Baypark Raceway, 67 to 95, RIP

[Kiwiboss]

This interesting picture is from the Rorison Family showing their truck fleet in the foreground and Baypark behind, not many pictures around that show the overall size of Baypark, taken in the early 80's i've been told!! Parents were involved with the speedway track in the middle in the early 70's, great memorys(but im sure most have?) and what about Graham Pierce and Peter Hanna, nows there's two characters if there ever was!!

Dale Mathers
Tauranga, NZ

[Steve Holmes]

An amazing photo Dale. Like so many great tracks, its all houses now.....

[pallmall]

That photo brings back many memories, although back in the early days all the cleared land was in trees, where the back entrance road weaves a crooked path. Easter used to see many late night parties under those trees, and loads of us used to camp under there. That was the days when there was a race meeting on the Saturday and drags on the Sunday, plus the Hot Rod show in Mt Mauganui. Taking photos for NZ Hot Rod magazine back then, and three events to cover, plus a party on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights, drive home Monday and spend all night developing and printing photos and back to work on Tuesday. The things you can do in your twenties!
And there wasn't a house for miles back then, just the camping ground at the beach end.

[Steve Holmes]

The things you can do in your twenties!

Ain't that the truth!

[Kiwiboss]

Couple of pics from Baypark, the Grid line up with a huge crowd!!!

Dale Mathers

[kiwi285]

http://i55.tinypic.com/23vn5w3.jpg One of my photos taken at the Christmas meeting I guess as the Tasman cars are there. Not sure what year it was. McRae in the Crown Lynn M10A and Chris in the 246T Ferrari leadfing the field. This was the rolling start lap and was taken just off the back straight.

[Murray Maunder]

http://i55.tinypic.com/23vn5w3.jpg One of my photos taken at the Christmas meeting I guess as the Tasman cars are there. Not sure what year it was. McRae in the Crown Lynn M10A and Chris in the 246T Ferrari leadfing the field. This was the rolling start lap and was taken just off the back straight.

Graeme Lawrence in the Ferrari #14 - what a beautiful car. Is that Bryan Falloon in P3 in the Rorison car with the Porsche engine and the ex-Lawrence M4A McLaren in P4? Actually both those cars on the front row are right up there in my memory. The M10A seemed to have huge front suspension dive under braking. Hey GM was such a forceful driver! Thanks for the photo and the memories Mike.

It brought back Baypark memories when I saw the Ferrari 246 at Hampton in January. Chris sat in the car for me and chatted about what it was like to drive.

[Steve Holmes]

Thats possibly the Bay Motors Trophy event Mike, held in November 1969. If thats the case, Marwood should have been starting alongside McRae on the front row in the big Eisert, but suffered engine problems in qualifying after recording the second best time and was withdrawn from the race. I guess thats why Lawrence is alongside McRae.

[kiwi285]

http://i56.tinypic.com/dlkyzn.jpg I know its taken at Pukekohe but it was one smart car in its day and driven by a wily old fox.

[kiwi285]

http://i56.tinypic.com/25q401g.jpg Another shot taken at Pukekohe. I reckon that this was one of the best looking Mustangs on our tracks. Became PDL 1 I believe now owned by Steve Ross in Dunedin.

[Kiwiboss]

http://i56.tinypic.com/dlkyzn.jpg I know its taken at Pukekohe but it was one smart cat in its day and driven by a wily old fox.

Atleast it resides back in NZ now!! can't wait to see it back looking this way!! one day!!

Dale

[GD66]

Graeme Lawrence in the Ferrari #14 - what a beautiful car. Is that Bryan Falloon in P3 in the Rorison car with the Porsche engine and the ex-Lawrence M4A McLaren in P4?



Probably mate, although I think it may be Paul Bolton in the Rorstan car (dark helmet) with Bryan Falloon in the row behind in his metallic blue Brabham. Frank Radisich would have been aboard the M4A by then.

[Lee Tracey]

Didn't make it to BP more than twice. The main one I remember was for the 83 Just Juice Series meeting. Here are a few very poor photos from there.

Cheers
Lee

[Lee Tracey]

510511509

Cheers
Lee

[Lee Tracey]

512513514515516517

Cheers
Lee

[Steve Holmes]

Those are cool photos Lee, have you got any more?

[Lee Tracey]

Nothing worth showing - too blurred or things (heads etc) in the way.

