Saturday 5 January 1963

[stubuchanan]

http://s6.postimage.org/bnhsmes4x/1963_GP_Programme002.jpg (http://postimage.org/)

This coming Saturday, January 5th, is the 50th Anniversary of the first race meeting held at Pukekohe - the 10th NZ International Grand Prix. As I recall, there was a fairly desperate rush to get the new track ready, some ideas were tried and not repeated in subsequent years, but the weather was fine and warm and an interesting day of racing unfolded. Here is my photo of the GP start, obviously it wasn't the only one!

http://s6.postimage.org/44ynds0s1/Pukekohe_1963_GP_Start.jpg (http://postimage.org/)

Who else remembers, and what.

Stu

[ERC]

As a 16 year old at the time, I still remember reading about it in the UK's Motoring News and Motorsport! It would be 20 years before I made it to the track - just before the 20 year celebration meeting.

[jim short]

[QUOTE=stubuchanan;22473]http://s6.postimage.org/bnhsmes4x/1963_GP_Programme002.jpg (http://postimage.org/)

This coming Saturday, January 5th, is the 50th Anniversary of the first race meeting held at Pukekohe - the 10th NZ International Grand Prix. As I recall, there was a fairly desperate rush to get the new track ready, some ideas were tried and not repeated in subsequent years, but the weather was fine and warm and an interesting day of racing unfolded. Here is my photo of the GP start, obviously it wasn't the only one!

http://s6.postimage.org/44ynds0s1/Pukekohe_1963_GP_Start.jpg (http://postimage.org/)

Who else remembers, and wha
The day was real hot and the new seal started to break up in places,a lot of cars broke down,John Surtees won in a Lola,I think Rod Coppins blasted down the back straight passing Bob Jane but not able to stop at the hairpin??Perhaps because I had been married one yr,the meeting lacked the Ardmore excitment,.Met Surtess at a diner in Taupo ,thr first A1 meet ? He debated the year that he ran second to Moss in the rain,in end agreed the Lola win was 63,a nice guy down to earth asked him to signe the 62 programe and we would share the $20,000 it would be worth,he happily agreed!!

[jamie]

Morning Gang yes I was there that weekend I was A Helper and I was told to stop the THRONG going over the bridge that went over just after the start line at the start of races good times. Happy new Year to you all Jamie A

[kiwi285]

Yes I was there too and remember it being very hot and suffering sunburn later in the day. I was 16 at the time and must have gone there with my Dad as I didn't get my licence for another couple of years.

[hilstwist]

I wasn't at that meeting but sure I was at Levin a week later.Is that the series that Mclaren raced a Cooper and Innes Ireland raced a Ferguson?Or was that the year before?

[John H]

Yes a very. very hot day. My remembering.
Standing a few meters from the elbow and the intense concentration on Surtees face as he braked the Lola.
Rex Flowers pushing his red Gemini over the hill.
Chris Amon shaking his fist at him on the left hander after the hairpin.
Driving around the track after the race in my mothers Standard 8 without being questioned! In looking back what a great day.
I cant remember if Graham Hill drove the 4 wheel drive car this year or the year after. He broke down on the last lap just before the hairpin...

[GD66]

Yep, that was 1963. Bruce McLaren won in '64.

[Rod Grimwood]

Yep, was there with my dad and grandfather.

check 1st post in Euan Sarginson thread for some info.

[Rod Grimwood]

Report

[hilstwist]

A "training session"!! Look at the length of that race,nearly 2 hrs!Given the reliability back then it was a great feat to finish surely.

[stubuchanan]

As a 16 year old at the time, I still remember reading about it in the UK's Motoring News and Motorsport! It would be 20 years before I made it to the track - just before the 20 year celebration meeting.

It's just as well nobody was going to organise a 50th Anniversary meeting, the track is not usable at the moment, a bit 'hors de combat' you might say.

http://s6.postimage.org/629m6ycj5/Puk_Earthworks_Detail.jpg (http://postimage.org/)


http://s6.postimage.org/n42g91re9/Pukekohe_Earthworks_Hairpin.jpg (http://postimage.org/)

These photos taken from Pukekohe Hill lookout on a brief visit to Pukekohe last Sunday. I'm not sure what the earthworks on the outside of the track at the hairpin are for. More corporate hospitality facilities perhaps?

The 4wd Ferguson : Graham Hill drove it at Pukekohe and in the Australian GP at Warwick Farm, Innes Ireland at all the other races. I'm not sure what other Australian races there were in 1962/3 season, the Tasman Series didn't start until the following season.

I don't remember car parking inside the horse track in later years, and the pedestrian bridge near the elbow was shifted around the corner towards the Loop the next year, as I recall.

Stu

[Steve Holmes]

Amazing thread Stu! Here is a photo Bob Homewood sent me, of McLaren leading McBeath and Sprague.

