Photos: The Allan Cameron Collection - Part 2

[Steve Holmes]

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The Benson & Hedges 500 was one of New Zealands longest running car racing events. It grew from the Wills 6 Hour race, which first began in 1963, run by the New Zealand International Grand Prix organisation. The Wills 6 Hour was held at the Pukekohe circuit, just south of Auckland. Cigarette company WD & HO Wills provided the backing. The race was open to production touring cars, and was won by Tony Shelly and Ray Archibald in a 3.8 litre MkI Jaguar.

The race quickly gained a strong following, despite some misgivings over the type of vehicles that were allowed to compete. Paul Fahey and Jim Palmer won the 1964 running of the event, in the same modified Lotus Cortina Fahey would use to win the 1965 New Zealand Saloon Car Championship. Jag's again won the event the next two years, before the NZIGP gave it a shake-up for 1967, requiring the vehicles be stock-standard road cars, and that they be New Zealand assembled. From 1968, the race would be held over a distance of 500 miles, rather than the 6 Hour timed distance, from previous years. 1968 also saw a switch of cigarette brands to Benson & Hedges.

The B&H 500 became a huge annual event on the New Zealand motorsport calendar right through to 1980, and always at Pukekohe, before switching to a three race endurance series held at the North Island tracks of Bay Park, Manfeild, and Pukekohe.

The B&H 500 took place 13 times between 1968 and 1980, but was only won by five different makes: Vauxhall Victor (1968/69), Chrysler Valiant Regal V8 (1970/71), Chrysler Charger 770 (1972-78), Volkswagon Golf GTi (1979), and Holden Commodore (1980). And production car racing expert Leo Leonard won the race six times, four of which were with Ernie Sprague. Sprague also teamed up with his son Gary to win the last Wills 6 Hour race in 1967 driving a Ford Zodiac.

Rod Coppins also enjoyed a lot of success in the B&H 500, winning it four times; twice with Jim Richards, and twice with Jerry Clayton. Coppins also won the 1965 Wills 6 Hour, teamed with John Ward. Graeme Richardt/Jim Little won the event in 1976, Wayne Wilkinson/Roy Harrington won it in 1978. Richardt had also teamed with Leonard to win the 1971 event. Virtually every driver to have won, was a car dealer! Indeed, the vast majority of contestants through the multiple classes were car dealers. It made sense, these were bog-standard road cars, and nobody in New Zealand had greater access to suitable vehicles. Many were taken off the lot, raced, and returned to the lot the following Monday morning to be sold to unsuspecting customers.

This was a huge event, with a strong following, and the season highlight for many, particularly those taking part. It also enjoyed local New Zealand manufacturer/dealer support, and even produced a couple of B&H 500 race specific specials, including a batch of Fiat 125T's, all appropriately painted yellow.

In Part 2 of the Allan Cameron Collection, we focus purely on the B&H 500. Allan captured images from the 1970, 1971, and 1974 running of the event. And these images make for great viewing.

[Steve Holmes]

This opening batch of photos are from the 1970 B&H 500 event, but this is not the B&H 500 race. Pictured is a support race for production touring cars. These are cars available in New Zealand, but not NZ assembled, such as the Falcon GT-HOs, Holden Monaros etc. This is moments after the start, as the field streams through the left hand dog-leg that is no longer used.

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[Steve Holmes]

And emerging out the other side.

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[Steve Holmes]

The back half of the field bunches into the left-hander. You can see some of the cars down the back would also be eligible for the B&H race.

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[Steve Holmes]

And streaming out now onto the back straight. You can clearly see the horse racing track inside the car track. Much like Sandown.

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[darren]

Excellent pics!!!

[Oldfart]

Steve, you can also clearly see the cars! No longer!

[Steve Holmes]

Ha ha ha, yes thats right, lots of concrete barricades now.

[Steve Holmes]

Here is one of the Monaros working its way through the back markers. I wish I could ID some of these drivers, but I don't have any info on this race, only the main B&H race.

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[Steve Holmes]

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[Steve Holmes]

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[Steve Holmes]

Now onto the B&H race, and here is one of the V8 Valiant Regals, this being the Merv Neil/Tim Bailey car, showing signs of damage.

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[Steve Holmes]

One of the Cortina GTE's.

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[Oldfart]

Steve, some of those pictures look late in the day, which might mean the main race? Then again there are a few parkas etc so perhaps it's just the bad weather.

[Frosty5]

Ahhh, when Pukekohe WAS Pukekohe. No concrete barriers, no bridges to obscure the view. Suspect dunnies, mud up to ankles and just about to be able to go anywhere outside the track to get a better view and no little Hitlers in white coats telling you where you cant go. Ahhh, those were the days.
Dave Graham

[Steve Holmes]

Steve, some of those pictures look late in the day, which might mean the main race? Then again there are a few parkas etc so perhaps it's just the bad weather.

I think its a bit of both Rhys, it was a grey day, and the pictures are also quite dark.

[Steve Holmes]

This is the McMillan Ford Falcon 500 driven to third place in the 1970 B&H 500 by Robbie Francevic/Steve Borich. I'm scratching my head just a little, as there is a McMillan Falcon leading all the Monaros in the opening images in this thread from the support race. The two cars look the same, but I can't believe a 6 cylinder Falcon 500 could outrun those Monaros, plus what appears to be a GT-HO. So I'm guessing McMillan were running a GT-HO painted up in identical colours for the support race? Can anyone shed light on this? I know McMillan ran a Phase III, but that wasn't until 1972.

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[Steve Holmes]

One of the Fiats

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[Steve Holmes]

The Valiants were dominant in the race, here is another of them. The white Valiant, third in the line, appears to be the winning Leonard/Sprague machine.

