Photos: The Graeme Bennett Collection - Part 1

[Steve Holmes]

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This collection of historic New Zealand motor racing photographs from the 1970s and '80s was sent to me by Vern Muller, and taken by his brother in-law Graeme Bennett. Its quite an extensive collection, I counted approx 400 photos altogether.

Graeme isn't/wasn't a professional photographer, simply a race fan who always had his camera handy to capture snippets of the action. The quality of the images is what you'd expect of a non-professional, with basic photographic equipment, snapping shots from within the grandstand, but regardless, these are fascinating, and include some magic cars, and epic events.

Essentially, Graeme is the guy who got Vern into motor racing, in the late 1970s, and its been costing Vern ever since. Vern took up racing in the early 1980s, firstly in a Falcon GT sedan, then an XA GS hardtop, which he later converted into an XC Cobra replica, and he's been at it ever since.

As Vern said of Graeme's collection when he sent it to me, "there's too many open wheelers for my liking". That's OK Vern, the rest of us will enjoy them! Graeme's collection contains most categories that were racing in New Zealand during the 1970s and early '80s, including Formula 5000, Formula Atlantic, big-bore saloon cars, ShellSport, B&H 500, Castrol GTX, Mini 7, Sports Cars, and various other stuff. The majority is of the first four categories I've listed above.

Anyway, with such a big collection I've had to split this over several chapters, so here is Part 1. Enjoy!

[Steve Holmes]

OK, kicking things off here, and its Bank of New South Wales saloon car action at Pukekohe. Shown here are Jim Richards in the Sidchrome Mustang, Red Dawson in the Camaro, Don Halliday in the quad-cam V6 Capri he and his brother Rob built, and John Riley in the ex-Joe Chamberlain/Dennis Marwood Trans-Am Camaro. This would be from the 1975 season, just before JR took the Mustang to Australia for the first time.

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[Steve Holmes]

Here is one of Reg Cooks early Datsuns, at Pukekohe. This would be before the ShellSport series began, so the Datsun would have been a Class car, possibly in 0 - 1,300cc of the BNSW series, or when ShellSport sponsored the NZ Saloon Car Championship?

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[Steve Holmes]

Castrol GTX action, and this is the start of one of the Class events. Can anyone name the drivers here? Steve E, is this your dad Ralph on pole?

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[Steve Holmes]

Probably the same event, or same race as that shown above with the Cook Datsun. This is the start of what appears a 0 - 1,300cc race, with Cook on pole. Alongside is Bill Leckie. Second row has Jim Stone in his Escort, and, I think, Rex Hart in the Mini. By chance is Rex Hart driving the ex-Cook Mini?

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[Steve Holmes]

I should point out the dates of these photos are fairly random. Jumping here to 1979, still at Pukekohe, and this is one of the legendary battles between Leo Leonard in the PDL Mustang II and Jim Richards in the XC Falcon hardtop.

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[Steve Holmes]

Here is Don Halliday in the Escort, firing through one of the temporary Pukekohe chicanes.

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[seaqnmac27]

Probably the same event, or same race as that shown above with the Cook Datsun. This is the start of what appears a 0 - 1,300cc race, with Cook on pole. Alongside is Bill Leckie. Second row has Jim Stone in his Escort, and, I think, Rex Hart in the Mini. By chance is Rex Hart driving the ex-Cook Mini?

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I have 3 pics from this race from my fathers collection always wondered who was who, this site has answered those questions.

[Steve Emson]

"Castrol GTX action, and this is the start of one of the Class events. Can anyone name the drivers here? Steve E, is this your dad Ralph on pole?"

