, was found by John in a wrecker’s yard in Rotorua. John rebuilt this car and has raced it in two early Hamilton Road Race Meetings and four Wellington Street Race Meetings, also three, three-hour race meetings at Pukekohe and Manfeild, plus two race meetings at Ohakea Airforce Base. He has also competed in the 1996 Targa Rally and many hill climbs, sprints and clubman’s meetings.

Phil Mauger - 1939 Auto Union Type C

Phil started racing in the early 1970s with a Datsun 1200 which he eventually turbocharged and mid-mounted the engine. He also drove his father’s Stanton special crop duster race car off and on. Phil moved on to a Begg 018 F5000 car for about ten years. Then he had the privilege of owning a Denny Hulme M23 McLaren which he has driven at the Leadfoot Festival twice. He owned that car for about ten years then sold it and bought a Lexus LFA. Phil has also been racing a Porsche 997 GT3 for 10 years as well. A recent purchase has been a BTCC Nissan Primera that Matt Neil raced in the late 1990s.

1939 Auto Union Type C:

This car has been built-up in Christchurch over the last six years by Motorsport Solutions. It started with a V12 Rolls Royce Meteor engine of 750 horsepower and 1700 ft lb of torque. It is a replica of a Type C hill climb car from 1939 hence the twin rear tyres for extra traction.  

David McArthur - Tony New - 2008 DTM Racing F1 Sidecar

The 36-year-old driver David hails from Te Awamutu. He has been riding dirt bikes from a very young age before deciding to give road racing a go. He raced solo bikes for a number of years including superbikes before turning his attention to sidecars. The 47-year-old passenger/swinger Tony is from Tauranga and also comes from a two-wheeled solo back ground – racing motocross for 12 years, then Super Motard, before switching to sidecars.

2008 DTM Racing F1 Sidecar:

The DTM Racing Sidecar is a New Zealand-built machine completed in 2008 for the Lawrence brothers by Peter Anderson. The frame is made from aircraft aluminum and is powered by a 2008 Yamaha R1 (1000cc). The Lawrence brothers campaigned the sidecar to a New Zealand title before David and Tony purchased it for the 2017 season, making them only the second owners of this now iconic Kiwi sidecar.

Dean McCarroll - 2013 Juno CN

Dean has tried his hand at several types of motorsport racing, from sports bike through to sports cars. He has had success in the sports cars – winning the New Zealand Championship, plus Dean holds all of the North Island’s fastest lap records for his class. This is his forth visit to Leadfoot and he has made it into the top ten shootout on several occasions – coming third in 2017.

2013 Juno CN:

Juno CN Sports Car Prototypes are an European purpose-built factory racer designed for circuit racing.
This is a 2-litre car running a Ford Duratec engine developing 307hp, with a Hewland FTRS 6-sequential gearbox with a paddle shift system, and Ohlin’s 4-way adjustable dampers. The total package weights less than 575kg making it a very fast and agile race car, perfectly suited to nipping down to get the paper on Rod’s driveway!

Paul McCarthy - 1974 Ford Escort RS 1600

Paul has been involved in motor racing since his early teen and actually racing since he was 21 years old. He has raced various cars but has an affinity for small 4 cylinder saloon and sports cars. Paul has owned various RS Fords and Mini Coopers. He currently owns two RS Escorts and one Lotus Europa

1974 Ford Escort RS 1600:

This car was built to GRP 2 specifications and represents a 1974 DRM Zakpeed car. It has an all alloy BDG engine with Lucas mechanical fuel injection, alloy atlas rear end and centre lock wheels. It’s wet weight is 720kg.

Richard McCarthy - 1974 Lotus 7 S4

Richard is 50 years old and has raced classic cars since the mid 1980s in several cars – a Mk2 Lotus Cortina ex Ronnie Moore, Escort Mk1 Mexico Group 4 and a Mk1 escort twin-cam Group 4. Richard is currently racing a Peugeot 205 GTi that he won the 2kCup in during the second season of the championship. He also went on to win the ERC (European Racing Classics) the following year. Richard is the older brother of Paul (Zakspeed) McCarthy.

1974 Lotus 7 S4:

The car is a NZ Steel Brothers-built, 1650cc all-steel, dry-sumped holbay twin-cam, straight-cut 4speed, LSD, which has been owned by Richard’s dad since the 1980s. It holds the lap record at Bay Park for the up to 2-litre sports cars and it is the winner of the Hamilton street race for sports and GTs. After a major crash at Hampton Downs, this car was totally rebuilt from the chassis up by my brother and myself.

Ryan McDonald - 1923 Chev 490 Speedster

Ryan has been racing and hill climbing with the VCC and HRSCC since 1989. He has been building Austin 7 specials and racing them all this time. He has raced his Chev 490 at the Hampton Downs Roycroft trophy races and Chelsea hill climbs. He owns a business restoring and building old race cars and vintage cars. He has also been involved with hot rods and helping his son with his karting.

1923 Chev 490 Speedster:

This Chev 490 speedster was previously owned by Ron Roycroft who found it behind a barn in Te Aroha. It had been sitting there since 1939. Ryan bought it from Ron in 1998 and did a sympathetic restoration, keeping all the original dents and rust holes intact where possible, while finding the car had only done around 5000 miles since new in the process. The engine was modified to period dirt track specs with Ron’s advice.

Stuart McFarlane - 1974 Porsche Carrera 911

Stuart started competing at the age of 15. He was a top competitor at Mystery Creek Rallycross events in the mid 1970s in a purpose-built rallycross Mini. After his driving career ended in 1980 after a serious eye injury, he took up rally co-driving with many top NZ drivers, including Stuart Eyre, Gary Smith and Ken Adamson. He even had the opportunity to co-drive with Bjorn Waldgard. Stuart competed in the 2000 London to Sydney marathon rally with ex-McLaren team boss Alistair Caldwell.
Recently Stuart has been competing with his son Brad in classic rallying in a Porsche 911, including competing in the Silver Fern Marathon Rally around the South Island last November.

1974 Porsche Carrera 911:

This is an old classic 1974 Porsche gravel rally car. It is running rally suspension, so the crowd should see plenty for front wheel lifting in the corners. It may be not the fastest up the hill but it is quite spectacular! The Porsche has a 3.0 litre air cooled engine with a close ratio gearbox and limited slip diff The car is a classic unrestored car with the odd rust bubbles to prove its age.  

Brendan McGovern - 1974 Datsun 1200

Brendan is a Putaruru local and has been involved in motorsport since the age of 10. He started with motocross, 4×4 trials, jet sprints and drag racing and is now circuit racing and competing in hill climb events. In his spare time he is an avid 4×4 enthusiast in his supercharged V8 Lexus Hilux and is often found deep in the bush.

1974 Datsun 1200:

This 1974 Datsun 1200 was bought stock standard 18 years ago and was rebuilt over 10 years by Brendan and his friends in his shed. It is now sports a Rotary 12a Turbo with Custom Porting, RX8 gearbox, full custom tube rear end with a Hiulx diff and 4 link rear suspension. The car currently races with the NZRRE and Production Car class. 

Dave Mckenna - 2018 Yamaha MT09

The Leadfoot Festival crowd is in for an eye-boggling treat this year with Australia’s number one stunt rider Dave Mckenna coming over to display his skills on the driveway.
He will be putting on show that will defy what you imagine is possible on two wheels, riding a pair of Yamaha trick machines – a MT09 stunt bike and a MT10 drift bike.
Dave grew up in the country in Victoria, Australia, riding motocross bikes from an early age and he developed a passion for street bike stunt riding in his teens.
Performing professionally for 10 years, Dave regularly features at many major events across Australia and throughout Asia, where he lived full time for three years. He is renowned as Australia’s premier street bike stunt rider.
Dave is also Australasia’s first and only Yamaha backed stunt rider, his bikes of choice are the powerful Yamaha MT09 and the radical, world’s-only supercharged Yamaha MT10 drift bike.

2018 Yamaha MT09:

The Yamaha MT09 has an 850cc triple-cylinder engine. It weighs 198kg, has an 8-piston hand brake, moulded fuel tank, a 60-tooth sprocket and an adjustable idle controller.
The Yamaha MT10 drift bike has a supercharged 1000cc engine, which has a 250hp output. It weighs 220kg, has 8-inch swing arm extensions and a 10 degrees added steering lock.
Dave says he is “looking forward to bringing both bikes to put on an unforgettable show be-fitting of an event as special as Leadfoot.”

