Article: Bay Park Big Bangers: Christmas 1973

[Steve Holmes]

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Bay Park first flung its gates open to the public in late 1967. Designed by local Lin McKenzie, it was a relatively basic design that worked well for the area in which it was situated, producing interesting racing, and full track visibility for the crowd. At just 2.14kms in length, it featured four corners, all of roughly 180 degrees, including a sweeper, hairpin, and two low/medium speed bends. A few months after opening, on December 30, 1967, Bay Park held their first major event, inviting top Australian touring car driver Norm Beechey across to compete against the best local machines in his wicked Chevy Nova. From that first event, the Bay Park promotions group, headed by Peter Hanna, made an effort to have at least one international team at their three major annual events, all held on long weekends or during the holiday season; Labour Weekend, Christmas, and Easter.

Despite being the newest purpose built facility in the country, Bay Park chose to run to their own agenda, and as a result, were largely snubbed by the establishment in New Zealand motorsport. Therefore, when the Tasman Series visited New Zealand each year, bringing with it some of the worlds top teams and drivers, Bay Park was left out in the cold. But Hanna and his team had other ideas. They figured the paying public were just as keen to watch big, noisy, ill-mannered sedan cars as they were to see nimble single seaters, and so focused their energies and budget on getting touring car teams across to their events.

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The punt paid off. The Christmas event, with a ready crowd of holiday goers visiting the Mount Maunganui area over the holiday, became their centrepiece. Here they really stumped up, and usually had two or more international sedan teams across to take on the locals. At their 1970 Xmas event, they imported the big block Camaro’s of Terry Allan and Bryan Thomson, along with American Joe Chamberlain in his SCCA A Sedan/Trans-Am Camaro. Added to one of the best local line-ups, the event was so successful they had to shut the gates to the paying public early in the afternoon on race day, as the Bay Park facilities had reached maximum capacity.

The next year, Canadian born Australian based Allan Moffat was brought across with his very fast Kar-Kraft ’69 Mustang, as was Pete Geoghegan in his Mustang, and Brian Foley in his Alfa GTA, also from Australia, along with Ron Grable from the US in a 1969 Firebird. At the 1972 event, UK based Australian Frank Gardner appeared in a Camaro, Allan Moffat was back with his Mustang, and Pete Geoghegan also returned, now with his powerful Super Falcon, along with Joe Chamberlain, back again in another Camaro.

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And as the lead-up to the 1973 Xmas event began, to be held on December 30, 1973, so excitement rose as to who had been signed. Obviously, first on their hit-list was Allan Moffat. From his first appearance on New Zealand soil, Moffat wowed the crowds with his forceful driving, and his winning mentality. The New Zealand motoring media didn’t care much for him, as he had no interest in catering to them, and gave them very little of his time. But he brought out the best in the Kiwi drivers, and raised the bar to new levels. Moffat had already won Bathurst three times, 1973 being the most recent, and he also won the 1973 Australian Touring Car Championship. For the Bay Park event, he’d again bring with him his beloved Kar-Kraft 1969 Mustang, with which he’d competed with in the ATCC since 1969. With the Confederation for Australian Motor Sports (CAMS) having drastically modified touring car regulations for the 1973 season, introducing Group C, and ditching Improved Production under which the Mustang had previously competed, Moffat’s Mustang was now forced to race as a Sports Sedan, where, despite being up against some quite radical machinery, was still immensely competitive.

The Bay Park team also signed up the young, up and coming Aussie driver Peter Brock. Brock was signed to the Holden Dealer Team in 1969, and won Bathurst for the first time in 1972. With Sports Sedan racing quickly rising to prominence in Australia during the early 1970s, the Holden Dealer Team built a rough and ready Repco V8 powered Torana, which was as quick as it was ugly. The Torana was nicknamed ‘Beast II’ by the team. Beast I was a similarly radical Rallycross car. Brock competed in selected Sports Sedan races in Beast II, and it was this car he’d race in New Zealand.