Hi Steve,
Wonderful photos, bringing back lots of memories. Yes! that is Dad on pole in his Fiat 124 sports coupe. He won every race I remember watching, and broke all the lap records from the year before. It was the same car that he used the year before. ( It was actually sold to someone and he bought it back just before the first race of the second season). He did absolutely nothing to it. It was always parked down the side of our house and sometimes I would pinch it and take my girlfriend out in it.
The reason he went so much better the second year, was by his own admission he was more interested in what i was doing in my Datsun 1600 than concentrating properly in the first year. We used to run the 2 classes in the same race with a 10sec start difference. As stated he was watching me racing by looking across the track while he was driving in his race!! The funny thing was I found myself doing exactly the same thing here in Australia many years later. I was racing my XY Falcon GTHO in Historic group NC and my son was racing in our XU1 in the same race. I would look across the track in just the same way Dad must have been doing. I had Brett racing while he was still at school at Lakeside. A bloody good little driver, (not so little he is 6ft 2in) Brett made Dad this fantastic photo board of him racing an XU1, me racing an XU1 (back in the 70's) and himself racing his XU1. A pretty neat gift, and mum and Dad love it.

Great photos of all the cars and I look forward to some more

[Steve Holmes]

Hey Steve, thats such a cool story! I especially love the bit about you taking out your girlfriend in the car! Classic!

[Steve Holmes]

Here you go Steve, your dad appears to be looking straight at the camera!

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[Steve Holmes]

Whose was this Fiat? Its taken a hell of a whack. But its kept going. I should probably just get off my arse and look who some of these GTX drivers are, and will do if nobody ID's some of them first.

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[Steve Holmes]

Is this the team mate to the above car, or the same car from a different event, with the number changed? Either way, another big hit. Note the BNSW 1 Litre guys in the background awaiting their turn for a bit of chaos.

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[kiwi285]

Looks like the start of another fantastic collection of coloured photos from the great period in NZ motorsport. 400 odd should keep us going for a while and bring back all sorts of memories.

[seaqnmac27]

Steve, Mike Draper and Bill Anderson, still looking for the atual race report, but on page 3 of 10 Jan 75 MotorAction is a !/3 page advertisement for Reidrubber.

[seaqnmac27]

And Barry Phillips in the then ex Hart Mini.

[Kiwiboss]

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Thats a great picture!! lots of action about to happen, both drivers leaning forward, horsepower about to be unleashed and the PDL in pink just behind ready to pounce!!

Dale M

[Kiwiboss]

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"I was here" signed Mr A Fogg, and thats with a big LOL(lots of Laughs)Gerald

Dale M

[Steve Holmes]

Steve, Mike Draper and Bill Anderson, still looking for the atual race report, but on page 3 of 10 Jan 75 MotorAction is a !/3 page advertisement for Reidrubber.

Thanks Sean thats great info.

[Steve Holmes]

Thats a great picture!! lots of action about to happen, both drivers leaning forward, horsepower about to be unleashed and the PDL in pink just behind ready to pounce!!

Dale M

Too bad photos don't come with sound though Dale, you know the air would be filled with noise in this shot. To my mind the Sidchrome Mustang looked best this first year, with the subtle bubble flares and ground scraping stance. But of course its much more famous and best remembered in its later guise with two-tone paint and box flares.

[Steve Holmes]

I have 3 pics from this race from my fathers collection always wondered who was who, this site has answered those questions.

Thats right Sean, I know the ones you're referring to. He must have been sitting a little further back up the straight than Graeme was here?

[Kiwiboss]

Too bad photos don't come with sound though Dale, you know the air would be filled with noise in this shot. To my mind the Sidchrome Mustang looked best this first year, with the subtle bubble flares and ground scraping stance. But of course its much more famous and best remembered in its later guise with two-tone paint and box flares.

I agree Steve, thats why i like this pic, the first year ofcourse Jim won the NZSCC and the mustang was still basically to FIA group 5 rules under MSNZ, then the following year it pretty much became a Sports Sedan and is probably most famous for here and in Australia, in that look.

Dale M

[Steve Holmes]

I wasn't going to include this photo, because its been over-exposed, or something, and the colour is way out. But then I noticed what appears to be a trackside commentator, and a young kid (his son?) standing on the outside of the track, with what looks like no protection. Is there a bank they're standing on that can't be seen in this pic? Either way, quite interesting, as the two Fiats charge past at racing speed.

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[Steve Holmes]

Castrol GTX time again, with Jim Richards in the Team McMillen XA GT Falcon.

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[Steve Holmes]

Can someone ID this Charger driver?