Cheers
Lee

[pallmall]

December 28th 1968. (photos by Kevin McIvor)
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i275/Checraft/McIvorscans2046750x444.jpg
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i275/Checraft/McIvorscans2043750x467.jpg
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i275/Checraft/McIvorscans2045750x446.jpg
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i275/Checraft/Motor%20Racing%20Historic/McIvorscans2048750x446.jpg

[thunder427]

Couple of pics from Baypark, the Grid line up with a huge crowd!!!

Dale Mathers

Moffat and Gardner front row,with a Jensen/Healey 'pace' car???...what where they thinking???!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......regards thunder427

[pallmall]

More from December 28th 1968. (Kevin McIvor photos)

FA/F5000.
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i275/Checraft/Motor%20Racing%20Historic/McIvorscans2051750x463.jpg
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i275/Checraft/Motor%20Racing%20Historic/McIvorscans2050750x463.jpg
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i275/Checraft/Motor%20Racing%20Historic/McIvorscans2053434x750.jpg
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i275/Checraft/Motor%20Racing%20Historic/McIvorscans2055435x750.jpg
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i275/Checraft/Motor%20Racing%20Historic/McIvorscans2054434x750.jpg
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i275/Checraft/Motor%20Racing%20Historic/McIvorscans2052750x432.jpg

[kiwi285]

http://i51.tinypic.com/2yvm9s3.jpg http://i54.tinypic.com/xclzlf.jpg
Shots of Escorts racing at Baypark

[GD66]

Jack Nazer in the #63 Cossack Escort. With regard to the Formula A pics, is that Mary Donald/Carney behind the rear wheeel of Pierre Phillips' #9 Lola T140 ? And behind Leo Geoghegan's Lotus 39 Repco (surely one of the horniest cars EVER !), Graeme Lawrence bullshitting the bloke in the Castrol shirt, Graham Pierce's dad Joe in the Marshal armband, and Gary Rorison back right.

[nigel watts]

713

[Steve Holmes]

Thats a great photo Nigel, would you mind adding a copy of it to the Sidchrome Mustang thread?

[nigel watts]

731

[Murray Maunder]

Jack Nazer in the #63 Cossack Escort. With regard to the Formula A pics, is that Mary Donald/Carney behind the rear wheeel of Pierre Phillips' #9 Lola T140 ? And behind Leo Geoghegan's Lotus 39 Repco (surely one of the horniest cars EVER !), Graeme Lawrence bullshitting the bloke in the Castrol shirt, Graham Pierce's dad Joe in the Marshal armband, and Gary Rorison back right.

What a memory GD! If I ever get hold of any of the Hanna collection to put into a film I'll call you in as research manager! And yes I think that is Mary, strangely Peter H hasn't appeared stalking out of his shed in any of these shots emerging yet!

[nigel watts]

743

[RogerH]

http://www.theroaringseason.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=731&d=1308307234

Baypark 14 October 1989. #57 Brabham BT4 Richard Hook, #25 Gemini Mk3A Ken Williams, #18 Lotus 18 John Holmes, #14 (beside Lotus 18) Brabham BT18 David Curry (Stella Curry standing alongside), #21 Elva 100 Marsden Robinson.

[Steve Holmes]

743

Thats a great photo Nigel. Got any other 80s Sports Sedans photos you can share? You might quite like this thread: http://www.theroaringseason.com/showthread.php?56-Modified-70s-and-80s-Saloons-Picture-Thread

[Munty]

A few of the OSCA boys who headed North. Grindley, Munt & Vigurs

[Steve Holmes]

Neat photo Munty. Grindleys cars were always immaculate. I'm certain the Steve Vigurs V8 Cortina is the car built and raced by Clyde Collins. Sadly its now long gone. I think Vigurs used a lot of the parts to construct his Celeste?

[kiwi285]

Just looking at that photo, is it any wonder the crowds flocked to see these cars. The noise and smell were intoxicating.

Thanks for adding the photo Evan

[Kiwiboss]

Here's another great picture taken at Baypark, Dec 72, a line up of all the great Muscle Cars!! Bit grainy, need a new scanner!!!

Dale Mathers

[Kiwiboss]

Again from Dec 72, i luv this picture as it shows the huge crowds they got at Baypark back then!!