Donald McLean - 2001 Subaru WRX STi RA Spec C

Donald has been a member of the Dannevirke Car Club for last 30 years and racing since age 16 in everything from club events to rally and hill climbs. Donald has multiple event wins and podiums over the past years. He raced a MK1 Ford Escort with a mid-mount V8 for most of his career. He has raced this Subaru for four years. Donald and his son Michael competed at the 2016 Leadfoot Festival with Michael coming away a fraction faster. This year, Donald is back with an upgraded motor to attack the demanding driveway.
His other accomplishments are: 2014-15 New Zealand Hillclimb Championship runner-up (gravel); 2014-15 New Zealand Hillclimb Championship runner up (tarmac); 2015 fourth place Ashley Forest Rallysprint, where he couldn’t complete top four run-off due to a broken axle.

2001 Subaru WRX STi RA Spec C:

This car was originally a stock standard road car and was owned by Monster Motorsport in Japan before coming to new Zealand with Richard Mason, who used it as his daily driver.
Donald bought the car three years ago as a father and son project and has built it up as a hill climb/rally car. The Subaru is built to a very high standard with development still being undertaken on the car every year. It has been raced by Donald and his son Michael in over 80 events over the last four years without any crashes or major break downs.
This year the motor has been put into tarmac setup with more power than last year. The Subaru is well known for its unique sound and aggressive antilag.

Michael McLean - 2001 Subaru WRX STi

Michael is one of the young up and coming rally talents in New Zealand.
He competed in the LeadfootFestival in 2016 in his restricted gravel spec rally car and was well on the pace. Now he is back this year with an upgraded motor to tackle the driveway.
Michael has competed in club events from the age of 14. This year marks his second year in a rally car and has seen him win his class in the Central Region Rally Championship and also win the rookie driver title.
Michael has competed in many well-known events like the Ashley Forest Rally Sprint and the New Zealand Hill Climb Championship.
Michael has the support of NZ’s WRC star Hayden Paddon and 2016 rally champion David Holder.
Michael was selected for the 2016 New Zealand Elite Motorsport Academy. He will compete in the 2017 New Zealand Rally Championship.

2001 Subaru WRX STi:

The car was originally brought in 2014 and had only competed in one event before it was purchased by Michael’s team.
He and his team have developed the car over the past two years of ownership and although it is built to New Zealand rally spec, it is almost completely production based.
For this year’s Leadfoot Festival the restrictor will come out and a tarmac set up will be run to better his times from last year. The car runs a 2.5L turbo set up with a 6 speed box and link ECU.
This year the car has a new colour scheme as the team now race under Switched Motorsport.

Alister McRae - 1998 Vantage Motorsport Subaru WRX Impreza

Alister is back to defend his 2017 ‘King of Millen’s Mountain’ title.
His McRae surname has been synonymous with rallying for three decades. Father Jimmy and sons Colin and Alister have, between them, won just about every title worth winning. Alister’s first foray into motorsport was at the age of twelve, when he took up motorcycle trials and motocross. But it was always rallying where he would demonstrate his true colours and success. Class wins at Scottish and British Rally Championship (BRC) levels soon culminated in becoming British Rally Champion with Nissan in 1995. Further years in the BRC mixed with numerous wins at WRC level in Formula 2 led to his services being secured by the newest manufacturer to join the World Rally Championship – Hyundai. Mitsubishi and Subaru followed within three years competing in the Asia Pacific Championship with Proton – winning the title in 2011.

1998 Vantage Motorsport Subaru WRX Impreza:

Driven by Alister McRae, the Vantage Motorsport Subaru WRC special won last year’s Leadfoot Festival and was second in 2016.
It is an ex-Prodrive Subaru 1998 WRC car, which was driven and crashed at Rally New Zealand by Finnish driver Kuha Kangas in 1999. The damaged shell was then purchased by the late Possum Bourne. In 2001, after rebuilding the car, Possum drove it to victory at Race to the Sky (RTTS) in 8min 34sec. In 2003, Vantage Motorsport purchased the car after Possum’s death. From 2004-2007, Swedish WRC star Kenneth Eriksson drove the car at RTTS, finishing runner-up on two occasions. In 2011 and 2012, Vantage-supported driver Emma Gilmour to drive at the Leadfoot Festival.
At the 2015 RTTS – equipped with 850hp – Alister drove the car to victory hitting 240kph and reaching the top in 8min 17sec.

Rod Millen - 1974 Mazda RX3

Motorsport and racing legend and all time nice guy, Rod developed a reputation as a leader in rally driving in NZ in the 1970s. Moving to the USA in 1978, Rod turned his attention to off-road stadium racing where he dominated the Mickey Thompson off-road racing series. He became the only driver in the twelve-year history of the series to win three consecutive Grand National Sport Truck titles.
During Rod’s racing career, he conquered the famous Pikes Peak Hill Climb, where it has become known as ‘Millen Mountain’.
Rod captured the record for the fastest ascent as well as achieving the fastest overall time, five times. The challenges of Pikes Peak became part of the inspiration to create the Leadfoot Ranch racetrack driveway which this weekend will become the perfect hill climb.

1974 Mazda RX3:

The Mazda RX3 was a very rare car in rallying. Rod’s RX3 was a three-time winner of the New Zealand Rally Championship from 1975-1977. This immaculately prepared RX3 was built by Rod’s brother-in-law Peter Davidson, a name many rally fans will recognise. The aggressive flared wheel arches and the sound of a screaming Rotary engine is a sight to behold and provides a real flashback to Rod’s hat-trick of title wins in the late 1970s.

Rod Millen - 1994 Pikes Peak World Record Celica

Motorsport racing legend and all-time nice guy, Rod developed a reputation as a leader in rally driving in New Zealand in the 1970s. Moving to the United States in 1978 Rod turned his attention to off-road stadium racing and dominated the Mickey Thompson off-road racing series – where he became the only driver in the 12-year history of the series to win three consecutive Grand National Sport Truck titles. During Rod’s racing career, he conquered the famous Pikes Peak Hill Climb, where it has become known as ‘Millen Mountain’. Rod captured the record for the fastest ascent as well as clocking the fastest overall time five times. The challenges of Pikes Peak became part of the inspiration to create the Leadfoot Ranch racetrack driveway, which this weekend will become the perfect hill climb.

1994 Pikes Peak World Record Celica:

The Pikes Peak Toyota Celica raced in the Unlimited Class at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb to claim two overall victories and set the fastest time of 10:04:06. This record was set on an all-dirt track in 1994, which stood for 13 years and was only broken when 75% of the road was paved. The Pikes Peak Toyota Celica shares little with its production inspiration. A potent 2.1 litre turbo charges an inline 4–cylinder engine, which mates to a tube frame chassis and runs through a custom 4WDsystem. The one-piece carbon composite body shell looks the part, but it is also about aerodynamic performance!

Ryan Millen - 1983 Mazda RX7

Rod’s son Ryan is the current Toyota USA competition driver in US stage rally and the 2017 National 2WD champion in both the American Rally Association and the NASA Rally Sport championship. In addition to stage rallying, Ryan’s versatile resume includes competition in desert racing, hill climb, and stunt driving and he has class wins in notable races including the Baja 1000 and Pikes Peak.

1983 Mazda RX7:

This car was built for the US Rally Championship with main the focus to beat the dominant Audi Quattro factory team in 1985. It won the Manufacturer’s Title.

Shayne Morgan - 1991 Nissan GTI-R Pulsar RB Spec 4WD 2.0 Turbo

Shayne began racing as a youngster with motocross bikes, jet skis, off-shore power boats, then circuit racing with SS2000 in various Nissans. He has served on the SS2000 committee for several years. He attended Leadfoot in 2017 with some of his original SS2000 support crew to watch Rayden Smith and previous SS2000 competitors Andy Duffin and Brett Killip. He was so impressed with the atmosphere created by Rod and Shelly that he sought an opportunity to participate in 2018.

1991 Nissan GTI-R Pulsar RB Spec 4WD 2.0 Turbo:

The car was originally used by Roger Brader in New Zealand rallies and is one of the few remaining lightweight RB spec cars with a close ratio gearbox and three mechanical differentials. Rallying took its toll on the bodywork so it has been rejuvenated with a widebody kit, fresh paint and authentic 1990’s Nissan livery as a tribute the legendary GTR.

Greg Murphy - 2016 AP4 Holden Barina

Greg was born and bred in the Hawkes Bay and started his motorsport career at the local kart track aged 8. Winning the inaugural Shell Formula Ford Scholarship in 1990 was his entry to car racing. After initially chasing the single seater path and a life in the United States, Greg took the opportunities offered by the Touring Car categories in Australia and began a professional career that spanned 20 years. Driving for a number of Super Tourer, ATCC and V8 Supercar Teams, he amassed over 400 V8 Supercar starts that included 28 race wins, 13 pole positions, 83 podiums, two Sandown 500 victories, one Bathurst 24 Hour victory and four Bathurst 1000 victories. Greg has now retired from professional competition and is enjoying the local New Zealand rallying scene.