[Steve Holmes]

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The local New Zealand contingent was as strong as it had ever been. Leading the charge was reigning New Zealand Saloon Car Champion, Rod Coppins. Coppins won his first championship, when he tied with Red Dawson in 1970, driving a ’67 Camaro. This car he raced until mid-way through the 1972 season, when he replaced it with a 1969 SCCA Trans-Am racing Pontiac Firebird. The Firebird was built by the Trans-Am factory Pontiac team, T/G Racing, headed by Jerry Titus and Terry Godsall. Titus was a giant among men in US motor racing, being a journalist and hugely gifted race car driver. His media credentials made him a powerful figure in the sport, but once strapped into a race car, he let his driving do the talking, and he won the 1967 Trans-Am Championship before moving across to the new Godsall run Pontiac team late in the 1968 season. Godsall, a wealthy Canadian, was also very well connected. His father supplied parts to General-Motors, and he’d just recently sold his Terex equipment company to them.

Although not as well funded as some of the other factory teams, T/G Racing were more than equipped to build some very trick race cars, and one of these made its way down-under in late 1971, with Ron Grable, to race at Bay Park and Pukekohe, where it stayed when Coppins purchased it. Coppins then put the factory racer to good use, winning the 1973 NZ Championship with it.

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The PDL Racing Team, with their 1970 Mustang fastback, were another major contender. The bright pink racer was being piloted by single seater hot-shoe Graham Baker. The Mustang began life as a rare Boss 429 big block road car, which had been stolen and recovered, and purchased by New Zealand racing driver Paul Fahey, for $500, at a theft-recovery auction, without motor or interior. Fahey had been campaigning an Allan Mann Racing Ford Escort in the New Zealand Saloon Car Championship, winning the title in 1971. The Mustang he bought to compete in Allcomer non-championship races during that ’71 season, before planning to promote it as his championship challenger for 1972. However, Bob Stewart, owner of PDL Electrical Industries, made Fahey an offer during 1971, which, theoretically, suited both camps.

Fahey had a full-time mechanic in Ray Stone, who’d maintained the Fahey race cars to impeccable standards. But Stone decided he wanted to branch out on his own, setting up his own workshop, which meant he’d no longer have time for the Fahey race cars. Meanwhile, the PDL race team had quickly grown, from running a pair of Mini Coopers in 1968 for Robert Stewart and Clyde Collins, they then built a V8 powered XW Falcon which they campaigned during the 1970 and ’71 seasons. But the Falcon offered its own challenges as the team worked to develop it, and it made sense to simply purchase a proven race car, which Bob Stewart did when he bought Fahey’s Mustang. The carrot being, he’d get Fahey to drive the car.

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The PDL/Fahey partnership was not a match made in heaven. Fahey was unhappy with the way the car was prepared. Stewart was unhappy with Fahey’s complaints of his teams efforts. Despite the friction, they won the 1972 New Zealand Saloon Car Championship 6,000cc class in the Schoolbus Yellow machine, and were in the running to repeat the feat the following season, despite several retirements. Then, Bob Stewart met with Fahey, and fired him. The Mustang reappeared later in the season, now painted a magnificent custom green, and driven by Graham Baker.

Into the 1973/74 season, the Mustang was repainted custom pink, with lace pinstriping, and wide McLaren wheels. It was fast, but still suffered reliability gremlins.

Red Dawson was another of the top Kiwi drivers, in his beautiful gold Kensington Carpets Camaro Z28. Dawson won his only New Zealand Saloon Car Championship in 1970, where he tied for the title with Rod Coppins. The pair collected the same number of points, the same number of wins, and the same number of second and third placings, to be declared joint champions. At the time, Dawson was racing an electric blue Shelby Mustang, but this car was replaced for the 1971/72 season by the Camaro. The Camaro started life as a road car, which Dawson and his team modified for track competition. The 1974 season was his third with the Camaro, which was now as well developed and as powerful as any New Zealand racing sedan, although typically for the era, reliability was still its Achilles heel.