Dale Mathers

[Steve Holmes]

Some pretty legendary muscle in there Dale! Allan Moffats Mustang, Frank Gardners Camaro, Pete Geoghegans Super Falcon, Red Dawsons Camaro, Joe Chamberlains Camaro, Clyde Collins' V8 Cortina, Dennis Marwoods Camaro etc.

[seaqnmac27]

I had dinner with my uncle, Gordon McBride, the other evening and he told a story of a long distance event from Bay Park in 1975 where he was the mechanic for Nev Brickley and they managed to win the event over one Jim Richards, due to a compulsory pit stop during which Richards flattened his battery and Brickley managed to get a 2 lap lead, apparently Jim got the gap back to about half a lap at the end, Are there any pictures from this event? Gordon was also a mechanic for Bryan Bate at one point.

[TonyG]

http://i56.tinypic.com/dlkyzn.jpg I know its taken at Pukekohe but it was one smart car in its day and driven by a wily old fox.

I loved that car and driver back in the day. Is the riley car in the background the one that was restored to original Geoghegan form by the Bowden family here in Aus or is that another one?

[Steve Holmes]

That Riley car is the ex Paul Fahey car. Riley also had the Geoghegan car after Rod Coppins, and prior to him buying the Fahey car, which was the faster of the two. Both cars are now with the Bowdens.

[PhotoSmith]

One of my early photos from Baypark, Easter meeting 1981, taken in the last few laps
of the final race of the day, Huxford & Sheweiry battling it out. The meeting must have run a bit late - looks like the suns just about set - and most of the crowd seems to have left. (They must have been insane)

[Steve Holmes]

Hey Martin, this is great! This must have been one of the last races Shewiery did before repainting the car and fitting the big rear wing.

[Rod Grimwood]

It was late, but I notice the Fridge Club boy's from Matamata still up in their spot that they inhabited for every meeting from day 1 too the last meeting. I can actually recognize a couple of familiar pairs of shorts and chilly bins. You wouldn't see them head off home too early.

[Rod Grimwood]

Steve, somewhere you queried "didn't Big Pete race a Porche at Bay Park"
Answer here, now fill in the dates (obviuosly flying farewell with all in. Neat little Farina bet he knew when these 2 went past, and going into sweeper as well)

[Kiwiboss]

It was late, but I notice the Fridge Club boy's from Matamata still up in their spot that they inhabited for every meeting from day 1 too the last meeting. I can actually recognize a couple of familiar pairs of shorts and chilly bins. You wouldn't see them head off home too early.

The Matamata Fridge Club, now there's a story that needs to be told Rod!! I hung out with Cedric and that lot on several occasions in the early 90's, always later in the day, and the more booze that got drunk made for an interesting spectacle!!

Dale Mathers

[Rod Grimwood]

I was a quite observer and marriage guidance councillor for the boys, spent many a weekend at Cedric Arthurs and couple or more trips to Bathurst etc. On bank above Huxfords car is Cedric in his red shorts and t-shirt and myself in the black shorts which were fairly travelled.
The story could be a box office major if some one made it into a movie. Family rated

[Steve Holmes]

Several years ago I was watching some racing on tv. Could have been the Wellington street race. Following an ad break a short snippet of colour footage from Bay Park was played with Jimi Hendrix "Hey Joe" as the background music. It went on for about a minute for so. The footage was amateur footage, but really interesting, and taken over a few different years and events, from the late 60s, to early 70s.

Showed Norm Beechey in his Nova, both on the track and with his team posing next to the car, also showed Red Dawson, Paul Fahey Mustangs, Bryan Thomson Camaro (streaming blue smoke), loads of single seaters etc.

Would anyone happen to know who took this footage, and who might have supplied it to tvnz? And where is it now?

[Jizim]

Would make for an interesting feature all right....however I dont think it would be 100% family rated....remember the fire that swept thru the toi toi bushes and the wind blew thick smoke across the track! They were my most ardent supporters....stayed at the fridge club on a friday night because one of the axles broke on the trailor! So I drove the race car to Bayprk from Matamata on slicks! (Kaimais were brilliant!) Where do we start with this Rod? CAP still attends every meeting......he's a bigger legend than any of the drivers! AND still owns the "Worlds best Mustangs" all four of them!

[Rod Grimwood]

This car visited Bay Park in a few different colour schemes. Note the right front guard little love kiss for Jim in the Sidchrome car.