2016 AP4 Holden Barina:

This car has been built as part of the AP4 rally car class, which has been designed to replace the aging Group N Rally regulations. AP4 is aiming to be a cost-effective WRC look-a-like class that utilises the small car category that so many manufacturers compete in for market share. Already eight manufacturers are represented for the 2017 New Zealand Rally Championship, which has meant a resurgence in the popularity of rallying in New Zealand. Greg’s Holden has a Hawkeswood Motorsport AP4 Holden Barina body shell and suspension. It runs a GM 2 litre Ecotec 4-cylinder engine reduced to 1.8 litres with a Garrett GTX 2860 turbo charger. It has a Life Racing ECU; Motec PDM and dash; Sadev 6-speed sequential gearbox and 4WD Brembo calipers; Tilton pedalbox with AP cylinders; Supashock dampers; Racetech seats and safety; a bespoke body kit and Speedline wheels.

Cam Neill - 1939 Chevrolet 39 Coupe

Cam was born in Wellington in 1950 – the son of a petrol-head mechanic, so he was doomed to motorsport from the beginning really. Early involvement included crewing for Wills six-hour races, helping Roger Graham with his Ford V8 Racecar in Taupo, flag marshalling at Bay Park and racing the family Mini at club events. He also did some stockcar racing including figure 8 racing in the early 1970s then building and racing the modified #360 in the mid-1970s. Cam is a long-time member of the Taupo Car Club. He built his 39 Chev Coupe in the late 1990s and has been racing it since February1998.

1939 Chevrolet 39 Coupe:

The Coupe’s body was spotted in the Waikite Valley, behind a milking shed in mid-1994 (it had been destined to be a stockcar body) and purchased soon after. The body has been mounted on an HQ Holden ute chassis using the original suspension and steering. Its rear suspension is 4-bar and watts linkage on a 9″diff. The engine is a 350 Chev to a Richmond 4-speed gearbox. Cam built the car (with a little help from his friends) to Motorsport New Zealand Schedule A rules and has raced in clubmans, CMC (including the Aussie muscle car masters) and lots of classic car events.

Tim O'Connor - 2012 Ferrari 458 Challenge

Tim’s motorsport involvement started with rallying in the late 1960s, as a driver, co-driver and organiser. After competing in the New Zealand Targa in a BMW CSL and then a Ferrari 355 Challenge, Tim decided to go circuit racing and in particular compete in endurance events. The replacement to the Ferrari 355 Challenge was the 430 Challenge, which in turn was replaced in 2012, with the new and current Ferrari 458 Challenge.
Tim competes annually in the North and South Island rounds of the New Zealand Endurance Series from May through to October, as well as the annual Highlands 101 meeting.

2012 Ferrari 458 Challenge:

Purchased new in 2012, the 458 Challenge is a purpose-built race car, manufactured by Ferrari at their factory in Maranello, Italy. The 458 is powered by a 4.5-litre V8, developing 420kW (580hp) and it weighs 1225kg. Its brakes are Brembo CCM (carbon ceramic) with 6 piston front and 4 piston rear calipers. The wheels are centre lock BBS and the gearbox is a 7-speed Getrag DCT.  

Lindsay O'Donnell - 1954 Austin Healey Corvette

Lindsay has a passion for classic cars particularly racey ones. He has competed at a range of international events including last year’s Silverstone Classic in a Volvo S40 Supertourer; Laguna Seca in a Begg Formula F5000 and Sydney Motorsport Park in a McLaren M4A. He does endurance racing in a Porsche GT3 and the odd event in this Austin Healey, which was fitted with a Corvette engine in 1958.

1954 Austin Healey Corvette:

This Austin Healey 100/4 was bought new in England by speedway champion Geoff Mardon and sent to New Zealand to Arthur Kennard who raced it. Because of its lack of power, in 1958, he imported a new 283 cubic inch Corvette engine and completely re-engineered the car with this new 310hp American muscle and fitted Aston Martin DB2 disc brakes, a Jaguar diff and a Ford competition gearbox. This car was restored ten years ago by Dave Bunn.

Scott O'Donnell - 1993 BTCC Mondeo

Scott is a long-term classic car and endurance racer from Invercargill. He has completed five 24-hour races and six 12-hour races around the world mainly in Porsche’s (996 to 991 GT3 models). He started racing Alfa Romeos in 1989 in classic events, then progressed to endurance events in a Sierra Cosworth and the Targa in Escorts, a V8 Jaguar and in the 2014 South Island Targa, he drove a BMW Mini. Scott has formed a collection of Ford touring cars, which is on show at the renowned Bill Richardson Transport World in Invercargill. Has competed in two previous Leadfoot Festivals in diverse machinery ranging from a Porsche RSR to a Dodge NASCAR. Scott is looking forward to some sideways action in the Mondeo this year.

1993 BTCC Mondeo:

The car was built by Andy Rouse in the United Kingdom. Andy had the contract from Ford to run their BTCC programme from 1993 to 1995.
This car was raced by Paul Radisich and won the World Touring Car Cup at Donnington in 1994.

John Oliver - 2015 Super Motard TM SMX450

Motorbike and racing are the two most common words said in John’s home – as he has raced anything from a motocross bike, to a super bike, to a motard. The Suzuki Series is his most-entered event, having competed in it for 15 years straight and he held the BEARs championship for two years running. Street racing is more John’s thing but of late he has been concentrating on motard racing on his TM450.

2015 Super Motard TM SMX450:

Italy-based TM are one of only a few companies that make purpose-built super motards. Each bike is hand-built to your specifications and are made to order. The engine is a 450cc single putting out 65hp. The TM is ultra-light, with a full custom-made exhaust system.

Matt Penrose - 1995 Subaru Impreza WRX

Matt is a 25-year-old Aircraft Engineer for Air New Zealand and he lives in Christchurch. He belongs to the Autosport Club (North Canterbury) and his co-driver is Tom Penrose. His motorsport aspirations are to compete at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Matt has been competing in motorsport for over 20 years now. He started in grass karts, moving on to track karts, formula ford and now gravel and tarmac hill climbs/rallies. Matt is the current NZ Hill Climb Champion.

1995 Subaru Impreza WRX:

This WRX was originally built by Trevor Crowe in 1997 to compete in circuit racing and gravel/tarmac hill climbs/rallies all over the South Island. The car has been extensively upgraded over the last four years since Matt has owned it. It now runs a PPG dog box, MCA suspension and a forged EJ20 engine.

Eddie Pinkham - 1990 Nissan Group A GTR

Eddie is a self-employed electrician from Rotorua. He was first introduced into motorsport by a friend Bill Hunter who rallied a RX7 back in 1997. Eddie first rallied a Chevette with a Nissan A12. He has rallied a few cars over 12 years of rallying. In 2007 Eddie sold his 4WD Mitsubishi rally car and moved to circuit racing.

1990 Nissan Group A GTR:

This car was built in 2008 as a replica of New Zealander Jim Richards’ ATCC car. It is tribute to the actual car that Jim and Mark Skaife drove to victory at Bathurst. This car runs a fuel-injected 2.6-litre twin turbo motor, 5-speed gearbox and Nissan’s famous 4WD system. The Nissan GTR was and still is Japan’s most successful touring car,

Wayne Pittams - 1976 Ford Escort Mk2

Wayne rallied from 1975 to 1985 in a Datsun 1298cc. In 1986 he purchased and built a Group A Subaru Leon and won the New Zealand Rally Championship Group A Championship. In 1989 he imported a new Lancia Intergrale and built it up to Group N specification, running the car from 1989-90. Then Wayne took a 17-year break for some family time. He returned around 2007 in a GC8 Subaru, then his son Mike built a new open class V10 Subaru. Mike runs rally drivers Lance Williams and David Holder’s cars and is currently running Hayden Paddon’s New Zealand Hyundai. Wayne has imported a modern Mk2 Escort.

1976 Ford Escort Mk2:

This Ford runs a 320bhp Millington Series 2 engine, Sedev sequential gearbox and Atlas Gripper LSD. The chassis is modern spec with 4-link, watts linkage. It was built in Ireland for a wealthy Irishman but never used. West Wales Motorsport owner Gareth Lloyd purchased in then motorsport magazine editor Jase Cossie ran the car on airfield events.

Bronson Porter - 2006 NZV8 Holden VZ

Bronson started racing at 16 with the Super Six Series and still is competing today. He was 1NZ three years in a row (becoming the first and only driver to do so, as well as winning all six national races for his last 1NZ. He has also been driving a NZV8 on and off for the last five years with good results.

