Quote by Ray - " Last pic taken as we left. I should have spent a bit of time wandering the car park - but my ankles were stuffed"
Didn't fall down down a crack did you?
Quote by Ray - " Last pic taken as we left. I should have spent a bit of time wandering the car park - but my ankles were stuffed"
Didn't fall down down a crack did you?
Nope - but I was exhausted...
The driver of this Star car, Tony Christiansen lost both his legs in a railway accident when he was just 9 years old.
The Lagonda was just cruising.
The Thompsons 1955 D Type replica. Many of you will remember Anne's very spirited driving of the 1906 Darracq, now owned by Rod Millen.
Colourful Mazda!
Colourful commentator Chudleigh, not quite as impressive as Robbie Shorter's head stand... (#1306).
Last edited by ERC; 02-08-2017 at 04:28 AM.
A smiling Alan Dippie had time to wave at the crowd.
I somehow missed most cars from this group in action on the hill. Maybe next year.
'Ere, Dad, I think the guy behind might be a bit quicker...'
Mad Mike put on another impressive driving display.
One of 2016's stars, Rick Bone, has removed the big engine (2000cc) and reverted to the 1500cc engine. A tribute drive for the late Stephen Harris, our AES sponsor.
Last edited by ERC; 02-07-2017 at 02:24 AM.
Good to see another quarter past three competing- 2 door as well
I have been offline for a few days, it has been interesting catching up with comments from the festival.
Congratulations to Kenny. He deserved the honour and certainly drove very well. Next year Bathurst! I would have thought that there were still plenty of people and manufacturers whom deserve a festival. Scott Dixon, arguably the best driver NZ has produced. Ford, Colin Giltrap, etc, etc.
I did not enjoy the meeting. Poor organisation, some drivers whose cheque books are bigger than their ability who only come out once a year. I would love to see some drivers being told to put their cars on the trailer and come back when they know how to drive on a race track. I got driven off the track going around the outside of a Formula Pacific in turn one. He had wings and slicks and 200hp. I have treaded tyres, no wings and about 120hp. Next time I will report it to the officials instead of talking to the driver concerned.
The new track I found featureless and apart from the double B corner not easy to find brake and turn in points. But it was the same
for all cars.
On the subject of dummy grid identification I know of several drivers who have hopped in a mates car and gone out and raced. One had the misfortune to break down and coast to a stop in front of the Steward of the meeting!!
The grid marshals do a great job, but all they see are cars and numbers. It would help if grid numbers were displayed on the dummy grid.
Retrieving broken cars takes far too long. Use quad bikes or similar positioned around the track. Hook onto a broken car, drag it to a safe place and at the end of the next race take it back to the pits.
My comments probably haven't helped much, but it was not a memorable meeting.
Beowulf
Seeing a Consul 315 competing or even on the road brings back memories to me.Back in the day I was running a Mk one Escort in club rallies and hillclimbs, all 315 Consuls that got dismantled then,the first thing the Car Wrecker sold were the rear brake drums and shoes.They were considerably wider and larger diameter, ideal for a club car. You could set your brakes up on an adjustable pedal box.
Peter
ERC mentions drivers not reading the ASR's for a meeting properly. In the Good Old Days (GOD) I ran an Autocross on my farm. I added a rule to the event that at the end of the event all cars entered became the property of R.Wright.
At the barbecue afterwards when the results were announced I also asked for all car keys of everyone entered. A couple of BDA Escorts and various other desirable cars. I think it got the message across about reading what you are signing.
Very hard not to agree with you Beowulf, especially with the vehicle recovery time delays. Each year I go, and each year the same problems or mistakes arise or are made. There doesn't seem to be anyone looking at how to improve the efficiency of the ruling of the meetings. For the supposed premier meeting of the year, it's frustrating that they can't seem to get such basic things right or at least better. If it was a club event you could probably accept these issues, but not for the biggest event of the year run by supposedly the best there is.
When the likes of HD are taking over the running and promoting of meetings, and especially with the jacking up of entry fees ( not only HD related ), I don't think it is unreasonable to expect a more professional product for your entry fee $. They all say the increase in entry fees is to cover the "safety levy", but what does the levy actually cover that we didn't have before, and how has anything improved since this levy was introduced? Cars out in the wrong races, and people driving their mates' car, is going backwards in the safety stakes, not increasing them.
Sorry for derailing your thread Ray. Great photos from Leadfoot, I will have to get down there one year.
Remember your first ever event? Trembling in your boots, having read every word of the entry form a dozen times; consulted the MSNZ/RAC manual, until you were cross eyed; fretted over being in the correct class, (if there was one!); worrying yourself sick over scrutineering; writing out a cheque (remember them?) and posting off your entry the day the ASR's arrived, just in case the entry was full? (It sometimes was!)