[Rod Grimwood]

Another piece of Hanna and Pierce brilliant promotion, those guy's were legends before their time. Thinking outside the square. and dam nice guy's with it. (similar to a couple of blokes who are doing similar today)

Note number on Brock door and the gentleman behind the car who normally drove it.

[Steve Holmes]

This car visited Bay Park in a few different colour schemes. Note the right front guard little love kiss for Jim in the Sidchrome car.

Wow, colour photos of this car in Union Travel colours are REALLY rare! Thanks Rod. Did Moffat freight both his race car and transporter to NZ?

[Kiwiboss]

Ol Cedric himself, what a character!!

[Russ Cunningham]

A great thread and terrific pics.

PH Would think it was F-----n great.

[Munty]

Steve, somewhere you queried "didn't Big Pete race a Porche at Bay Park"
Answer here, now fill in the dates (obviuosly flying farewell with all in. Neat little Farina bet he knew when these 2 went past, and going into sweeper as well)

Hi Rod, this would have been Easter 74'...not that I was around yet but it would have been the year after Bruce brought our Capri over the previous year Easter 73'. Geoghan ran a Grace Bros sponsored Porsche during that season.

[Kiwiboss]

A great thread and terrific pics.

PH Would think it was F-----n great.

Russ, wouldn't he just!!! shame Pete past away(1997) just before the computer/E-mail thing took off!!! he was mad crazy about "Faxing" everyone so god knows what he would have done with computers!!! he always had an opinion about everything, i was alot younger then but always found Pete hardcase!!I remember going up to his office one day with 2 other mates that wanted to sit there race licence's, they went though all the paperwork and question stuff as you do and promptly got there licence's, he then turned to me and said you bloody "mayaswell" have one too!! still have it to this day, luckly!! LOL

Amazing times!!

Dale Mathers

[Rod Grimwood]

Wow, colour photos of this car in Union Travel colours are REALLY rare! Thanks Rod. Did Moffat freight both his race car and transporter to NZ?

it was a Ford truck as well Steve "surprise". whole rig came over. It was painted red before when used to transport falcons around. Rig could tell a few tails

[Rod Grimwood]

Had a few bacon and eggs on that table Dale, trying to get over the night before in the little room across the yard with the Ford carpet that Mr Johnson organized after a visit with Jim Richards.
A character alright. Cedric painted Jims cars among other things. Remember Mr Moffat saying "you have more of my old stuff than i do" on a visit not that long ago.

Another thought Dale, imagine the photos in that album, history plus there.

[Marty]

it was a Ford truck as well Steve "surprise". whole rig came over. It was painted red before when used to transport falcons around. Rig could tell a few tails

It's alive and well in Melbourne Rod, now white.
Jims Falcon Sprint was delivered to us on this, at one time.

[Steve Holmes]

Rod, Marty, thanks for the info on the Moffat transporter. I guess it would have been painted blue in 1974 to tie in with Moffats Brut 33 sponsorship? His XB Falcon Group C car was blue.

[Rod Grimwood]

Marty, see if you can sneak it again (with car on back) and deliver it to us at Phillip Island in early march so we can pack it all away and bring it on home. If only ah. Tell Jim I will look after it.

[TonyG]

What is this one that the Bowdens got from Moffat and they use to cart the Mustang around on ?
http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq204/TGPhotography/50th%20Anniversary%20of%20Touring%20Cars%20-%20Legends/LS012-4.jpg (http://s448.photobucket.com/user/TGPhotography/media/50th%20Anniversary%20of%20Touring%20Cars%20-%20Legends/LS012-4.jpg.html)

[Steve Holmes]

That looks like the one I saw at Eastern Creek a few years ago with Norm Beecheys Monaro on the back. Didn't John Goss have a similar one?

[TonyG]

It was on their Facebook page a while back that it was the original which they restored.
I will ask them again about it now. Should not take long to get an answer.

[105angria]

this could be the prompt to start the transporter thread

[Marty]

Today, 08:16 PMTonyG
It was on their Facebook page a while back that it was the original which they restored.
I will ask them again about it now. Should not take long to get an answer. .


Boy... this could be another one of those "who owns the real thing".... "its a mock up".... "the real one had a philips head screw in the LH rear indicator"... sagas.

[Steve Holmes]

Yeah its the real thing, its not a replica.

[Rod Grimwood]

Its the deal, got photos some where. There was more than one i think that were used to transport different cars around. The Bay Park one totally different cab and chassis etc.