2006 NZV8 Holden VZ:

The Holden was the last NZV8 chassis to be made. Angus Fogg built it for himself before switching to a Ford. Bronson bought it in 2012 and it started life with a LS3 (the guinea pig for NZV8s) before switching to a Holden 304. He is currently trying to raise funds to campaign the 2017/2018 season, so any potential sponsors are welcome to chat to him at Leadfoot.

Darcy Prendergast - 2016 Honda CRF 450 Super Motard

Darcy has a mixed racing history, taking part in Race to the Sky for eight years in succession, racing a Super Quad. He has competed in Super Motard racing – on track and street circutis – both at club and national level; cross country enduros; quad racing, club and national and road racing – all at club and national level. Darcy also competes in car racing at club level. He enjoys the competition of racing and the people involved, along with having fun. He claims he would race anything.
The Leadfoot Festival is one of his highlight events and he makes the trek from Canterbury to enjoy the people, the venue, the atmosphere and the variety of vehicles, which are magic.

2016 Honda CRF 450 Super Motard:

This is a purpose-built Super Motard bike constructed by Andrew Rudd from Dynoworx in Ashburton.
The 450cc motor pumps out 59 rear wheel horsepower or approximately 67hp at the crank – around 12hp more than a stock CFR 450. This output equals 149hp per litre at the crankshaft which is extremely good for a single cylinder engine of this size. Extensive headwork, stage two cam, Dynojet Power Commander fuel/ignition management, a standard Honda piston (believe it or not) and many hours testing and tuning on the Dynoworx dynamometer ensured this bike has class-winning performance. The transmission has a slipper clutch to reduce engine braking on downshifts allowing the bike to steer from the back end at corner entry.

Paul Radisich - 1993 Toyota Twin Turbo Supra

Paul began his motorsport career in 1983 driving a Toyota Trueno with his father Frank and went on to have a 25-year professional career achieving much success. Notable highlights are New Zealand Gold Star champion, New Zealand Grand Prix winner, Australian Grand Prix winner, Fuji 500 winner, Nissan Mobil series winner, New Zealand Touring Car Champion, runner-up American Super Vee series, two-time runner-up at Bathurst, and two-time runner-up BTCC World Touring Car Champion.

1993 Toyota Twin Turbo Supra:

This car was built by Frank Radisich and Peter Van Brugal for the Targa event and campaigned by Frank and Graeme Lawrence. It was then campaigned in local New Zealand events by Peter. The car was brought out of storage for the 2015 Leadfoot Festival and driven by Paul to eighth overall. The Toyota is 2WD and produces over 600bhp under full boost.

Stephen Rasmussen - 1972 Porsche 911 Carrera RS Replica

From 2016 Steve has owned Porsche specialists Europacific and Carrera Sport and has been a fan of the brand since owning his first Porsche in the United Kingdom back in 1981. He has been preparing and racing various Porsche cars for over 20 years and has successfully competed in various national racing events with multiple wins in both the Porsche Bridgestone Championship series and the North Island Endurance series.

1972 Porsche 911 Carrera RS Replica:

This car was built in 1990 as a 911 Carrera RS from a 1972 911 2.4E. The car has competed in the Targa New Zealand, the Bridgestone Porsche Series and the Hampton Downs Festival, as well as several race series during the past 15 years in Steve’s hands.

Carl Robertson - 1989 Ford Laser GTX

Carl explains that racing must be in his blood as although he did not know his father, he was told that he was a successful drag racer. Carl found himself doing the same when he reached an age to purchase and build a vehicle for himself. This car was the JR-COZY Ford Laser and Carl went on to become a two-time New Zealand 2WD Drag Champion. He is the current New Zealand street car record holder. Carl has now moved on to track and hill climb racing with the Laser WRC.

1989 Ford Laser GTX:

This Laser WRC Targa Rally car was campaigned in the early 2000s by Neil Macfarquhar and has now fallen into the hands of fellow Laser fanatic Carl, who brought it back to life after 10 years in storage. Carl and Neil owned the two most modified Lasers in the country, with Carl managing to purchase the vehicle in May 2017. The Evolution 7 running gear has made this little weapon no longer prone to the Mazda/Ford drive-line curse!

Lionel Rogers - 1935 Bugatti Type 59/50S

Lionel joined the Auckland Car Club in 1967 after working in the United States for three years. He raced a Mk1 Escort, twin cam Anglia and 3 -litre Capri in many events then sold all his cars in 1970 to start a business. Lionel is an avid follower of F1.
He sold his business in 2003 and bought a 350Z for Targa New Zealand that year, finishing 12th outright with a near stock-standard car. He then did Targa Tamania in 2004 and added a supercharger for Targa NZ 2004 to 2007. He has now ‘retired’ from speed events and concentrates on road rallies around the world.

1935 Bugatti Type 59/50S:

Bugatti dominated Grand Prix racing from 1921 until early 1930s until overtaken by Auto Union, Alfa Romeo, Maserati and Mercedes who were backed by German and Italian governments. In 1935, in a final attempt to beat them, Bugatti built a car for Robert Benoist for the French GP at Montlhéry. They put a T54 4.9-litre engine into a T59 chassis. The car he has built over the past six years is an authentic replica of the original.

Karl Rolfe - 1958 Satellite

Karl collects and races classic motorcycles. He is the son of the late Murray Rolfe, who was well known in the speedway and motorcycle scene, in vintage aircraft restoration circles and he was also the head engineer for the Lancaster restoration at Motat. Karl has been racing the Satellite for a number of years at historic race meets, including the Chelsea Hill Climb and the Roycroft Trophy.

1958 Satellite:

The 1958 Satellite Special was built in New Zealand and was powered by an Ariel Square Four engine. The car was raced through the 1960s in Gisborne and Hawkes Bay and won a number of hill climbs. In the early 1970s it was swapped for a colour TV and left in a junk yard until Norm Holloway found it in the early 1980s. The late Murray Rolfe acquired from him and restored and repowered it with a 650 Triumph Thunderbird engine. In 2014 Murray’s son Karl found the car for sale and restored it back to racing condition.

Stuart Rose - 1990 Toyota Hilux

Stuart is a self-employed earthmoving contractor in Taranaki .
He has been racing the ute since 2005 in Targa and tarmac rallies. He was seeded 113th in his first rally and came home 9th overall!
Stuart has regularly placed in the top 10 in the Taranaki tarmac rally .
He has won Targa Rotorua and led Targa NZ classic category for the first three days and ended up second in the classics and 9th overall.
Stuart also races speedway – currently running in sprintcars – was 2NZ in modifieds in 2009.
In his spare time he enjoys fishing and having a beer or 7 and enjoys motorsport in general.

1990 Toyota Hilux:

This Toyota Hilux is Stuart’s old work ute!
It started out as a bit of a laugh one night – the lads reckoned he should put a V8 in it and do some car club events. The next week a Toyota V8 turned up with a invoice attached.
It has turned out to be competitive from day one and was built with big brakes and a pedalbox from the start, which meant not much to upgrade in that department further down the track .
Although, there has been a few other modifications, with the track widened, floating hubs fitted and several gearbox upgrades.
And of course there was the supercharger added so that the Hilux now runs a supercharged 4lt Toyota V8, g force dog box, floating hubs. The dog lives on the back!

Terry (Terence) Roycroft - 1925 Bugatti Type 35A

Terry was born in 1943 and raised in Glen Murray in an endless torrent of racing, sports and touring cars.
He started an apprenticeship fitting/turning/machining at 15, then started speedway racing at Western Springs aged 17.
In 1966 he became a Marine Engineer with Union Shipping Company.
In 1968 Terry was a Marine Engineer with the NZ Shipping Company.
Later he was an engineer at coal-fired generating stations in London, Toronto and Meremere in NZ.
From 1978—85 Terry was a Marine Engineer with Nauru Pacific, Central Pacific. From 1986—96 he worked for Contract Engineering NZ Steel, Glenbrook. From 1991–2003 Terry designed and built a high-speed amphibious vehicle with patented wheel-retraction and sold the rights to Gibbs Technologies. He was also a consultant for the ‘AQUADA’ HSAV programme in Detroit Michigan. When he retired in 2003, Terry prepared the Ron Roycroft Type 35A Bugatti for racing and rallying.

1925 Bugatti Type 35A:

This Type 35A Bugatti was raced in England in the 1920s and 1930s. It came to New Zealand in 1947 with Bryce Clinkard and was raced by Ken Hemus to 1949/50. Ron Roycroft bought the car in rough condition in 1951 and raced it to 1953 when he installed a new 1948 XK120 Jaguar engine, with a Moss gearbox. Ron intended the car for beach racing and hillclimbs, but it also raced in a few major events when needed.
The car won the NZ Championship at Dunedin in 1954, and was first New Zealander home at Ardmore in 1956 against a strong international field. It was first New Zealander again in 1956 at Ryal Bush, where it was timed at 155mph. It had many other wins and places at club events in the 1950s.
It is currently fitted with an original XK120 engine with a C-Type head and 2” sandcast SU carburettors.