14758

[stubuchanan]

I had a closer look at this slide(of mine) and realised what it was. Graham Hill's Ferguson-Climax finally gave out approaching Railway Corner on the last lap when he was running second. There he is, in blue overalls, walking back to the pits carrying his familiar London Rowing Club colours helmet, in the centre of the picture, after everyone else had finished. Well, all 7 of them anyway.

http://s6.postimage.org/wpw0pcik1/Colour_Slides_Motor_Racing_060.jpg (http://postimage.org/)

Looks as if he was still in time to watch the winners' presentation!

Stu

Hmmm.. Perhaps a close-up of the centre portion might have been better!

[GD66]

The 4wd Ferguson : Graham Hill drove it at Pukekohe and in the Australian GP at Warwick Farm, Innes Ireland at all the other races. I'm not sure what other Australian races there were in 1962/3 season, the Tasman Series didn't start until the following season.
Stu


http://www.oldracingcars.com/australia/1962/

[Kiwiboss]

Well, todays the day!!! 50 years ago and even falls on a cracka fine saturday today as well. Can't say i was there at 3-1/2 years old but enjoy reading all the posts.

Dale M

[Rod Grimwood]

From the Year Book.

[Rod Grimwood]

Year Book

[Rod Grimwood]

They had a crowd, I am in there somewhere as a young fella out with Dad and Grandad, (can remember going to Ardmore with them as well)

[Rod Grimwood]

A big day in motorsport history for a alot of people i suspect, if you look back.
That day as very young fella 'I am going to do this when I grow up' well, never raced single seaters but done a couple of laps in tin tops, wonder how many in that crowd did the same. All my trolleys were number 47.

[Rod Grimwood]

Supporting acts, must admit even as young fella I loved the saloon cars, maybe because I could relate to them as they were seen on the roads.
Still liked the 'race cars' though.

[hilstwist]

The other fact that sticks out for me is that the crowd was 40,000 plus! Was there a lot of people lining the inside of the track? There was a big crowd at Levin the following week. I remember My father being really impatient in the car waiting to get into the track! I was 15 at the time and I recall trying to worm my way to the front of the crowd around us so I could at least see the cars.I think that it was Mclaren in that Mini Cooper that made me a lifelong Mini fan! This thread makes fascinating reading and once again thanks Steve H for making it possible!

[jamie]

Morning Gang looking at thr pict of Denis remindes why I did not like that corner he must have brakes like my FORD 10 Singler Seater with the super charger on it that was the only to stop it ? the Cooper Bobtail was A difrent story Loved theTrack then Jamie A

[John H]

"FORD 10 Singler Seater with the super charger"...Ah so thats what it was!! I remember running my mk1 Zephyr at a hill climb in Maramarua and noticed your car and felt that it was less like a race car I had ever seen. But i'm sure it went well. Chrs

[Murray Maunder]

I was fortunate enough to look after old cine footage of the GP for the Bruce McLaren Trust from Ardmore years to 1965. Here's the 1963 NZIGP.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGv0TaUCkJc&list=UUssaSL2jwLUXT6u5E673cSg&index=14

The spectator appeal back then was MASSIVE.

[Rod Grimwood]

Great footage Murray, how many cars and people at Ardmore in that 1961 footage. Very safe start with starter on back of landrover, and the chequer flag guy was really interested in the rest of field, hard case how things have changed.

[Murray Maunder]

Indeed how times have changed Rod. The 1961 is my favourite of the series of Clifford Irving films for the atmosphere it captures. I am amazed at the spectator facilities and "infrastructure" as we so quaintly put it these days. Huge crowds which carried over to the Pukekohe meetings of the sixties when many of GP racing's stars and cars came down under.

It's neat to see Pukekohe reach 50 years and the Aussie intrusion in the track layout is, I believe, not necessarily going to affect all racing there. The long back straight, high speed kink and first gear hairpin sequence is classic so let's hope organisers don't all forsake the "1.75 mile" layout.

[jamie]

Hi Murray That was A grate Clip Isaw most of the race from the Bridge made me feel like I was 19 again? Jamie A

[Steve Holmes]

I hope I've got this right? These pics were supplied to me by Bob Homewood. Pretty sure they're from this event.

14828

14829

[stubuchanan]

That would tally with the NZGP programme, Steve.

Gary Pedersen (50) Ford, and George Dixon (111) Chevrolet, and Bruce Mclaren (128) Mini from the earlier post. Some of the big crowd still finding their way to a good viewing spot.

Stu

[bob homewood]

Yes Steve those two photographs are from the 1963 NZIGP , it is interesting to look at the Hairpin area , it bears no resemblance to how it looks these days , as I think I commented on another a thread on here there was nothing if you went straight ahead at the end of the back straight until you reached the creek

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks guys.