[Steve Holmes]

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Jim Richards was a young New Zealand driver who quickly rose to prominence, but whose career appeared to be stalling in 1972. With the help of enthusiast Jim Carney, Richards shot to local fame driving a John Willment twin-cam Escort in the 4.2 litre Saloon Car Championship class, and even placed well against the big capacity cars at some tracks. Carney then took the next step, stumping up the sizable deposit for a very fast BDA Escort built and raced by Broadspeed in the British Saloon Car Championship, and driven by John Fitzpatrick. With this machine, Richards would become an outright contender. However, after travelling to the UK to view and test the car, and feeling rightly confident of being in the hunt for the New Zealand Championship, Richards’ career hit a wall, when Fitzpatrick damaged the Escort heavily in a late season shunt after a coming together with Frank Gardner’s Camaro. Although Ralph Broad offered to repair the car, the delay would have meant missing the opening NZ championship races, thus defeating the purpose in actually purchasing it, so Carney elected to withdraw, which meant Richards had no major ride for the 1972 season.

So Richards ran selected races in the old Willment twin-cam during the 1972 season, but his future was not as bleak as it appeared, despite his limited appearances. Richards had carved out a reputation as a young guy who could drive any car, competitively, and as such, was offered plenty of seats, in plenty of different categories, from speedway, to rallying, and circuit racing. One of the cars he drove, in the 0-1,000cc category, was a Hillman Imp, owned by Brian Patrick. Richards’ efforts against the dominant Mini Coopers in this class brought him to the attention of Sidchrome Tools, who sponsored the car, and thus a relationship began to blossom.

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With the Broadspeed Escort deal having fallen through, Richards now hatched a plan with his good mate Murray Bunn to join the V8 fraternity, and with help from Sidchrome and car dealer Jerry Clayton, they took a 1969 Boss 302 Mustang road car, and converted it for track competition, with the swoopy new machine making its debut at the Bay Park Easter event in 1973. Its early appearances were modest rather than scintillating, as the team worked to build both reliability and speed into the car, but every time it hit the track, the Sidchrome Mustang improved.

Another new car on the local scene, was the RS2600 Ford Capri of Paul Fahey. In fact, it was making its New Zealand race debut at this event. The Capri was a factory race car, built to compete in the 1973 European Touring Car Championship. It was fitted with a peaky 2,996cc push-rod V6 engine, and sounded electrifying against the thunderous boom of the V8s. Under the skin it shimmered with trickery, and sat on a set of stylish BBS wheels. It weighed just 1,000kg. But its feature that captured most peoples attention was its squared box-flares, the likes of which hadn’t been seen in New Zealand before. Indeed, this cars appearance would heavily influence the aesthetic direction of saloon car racing in New Zealand over the next twelve months, with just about everyone racing off to house their wide wheels in similar box-flares before the beginning of the next season.

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The Capri actually fitted into the 4.2 litre category, but Fahey had clearly purchased the car with the intention of competing for outright glory. No doubt, he was keen to put one over the PDL team.

Of the other big-bore sedans at Bay Park, South Island racer Kevin Haig had made the long haul to the upper North Island to race his Shelby Mustang. The Mustang was dominant in South Island Open Saloon Car Association (OSCA) racing.

Meanwhile, hard-charging enthusiast John Riley was entered in the ’69 Camaro first raced in New Zealand by Joe Chamberlain in 1970. Kiwi racer Dennis Marwood drove this car very competitively over the next couple of seasons, but now it was showing its age. But for race fans, Riley was always entertaining, and happy to put on a show.

The rest of the field would be bulked out by smaller capacity class cars, although young Roger Brader had entered in an Escort that possessed quite some potential with a bit of sorting. The Escort was owned by Wayne Fuller, who’d driven the car himself in South Island OSCA competition two years earlier, powered by an FVA motor. But a huge rebuild saw it re-emerge with a 350ci small block Chevy, with two off-set Holley carbs, and some beautiful fabrication work by hot rod guru Graham Berry, of Berry & Chung fame. The Escort was blisteringly fast in a straight line, but as yet its handling left a little to be desired.

