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Steve Holmes
10-11-2012, 08:45 PM
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Some years ago, I set out to write an article for Australian Muscle Car (http://www.musclecarmag.com.au/) magazine on the big international sedan races held at Bay Park, New Zealand, in December 1975. This was one of the most talked about New Zealand sedan racing events of the 1970s, which brought together the top machinery from three different worlds, that of New Zealand, Australia, and the US. It included the DeKon Chevy Monza's of Allan Moffat and Red Dawson, Moffats stopping by NZ on its way to its new home in Aus. Also from Aus was John McCormacks incredible Repco Charger which moved the goal posts in Aussie Sports Sedan racing when it first appeared in 1974. And ex-pat Kiwi Jim Richards returned home with the Sidchrome Mustang, which he'd taken to Australia earlier that year. The top Kiwi machines including Jack Nazers Chevy Vauxhall Victor Miss Victorious (http://www.theroaringseason.com/content.php?232-Article-Miss-Victorious) plus Leo Leonard in the PDL Mustang, Grant Walker in the ex-Paul Fahey quad-cam Capri, and Don Hallidays similar self-built Capri.

Those races have been written about several times, so I won't repeat all that, but when I set out to write the article, I immediately hit a brick wall, as my good buddy, Terry Marshall, who I usually rely on for his stunning photography, wasn't at this event for some reason. So there I was, with a good story to tell, and no photos to accompany it. But I knew it had been well covered, and one of my all-time favourite photos, which shows the first half-dozen cars from this event swooping through the last turn, setting up for the rolling-start blast-off in race one, was published in the 1976 book Evan Greens World Of Motorsport of which my father was given a copy when first released. This was a photo I'd studied over and over.

Robin Curtis was publishing MotorAction magazine in 1975, so I got in touch with him, and asked if he had any photos available from this event I could use. I knew he’d attended the event, because MotorAction reviewed it. But Robin, who has been a motorsport journalist all his life, has never archived his collection of photographs so specific images can be easily plucked out at a moments notice. So in among his more-than 40,000 photos, from decades of motorsport involvement, were some absolute ripper images (and Robin is a bloody good photographer) from the 1975 Bay Park races, that were buried and would take forever to find.

Just on the off-chance, I asked Robin if he knew of a Philip Robinson, as Philip was credited with the photo that appeared in the Evan Green book. And to my amazement, not only did he know him, but he’d taken Phil, who was still a teenager at the time, along to this event, where Phil used both his own camera, and borrowed Robins, to snap several shots of the action. Robin gave me Phils contact details and I immediately got in touch.

Unfortunately for me, the photo from the Evan Green book, was, like several others of Phils, taken from a slide, which Modern Motor magazine ‘borrowed’ off, because they wanted to get the scoop on Moffats Monza, which had yet to arrive in Australia. But the slide never made its way back to Phil, despite some others being returned to him, so I had to scan the image from the Evan Green book, which an across two pages, hence the crease through the middle.

However, Phil still had several colour and b/w negatives from this event, which he kindly had converted to cd for me, and for which I was hugely appreciative. Some of them were run in the AMC article, but I thought The Roaring Season was a good place to show what Phil sent me. There are only 24 photos in total, all taken from the last corner, but still of huge interest, and capturing most cars in the field. So, enjoy!

Steve Holmes
10-11-2012, 08:53 PM
There were three races held that day, and Leo Leonard won all three of them in what must have been one of the best drives of his career. The old PDL Mustang was getting pretty long in the tooth by this stage, having raced since 1970, and been constantly evolved. But the Mustang won because of Leonards driving, because it wasn't the fastest car there that day. Leonard put in a stellar performance to qualify on pole, then drove three perfect races under huge pressure to hold off the faster cars off Moffat and Nazer.

The new IMSA Monza's might well have been space-ships, they were that far advanced of the local machinery, and the PDL team knew the old Mustangs days were numbered. Nazer, however, was probably on a par with Moffat that weekend, one-on-one, but he spent each race working his way forward from a lowly grid position after crashing in testing prior to the event.

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The old MkI Cortina is that of Peter Wall, and running a 351 V8.

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kiwi285
10-11-2012, 09:16 PM
Another great story and moment in our motorsporting history. What amazes me is that most of those cars in the photos above still exist and are being put back on track. Magic.