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[Steve Holmes]

Here is the AWA Escort, formerly a Ford Boreham Group 2 factory race car that competed in Europe. Its currently owned by Roaring Season member Chris Kitzen, who is restoring it, and looking for photos! I hope this helps Chris.

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[Bruce302]

Better ?

http://i44.tinypic.com/2n6zwbp.jpg

[Steve Holmes]

ShellSport cars line up on the grid, with Bryce Platt on pole in the Escort, Reg Cook alongside. Looks like Rex Findlays Datsun in behind, but whose is the MkII Escort #20? Possibly Bill Leckie?

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[Steve Holmes]

Better ?

http://i44.tinypic.com/2n6zwbp.jpg

Yes Bruce, much better!

[Steve Holmes]

Castrol GTX action, and here is the Paul Fahey owned Union Travel Camaro, raced by Kevin McNamara. This car was built up from the best of three junk cars by Jandals Sheehan. Incidentally, this car is now in Australia. Note also the black Neville Crichton Camaro in shot, which was also raced by Jim Richards, and I believe this is the car that went to George Bunce. Whose is the XU1? Possibly Wayne Wilkinson?

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[Steve Holmes]

Another from the Castrol GTX ranks, Rod Coppins in the L34 he purchased in 1974, and which he and good buddy Jim Richards took to Bathurst that year, finishing an impressive third. This was the first time Richards had ever been to Bathurst.

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[seaqnmac27]

ShellSport cars line up on the grid, with Bryce Platt on pole in the Escort, Reg Cook alongside. Looks like Rex Findlays Datsun in behind, but whose is the MkII Escort #20? Possibly Bill Leckie?

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I suspect that the MK2 while built by Bill Leckie was raced by someone else maybe Mark Rutherford or John Armstrong? This is 79 or 80? Will check when I get home.

[seaqnmac27]

Fred Bailey.

[seaqnmac27]

Yep. Built by Bill Leckie for Fred Bailey and Kent Baigent. Made its debut at the Bay Park Gold Star meet end March 78. At the GP meet Jan 1980 it was entered to be driven by Bailey. Leckie was entered driving the Lancer.

[Carlo]

Yep. Built by Bill Leckie for Fred Bailey and Kent Baigent. Made its debut at the Bay Park Gold Star meet end March 78. At the GP meet Jan 1980 it was entered to be driven by Bailey. Leckie was entered driving the Lancer.

Then on sold to John Armstrong who ran it for a season before selling it to Allan Farr who still races it today. The car has raced in Shellsport, OSCA, South Island Endurance Series and still retains it's Shellsport configuration as used by Allan during the 1982 season

[Steve Holmes]

Great info thanks guys, good bit of research. Carlo, do you have any pics of how it looks today?

[Steve Holmes]

The next six photos are all from Pukekohe in January 1980. They include the two Group C A9X's Torana's that visited the North Island race tracks Puke, Bay Park, and Manfeild. One was the Holden Dealer Team car, the other was that of Garry Rogers. The third Aussie car was the Graeme Whincup Monza. There was a bit of musical chairs going on with the Monza and HDT Torana. Graeme himself sometimes drove the Monza, Peter Brock sometimes drove the Torana, and Jim Richards had a steer in both. No doubt someone here can tell me who drove what, where.

The fourth car in the pics is Wayne Huxfords V8 Capri, in only its second year of competition, and still fitted with the Morand Chevy out of the Oxton driven Begg FM5.

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[Steve Holmes]

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[Steve Holmes]

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[Carlo]

Great info thanks guys, good bit of research. Carlo, do you have any pics of how it looks today?

Photo of both it and " Big Bertha" in Shellsport post #13 taken at a recent race meeting in Timaru

[seaqnmac27]

I have a pic of it from that first Bay Park meet will scan and post.

[Rod Grimwood]

Yes Bruce, much better!

Yes much better photo wise, the behaviour of the guy and kid is dumb, there is no bank just straight across grass to fence Steve.
Ask poor Jamie.

[Steve Holmes]

Time for some OSCA/Sports Sedan action. In the early 1980s, when Sports Sedan racing was just getting off the ground and getting some momentum going, North Island event organisers regularly had South Island OSCA teams up to run, to both help boost car numbers, and create a good healthy dose of North/South rivalry.