Just had the entries list to date for the HRC Feb 18/19 meeting at Pukekohe. A total of 17 cars across all classes... I also guarantee that the entry will lift by at least 10% AFTER the closing date.
On a different note, Debbie at the Motorsport Club is desperately short of volunteers for this Saturday, 11th Feb, Hampton Downs AND Pukekohe. If you can assist in any way: deb @themotorsportclub.com (delete the space)
Gordon Burr has rebuilt the V8 Escort and was going well.
Tanner Foust returned after a successful 2016 debut.
The ever popular Ernie Nagamatsu and Old Yeller, Buick Special.
The Dick Jones Special (another US car originally) back out again with Bruce Smythe after a long lay off. Bruce said he was delighted to be on the programme with Old Yeller, so presumably, these two (cars) had competed against each other some years ago? *Had a note from Rhys that they have been unable to find any proof of any US history on this car.
Last edited by ERC; 02-08-2017 at 09:13 PM.
Whoopsies...
Racing Ray's Perana Capri was lucky to suffer only very minor damage after an off between the trees - he put it down to cold tyres and reverted to road tyres for his next run.
Not sure what had happened here
Mike Tubbs had a big grin on his face as he did a 360.
Not sure what happened here either
No whoopsie here but what an impressive display Ian Ffitch puts on.
Last edited by ERC; 02-08-2017 at 09:10 PM.
Greg Murphy giving the newly constructed rally Barina a shakedown.
Brings back memories! Gordon Spice owned the Speed Shop in Ashford Middlesex and as I was stationed there for six years, I bought many of my accessories and some go faster stuff from him. I think his branch manager, Gerry, used to run a Ford Zephyr in the pre '57 saloon's.
Last edited by ERC; 02-09-2017 at 02:24 AM.
I do wish that replicas were labelled as such...
Ray, I'm in agreement with you regarding the labeling of replicas, perhaps adding a small R beside the car number would work. I've seen enough well engineered GT40s up here which totally confuse me and sometimes the owners are offended when I ask if their car is a replica ( well, the owners of the genuine article are understandably annoyed)....
It isn't so bad in competition Grant, or when you can get close to the car, but where a big issue is when I snap a car in public or other than at an event and it makes filing a bit hit and miss. I always add a disclaimer, 'That to the best of my knowledge...' I'm, sure there are several car pics I have filed
incorrectly.
Probably easier in NZ than in your neck of the woods!
I struggle with Americana and more recent single seaters - now it is the modern breed of sports cars such as Radical, Nemesis, Mission, Juno etc., that flummoxes me. Maybe if I were 60 years younger, I'd be more observant. It doesn't help if there is no nose badge either - and that goes for old as well as new.
The Boss... A bit of a contrast from the Darracq.
Last edited by ERC; 02-10-2017 at 12:57 AM.
Obviously not the Adams BMW 2002 as stated in the programme... Still Paul Adams driving though.
The Briggs Mercury Special but as I published a pic of it at the Chelsea Hillclimb not so long ago, it suited a conversion to a black and white pic.
As Pikes Peak is well entrenched in the Millen History, Rod is able to attract several cars that you would normally only see there, so it is fantastic that they ship them over here just for this event and one of the factors that makes it unique. Paul Dallenbach.
Last edited by ERC; 02-10-2017 at 09:06 PM.
Sandy Mygind (it is actually Andy, but we presented him with a 'Sandbag' award last year at the ERC dinner, and renamed him... A few seconds after this pic was taken, the driver's door flew open so I guess that as it was captured on camera, there will be another award this year.
Part of the group I missed, on the hill - but I gather it failed to make the top.
Ex Red Dawson Willys
Another Pikes Peak car. Dave Donner.
Last edited by ERC; 02-11-2017 at 12:57 AM.
If Alec Issigonis were alive today, he might recognise most of this...
... but not this.
Last edited by ERC; 02-11-2017 at 08:02 AM.
Usually seen 3 wheeling on corners, Rayden Smith also manages to get a wheel off the ground on the straight.
Stanford Special, well known as an ex-Bruce McLaren car.
I wonder if the bride also came to Leadfoot?
Being a bit pedantic here, but shouldn't this be labelled as a Bugatti-Jaguar? Although it has a great NZ history, it has had a Jaguar engine since 1953.
Bert Dove, best known a few years ago for racing an immaculate Triumph TR3A, then last year, an ex-NASCAR machine.
Last edited by ERC; 02-11-2017 at 03:13 AM.