Motor Racing pics - my early years, 1964-71 ; Pukekohe Racetrack ;by - Roger Dowdingl

[Roger Dowding]

The over 1600 classes ;

1601 - 2500



2501 and over Class.



A photo of early in the race from Graeme Lindsay archives ;
Shows a couple of the Ford Cortina GTE's Cars #22 and #24 ..



The entry list for that group



The small cars.

[Roger Dowding]

Much has been written about the Paul Fahey and Dave Simpson Fastback Anglia's which both debuted at the same meeting and had been created [ supposedly ] without one group knowing what the other was doing.

A Peter Levet photo of just after the start of one of the races at the December 1965 meeting.
This was the second meeting in the National Championship series - the first being Renwick.

The Humber Jaguar #191, Frank Radisich, Lotus Anglia #104, Paul Fahey and part of the Dave Simpson Anglia #177.
Thanks to Milan Fistonic for the photo and the archive details - entry lists and results.



The entry lists ;

Race 3


Extract from the Race report - Race 3.


Race 10 the Feature [ Championship ] Race;


More from the Race Report - about race 10 ;



Dave Simpson, Lotus Anglia #177 and Garth Souness, Morrari #172 through the Esses at Pukekohe is this the same meeting ? Yes it is as noted below;
I initially thought Large crowd so maybe the NZ GP meeting in January 1966, seem to remember at the GP meetings that carpark area near the hairpin would have been totally full - so is the December and the Race Number matches #177 for Dave Simpson.
GP meeting January 1966 Allcomer entry lists; D A Simpson was in a Lotus Cortina not the Lotus Anglia
Photo from Graeme Lindsay archives [ posted before ]

[Milan Fistonic]

Quote: GP meeting January 1966 Allcomer entry lists; D A Simpson was in a Lotus Cortina not the Lotus Anglia

They really messed up in that programme. As you say, they had Dave Simpson driving a Lotus Cortina in the Open Saloon Car Scratch Race but then in the Saloon Car Handicap Race he was listed as driving an Anglia Cortina.

He was definitely in the Lotus Anglia Fastback in the first race when he finished fifth after the car tossed a rod coming over Rothmans on the last lap. He obviously didn't start in the handicap race.

[Milan Fistonic]

Your photo from the December 1965 meeting is probably from the first lap of Race 10 as the order of the cars is as shown in the Motorman report; Simpson, Souness, Fahey, Nazer, Radisich and Kerry Grant's A40.

[Roger Dowding]

Quote: GP meeting January 1966 Allcomer entry lists; D A Simpson was in a Lotus Cortina not the Lotus Anglia

They really messed up in that programme. As you say, they had Dave Simpson driving a Lotus Cortina in the Open Saloon Car Scratch Race but then in the Saloon Car Handicap Race he was listed as driving an Anglia Cortina.

He was definitely in the Lotus Anglia Fastback in the first race when he finished fifth after the car tossed a rod coming over Rothmans on the last lap. He obviously didn't start in the handicap race.

Thanks Milan for that and the extra information on the photo.
As you can see I did " borrow " from your post on " Old New Zealand Motor Racing ". Appreciate the details you have in your archives.
Cheers
Roger

[Roger Dowding]

Photos from Ian Tilley archives - photos are Family Archives taken from Colour Slides

The Segedin [ co driver D Simmons ] Mustang and a Daimler SP250 - think David Oxton ** see comment Trevor Sheffield believes it is him - he and Bill Kelly finished third, a place ahead of the Mustang.



Mustang again, with a Mini, Race # 2 or #3 I think - the Matich Stanton Palmer Honda S600 and Lotus Cortina.



Some Mini's under the Dunlop Bridge on the loop [ Ian thought this photo was 1966 so was on the notes but realised when Mustang in the group photo that it was the " Gold Leaf 3 hour Challenge Race ".- have amended the notes on the photo ]



The Entry List - as posted before from Ken H.. and I think Milan Fistonic has it too !!