[TonyG]

Make of it what you want:
Tony Growden posted to Bowden's Own Premium Car Care
The ford truck you have to transport the Moffstang around when required - what is its history ? Is it the original Moffat one. I heard once that you had located it many years ago.
Like · · 15 hours ago ·

Bowden's Own Premium Car Care : That's the one Tony, now back in its coca cola livery after time with John Goss and Bo Seton.

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks for that Tony, I knew Goss was linked in there somewhere.

6258

Thanks to www.autopics.com.au

[Ellis]

1971

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y128/falcongtho/TiltTrayandHO3.jpg

[Ellis]

Wow, colour photos of this car in Union Travel colours are REALLY rare! Thanks Rod. Did Moffat freight both his race car and transporter to NZ?

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y128/falcongtho/PDL16.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y128/falcongtho/Moffit-1.jpg

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks Ellis, those look similar to the ones posted on the nzmustangs site. They're just about the only ones I've seen before, other than a couple of publicity shots. I think the car only raced in these colours twice, at Bay Park and Wigram.

[TonyG]

Does anyone know who "Old Baypark" is on Facebook ?
It doesn't particularly bother me personally but they have just posted a heap of photos including Ellis's from above, on their page.
I would hope that it does not mean that some of our Pro Photographers and others who have graciously granted us access to their memories here, decide to withdraw this access. It is what makes this site so great.

[TonyG]

Looked again and got the sh.ts and started posting credits to all the people here that the photos belong to. I posted a couple and they got removed. I will just keep posting credits until I get banned. lol

[PhotoSmith]

Looked again and got the sh.ts and started posting credits to all the people here that the photos belong to. I posted a couple and they got removed. I will just keep posting credits until I get banned. lol

Hi Tony,

Don't know who he is either, but i did get in touch with facebook, though there online help, and asked them to remove my images
from this user's page, it took a couple of e-mails & a day - but they were happy to do it.

see below.......

Hi Martin,

Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. We have removed or disabled access to the third-party or user-generated content (photo) you have reported to us for violating our Statement of Rights & Responsibilities. Please let us know if we can be of further assistance.

However, based on your statement "if appears most of these photos have been ripped off from other websites," while we appreciate your concern, please note that in order to process a notice of infringement we need a report from someone authorized to act on behalf of the rights owner. Please forward this to the rights holder and ask them to review http://www.facebook.com/legal/copyright.php?howto_report.

If you have any further questions, please visit the Intellectual Property section of our Help Center at the following address:

http://www.facebook.com/help/?page=439

[kiwisteve]

Hi

What a fabulous website - thank you all for making it so interesting.

As part of a sim racing team making free content for computer games like GTL and GTR2, I have been researching Dekon Monzas to put into the game (see 2nd image below) and have found a decal that I cannot recreate because the images I have are too small.

It's clearly something to do with Messrs Pierce and Hanna (see photo below); does anyone have a bigger view of this sticker that I can use to recreate it?

Keep up the great work and thanks in advance!

88708871

[markec]

89458946

[Rod Grimwood]

Pays to have another look some times, just noticed in first page #20 the Firestone truck, that was me back then. Good little truck that one towed a couple of cars around.

[aussiemonza]

1971

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y128/falcongtho/TiltTrayandHO3.jpg

I reckon the Transporter photo in post #47 was a F500 Series unit owned by Formoco (Lot 6) that Moffat had use of. I believe the Goss Transporter was a "maybe half sister" of the Moffat unit (above), I spent many hours packing and travelling miles in this truck as a kid when I was cleaning sumps and floors at AMR in the early 70's. The original tray back body from the Moffat truck is still in Melbourne with one of Mick Webb's crew that looks after Bill Pye's TCM Camaro.

[TonyG]

My brother has just come back from NZ and rescued these from a box at mums.
Not the best quality now but at least saved for posterity.