This shot shows what was really the fastest racing sedan in NZ throughout the first half of the 1980s, Trevor Crowe's first Olds V8 powered Starlet. It was impressive how quick this car was.

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[Steve Holmes]

Here is a great shot showing just how hectic the action could get in Sports Sedan racing. Its important to remember that although there were cars built specifically for Sports Sedan racing, most Sports Sedan fields were made up of cars from other classes, such as ShellSport, production racing etc. This shot captures that really well. Coming up over the hill, Graeme Addis in his Charger Sports Sedan gobbles up several slower cars, including ShellSport and proddie cars. The yellow Escort looks to be left hand drive, so is possibly that of Mark Rutherford, this being the car Bob Homewood later rebuilt into his amazing Sports Sedan.

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[Steve Holmes]

Here is one of the longest serving OSCA racers, Ian Munt in his fantastic looking V8 Capri, that was originally built and raced in Australia by Bruce Carey, before Munt bought it, while living in Sydney, and who then shipped it out to NZ when he returned home.

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[Steve Holmes]

V8 powered Ford Capri's made for popular Sports Sedan/OSCA racers in the early 1980s. Here is the OSCA car of John Osborne leading Wayne Huxfords North Island Sports Sedan. The Osborne Capri is the same car built in the mid 1970s by Don and Rob Halliday, and originally fitted with a quad-cam Ford V6. It was later owned by Danie (sp?) Lupp, who fitted it with a Jaguar V12. Osborne ran it with a small block Chevy V8.

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[Steve Holmes]

Yet another of the Chevy V8 powered Capri's, here is Inky Tulloch in his OSCA version. Tulloch won the OSCA championship with this car, which started life as a factory RS2600 race car, before being purchased by Paul Fahey in 1974. Fahey replaced the pushrod V6 with a later, more powerful quad-cam V6, and won the NZ Saloon Car Championship with it in 1975. It was then raced the next two seasons by Grant Walker before Tulloch bought it and repowered it. John Osborne later bought it when his own ex-Halliday Capri, pictured above, caught fire and burnt to the ground. Its now owned by Roger Townshend and is being restored to as Fahey raced it in the 1975 season.

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[225sloper]

These are really cool photos

[Steve Holmes]

This is from the 1976 season, and a quality field of big banger sedans are about to get the green. On the front row are the quad-cam Capri's of Grant Walker, and Don Halliday. Walker is in the ex-Paul Fahey car. Second row has Red Dawsons DeKon Monza on the inside, while next to him is Bruce Bellis in the V8 Cortina, this being the ex-Clyde Collins car.

Note how close the cars are on the grid, between the rows.

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[Rod Grimwood]

Fahey, Halliday, Dawson, Bellis and the guy with the blue hat and long blonde hair name is "Steve" thats all I rmember him by, at every meeting around the north island, and still goes. (with hair the same but little thinner on top) but same type of hat, he now lives way up Kerikeri way. One keen motorsport spectator.

[Steve Emson]

Great shots of the cars, and especially the case study in Capri's. I have spoken with Grant Walker on the phone a few times recently here in Australia. He is now heavily involved with rallying Escort BDG's.

[Milan Fistonic]

The story behind the two damaged Reidrubber Fiat 124s as reported in Motoraction.

The drama in this division came in the second heat. Michael Draper in one of the Reidrubber Fiat 124s was leading into Rothmans Chicane on the first lap, but spun in a cloud of tyre smoke on the exit. Most of the following cars missed him - but his team mate Bill Anderson in the other Reidrubber car didn't, hitting Draper's Fiat in the left-rear quarter panel. Draper tried to struggle on but pitted after a lap with a buckled wheel, while Anderson couldn't restart owing to geysers in the radiator. This left Ralph Emson to get through for his second win of the day, and as in the first heat Phil Henley was second.

That's Henley in car 34 on the outside of the front row in the grid shot.

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks Milan, that is great!