Andrew Rudd - 2017 Honda CRF450 Super Motard

Andrew is a motorcycle mechanic and dyno technician from Honda Country/Dynoworx in Ashburton. He finds the super motard bike a perfect way of combining off-road and road racing skills. He is the 2016 up-to-600cc New Zealand Hill Climb champion, and the overall New Zealand Hill Climb champion after the Burt Munro Challenge. Andrew enjoys going racing with mates and having a good time on and off the track.

2017 Honda CRF450 Super Motard:

Built by Andrew, this Dynoworx CRF450R has had a 20% horsepower increase. It has a DynoJet Power commander to adjust fueling and ignition, sticky Metzeler tyres, Motul oils and a RK Chain. Andrew has had success at street races in the South Island, including first in the 2015 and 2016 Greymouth street race; first in the 2016 Port Nelson street race; first in the King of the Port race and first in the 2016 and 2017 Methven Mountain street race.

Carl Ruiterman - 2017 Yamaha YXZ1000

In 2007, Carl won all three drift championships running, D1NZ, NZ Drift Championship, and Drift Revolution in his first season of drifting. He backed that up with another NZ Drift Championship and runner-up D1NZ. Carl also qualified second in the World Drift Championship rounds in Hangzhou and Tianjin China.

In 2015, Carl was the North Island U class and off-road Champion. In 2016 he became S class off-road Champion and 2017 North Island and National U class Champion.

2017 Yamaha YXZ1000:

This vehicle was built by E & H Motors for the 2017 Off-road Championship. It won the North Island U Class Championship, and also the National U Class Off-road Championship. The Yamaha YXZ1000 was 3D-scanned by Devise, then the roll cage was designed, CNC bent, notched and fitted by E & H Motors. The company also provided the Yamaha’s suspension re-valving, exhaust, computer tuning, strengthened suspension components, exhaust and safety gear.

Kevin Sanderson - 1984 Toyota Hayabusa Starlet

The first event Kevin competed in was the 1974 Woohill Rally in a Holden Torana XU1, coming home seventh outright. He has done numerous hill climbs over the years in a variety of cars – his most memorable being his VW Beetle powered with a Chev Corvair flat 6, which won the Auckland Interclub Hill Climb Championship several times in the 1980s. Another winning car, a lightweight rally sprint Subaru RX Turbo was jointly-owned with rally legend Possum Bourne. This car also secured the Auckland Hill Climb Championship. Kevin worked servicing/crewing for Possum on his New Zealand and international rally programmes from the mid-1980s until Possum’s untimely death in 2003.

1984 Toyota Hayabusa Starlet:

The KP61 Toyota Starlet was built in 2006, firstly powered with a Toyota 1580cc 5K pushrod engine and T50 close ratio gearbox. In 2012 Kevin repowered it with a 2008 Suzuki Hayabusa gen 2 engine, which is 1340cc producing 198hp@10200rpm. It has an 11400rpm limiter and comes standard with an ultra-close ratio 6-speed gearbox. The engine gearbox unit is very lightweight and weighs under 80kg. The diff is a 1984 AE86 with TRD limited slip diff. The brakes are Wilwood 4 pot calipers.
In the 45 events this Starlet has done with the Hayabusa engine, it has been super reliable, finishing 44 of them. Its best result to date was first outright in the Taupo Classic 2WD Rally in August 2016.

Leon Scott - 2001 Mitsubishi Evo

Team LSM run one of New Zealand’s fastest Evolution time attack cars with 10 years of podium finishes and they are the 2016 overall Superlap Championship title holders and own the pro open class championship-winning car driven by Leon Scott of Auckland. They have competed in time attack racing and superlap racing in New Zealand now for over 10 years and have run the same car through various stages. Leon and the team have stayed true to the roots of the sport and competed from the start with semi slick tyres (not full slicks) and hold the fastest semi slick lap in the superlap series with a 1.07 flat at Hampton Downs.

2001 Mitsubishi Evo:

The LSM Evo 7 pushes 650hp on 98 BP fuel. It has a 2.3 Stroker race engine, Holset race series turbo, Albins dog engagement gearbox, Cusco diffs and a HKS Fcon 4.0 ECU. It also features an Endless brake package by Prosport, Wedsport ultralight wheels and Hankook semi slick tyres. The Evo was the 2015/ 2016 New Zealand Time Attack/Superlap series pro championship winner and the 2016 New Zealand Time Attack/Superlap overall championship winner. At the 2017 Leadfoot Festival it achieved a top 15 placing (first attempt) and at the 2017 NZ Time Attack Outlaws placed third overall.  

Barry Smith - 2010 BLR Suzuki F2 Isle of Man Sidecar

Barry Smith and Tracey Bryan are one of the leading New Zealand sidecar teams and they are currently ranked second in New Zealand. They have recently returned from multiple rounds of the British Sidecar Championships. They are also the current F2 champions at Australia’s prolific Festival of Speed. Barry is a former European Grand Prix sidecar driver from the 1980s and has now partnered with the first lady of New Zealand sidecar racing, Tracey on an Isle of Man TT sidecar.

2010 BLR Suzuki F2 Isle of Man Sidecar:

This BLR chassis, Suzuki-powered F2 Sidecar was built in 2010 to compete in the legendary Isle of Man TT races and has run each year since. Carl Cox Motorsport purchased the bike in the United Kingdom in 2014 where Barry Smith collected the bike, loaded it into a van and drove to Germany to compete in the 2014 World F2 Trophy. He finished tenth in his first time on the bike! The bike is capable of 140mph+, weighs 230kg and carries 47 litres of fuel to complete three laps of the TT without fueling at the end of each of the 37.7mile laps. 

Rayden Smith - 1968 Ford Escort Twin Cam

Rayden’s first event was a club hill climb in a Singer special around 1962, followed by gymkhanas and grass track events, mainly with a Cortina GT. After establishing his farming career and, when time allowed, he followed another passion – bikes – from around 1975. Rayden participated in club motocross and trials then went onto hare scrambles and enduros at a national level. In 1989 Rayden realised a childhood ambition by racing a Ferrari at that year’s Ardmore Reunion, rekindling his interest in the sport. In 1990 he purchased the Willment Ford twin cam with its first competitive event the 1993 Telecom street race at Hamilton.

1968 Ford Escort Twin Cam:

This is an early Escort twin cam provided from Ford’s Boreham plant to the John Willment Group and developed to Group 5 specs. Imported into New Zealand by Jim Carney in December 1969 for Jim Richards and raced under the livery of ‘Carney Racing’ then ‘Radio Hauraki’, the car was often referred to as the ‘Richards’ Escort’. Jim put on many giant-killing displays against larger and more powerful cars – winning or placing highly on tracks around New Zealand. He also won every round of the 1971 BNSW 0-4200cc National Touring Car Championship. It has successfully competed at the original Taupo circuit, Bay Park, Manfeild, Pukekohe, Whenuapai, the Whangarei street race, Hampton Downs and the Leadfoot Festival. The car was also used by Jim and Faye as their bridal car when they married in 1972. It was purchased by Lin Neilson and raced competitively on all the South Island’s tracks and in the OSCA series. Its specs are: Ford Lotus twin cam 1720cc, Ford 4-speed with Quaife internals, LSD, brakes disc front and drum rear.

Sam Smith - 2014 Yamaha YZ450F

Sam is 29 and rode his first motorcycle – a Yamaha PW50 – at the age of three. He has competed in many disciplines of motorcycle racing over his career. After switching from motocross to road racing at the age of 14, he won championships in New Zealand and Australia. Yamaha were a huge part of his racing career and he is honoured to be part of the Yamaha family for the Leadfoot Festival 2018.

2014 Yamaha YZ450F:

Sam is riding a Yamaha YZ450F based on an American flat track competition motorcycle. It features internal and external engine modifications, as well as custom made suspension and wheels. Other interesting parts include an adjustable steering head and a slipper clutch. The bike’s ride height sits much lower than a motocross bike and it handles well with plenty of power.

Bruce Smythe - 1955 Dick Jones Special

Bruce began racing Formula Ford in 1989 winning the New Zealand Class 2 Formula Ford Championship that year in the Christchurch-built Swift LM1. That same season, he met the late Ken White who asked him to drive the Dick Jones Special, which he later sold to Bruce in 1992. Bruce spent many years trying to track the history of his car, armed with a bad photocopy of a Road and Track article but it wasn’t until 2007 that he found Dick Jones in Colorado, and Lilo Ben Zicron in Los Angeles – the second owner of the Dick Jones Special. That’s when Bruce learned the story of the young guy who built the Dick Jones Special, went to Vietnam, and never returned.
Describing himself as “an average kiwi truck driver,” Bruce brings the DJ out for a run now and then.