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[Peddler]

I was a flag marshall in those days. Do remember drivers running B&H 500 cars in the support race, and also two Falcons in similar livery, one a GT in the support event and the other a weezy six pot complete with steel wheels in the main event. This was a way to spread prestige from two events across both. The B&H was a big deal and a win meant a lot, but the Ford machines just didn't look like race cars unlike the GT. So...make the one in the big deal event look like the racer in the little event.
Almost always gloomy and wet in my memory.

[Milan Fistonic]

Here are the entry lists for the two races at the 1970 B&H meeting.


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[John McKechnie]

This is the McMillan Ford Falcon 500 driven to third place in the 1970 B&H 500 by Robbie Francevic/Steve Borich. I'm scratching my head just a little, as there is a McMillan Falcon leading all the Monaros in the opening images in this thread from the support race. The two cars look the same, but I can't believe a 6 cylinder Falcon 500 could outrun those Monaros, plus what appears to be a GT-HO. So I'm guessing McMillan were running a GT-HO painted up in identical colours for the support race? Can anyone shed light on this? I know McMillan ran a Phase III, but that wasn't until 1972.

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Absolutely a standard car. No bonnet scoop, rear spoiler, driver sitting on bench seat, plain wheels

[Rod Grimwood]

Yep original bench seat. Think this changed after a well known car dealers seat collapsed in the car (Falcon?) he was sharing with (I think) Dick Johnson later on in B&H race.

[bob homewood]

The Red Falcon GT in the photo is the Greymouth Mptors car of Jim Kennedy that I was responsible for looking after back at that time ,this was before it got its upgrade before the Southern series of the same year

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks for this Bob.

[Steve Holmes]

Here are the entry lists for the two races at the 1970 B&H meeting.


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Fantastic! Thanks for this Milan.

[Steve Holmes]

OK, moving now to the 1971 B&H event, and this is from the Golden 100 race that preceded the B&H race. The Golden 100 required only 3 examples be imported into NZ to be eligible. The race was won by Richard Brocklehurst in a Torana XU1. This is another of the XU1's, possibly the Roy Harrington car.

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[Steve Holmes]

Here is Tim Bailey in the Porsche.

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[Steve Holmes]

Robbie Francevic in the GT-HO.

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[Rod Grimwood]

Photo from down the grid, don't know when, recieved on a disc with a load of other old classic photos from 70s.

[Steve Holmes]

One of the Monaros in the support race. Can someone ID?

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[Steve Holmes]

Bruce Anderson in the GT-HO.

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[John McKechnie]

One of the Monaros in the support race. Can someone ID?

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Steve, this is the same Monaro that I have posted having the big lose at the hairpin
.Now that I know the race I will ID it tonight,

[John McKechnie]

Post #32-Andersons car without the saw blades painted on the number.

[Steve Holmes]

Steve, this is the same Monaro that I have posted having the big lose at the hairpin
.Now that I know the race I will ID it tonight,

Great stuff, thanks a lot for this John.

[Allan]

I have always thought that the Monaro 76 was Tom Russell from Wellington. Someone who has access to better info than mine might like to correct me.
Allan

[John McKechnie]

I dont have this mag yet.
On my Monaro site #371, Allan, you suggested his name, no one has confirmed this so far .
I will keep looking for our unidentified pilot.

[Steve Holmes]

Sorry I've not updated this thread for a while. I'd been playing with the images, trying to lighten them up, but without losing the quality. They're superb images, with so much going on in them, but they're very dark, so I was trying to get a balance. Anyway, I failed, but will keep posting these, having done the best I can.

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[Steve Holmes]

This is the B&H 500 race start.

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[Steve Holmes]

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[Steve Holmes]

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[Steve Holmes]

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[Steve Holmes]

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[Allan]

If you read through the entrys for the 1970 B&H what you will find is a list that really is the "whos who" of NZ motor racing from the late 60s and early 70s.

[Steve Holmes]

Yep, thats for sure Allan!

[Steve Holmes]

Last three pics from the 1971 B&H race.

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[Steve Holmes]

OK, moving right along, and now we're at the 1974 B&H 500. This is moments after the start, as the field streams into the left-hand turn to head out onto the old back part of Pukekohe.

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[Steve Holmes]

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[GD66]

That first left-hander was always referred to as the Elbow, and Railway will always be Railway...:)

[Steve Holmes]

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[Rod Grimwood]

Post #46 blue with yellow stripes Mk3 Cortina, Robin Irving and Lyall Martin (Lyalls Car Painters Fame) bought this car after race and had a play, and even let me steer it once. It went well for a standard off the floor car (oops another 'Tui' add). They used to end up with all sorts of cars, as they painted them for the boy's and dealers. Remember one Charger, it was a wee bit quicker than the uncles one, must have been the paint job.
Great collection of photos, very interesting.

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks Rod, great info!

[Steve Holmes]

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[Steve Holmes]

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[Grant Sprague]

24446LOl , if Ernie saw Leo burning that inside rear tyre there would have been words

[Rod Grimwood]

Got a better photo of smoke at left hander end of front straight around stables some where, so he kept the wear even on both Grant.

[Grant Sprague]

Got a better photo of smoke at left hander end of front straight around stables some where, so he kept the wear even on both Grant.LOL Rod I will tell you a wee story ..... when they had the 3.3 victor there , I went down by the stables [spying] as they turned left , Leo was locking the l/F tyre every 2nd lap in practice , I went running back to Dad to say you wont have a left front tyre if it gets punished like that , I thought I was out of my depth even talking to Ernie [16 yrs old there abouts] like this , sure enough words were said ....... but all in good spirit. I reminded Leo about this at levels a couple yrs ago we laughed but hey it was big time in those days .... who knows if nothing was said ?????

[Steve Holmes]

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