[Steve Holmes]

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A short time prior to the Bay Park Xmas event, Motorsport New Zealand announced that, due to government enforced racing fuel restrictions resulting from the international oil crisis, the majority of motorsport events in New Zealand were being cancelled, other than the main Tasman Series. Eventually, the decision was overturned, but it was too late for one of the international stars penned in to compete at Bay Park. The HDT Beast II was unloaded from the plane in which it was to be transported to New Zealand, and by the time the racing ban had been lifted, there wasn’t enough time to organise a place on another flight. So Brock was out. Fortunately, however, the Moffat Mustang would still appear in New Zealand.

When the Moffat Mustang last appeared in New Zealand twelve months earlier, it was painted in its familiar bright red colours. But with Brut 33 coming on board as major sponsors, the car looked very different in its new two-tone silver and green livery. Also, under the hood was a 351 motor, which Moffat used in private practice just prior to the Bay Park event. After producing some very quick lap times, the 351 failed, and so the spare, a 302, was dropped in as a replacement. According to articles at the time, the 302 was missing some parts, but Paul Fahey was able to provide these, although the delay had Moffat on the back-foot for the rest of the weekend.

The PDL Mustang also had its motor fail in practice, and the spare was fitted for the weekend.

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Qualifying: Into qualifying, and it was Red Dawson all the way. Dawson had the big gold Camaro charging around the Bay Park layout, and punched out an impressive 60.8sec lap to grab pole. Baker, despite running the less powerful spare in the Mustang, was next, on 60.9. Fahey was third fastest in the Capri, which was garnering plenty of attention. The car arrived without spares, and it was geared wrong for Bay Park. He was pushing the new car hard, even going off track momentarily, and clipping the fence, though fortunately without causing any damage. He produced a best time of 61.0. Moffat was next, followed by Coppins (61.2), and Richards (61.4). Riley and Haig rounded out the top eight.

Race 1: The 20,000 strong crowd rose to their feet as the cars powered out of the pits, one by one, and began their warm-up for the first big sedan heat. The thunder of the V8s, the harsh raw of the V6 Capri, combined with the high-revving 4-cylinder cars filled the air with contrasting noises. The cars lined up on the grid, Dawson on pole, Baker alongside, and as the flag-man dropped the green, all hell broke loose as the big field blasted towards turn one. Dawson got away best, hurtled into turn one first, and charged down the back straight with his elbows out, with Baker in hot pursuit. Moffat beat Fahey away from the line, and tucked in behind Baker, with Richards and Coppins next as the field negotiated the first lap.

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Across the start-finish line the first time, the big gold Camaro thundered across the stripe to complete the first of 8 laps. But while Baker was pushing hard in behind, Moffat began to drop off the pace. The silver Mustang appeared to be running on 7 cylinders, and he was quickly disposed of by Fahey. The Capri set off after Baker, while Moffat fell back into the clutches of Richards, who also went by, followed by Coppins.

Out front and Dawson was charging, and it didn’t look like Baker had an answer. In fact, his mirrors were being filled with the flying Fahey Capri, who climbed all over the back of the Mustang through the corners, only to be left behind on the straights once the big pink machine powered up through the gears.

Then, Dawson began having problems. First, a rear tyre began to deflate, then Dawson lost the use of second gear, and in an instant Baker and Fahey went through. But try as he did, Fahey couldn’t get past the Mustang, and Baker crossed the stripe first after 8 entertaining laps. Dawson nursed the Camaro home in third, ahead of Richards, Coppins, Moffat, Haig, Riley, and Brader.

[Steve Holmes]

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Race 2: In between races, Moffats team set to work, and had the Mustang running crisp and clean by the time the cars rumbled out on track for Heat 2. Grid positions were based on lap times from the previous heat, and off the line Baker stormed away to lead, while Moffat quickly burst through to second, and began applying the blow-torch to the rear of the pink Mustang. For the opening two circuits, the two Mustangs were locked together, Baker in front, Moffat right behind, and on lap three, as they hurtled towards the hairpin, Moffat chucked the Brut 33 machine up the inside under brakes. But his speed was too great. Baker tucked back, and Moffat skated straight off the track, pirouetting backwards through the wooden catch fence, clouting it hard, and coming to a sudden stop. As the smoke and dust settled, Moffat climbed from his car. The left rear wheel was hanging in mid-air over the side of the bank. The Mustang was beached.