[Trevor Sheffield]

I think that the photo depicts me driving the SP250 Daimler, when I was overtaking the Mustang which I finished ahead of. At that point the Oxton car had retired due to losing a wheel.

[Roger Dowding]

I think that the photo depicts me driving the SP250 Daimler, when I was overtaking the Mustang which I finished ahead of. At that point the Oxton car had retired due to losing a wheel.

Trevor thank you for that - was I thought you or David Oxton hard to read the numbers;
I will pass that information on to Ian Tilley [ his photo ] and also to Peter Smith, Roger's Brother who has a dossier on Roger Smith's racing exploits.

This is the start with, I believe you, tucked in behind David Oxton and the Mustang in the centre - from the 1966 " Shell Book of New Zealand Motor Racing " by Peter Greenslade and Euan Sarginson [ Euan Sarginson photo ]



You with W " Bill " Kelly finished 3rd behind the Morris Cooper S's of Mullins / Neilson 1st and Hamlin / Charles 2nd, with then the Mustang, Segedin / Simmons 4th the Buchanan Austin Cooper S 5th and then Roger Smith and J Bowden in another Daimler SP 250 6th.
Don't have the full results - only details from the book. Note ; " F Sheffield " when it should be T R Sheffield as in the entry list.

[Roger Dowding]

The photos are from Family Archives - taken from Colour Slides - a few more ;

Lotus Cortina #15 [ R Wilson W Thompson ]



The Bill Dunster Healey [ co driver Charlie Conway ] with a Fiat and a Cortina



A wider view of the Mustang, Mini Cooper S -[ Sheppard Kettelwell ] Honda and a Cortina.
The Saint Johns Ambulance First Aid ' Boys ' in the foreground.



The Programme cover
from Ken H - thanks again Ken

[Roger Dowding]

I think that photo is from the March 1963 meeting as Ron had number 24 on his Minor that day.. If it is then No 67 is John Bernard's Austin A90. There were six Healeys entered but Dunster was not named as a driver of any of those In the Lawrence trailer would have have been the Lola sports car that was to be be shared by Doug and Graeme. Tony Lawrence was also there to race the family Peugeot. The car to left of Ron's looks like another A90 and if the programme is to be believed then it must be Don Hadfield's.

On another site Alan has identified the Healey as No 108 so that makes the driver R. Cullen.

Looking again at the information ; Post #401 from mid last year.

The Six Healeys, two were Sprites-
R McLoughlan in one Sprite, his brother P [ P A T ] McLoughlin in the ex Russell Leathers " Ruddspeed 3000 "-must check if it was now the " 4000 ' - with the Austin A125 Boat Anchor of a motor.
The car under restoration with Myles Hicks, Gavin Hicks son in recent times.
Roger Smith in a 100 - 4 cylinder, Austin Healey that preceded his Daimler SP250 Dart in 1965.
Roger raced the 100 at Matamata in 1964.

have this partial list from the event - not from the programme, must have been an " Official " list - used by Timekeepers and Other Officials. - List from Kelvin Brown archives, thanks to Milan Fistonic, I have this copy.

Would like the previous page as would have the rest of the Saloons.




The photo that started the comment has appeared in the latest NZ Classic Driver #102 just out. !
- under Allan Dick's column - " Burning a Grey Pipe "
Allan states - " lots of detail in this paddock shot at ' Ardmore, probably 1962 ' Have fun identifying the makes and models of cars - some of which are tow cars, others were there to be raced ".
Perhaps a correction needs to be sent to NZ Classic Driver

The Healey in centre background Race #108. R Cullen as noted by Milan Fistonic.
The Ron Brown Morris Minor in foreground - RIP Ron Brown, who passed away recently - Alan Boyle's best Mate since primary school and fellow team member of the " Evweld " Racing Team in 1966 in their Mini Coopers



From the same meeting another photo -
Don Hadfield in his Austin A90, #68 beside Ron Brown in the Morris Minor.
Don was a serious Triallist hence the roof light and the spot / driving lights on the front
another Austin A90 #67 appears in the paddock photo.