Steve Holmes
10-11-2012, 09:30 PM
Jim Richards took the Sidchrome Mustang across to race in Australia in 1975, as Sports Sedan racing was huge, with good prize and appearance money on offer. After being competitive with all the top Aussie cars, the Richards family decided to make Australia their home, but JR would return the next couple of summers to race in NZ. The Sidchrome Mustang was built with 14" wide rear wheels, but the Aussie Sports Sedan rules had a 10" maximum width, so while he ran the first couple of events in Aus with the big 14s, he eventually fitted 10s, and this was how the car raced in NZ when it returned in late 1975.This may or may not have hindered his progress, but he wasn't quite on the pace of the top three or fours cars at Bay Park.

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Moffat harassed Leonard in all three races, but the Bay Park layout was mostly made up of left-hand bends, and the Mustang driver just clung to the pole-line, and didn't flinch.

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This is a pretty rare colour photo of the ex-Fahey Capri, raced by reigning Formula Ford champion Grant Walker.

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A little further back in the pack, the action was just as intense, with Allan Woolf, in the ex-Don Halliday Escort, leading Walker.

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kiwi285
10-11-2012, 10:26 PM
Interesting to look at the cars and crowd in the background of those shots.

Steve Holmes
10-12-2012, 04:35 AM
The big Bay Park Xmas meetings always drew big crowds, with lots of people taking their summer holidays in the Bay Of Plenty, Bay Park organisers really made the most of it and always assured a good quality line-up.

Steve Holmes
10-12-2012, 04:44 AM
Leonard and Moffat were pretty well this close all day long, and Moffat must have been getting incredibly frustrated. The Mustang really had some straight line speed, and every time Moffat would draw alongside out of the corners, Leonard would just smoke him on the straights.

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Moffats Monza wasn't the only new US arrival, Red Dawson replaced his ageing Z28 Camaro with the beautiful DeKon 1001. But unlike Moffats, Dawsons car ran like a pig all weekend. Unbeknown to Red, it'd had a couple of pretty big shunts in the US, and its handling was pretty evil. He spun from the second race, reversing it backwards into the Hairpin in race 2 at speed, spun again in race 3, whacking a post, then the motor blew!

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Halliday was obviously sick of following Richards, so gave him a helping hand to get out of the way.

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Steve Holmes
10-12-2012, 06:18 AM
Some more mid-pack action here, these all being cars than were racing in the 4.2 litre class, with Roy Harrington (V8 Torana), leading Bill Leckie (V8 Capri), Rex Hart, and, I think, Bryan Bate in the V8 Torana.

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Harringtons Torana beats a smoky path to the pits. This was the original guise of the Torana, before it was fitted with huge box-flares the following season.

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This photo had me scratching my head. Its clearly one of the rolling starts, possibly for the third and final race, but Nazer is heading the pack. Grid positions for each race were based on finishing positions for the previous race, and Nazer finished 4th and 3rd in the first two races. My guess is he is trying to get into the heads of Leonard and Moffat just before the start, by pushing to the front on the rolling lap, then dropping back to his rightful starting position, just so they know he's there!

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John McKechnie
10-12-2012, 08:29 AM
I was there, it was absolutely fantastic. The total love we have for these V8 saloon days at Bay Park is the reason why these cars are still around today

Steve Holmes
10-14-2012, 06:06 AM
Yep, you're right there John. And its not just the cars, the people who watched them race back then were hooked for life!

Steve Holmes
10-14-2012, 10:04 PM
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Really good shot here of Moffats Monza. The car was made to race with 10" wide wheels in Australia, as per ASSC rules, so its two NZ outings were its last races with its original wheels still fitted.

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What a difference a year makes! John McCormack debuted his incredible mid-engined Repco Charger in 1974, and completely moved the goal posts. He ran the car at Wigram in NZ in early 1975 and was comfortably faster than anything else. But, twelve months later, the Charger was struggling to make the top four at Bay Park. Shows the rate at which race car technology was accelerating in the 1970s.