Meanwhile, back on track there was still a race going on. With Moffat out, Fahey now set off after Baker. Again he closed up on the Mustang, but in the areas the Capri was faster, there was no way through. For lap after lap Fahey would be tucked right up behind the PDL car under brakes and through the corners, only for Baker to power away down the straights. And as these two battled, they broke the saloon car lap record, both recording identical 59.7 laps. After 8 laps, Baker made it two from two. Dawson finished third, ahead of Richards, while Haig managed to get by Coppins towards the end.

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Race 3: The damage to Moffat’s Mustang was superficial. Once dragged out of its resting place in Race 2, it was quickly up and running again. Expectations for a classic final match-up rose as the cars took their grid positions for Race 3. Baker again blasted away from pole to lead the field through turn one, and down the back chute he was still ahead. The Moffat challenge was over as quickly as it began, with the hard charging Canadian-Australian over-revving the little 302 on the opening lap, and pulling off with a suspected blown motor.

The Fahey challenge also quickly disappeared, as bashing through the gears, Fahey accidentally knocked the fuel switch off, and the Capri died. This left Dawson chasing the flying Baker up front, with Richards back in third. But the PDL Mustang was running crisp and clean, and Baker was full of confidence, and all Dawson could do was try hard, and hope to push his rival into a mistake.

Back behind Richards was Haig, who had the spectacular Riley right behind him. The blue Camaro was running just a little quicker, and just as Moffat had done in Race 2, Riley attempted a big dive on Haig heading into the hairpin. But instead of firing up the inside, Riley instead clunked straight into the rear of the Mustang, tapping it into a half-spin, while Riley himself tore off for a wild ride backwards through the wooden catch-fencing. The Camaro was travelling at such speed, it climbed right up off the ground as it hit, eventually coming down to land, swinging around to face the opposite direction to the track, on the grass outside the fence. Unfazed, Riley, the former speedway warrior, fired the Camaro right back up, selected 1st gear, and set about getting back into the action. But almost immediately the Camaro spluttered and died. The impact had torn the fuel tank clean out of the car. Riley was going nowhere.

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Baker reeled off the final laps, fought off the Dawson challenge, and took his and PDL’s third race victory from three starts. It had been a good day. Richards finished up third, behind Dawson. As the 1973/74 NZ Saloon Car Championship moved on to other tracks and other rounds, the Sidchrome Mustang became quicker and quicker, and by the end of the season, was a match for anything. And in its first full racing season, took Richards to the NZ Saloon Car Championship.

But on this day, Baker and the PDL Mustang were invincible.

So while Hanna and his team at Bay Park normally relied on the international teams to provide the fireworks, on this occasion, it was the local contingent who stepped up.

[Steve Holmes]

My thanks for the photos used in this article: Terry Marshall, Mike Feisst, Peter Hanna Collection. Terrys photos are the beautiful black and whites. Mikes photo is of the Sidchrome Mustang.

[John McKechnie]

If anyone has a program, can they please put up the race entry for the open saloons here.

[fullnoise68]

My thanks for the photos used in this article: Terry Marshall, Mike Feisst, Peter Hanna Collection. Terrys photos are the beautiful black and whites. Mikes photo is of the Sidchrome Mustang.

As always Steve, a well researched and written article, good work.

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks Steve, much appreciated. It wasn't the most classic Bay Park Xmas event, but for some reason I have a lot of really cool photos from it, and this seemed like a good excuse to post them all together.

[fullnoise68]

Thanks Steve, much appreciated. It wasn't the most classic Bay Park Xmas event, but for some reason I have a lot of really cool photos from it, and this seemed like a good excuse to post them all together.