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq204/TGPhotography/Baypark%20Raceway/PaulFahey-4_zpsaeeb9438.jpg (http://s448.photobucket.com/user/TGPhotography/media/Baypark%20Raceway/PaulFahey-4_zpsaeeb9438.jpg.html)

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq204/TGPhotography/Baypark%20Raceway/BryanThomson-3_zpsa4196ea4.jpg (http://s448.photobucket.com/user/TGPhotography/media/Baypark%20Raceway/BryanThomson-3_zpsa4196ea4.jpg.html)

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq204/TGPhotography/Baypark%20Raceway/untitled-3_zps3c67142b.jpg (http://s448.photobucket.com/user/TGPhotography/media/Baypark%20Raceway/untitled-3_zps3c67142b.jpg.html)

[TonyG]

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq204/TGPhotography/Baypark%20Raceway/TerryAllen-5_zpsa8445c04.jpg (http://s448.photobucket.com/user/TGPhotography/media/Baypark%20Raceway/TerryAllen-5_zpsa8445c04.jpg.html)

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq204/TGPhotography/Baypark%20Raceway/10388369_10152429994487082_840982049_n-2_zps09632764.jpg (http://s448.photobucket.com/user/TGPhotography/media/Baypark%20Raceway/10388369_10152429994487082_840982049_n-2_zps09632764.jpg.html)

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq204/TGPhotography/Baypark%20Raceway/10361120_10152429998407082_167876343_n-2_zps1f476568.jpg (http://s448.photobucket.com/user/TGPhotography/media/Baypark%20Raceway/10361120_10152429998407082_167876343_n-2_zps1f476568.jpg.html)

[TonyG]

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq204/TGPhotography/Baypark%20Raceway/10362391_10152429998277082_53665218_n-2_zps4b55ccb7.jpg (http://s448.photobucket.com/user/TGPhotography/media/Baypark%20Raceway/10362391_10152429998277082_53665218_n-2_zps4b55ccb7.jpg.html)

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq204/TGPhotography/Baypark%20Raceway/10379185_10152429998637082_1067349008_n_zps2bd9f5d9.jpg (http://s448.photobucket.com/user/TGPhotography/media/Baypark%20Raceway/10379185_10152429998637082_1067349008_n_zps2bd9f5d9.jpg.html)

[Kiwiboss]

WOW, those are some very cool photos Tony!!! colour pictures of the 2 Aussie Camaro's as well now thats gotta be pretty rare!! Luv the Minilite wheels in the big cars, just so era correct :)

Defiantly worth saving, scanning and posting, well done.

Dale M

[Michael Clark]

Great shots from some great days

[Jeff]

Seemed that every time we would go there the flooded subway under the track at the start/finish line would claim a few victims....
I recall the '78 International rally used the subway and track and the water was up to the headlights of the cars. Caused a lot of anxiety amongst drivers ! Spectators gave a round of applause to cars that didn't make it through.
That photo brings back many memories, although back in the early days all the cleared land was in trees, where the back entrance road weaves a crooked path. Easter used to see many late night parties under those trees, and loads of us used to camp under there. That was the days when there was a race meeting on the Saturday and drags on the Sunday, plus the Hot Rod show in Mt Mauganui. Taking photos for NZ Hot Rod magazine back then, and three events to cover, plus a party on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights, drive home Monday and spend all night developing and printing photos and back to work on Tuesday. The things you can do in your twenties!
And there wasn't a house for miles back then, just the camping ground at the beach end.

[Jeff]

Photo taken and developed at home by my dad Bruce.
25096

[Jeff]

25101
These two photo's from Google Earth show the transition of Bay Park to a housing estate.
First photo taken in 2003 - sorry it's a bit fuzzy. Note the Rorison house is just foundations now but the red shed still stands behind it.
I visited the site at this time and walked around what was left of the house etc... it was very sad but predictable that BayPark would go eventually ( noise was already a problem )
As a point of reference in the photo's the house at the bottom right on the boundary of Rorisons with the 3 rooflines is still there and the driveway in to Bay Park appears to be in the same position as the one now into the housing complex.

25099

This photo is from 2013 showing complete coverage of the site

25100
This interesting picture is from the Rorison Family showing their truck fleet in the foreground and Baypark behind, not many pictures around that show the overall size of Baypark, taken in the early 80's i've been told!! Parents were involved with the speedway track in the middle in the early 70's, great memorys(but im sure most have?) and what about Graham Pierce and Peter Hanna, nows there's two characters if there ever was!!