1955 Dick Jones Special:

This racer was built in Simi Valley, California, featuring a Dick Jones fibreglass Meteor body on a home-built chassis. It started life at Lions Drag Strip, then continued racing at Riverside, Willow Springs and Sears Point. It moved east to Milwaukee in the mid-1980s before it was brought to New Zealand in 1989.
Bruce bought the Dick Jones Special in 1992 and with his son, Stafford, campaigned the car in historic races with TACCOC and at the Auckland Domain Hill Climb – running the same 302 cubic inch Chevy, 4-speed gearbox and Customline rear end it arrived with. It’s a bit heavier now, with a roll cage added but it’s good for 150mph.
About thirty Dick Jones-bodied specials were built, with five known remaining bodies left. This is the only one in the world still racing. 

Brendon Sole - 1998 C5 Corvette

Brendon is a Dairy Farmer in Taranaki. He raced V8 Touring cars for two seasons before teaming up with Redline Racing competing in the Endurance Series.

With a passion for Hill Climbs He built up a purpose built V8 RX7. He now has competed in over 130 Hill Climbs and is 8-time Taranaki Series Champion and set Hill Climb records around Taranaki and the North Island. With recently purchasing the Corvette He is very keen to see how quick it will be “up the hill”.

1998 C5 Corvette:

1998 C5 Corvette. Professionally built and raced in the United States in the mid 2000’s by a high-profile Race Team. It was brought into New Zealand 4 years ago and used for Endurance Racing. The car has a NASCAR spec roll cage, stop tech brakes, 3-way adjustable shocks, dry sumped 730 HP stroked LS3 6800 cc. It has a triple plate clutch, 6 speed sequential gear box, carbon fiber drive shaft and full ZR1 rear end.

Hugh Spence - 2001 Subaru WRX STi RA

Hugh has been a Gisborne Car Club member since the early 1970s, running the ‘Unipart Mini’. He entered his first rally in 1977, campaigning this car, around the central North Island. His next car that he used and campaigned for 13 years, was the ex-Allport 323 Mazda. Hugh competed, in the last WRC event held in New Zealand, coming third in class. His current Subaru was built by Neil Allport Motorsport for the Jig Saw Clothing Company and has been progressively developed to its present state.

2001 Subaru WRX STi RA:

This Subaru was built by Allport Motorsport for Jig Saw Clothing Company and campaigned by Stumpy Holmes. The car has been progressively developed by Ray Wilson Rallysport and Mike Healy of Reaction Racing. The engine has all the best bits from the EJ20 motors combined into one. The gear box is a Modena 6-speed sequential with active center diff and Cussco front and rear diffs. The WRX has MCA suspension with Subaru 4 pot calipers and rotors on all wheels.

Craig Stacey - 1971 AMC Mayceys Confectionery Javelin AMX

Craig is a weekend warrior and wannabe racer. He has been around cars all his life. Flathead Fords, muscle cars – in fact anything that makes noise, burns gasoline and does skids! Craig loves collecting and rebuilding cars. He raced with the Production Muscle Car group, Central Muscle Cars and the Historic Muscle Cars.

1971 AMC Mayceys Confectionery Javelin AMX:

This is a Mark Donohue Tribute Trans Am car. It has a 401cubic inch American Motors engine, 4-speed G-Force gearbox and 9″ Ford diff. It was built by the Stacey Brothers in 2001. It has raced in New Zealand in the Production Muscle Car Series, Central Muscle and also Historic Muscle classes. The Javelin has also been raced at Eastern Creek Raceway in Sydney, Queensland Raceway and Lakeside Raceway in Australia. 

Sharn Steadman - 1975 Suzuki GP125

Sharn was bitten by the motorcycle bug ten years ago and has enjoyed almost every minute of it! She has been competing for six years in a variety of riding styles, including road and track racing, dirt racing and drag racing, with some good results. Being a female in motorcycling has taught her some useful skills too. She enjoys fabrication, rebuilds, and DIY tinkering ‘Kiwi style’ with her mentors between race meets.

1975 Suzuki GP125:

An ESE custom-build, this motorcycle is a true ‘bucket racer’ full of unique fabrication and ideas. Its two-stroke, single-cylinder, has been built from a commuter engine with 14hp at the crank, to produce 25+hp at the rear wheel, nearing factory production numbers of the era. The frame, an NSR125, is a race-orientated home for ESE’s internationally-respected engine development. Sharn enjoys testing and racing this machine at kart tracks around New Zealand. 

Spencer Steele - 1981 Wells Coyote

Spencer began racing in 1992 on ice in a highly modified Willys jeep, and enjoyed numerous wins and thirteen points championships. He then moved to Colorado and began hill climb racing in 1999 and achieved success with five points championships in the open wheel division, along with numerous wins. Spencer started racing the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in 2000 and has competed in four different vehicles in the Open Wheel and Unlimited divisions earning two fifth places, two second places, and three consecutive wins from 2010-2012. In 2013 he began desert racing with the Crossfire off-road trophy truck team and competed in the Baja 500 and 1000, co-driving to a hard-earned sixteenth place finish in the 2015 Baja 1000.

1981 Wells Coyote:

The yellow #43 Wells Coyote was built as a mid-engine Chevrolet V8-powered open wheel race car and driven by John Wells in 1981 for various off-road racing and hill climb events, including the World Off-Road Championships in Riverside, CA and Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. In 2002 the powerplant was switched to a 417cubic inch, NASCAR-based, methanol-injected Ford. Since then it has competed in numerous hill climb events including Pikes Peak with three consecutive wins in the open wheel division from 2010 to 2012.

Mark Strawbridge - 1972 Mazda 616

Mark has been competing for the last few years in a range of events from street sprints and hill climbs to time attack and circuit racing. He is lucky enough to have a bunch of friends (and a forgiving wife) that share the same passion and enjoy not only the challenges of racing but the rewards that can be had by pushing harder each time he drives. His motorsport career has included circuit racing, hill climbs, and street sprints. His first taste of the driveway last year saw a top five finish in class and he is eager to have another crack building on what he learned.
The atmosphere and rotary camaraderie wasn’t like any event he has attended so he is keen to get back to Leadfoot and give those pesky Escorts a run for their money.

1972 Mazda 616:

Imported from Australia in original condition in 2006, a small team of friends spent four years completely rebuilding the 616 from the ground-up in preparation for racing. The build had a period focus to the point that many now mistakenly assume it to be an ex works car from Japan). The 12A PP (screaming to 11,000rpm) has been a mainstay in the car, running a 48mm IDA and Link ECU for ignition only. Since last time up the drive and finishing in the top 5 of its class, we’ve spent considerable time tuning the suspension and dropping weight anywhere we can, it currently sits at 900KG.

Leon Styles - 1976 Triumph TR8

Leon is a New Zealander who has lived in the United States for 19 years. He has won the California Rally Championship, was the SCCA pro rally open champion in 2004, the Pikes Peak winner in 2004 in a car built by Rhys Millen and driven at Rim of the World by Rod Millen. In 2003 Leon won more than six championships in the United States, plus competed in drift events. After rallying in New Zealand back in the early 1980s, Leon is just getting back into rallying here with a historic car.

1976 Triumph TR8:

This ex-English-built car, competed in Targa events before being purchased by Leon and converted for rallying by Mal Clark and advised by Mark Parsons. It will be used to compete in the New Zealand Rally Championship in the historic class. It has a very fast V8 engine and true historic specifications. It sounds amazing and tends to spend more time going sideways that straight – making the Triumph a crowd favourite.

Peter Sundberg - 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C Monza

Peter’s racing career started in the 1970s, where he was fortunate to gain full sponsorship competing in those ‘golden days’ when race meetings attracted sell-out crowds. He competed with distinction, gaining a reputation, usually justified, as a somewhat wild and spectacular driver. His car of choice back then was the venerable Lotus Twin Cam Escort – highly modified. Peter has also rallied, both on gravel, in a Rotorsport-prepared Mazda RX3 and on tarmac in a Ford Escort Cosworth. Then Peter drove a very quick Group B MG Metro 6R4, both in New Zealand and Ireland. He has also competed in classic motorcycle racing, on a Manx Norton, Moto Guzzi or MV Agusta 4-cylinder.

1932 Alfa Romeo 8C Monza:

The dominant racing car in the early 1930s, the Alfa Romeo 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, it was capable of winning almost every event in which it entered.