When we were packing our HMC cars and gear up after Lakeside on the Monday, Jim Richards was having a Shannons Hot Lap day and Jim and Phil Ross from Shannons invited all of us to the lunch and Jim spoke about his time with Jim Carney, going to the UK, etc, and you`re right on the mark of what happened with the car Jim Carney had organised to buy. Can you email the post about the Jim Carney Cancer Unit please Steve so I can forward it to Jim Richards.

[Oldfart]

Yet another first class article Steve. You have captured just how it felt to be there for those meetings. Thanks

[Malcolm McLeod]

Have PM'd you fullnoise68

When we were packing our HMC cars and gear up after Lakeside on the Monday, Jim Richards was having a Shannons Hot Lap day and Jim and Phil Ross from Shannons invited all of us to the lunch and Jim spoke about his time with Jim Carney, going to the UK, etc, and you`re right on the mark of what happened with the car Jim Carney had organised to buy. Can you email the post about the Jim Carney Cancer Unit please Steve so I can forward it to Jim Richards.

[Russ Cunningham]

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Bay Park first flung its gates open to the public in late 1967. Designed by local Lin McKenzie, it was a relatively basic design that worked well for the area in which it was situated, producing interesting racing, and full track visibility for the crowd. At just 2.14kms in length, it featured four corners, all of roughly 180 degrees, including a sweeper, hairpin, and two low/medium speed bends. A few months after opening, on December 30, 1967, Bay Park held their first major event, inviting top Australian touring car driver Norm Beechey across to compete against the best local machines in his wicked Chevy Nova. From that first event, the Bay Park promotions group, headed by Peter Hanna, made an effort to have at least one international team at their three major annual events, all held on long weekends or during the holiday season; Labour Weekend, Christmas, and Easter.

Despite being the newest purpose built facility in the country, Bay Park chose to run to their own agenda, and as a result, were largely snubbed by the establishment in New Zealand motorsport. Therefore, when the Tasman Series visited New Zealand each year, bringing with it some of the worlds top teams and drivers, Bay Park was left out in the cold. But Hanna and his team had other ideas. They figured the paying public were just as keen to watch big, noisy, ill-mannered sedan cars as they were to see nimble single seaters, and so focused their energies and budget on getting touring car teams across to their events.

22367

The punt paid off. The Christmas event, with a ready crowd of holiday goers visiting the Mount Maunganui area over the holiday, became their centrepiece. Here they really stumped up, and usually had two or more international sedan teams across to take on the locals. At their 1970 Xmas event, they imported the big block Camaro’s of Terry Allan and Bryan Thomson, along with American Joe Chamberlain in his SCCA A Sedan/Trans-Am Camaro. Added to one of the best local line-ups, the event was so successful they had to shut the gates to the paying public early in the afternoon on race day, as the Bay Park facilities had reached maximum capacity.

The next year, Canadian born Australian based Allan Moffat was brought across with his very fast Kar-Kraft ’69 Mustang, as was Pete Geoghegan in his Mustang, and Brian Foley in his Alfa GTA, also from Australia, along with Ron Grable from the US in a 1969 Firebird. At the 1972 event, UK based Australian Frank Gardner appeared in a Camaro, Allan Moffat was back with his Mustang, and Pete Geoghegan also returned, now with his powerful Super Falcon, along with Joe Chamberlain, back again in another Camaro.

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And as the lead-up to the 1973 Xmas event began, to be held on December 30, 1973, so excitement rose as to who had been signed. Obviously, first on their hit-list was Allan Moffat. From his first appearance on New Zealand soil, Moffat wowed the crowds with his forceful driving, and his winning mentality. The New Zealand motoring media didn’t care much for him, as he had no interest in catering to them, and gave them very little of his time. But he brought out the best in the Kiwi drivers, and raised the bar to new levels. Moffat had already won Bathurst three times, 1973 being the most recent, and he also won the 1973 Australian Touring Car Championship. For the Bay Park event, he’d again bring with him his beloved Kar-Kraft 1969 Mustang, with which he’d competed with in the ATCC since 1969. With the Confederation for Australian Motor Sports (CAMS) having drastically modified touring car regulations for the 1973 season, introducing Group C, and ditching Improved Production under which the Mustang had previously competed, Moffat’s Mustang was now forced to race as a Sports Sedan, where, despite being up against some quite radical machinery, was still immensely competitive.