[Rod Grimwood]

Great shots of the cars, and especially the case study in Capri's. I have spoken with Grant Walker on the phone a few times recently here in Australia. He is now heavily involved with rallying Escort BDG's.

Steve that will be Grant in the ex Fahey car I think on pole. (not Fahey as I quoted)

[Steve Holmes]

Castrol GTX production racing. On pole is Jim Richards in the Team McMillen XA GT sedan. Whose is the Charger lined up next to him? The HQ Monaro on row two I believe would be that of Don Scott, before he bought the ex-Neville Crichton Monaro.

There were some really great muscle cars that ran in the Castrol GTX series throughout its lifetime. The Camaros that ran in the later years are all accounted for, as is the Rod Coppins L34 Torana, and the Falcon GT-HOs from the earlier years. What about some of the others? Anyone know?

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[Shano]

The charger was driven by Robin Bennett (Robin's world of hair fashion). He was a hair dresser and was developing a chain of hairdressing salons in the Hibiscus Cost area (Manly, Orewa and Queens Arcade listed on the side of the car). He lived at Waitoki.

He was good value and I'm pretty sure the car was his daily driver as well.

[John McKechnie]

Now thats what I call a car for NZ mens hairdressers- better that the stereotype MX5 and Capri Convertibles.

[Milan Fistonic]

Castrol GTX production racing. On pole is Jim Richards in the Team McMillen XA GT sedan. Whose is the Charger lined up next to him? The HQ Monaro on row two I believe would be that of Don Scott, before he bought the ex-Neville Crichton Monaro.

There were some really great muscle cars that ran in the Castrol GTX series throughout its lifetime. The Camaros that ran in the later years are all accounted for, as is the Rod Coppins L34 Torana, and the Falcon GT-HOs from the earlier years. What about some of the others? Anyone know?

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These photos show the complete field of race 1 at the April 7 1974 meeting at Pukekohe. That's right, just four cars.

As well as the three drivers mentioned by Steve there was a late entry from Sue Adams in a 3-litre Capri.

In practice Richards did a 1.28.2, Bennett a 1.31.3, Scott a 1.32.7 and Adams a 1.36.2.

Because of the shortage of entries the organisers reduce the race distance from 10 laps to six. Bennett's Charger retired early in the race with no oil pressure. Richards made a race of it by staying just ahead of Scott, both of them "throwing their cars through the corners in fine style". Sue Adams stalled at the start but did finish and collected the third place prize money of $40.

[Steve Emson]

The race report of the 124 coupes is interesting. That is not how I remember that race. The two Reidrubber cars coming together was a talking point for awhile. Unusual for two team cars to take each other out.
If I remember correctly these two cars were never competitive on the sponsors products. Those tyres at the time were pretty terrible things. They changed to something more suitable (another brand) and went a lot better. I believe the sponsors knew about it?? I have all the race reports from these times taped up in boxes. I do know however that I have noticed over the years that some of the race reports of races I was in tell different versions of what happened in reality. Things like who passed who at which corner and on which lap. That is completely understandable of course. A lot of detail to remember or write down while also trying to take some photos.

[Steve Emson]

As I said earlier, this is not how I remember that race. I just checked with Dad, and he said the same. He said he doesn't ever remember those 2 team cars being in front of him. Almost certain the report has some facts mixed up. The two cars did however collide at the chicane.
The story behind the two damaged Reidrubber Fiat 124s as reported in Motoraction.

The drama in this division came in the second heat. Michael Draper in one of the Reidrubber Fiat 124s was leading into Rothmans Chicane on the first lap, but spun in a cloud of tyre smoke on the exit. Most of the following cars missed him - but his team mate Bill Anderson in the other Reidrubber car didn't, hitting Draper's Fiat in the left-rear quarter panel. Draper tried to struggle on but pitted after a lap with a buckled wheel, while Anderson couldn't restart owing to geysers in the radiator. This left Ralph Emson to get through for his second win of the day, and as in the first heat Phil Henley was second.

That's Henley in car 34 on the outside of the front row in the grid shot.

[rogered]

These photos show the complete field of race 1 at the April 7 1974 meeting at Pukekohe. That's right, just four cars.