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seaqnmac27
10-15-2012, 12:43 AM
Ya no, as I just don't remember these cars, evn though I went to the , 75,76 and 77 GP meets, I was only born in August of 73 so this thread is, like one of many on this site, one that promotes a great sense of jealousy, that people remember the sights AND sounds of it.
I remember as a kid, dad had a sound recording of a meet at Pukekohe, not sure which year, but apparently one clear engine note is that of Jim Palmer in his Porsche.

Steve Holmes
10-15-2012, 01:54 AM
Thats the beauty of this place Sean. For those who remember, we're re-igniting the memories. For those who weren't there, we're filling in the blanks.

seaqnmac27
10-15-2012, 04:37 AM
Exactly Steve. Still trying to get dad to send me that sound recording, was on reel to reel tape, so I am hoping he still has it and that I can then put onto CD, is there a way to post solely sound if we can arrange it?

Yeah yeah na
10-15-2012, 06:00 AM
Ya no, as I just don't remember these cars, evn though I went to the , 75,76 and 77 GP meets, I was only born in August of 73 so this thread is, like one of many on this site, one that promotes a great sense of jealousy, that people remember the sights AND sounds of it.
I remember as a kid, dad had a sound recording of a meet at Pukekohe, not sure which year, but apparently one clear engine note is that of Jim Palmer in his Porsche.

I'm with you on this, I was born in '77 and feel like it was a good 15 years too late to see the stuff that spins my wheels first time around live......I guess all generations feel like they missed out on something pivotal in a previous generation???

John McKechnie
10-23-2012, 06:02 AM
Yeah yeah na-. nostalgia is not always what it appears.Being youger means morer impressionable.Baypark was definitely a summer, sand, sun , girls time .-dont know if HD can replicate this.Cars then not always the most reliable , tyres and shock technology also not the best.I would say that , noise and names aside , the racing in classics and Historics is better now. I dont feel that you are missing out, all the great V8 saloons from 68-75 are still around.-name the car and you can be told the owner.

seaqnmac27
10-23-2012, 06:17 AM
Yeah yeah na-. nostalgia is not always what it appears.Being youger means morer impressionable.Baypark was definitely a summer, sand, sun , girls time .-dont know if HD can replicate this.Cars then not always the most reliable , tyres and shock technology also not the best.I would say that , noise and names aside , the racing in classics and Historics is better now. I dont feel that you are missing out, all the great V8 saloons from 68-75 are still around.-name the car and you can be told the owner.

You know thats a very interesting point John, though I do not agree with it. I think the majority of the newer circuits have become anaemic with more emphasise on safety than passing or viewers. Reliability has improved out of sight, which while it makes for more finishers, takes a fair amount of the lottery out of results, I certainly don't agree re the comment about all the Great V 8 saloons being still around, we certainly can't go and watch them race in anger. Love to see a race with the 2 Cologne Capri's, Bullivants Capri, Leckie's Capri, PDL 1 & 2, the 2 Victors, Coppins Firebird, Dawson in, take your pick of the Camaro or his Monza. Then add some of Australian visitors, raced to there potential that really would a race to watch.

seaqnmac27
10-23-2012, 06:21 AM
Most of thosewere, it must be noted, at Pukekohe at the GP in 77

John McKechnie
10-23-2012, 09:14 AM
seaqnmac27- as the thread says 1975,you forgot Grady Thomson/George Bunce Holden Monaro.That can be there as well.-it raced the Aussies at Baypark

John McKechnie
10-23-2012, 09:46 AM
I would also add to the mix Barry Algie in his Monaro , Ian Algies Alfetta, Graeme Addis Charger also. The wish list grows long -best thing is not a Porsche in sight

shellsport
10-23-2012, 09:59 AM
PDL 1 " Electric blue and 180 mph " was the phrase of the day !

Steve Holmes
10-23-2012, 07:53 PM
It was a good catch-phrase allright. Although apparently it never hit 180mph, but that didn't matter.

TonyG
10-29-2012, 02:22 AM
Everybody knew they were like hand grenades but they are still the only class that the whole hill stand at Puke stood for when they came over the top of the hill. It was also the days when you could freely wander around and look at the cars. When a race finished the next heat was already set to come out and NO bloody XXXX girls dancing out of time yay !!!

John McKechnie
10-29-2012, 09:07 AM
and no drifting utes.........