The Bay Park team also signed up the young, up and coming Aussie driver Peter Brock. Brock was signed to the Holden Dealer Team in 1969, and won Bathurst for the first time in 1972. With Sports Sedan racing quickly rising to prominence in Australia during the early 1970s, the Holden Dealer Team built a rough and ready Repco V8 powered Torana, which was as quick as it was ugly. The Torana was nicknamed ‘Beast II’ by the team. Beast I was a similarly radical Rallycross car. Brock competed in selected Sports Sedan races in Beast II, and it was this car he’d race in New Zealand.

I'm disappointed Steve! Went to this meeting and the only "big bangers" I recall were a couple of tarts called Donna and Lucy. We met them at the "Oceanside" the night before raceday. Lucy had oversized valves from memory but Donna definately wouldn't have gone the distance.....my mate reckoned she had piston slap.

[fullnoise68]

Have PM'd you fullnoise68

Thanks Malcolm, I`ll forward the whole article to Jim, he`d probably come over for the opening of the unit, he is that sort of guy.

[fullnoise68]

Now all we need is Rod Grimwoods recollection of the same weekend, similar no doubt to Russ`recollection, and we should all be a lot wiser!!!!!

[kiwi285]

As some others have already said - another great article that captures the meeting exactly and conveys the excitement that these cars generated. There mightn't have been many of the big banger cars but they certainly created huge interest from the paying public. I am also sure that the timing of these meetings must have dragged in a lot of punters who would not normally have made the effort. All credit to the promoters

[Milan Fistonic]

If anyone has a program, can they please put up the race entry for the open saloons here.


There you go John. Note that Fahey was a late entry with the Capri.

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I hope I don't get into trouble for leaving the Rothmans Advert on the page.

[Michael Clark]

Brilliant Milan - I remember it like it wasn't 40yrs ago - nearly.

Hell I think there were even cars without roofs racing there...

[John McKechnie]

Thanks Milan-I see the Custaxie 2 owner Robert Bartley was running his Cortina V8, Also Clyde Collins, the same, Jack Nazer in the Victorious and Bill Leckie.
And is this HMCs own Grant Aitken in the V8 Escort also?
In total this is a quality, classic field.
I was there, it was a great atmosphere.

[Steve Holmes]

Great stuff Milan, many thanks. Some of those cars were no-shows, including the Nazer Victor, Clyde Collins Cortina. Yes, its the same Grant Aitken.

[Rod Grimwood]

Top article Steve, and yep remember it clearly.

Fullnoise, you know i had a sheltered upbringing and if it was not for me keeping a eye on you lot, imagine the trouble you would have all been in.

What was the 'Oceanside, LOL

No 169 in programme is in my garage.

[Murray Maunder]

Amazing days, huge crowds, fantastic atmosphere. Nice piece of writing Steve and thanks everyone for the terrific photos from this awesome era of saloon racing. And now Grant Aitken races a beautiful Bud Moore replica Boss Mustang! Bringing on back the good times.....:)

[kiwi285]

Grant is also the proud owner of a Ford GT40 MkII done up in the colours of McLaren and Amon from Le Mans 1966 (black with white stripes). Holman and Moody completed this car for Grant. The car is domiciled at Highlands Park.

[Jac Mac]

The Grant Aitken escort @ 3500cc would have been the ex Homewood? car, did Grant actually finish/race that car or move it on for the ex Fahey/Collingwood FVA Escort. Given that meeting was at the height of the fuel crisis there were possibly a few scratchings from the entry list. There are 26 entries in the programme plus Fahey as a late, but I count only 19/20 at most in the grid photos

[BMCBOY]

This event was probably the first time I ever took any motor racing photos.
A crowd of us were staying at the Mount and we went along to Baypark ( I think a chilly bin came also)
and we sat on the sweeper on one of the days.
Here are a few of the results from my first camera and long lens of a few of the big bangers that haven't
featured elsewhere.