As well as the three drivers mentioned by Steve there was a late entry from Sue Adams in a 3-litre Capri.

In practice Richards did a 1.28.2, Bennett a 1.31.3, Scott a 1.32.7 and Adams a 1.36.2.

Because of the shortage of entries the organisers reduce the race distance from 10 laps to six. Bennett's Charger retired early in the race with no oil pressure. Richards made a race of it by staying just ahead of Scott, both of them "throwing their cars through the corners in fine style". Sue Adams stalled at the start but did finish and collected the third place prize money of $40.


That charger is on grid 2 next to a GT falcon and in front of a 350 monaro.
Its not an E49 so that would seem a pretty good performance
so was it a v8 or a 265 auto???

[Milan Fistonic]

The programme has Bennett's car as a Chrysler Charger 770 of 4343cc.

[Steve Holmes]

0-1300cc action here, with the Mini's of Reg Cook and Rex Hart, plus Jim Stone's Escort. Note the wheel diameter on the Cook Mini.

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[Steve Holmes]

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[seaqnmac27]

Time for some OSCA/Sports Sedan action. In the early 1980s, when Sports Sedan racing was just getting off the ground and getting some momentum going, North Island event organisers regularly had South Island OSCA teams up to run, to both help boost car numbers, and create a good healthy dose of North/South rivalry.

This shot shows what was really the fastest racing sedan in NZ throughout the first half of the 1980s, Trevor Crowe's first Olds V8 powered Starlet. It was impressive how quick this car was.

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Was looking through my collection of Motor Actions last week for the Bailey Escort, and I came across a picture of this car on its race debut in what in black and white looks like "virginal" white. when I have a moment, which I do have very little of at the moment I will scan and post it.

[Rod Grimwood]

seaqnmac27, is that with the maroon ACL Finance (i think) on it

[seaqnmac27]

Not sure Rod, but it is from early 1980 with no wings asit is at the beginning of the OSCA DVD Evan did.

[Steve Holmes]

Was looking through my collection of Motor Actions last week for the Bailey Escort, and I came across a picture of this car on its race debut in what in black and white looks like "virginal" white. when I have a moment, which I do have very little of at the moment I will scan and post it.

Yep thats right Sean, it was just plain white when it first appeared, then had some stripes applied during the season. But it didn't have the large rear wing and still had small diameter wheels. But even then it was a fast little car.

[Steve Holmes]

More action from the 1976 season, with Jack Nazer, Grant Walker, and Red Dawson.

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[Steve Holmes]

And possibly on the same day as those posted above, but I assume its later in the day. Leo Leonard and the PDL Mustang is just slipping out of shot, in its last season in front line racing. Note the damage to Nazer's Victor. I assume he and Leonard had another of their famous roughing-up sessions.

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[seaqnmac27]

Time for some OSCA/Sports Sedan action. In the early 1980s, when Sports Sedan racing was just getting off the ground and getting some momentum going, North Island event organisers regularly had South Island OSCA teams up to run, to both help boost car numbers, and create a good healthy dose of North/South rivalry.

This shot shows what was really the fastest racing sedan in NZ throughout the first half of the 1980s, Trevor Crowe's first Olds V8 powered Starlet. It was impressive how quick this car was.

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Second from top the Crowe Starlet Mark 1 on debut, from the report it was finished in the paddock during practise as they had on got the bodyshell 2 weeks earlier. The top picture features Gary Jenkins in the exDickie Victor leading John Osborne Inky Tulloch Ian Munt and Rod McElrea, not sure who car 53 in the background is.
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[Steve Holmes]

Great work Sean! Man it really looks modest in that photo!

[Steve Holmes]

More OSCA/Sports Sedan action from Pukekohe. John Osborne heads Inky Tulloch.

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[Steve Holmes]

Another shot of the awesome Tulloch Capri.