[Milan Fistonic]

Perhaps a correction needs to be sent to NZ Classic Driver

Already done that.

[Roger Dowding]

Perhaps a correction needs to be sent to NZ Classic Driver

Already done that.

Thanks Milan, I got a letter to the Editor published in the latest issue - Hope yours gets through
Cheers
Roger

[Roger Dowding]

Ardmore from 1954 to 1962 was the home of the " New Zealand International Grand Prix ".

Thanks to " Allan ", I now have these Programme's.

.

They will be looked over and used to support photos that are around in the various forums including TRS.

Thanks again Allan,- they arrived today

[Roger Dowding]

A selection of photos from Pukekohe

A Daimler SP 250 close to a competitors car that had come to grief in the Horse barriers.
[ 1961 -64/65 Black on Yellow plates ]



A few years later, the 1967 season, from memory; and the biggest car in NZ Motor Racing ' :
Engine size and body size.
The Robbie Francevic Ford Fairlane 7 litre Car, of Coventry Motors.

At the start, alongside a Mustang.



Losing a BIG Car in a BIG WAY !!.



An appropriate post as the Track is scheduled to run its last Car racing meeting in April 2023.
Much conversation in various media at the moment.

RIP Pukekohe .. January 1963 - to April 2023.

[khyndart in CA]

Almost 60 years old. The original Pukekohe circuit. ( Image from Oct. 1965. race programme.)




For those of you who drove the whole original track, how were your times ?


Many memories and many round trips from Morrinsville.

--------------------------------------------------------------------
NZ car prices in 1965 ( In pounds, shillings and pence, remember what that was like ?)





Ken H )

[Roger Dowding]

" For those of you who drove the whole original track, how were your times ? "

Wish I knew Ken H,

on the 1.75 mile circuit - before chicanes and other impediments did 1;29 - in a Triumph 2.5 P I - with a passenger, and a tad slower in the TR4A on my own - think a 1;30 .. ..

Great stuff Mate, thanks for posting - saved to my archives ..

[Milan Fistonic]

This is possibly one of the first published track maps of the new Pukekohe track. It is from the July 1962 issue of Motorman.



Interesting that by the time the October 1962 Motorman was published the cost of the track had risen to 53,000 pounds.

[Oldfart]

Remember that the non commonwealth cars had a huge chunk more duty . 54% compared to 17% if memory serves me correctly.

[Roger Dowding]

Milan, Thanks for adding the "Early Pukekohe " details from Motorman .. All part of the History.

1962 was before I started buying Motorman, which was in 1964 and for the last two years at High School, I bought Motorman and " The Autocar " from the bookshop across the road from Kelston Boys High School ..
- Yes the one that Graham ' Ted ' Henry was Principal of, before he became a famous coach -I was there 1961 - 65, he was there in the 1980's., although I did meet him there when the company I worked for were helping sponsor their " Softball " Team.

RIP Pukekohe 1963 - 2023.

Did they hold an event in 1962 ?? - as mentioned in the article.
- prior to the 1963 " New Zealand International Grand Prix ". in January.



Programme from Nigel Watts archives and is # 55 .. Have another image of the Programme from Richard Bauz, who owns the "Orchid " De Joux bodied Sports Car - his is # 2031

[khyndart in CA]

More of the October 1965 entrants for the 3 hour Challenge Race at Pukekohe.


The Daimler SP 250 certainly had much more range than Ford Mustang.




The week before on October 3rd 1965 the Australians held their long distance race, The Armstrong 500 at Bathurst. ( Some good footage in this clip before Holdens and Falcons arrived on the scene.)




(Ken H.)( Excuse me Roger for using your thread but I wanted to add some 1965 racing. This was during my last weeks of schooling, school C etc.. )