Peter Sundberg - 1983 Quattro Group B

Peter Sundberg is competing in two cars that couldn’t be more different. A 1983 SI Group B Audi Quattro freshly imported from Europe and his two-litre three-wheel Morgan. Don’t be fooled by the appearance of the Morgan (nick named MOG), it’s seriously quick and powered by a two-litre V Twin S&S – that’s 1000ccs per cylinder – two front and one rear wheel.

1983 Quattro Group B:

The Audi is a purpose-built tarmac car producing approximately 500hp. It has a 5-cylinder 2-litre turbocharged engine, a 6-speed gearbox and is all wheel drive. These cars were banned in the 1980s as they were deemed too dangerous. The Morgan is a 2013 model built in limited numbers. Peter has been racing and rallying both cars and motorcycles since he was 19 and that’s nearly fifty years ago!

Masao Take - 2007 Nissan 380RS Nismo

Masao is from Tokyo, Japan, and he is a dedicated weekend racer, with many championship wins and places for 12-hour endurance and Porsche one-make series at the Motegi, Tukuba and Ebisu Circuits over the last 18 years. In 2006, Masao was looking to try tarmac rallying and competed in Targa Tasmania. Then in 2007 he competed in Targa New Zealand and has been a regular at this event ever since.

2007 Nissan 380RS Nismo:

In Japan the 380RS Nismo was a limited production run of 300 cars, based on the R33 350z. The body shell went to Nismo where the cars were built using all the Nismo performance parts. This car was set up for tarmac events and now lives in New Zealand and competes in Targa New Zealand events.  

Ben Thomasen - 2017 Polaris Razor XP 1000 turbo

Ben is a 34-year-old professional driver for Polaris New Zealand and competes in the ORANZ Off-Road Championship. In 2015, he was NZ1 overall and first in the UTV class. Ben was also the 2016 Short-Course Champion. He has been involved in national motorsport all his life, including motocross for fifteen years before a life-changing accident in 2008 left him with a spinal cord injury and forced the change back to four wheels. Ben competed in D1NZ drifting from 2003-2006 with a highlight third in New Zealand placing in the 2004 season. He began rallying in his 2005 Subaru Impreza from 2010, with the best result of 2013 Hill Climb Champion.
The Leadfoot Festival is one of his favourite events of the year and Ben and his team are grateful to be a part of it.

2017 Polaris Razor XP 1000 turbo:

This 2017 model Polaris Razor XP 1000 turbo is powered by a Prostar 1000cc twin-cylinder turbo-charged 4 stroke engine, with a CVT transmission with 2WD or 4WD selected on the dash. In production trim it is 105hp but in the current race format the UTV is 160hp. Top speed is standard 121kph, while this race UTV clocks 150kph. It weighs about 700kg having added an extra roll cage. It is suspended by Fox Shocks.
The Polaris is currently running in the ORANZ S UTV class which is for turbo models and allows modifications, although factory engines including internals and drivelines must remain factory. Suspension, wheels, track and bolt on parts are allowed.

Anne Thomson - 1957 D Type Jaguar Replica

Anne has been involved with owning and racing Vintage and Veteran cars for many years including the 14 litre Grand Prix Darracq she has raced at speed during previous Leadfoot Festivals. Most of her racing to date has been in the Edwardian class. The D-Type Jaguar is new to the stable and having a car with brakes that work will be a new experience for her.

1957 D Type Jaguar Replica:

Built during 1990 and 1999 as a replica of the works D Type Jaguars that won the 24 hours of Le Mans race in 1955, 1956 and 1957 with many other successes and places in major events.
The Jag is based on the original D-Type XKD 534 when it was still in New Zealand and owned by Noel Foster. This car has a full alloy body built by Ray Larsen. The motor is a 3.8 litre Jaguar with 3 twin choke Dellorto Carbs with dry sump lubrication. As a Le Mans entry, the D type was capable of speeds in excess of 180 mph at Mulsanne but was tractable enough to be driven to and from the circuit. The E type Jaguar followed the D type with similar construction but with IRS.

Chris Trundle - 1990 Nissan Safari

Chris comes from a rally, circuit and drifting background. He has competed in two Targas in his Mk2 Superford Escort Mexico and also in his S5 RX7, which now has a 4-rotor pp. Chris has competed in D1NZ for some years running in the top 16. He owns Trundles Automotive Ltd which is one of the largest 4WD specialist companies in New Zealand. He currently races his Nissan Safari off-road race truck in class 6. It is one of the only diesel race trucks in New Zealand.

1990 Nissan Safari:

The Nissan Safari is running a 4.2 diesel engine. The injector pump produces over three times the fuel of a factory one and it has a Holset turbo which runs upwards of 30psi. It has a modified Dodge Viper clutch system with Eaton diff heads and Chromolly axles. The Nissan has 14″ of suspension travel with 3″ hydraulic bump stops with braced chassis and diff housings to handle the abuse. It has made upwards of 800Nm at the tyres on high boost levels!

Mike Tubbs - 1992 BMW 325i M3 Coupe E36

Mike competed in his first motorsport event in 1998, the same time as buying the ‘Foxing’ BMW 325i coupe. From 1998 to 2011 Mike rallied in most Targa events achieving class wins and top fives overall. The North Island endurance race series was also a favourite race event for him with co-driver Mike Ashton and they had an exciting outright series win in 2004. The car #31 BMW 325i/M3 coupe and Mike were also active in Hamilton Car Club events and Taranaki rallies for 12 years also.
‘Foxing’ is the car’s nickname and Mike’s is ‘Tubbsy’.

1992 BMW 325i M3 Coupe E36:

In 1993 this E36 BMW coupe driven by Brett Riley was fourth in the Wellington 500 street race and first in class. The New Zealand Touring Car Championships from 1994 to 1998 saw the BMW Motorsport team car #31 driven again by Brett and car #2 driven by Craig Baird competing – with Craig winning from 1994 to 1997. Brett was second and won in 1998. Jason Richards also raced car #31 from 1994-6.

Richard Warfield - 1961 Cole-Baker Special

Richard is a long-time petrol-head with an eclectic collection of road and race cars. He is currently competing in the Flemings Trofeo Italian intermarque series, for which his company is the series sponsor, running a 2009 Fiat Abarth Assetto Corse turbo and a Fiat 128 Rally. He has always wanted a New Zealand special, as he has been fascinated with the creativity and ingenuity of the backyard builders around the world and especially those based in New Zealand for a long time.

1961 Cole-Baker Special:

Constructed by Dan Cole-Baker, who when serving abroad during the 1950s, saw a Ferrari 250 and decided with kiwi ingenuity to create his own. The aluminium body was hand-beaten and attached to a ladder frame chassis. This was unusual for a special, being built as a coupe, as most are constructed without doors or a roof to avoid the complexity. Originally it had a 1500 Vanguard engine, which was subsequently upgraded decades ago with an aluminium V8, running Quad webers. This special was used in early 1960s hill climbs/sprints. After languishing for some time, it was rescued from the scrapheap and rebuilt. Recently it has had success in Targa New Zealand and hill climbs.

Luke Wellacott - 2007 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X

Luke is into his 3rd year of racing his Evo X. The passion Luke has for this sport has spread to his family and friends, with his wife and 2 young daughters going to support him at every race meet, and friends working on the car with him. Luke still has a lot to learn but with the support network he has they are always there to offer support, advice and help when needed. Luke looks forward to what his Evo X will do in the future.

2007 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X:

Once a family-driven vehicle, this Evo X is now a race-proven, street legal time attack machine. It is currently the fastest of its type in the country. The team at LW MotorSport have massive goals for this car, including competing in the work time attack round in Sydney. This is one car to watch in the future of New Zealand Motorsport

Dave West - 2000 Freightliner Argosy Supertruck

Dave has always enjoyed watching motorsport and did a brief stint on the dirt track in his late teens. After then work always seemed to get in the way. Finally, he managed to get the work/ life balance organised better and raced dirt track for seven seasons during which he won several class and feature titles. Then he decided it was time to build a NZ Supertruck. Dave had watched these racing as a teenager and has been involved in the transport industry for 20+ years. With support from his family and lots of businesses he deals with on a daily basis this idea was able to become reality. After a rather bumpy first season he finished the season second in class. He is looking forward to starting next season with a little more knowledge onboard.

2000 Freightliner Argosy Supertruck:

TThis vehicle was built into a race truck for the 2015/16 New Zealand Super Truck series. It is powered by a Series 60 Detroit engine, running compound turbos producing around 1600hp. This is transferred to the tarmac through an Allison automatic 6-speed transmission. Front suspension is leaf spring with an anti-roll bar and the rear is custom three-link with panhard and anti-roll bar. The Koni adjustable shocks are used in the four corners. A major crash at its second event necessitated a full rebuild, including a new cab. Dave went on to finish the season with a couple of race wins and second overall in class.
Dave and his team are looking forward to having some fun up ‘Millen’s mile’ in February.