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[Steve Holmes]

Its amazing how some of these cars evolved, and raced for so many years. Here is the '67 Shelby Mustang, raced by Bob Egan in the Trans-Am, before it was bought by New Zealand born Bob Kennett. Kennett ran it in the Trans-Am in 1970, replacing his Porsche 911, which had been outlawed by the SCCA. He then did a swap with Dexter Dunlop (for a McRae?), and Dunlop took it to NZ and raced it from late 1971. It then went to Kevin Haig in the South Island, who won the OSCA championship with it, before it was passed through more owners. I think Lawrence Bruce also owned it? By the early 1980s, it was still charging hard. Its now in Queensland, as part of the Bowden collection.

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[Steve Holmes]

Its amazing to consider these are the same two Ford Capri's, albeit these photos were taken a few years apart!

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[Steve Emson]

Its amazing how some of these cars evolved, and raced for so many years. Here is the '67 Shelby Mustang, raced by Bob Egan in the Trans-Am, before it was bought by New Zealand born Bob Kennett. Kennett ran it in the Trans-Am in 1970, replacing his Porsche 911, which had been outlawed by the SCCA. He then did a swap with Dexter Dunlop (for a McRae?), and Dunlop took it to NZ and raced it from late 1971. It then went to Kevin Haig in the South Island, who won the OSCA championship with it, before it was passed through more owners. I think Lawrence Bruce also owned it? By the early 1980s, it was still charging hard. Its now in Queensland, as part of the Bowden collection.

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My son Brett had a good tussle with this car in his XU1 during the Muscle car shoot out at Qld Raceway many years ago. I think Dan was driving the mustang. It looks a lot different now. I don't think we have any photos of it. i think Dan & Brett had a good laugh about it afterwards, as they both really enjoyed themselves. Brett had the luck to be the 2nd fastest car in Queensland that day.

[Rod Grimwood]

Did Slade own this Mustang at one stage.

[Kiwiboss]

My son Brett had a good tussle with this car in his XU1 during the Muscle car shoot out at Qld Raceway many years ago. I think Dan was driving the mustang. It looks a lot different now. I don't think we have any photos of it. i think Dan & Brett had a good laugh about it afterwards, as they both really enjoyed themselves. Brett had the luck to be the 2nd fastest car in Queensland that day.

How it looks today!!

[Steve Holmes]

Did Slade own this Mustang at one stage.

Yes he did Rod and I suspect that might be him in the car pictured above, but I couldn't say with 100% certainty, so left that bit blank.

[seaqnmac27]

Or Rob Kennard?

[Munty]

Both, Kennard bought it off Slade...99% sure anyway

[seaqnmac27]

I had a very vague recollection from someone on here that Kennard drove it for Slade in 1982? GP meet?

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks guys, I'd forgotten Kennard also raced it!

[Steve Holmes]

More ShellSport action now with the Datsun Sunny of Reg Cook, and the Escorts of Bryce Platt and Don Halliday

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[Steve Holmes]

Last couple of pics for this chapter, from Puke during the 1974 season. Here Jim Richards in the Sidchrome Mustang and Red Dawson in the Kensington Carpets Camaro light the bags up off the line, while Graham Baker from row two looks to find a way through in the PDL Mustang.

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Meanwhile, sharing row two with Baker is Paul Fahey, in the RS2600 Capri. Great cars!

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[Steve Holmes]

By the way, the next chapter will feature only single seaters, for all you single seater guys getting withdrawal symptoms.

[seaqnmac27]

Probably the same event, or same race as that shown above with the Cook Datsun. This is the start of what appears a 0 - 1,300cc race, with Cook on pole. Alongside is Bill Leckie. Second row has Jim Stone in his Escort, and, I think, Rex Hart in the Mini. By chance is Rex Hart driving the ex-Cook Mini?

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The Mini, partially obscured by the Stone Escort would be Jeff Hancock in the Coppertone Mini?

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks Sean. Does this car still exist in the South Island?

[Steve Holmes]

This thread was nearly finished, but not quite. More ShellSport action:

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[Steve Holmes]

And, finally, a couple of pit photos of this skinny young bloke, who owned the Sidchrome Mustang and a Falcon Cobra! Rumour has it he is starting a new class for Historic Sports Sedans, and still owns the Sidchrome.

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[Oldfart]

You been at the Photoshop, he looks a bit different to how I have seen him :)

[Rod Grimwood]

He doesn't look too much different, but his cars do.