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22417

22418

22419

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[John McKechnie]

Thanks BMCBOY- first time I have ever seen pix of Bartley V8 Cortina.
Who built it, running gear-5845 cubic inch-,who also ran it, and I have read it still exists?
Assume thats an Anglia behind Rod?

[Frosty5]

Thanks BMCBOY- first time I have ever seen pix of Bartley V8 Cortina.
Who built it, running gear-5845 cubic inch-,who also ran it, and I have read it still exists?
Assume thats an Anglia behind Rod?

Decimal point missing there I think John, otherwise she plenty big motor Kimasabe (LOL)

[Jac Mac]

No decimal point missing- 5845cc would be a very new 351 standard bore & stroke, probably cleveland courtesy of Wanganui Ford Dealer. Now the Amco Escort #40, is that the ex Fahey Escort?

[John McKechnie]

Frosty- it should read 5845 cc, but maybe it had Dales motors brother in it

[Roger Dowding]

Milan, Steve, and all of you. went to Bay Park in that era, earlier rather than later, 1972/ 73, gave all the programs away,to Rhys Jones, a motorcyle racer wrote the book "Pukekohe the Circuit " in abouit 2007, my old programs were from 1967 to about 1984 from Puke and quite a few from Baypark. Amazing that those huge V8's , could get around the circuit Baypark.

[Steve Holmes]

This event was probably the first time I ever took any motor racing photos.
A crowd of us were staying at the Mount and we went along to Baypark ( I think a chilly bin came also)
and we sat on the sweeper on one of the days.
Here are a few of the results from my first camera and long lens of a few of the big bangers that haven't
featured elsewhere.

22422

22421

22417

22418

22419

22420

Wow, absolutely stunning photos Ross! But that first one of Baker, Moffat, Fahey and Dawson just blows my mind!

[Roger Dowding]

BMC BOY, taking great photos then complete with Chillybin, [an Eski over the ditch ], I was probably there too !!.. 73, driving my second Mini, before entering the Austin Healey clan..

[CUSTAXIE50]

Thanks BMCBOY- first time I have ever seen pix of Bartley V8 Cortina.
Who built it, running gear-5845 cubic inch-,who also ran it, and I have read it still exists?
Assume thats an Anglia behind Rod?Bartley built it and said it is still around in a shed,was also raced by Bruce Robertson last time I saw this car the back end was all pushed in.

[Marty]

I think the #40 Escort may be Peter Sundberg, he had a yellow escort after the Jag.

[Oldfart]

I think the #40 Escort may be Peter Sundberg, he had a yellow escort after the Jag.

That's what it says on the photo if you hover your cursor over it. Ross has done a damned good labelling job. Don't be antsy, it took me a long time to spot that.

[seaqnmac27]

Rhys you could have taken a short cut by referring to the entry list kindly supplied by Milan in post #17.

[Marty]

No antsy here Rhys, I followed Sundberg and Alan Boyle back in the day.

[Oldfart]

No antsy here Rhys, I followed Sundberg and Alan Boyle back in the day.

They were both great dicers, Peter still is with a bunch of wonderful machinery!

[Steve Holmes]

Re the Escort, I'm glad you guys figured this out. When I first saw that photo I wondered if it was Rod Collingwood with the ex-Fahey car. But obviously not.

[Steve Holmes]

Bartley built it and said it is still around in a shed,was also raced by Bruce Robertson last time I saw this car the back end was all pushed in.

Yes I recall someone on here saying the Cortina had survived. Be interested to see it back out and racing once again.

Bruce Robertson was better known for his speedway exploits, in particular the first Tank stockcar which he owns once more and drives every now and then. These days he is the promoter at Palmerston North speedway.

[fullnoise68]

He is also the promoter at Waikaraka Park as well Steve.