Mad Mike Whiddett - 2004 Badbul Mazda SP3 RX8

Mad Mike was born and raised in Auckland, New Zealand and has grown to international stardom in the world of motorsport propelled off the foundations of drifting. Mike is supported by some of the world’s most well-known brands and this year notably celebrates his 10 years with Red Bull and also being internationally factory-backed by Mazda.

Mike has won the Formula Drift Asia Pacific Championship; is three-times New Zealand Drift Nationals Champion; World Powerslide Champion (Norway) and three times Revelation of Goodwood Festival of Speed (UK). He was third in the 2016 Formula Drift World Drift Championship and has many more awards and podiums. He has achieved the International Ambassador Award for motorsport and Outstanding Achievement Award through Motorsport New Zealand. Mike was also a finalist in 2017 for the New Zealander of the Year award for his outstanding work with charities and his dedication to motorsport both in New Zealand and on an international level. Mike has built his international fan base to over 2 million on Facebook alone and is the world’s most-travelled drifter. Mike is now crossing over into other disciplines with a fourth place finish in the Stadium Super Trucks in California United States and he has numerous top 10 finishes in the Australian GT Championship driving the McLaren 650s GT3.

2004 Badbul Mazda SP3 RX8:

ENGINE/INTERIOR/EXTERIOR: 812hp, 20B (3-rotor) Turbo, Honeywell Garrett GTX-4508R Turbo, Haltech Sport2000 ECU, TAKATA race seats & 6 point belts; RacePak dash, Rocket Bunny Mazda R3 RX8 kit; Seibon carbon fiber doors
DRIVELINE: Holinger RD6SS sequential gearbox; Direct Clutch sintered iron clutch & flywheel; Winters quick-change; Driveshaft Shop axles
SUSPENSION / CHASSIS: KW 3way adj suspension; Wisefab steering angle kit; Wilwood Performance forged billet calipers & rotors
WHEELS / TYRES: Front: 18×9.5″ Rotiform NUE, Nitto NT05 225/40R18; Rear: 18×11″ Rotiform SLC 3pc, Nitto NT05 275/35R18

Mike Whiddett - 2013 Mazda RX8 13B Superlite

Mad Mike was born and raised in Auckland, New Zealand and has grown to international stardom in the world of motorsport propelled off the foundations of drifting. Mike is supported by some of the world’s most well-known brands and this year notably celebrates his 10 years with Red Bull and also being internationally factory-backed by Mazda.

Mike has won the Formula Drift Asia Pacific Championship; is three-times New Zealand Drift Nationals Champion; World Powerslide Champion (Norway) and three times Revelation of Goodwood Festival of Speed (UK). He was third in the 2016 Formula Drift World Drift Championship and has many more awards and podiums. He has achieved the International Ambassador Award for motorsport and Outstanding Achievement Award through Motorsport New Zealand. Mike was also a finalist in 2017 for the New Zealander of the Year award for his outstanding work with charities and his dedication to motorsport both in New Zealand and on an international level. Mike has built his international fan base to over 2 million on Facebook alone and is the world’s most-travelled drifter. Mike is now crossing over into other disciplines with a fourth place finish in the Stadium Super Trucks in California United States and he has numerous top 10 finishes in the Australian GT Championship driving the McLaren 650s GT3.

2013 Mazda RX8 13B Superlite:

This Superlite short course race truck dubbed RUMBUL made its maiden Leadfoot appearance in 2017 and is back to take on the best driveway / hill climb in New Zealand. The Superlite was originally run in the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series in the United States and when the class finished up Mike picked it up out of California and shipped it back to New Zealand. The truck is powered by a Mazda RX8 13B naturally-aspirated engine and no mods have been done since its arrival in New Zealand. Yes, that’s right the class was in fact an all-rotary field! The suspension is a Fox Racing triple by-pass and it runs a Mendeola 4-speed transaxle.  

Ray Williams - 1970 Ford Capri Perana V8

Racing Ray has been racing for more than 45 years and has won more than 300 races. He has raced a variety of cars, including, Escort, Nissan, Porsche and Formula Ford, through to Formula 5000 and an March Indy Car. In 1996 Racing Ray set the New Zealand Outright Land Speed Record at 316 kmh in his Porsche 930 Turbo (some of his records still stand). In 2006 Ray was part of the team to set New Zealand 24 Hour Endurance Records.
He is still racing (and winning) as he approaches 73-years-old.

1970 Ford Capri Perana V8:

This 1970 Ford V8 Perana was built in South Africa as a production car. The engine is a Ford Windsor V8, producing 460hp. Neil Tolich built this car and won his class in Targa several times. Neil also won many races in the classic race series. Lucky for Ray, Neil decided to let him buy it from him!

Allan Woolf - 1965 Triumph Vitesse

Allan has been a motorsport competitor for some 60 years starting with the Auckland Car Club hill climb series, driving a 1933 Ford Y, 8hp. This car did the Indianapolis and Hepolite car trials and gained a second overall. Many saloon car races followed like the GTX series driving a Holden GTR. In 1972 daughter Sue was Allan’s co-driver in the Heatway Rally and in 1973 son John co-drove the Heatway in a Ford Capri. Allan drove in many long-distance races including the Benson and Hedges series. He also drove a Toyota Sprinter in the Wellington Street series, Manfeild, and Pukekohe. Allan has raced the production class in a Fiat 124 at Baypark, Manfeild and Pukekohe. He also won the New Zealand Saloon Car Championship in 1975 in a Ford Escort. In 1983, Rod Millen lent Allan a RX7 Mazda to drive at the Pikes Peak Hill Climb and he won the rally car class’ Rookie of the Year. Allan did the event again in 1984 and 1986 driving Rod’s 4WD RX7 cars.

1965 Triumph Vitesse:

This car was purchased in 1967 to race in the 1600cc class. The rules changed to 4200cc prior to the first race so it was out with the 1600cc engine and in with the 2500cc.
The Triumph has raced in circuits and hill climbs throughout New Zealand. It was re-purchased by Allan in 1989 and left in a shed, before it was finally restored in 2017.

Grant Woolford - 2018 SF450 Husqvarna Super Motard

This is Grant’s third Leadfoot Festival and he is now addicted. After 25 years in the motorcycle industry and 35 years riding a motorcycle, he is very keen to put a motorcycle in the top 10 this year. After last year’s battle with Stephen Briggs for the fastest motorcycle every run up the hill, he is look forward to doing it again this year but knows it’s no easy challenge, with the quality of competitors at this year’s event.

2018 SF450 Husqvarna Super Motard:

This 2018 Husqvarna 450 super motard is brand new off the shop floor. These bikes are power-to-weight some of the most exciting motorcycles on the planet. They are designed specifically for close circuit racing and it is one of the best motorcycles you could chose for Rod’s driveway. The bike will reach speeds of up to 140kmh on the Leadfoot hill over Waitangi Weekend.

Dan Woolhouse - 2017 Ford Mustang RTR

‘Fanga Dan’, is a two-time D1NZ Champion and professional drifting driver from Whangarei, New Zealand, with 40-plus podium finishes under his belt.
Fanga Dan has been competing in the D1NZ National Drifting Championship for 15 years.
This year you will see Fanga Dan wield a newly-built 2017 Ford Mustang RTR, built by CTB Performance, sliding sideways with Mustang RTR team mate Vaughn Gittin Jr.

2017 Ford Mustang RTR:

This is Fanga Dan’s activation car. It took him and CTB Performance only eight weeks to convert this registered road car into a race car. Its motor is a 5.0 Coyote V8 with a Ford Performance 2300 supercharger.
This is the first NZ-based Mustang to receive the RTR Spec 5D wide-body kit.
Fanga Dan took home the ‘Best Show’ award at last year’s Leadfoot Festival – can he do it again?

Bevan Wright - 1965 Gulf Almac Cobra 427R

Bevan has been a competitor in grass roots level motorsport for the last 25 years, competing in street sprints, hill climbs and circuit racing. He has had a passion for racing Minis, Escorts and his Cobra replica. He also enjoys racing and meeting other drivers at any level of the sport.

1965 Gulf Almac Cobra 427R:

This 1989 Almac Cobra 427R is a 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 runner with the Whittaker’s Tuscan, Stew McCondack’s Ferrari and has raced against the Lighting Direct Porches plus 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. It is running about 650hp. The bodywork is Kevlar. Bevan brought the Gulf Cobra to Leadfoot in 2013, and is keen to back to get into the top 10!

More to come…