Dale Mathers
Tauranga, NZ

[Rod Grimwood]

Great shots from some great days


agree with that, superb old shots, and I was there Dale, only a youngster at 15 but there and remember it all. Paeroa on way home for pizza and a break, long haul in a old Victa that unfortuately only got us back to Papakura on southern motorway and then collected by a bus and I got home on the Tuesday after rest in Middlemore after being ejected from Victa in roll over. yep hard to forget 'first Bay Park'

PS and at 'last'

[Steve Holmes]

25101
These two photo's from Google Earth show the transition of Bay Park to a housing estate.
First photo taken in 2003 - sorry it's a bit fuzzy. Note the Rorison house is just foundations now but the red shed still stands behind it.
I visited the site at this time and walked around what was left of the house etc... it was very sad but predictable that BayPark would go eventually ( noise was already a problem )
As a point of reference in the photo's the house at the bottom right on the boundary of Rorisons with the 3 rooflines is still there and the driveway in to Bay Park appears to be in the same position as the one now into the housing complex.

25099

This photo is from 2013 showing complete coverage of the site

25100

Amazing to see!

[Steve Holmes]

My brother has just come back from NZ and rescued these from a box at mums.
Not the best quality now but at least saved for posterity.

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq204/TGPhotography/Baypark%20Raceway/PaulFahey-4_zpsaeeb9438.jpg (http://s448.photobucket.com/user/TGPhotography/media/Baypark%20Raceway/PaulFahey-4_zpsaeeb9438.jpg.html)

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq204/TGPhotography/Baypark%20Raceway/BryanThomson-3_zpsa4196ea4.jpg (http://s448.photobucket.com/user/TGPhotography/media/Baypark%20Raceway/BryanThomson-3_zpsa4196ea4.jpg.html)

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq204/TGPhotography/Baypark%20Raceway/untitled-3_zps3c67142b.jpg (http://s448.photobucket.com/user/TGPhotography/media/Baypark%20Raceway/untitled-3_zps3c67142b.jpg.html)

Outstanding photos Tony, thanks heaps for posting. Nice to see the Bryan Thomson and Terry Allan big block Camaros, along with Joe Chamberlains Trans-Am example. The draw of these cars really packed 'em in! The organisers had to shut the gates early afternoon on race day at this event, as the facilities had reached full capacity.

[bry3500]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACgKhQdEb_E

[bry3500]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kkd2_KrUaqI

[khyndart in CA]

Not looking quite as good as I remember during some of my misspent youth but still a good memory especially at the end of this clip as I remember doing 2 laps in my Anglia in 1968 with a friend before being told to get off the track !
(About as close as I got to being a race driver ! )
So here is a clip from 20 years later in 1988.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGxBPREP0mA


(Ken H)

[John McKechnie]

At 93 seconds ,I see a Grant Sprague Motors sign there

[Roger Dowding]

There was an Article on Baypark [ Lost Tracks ] in "Australian Muscle Cars " a couple of years ago by Sandy Myhre - which was quite inaccurate -covered in another thread - here is a letter regarding the errors.
Sandy had used the article she wrote in her book " 50 Years On Track " published years ago, which has the same inaccuracies.

Letter from Mike John
57662

The last event - a picture from NZ Herald Newspaper at the time
57663

[Roger Dowding]

Final event programme as posted on my thread about the article
1995
57664

Peter Hanna - Funeral Card from 1998. RIP Peter.

57665

[Roger Dowding]

Tony Rutherford RX2 turbo January 1982 - Milan Fistonic photo

57666

There must be many more photo's from the era - I went only about three time 1969 - 72 ish and no photos.

[Roger Dowding]

Post on the Dogbox Club thread about the Dodge Fire Engine that was at Baypark
Posts by GBRK on TRS
The F100 was eventually sold and replaced by the Dodge. Its final years were spent at Baypark Raceway where it remained being used right up until the tracks closure. This important part of NZ motor racing history survives to this day.

Fire Boss For Sale
Rather than start a new thread I will post this here since it already includes some history of the Fire Boss which is now offered for sale.

I am not the owner but if anyone is interested in purchasing the Fire Boss please pm me and I can pass on details to the owner for contact.

It is hoped that someone within the fraternity will recognise that this is a nice, perhaps important piece of NZ Motorsport the likes of which are often overlooked in museums and collections not being a flash race car but significant nonetheless.

If offered to the general public it risks being broken up and the history lost. It has had a reasonable restoration done and is in very good condition. It wouldn't take too much to restore it to a very high quality.

Some not very good photos follow but if anyone is genuinely interested and requires better ones I can arrange that,

Thank you.

57671

57672

57673

57674

Suggestion that " Leadfoot Ranch " the Millen Ranch Museum would be a good place to save it