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

[Roger Dowding]

Ardmore Airfield was the site of the New Zealand Grand Prix from 1954 to 1962, when the event moved to Pukekohe.
Auckland Car Club and Northern Sports Car Club used to run events at Ardmore called " Little Ardmore " in January February annually and when the Races at Ohakea Air Force Base and Airfield were cancelled because of Military requirements an additional event was run at Ardmore - the " Ardmore 50 ".

In 1983 an event was held at Pukekohe called the Ardmore - Pukekohe Reunion meeting.
- in January 1989 a real Reunion Meeting was again held at Ardmore.

Photos have been posted before but in response to my photos being put on Old New Zealand Motor Racing, Mike Courtney of Austin Seven and RA Vanguard fame -
[ he owned the RA Vanguard as bits in the 1980's as a running machine but not restored ]
posted these images.
The List of Entrants and Notes from the " Historic Racing and Sports Car Club, and a montage of photos that appeared in a Newspaper - not named.

The HRSCC list
Many great names on there, sadly some of them have gone to the Race Track in the Sky.



The HRSCC notes



The Montage of photos ;



The Car Sticker from the meeting archive of Ross Hollings who was racing that day in his Mini-Cooper.



One of my photos from the Day - the Sports Cars on the dummy grid - with the three Austin Healey entries a BN2 100 Mark Donaldson, who still has the car and two AN5 Sprites Steve Hill Red AN5, Anthony ' Tony' van de Water AH5 758, the white Sprite that he also still has.

[Roger Dowding]

Photos from a Wings and Wheels meeting at Pukekohe - remember attending one of them, main sponsor was an Auckland Radio Station.
This set of Sports Cars from one of the events.

The Peter Bruin restored Lotus X1, now with the Sharp / Ganley family - was Howdens car back in the 1960's with the Motordrome Team.



The Dave Silcock XK120



The Paton Ford Special, that was owned by Jim Short at one time, he had it at Ardmore in 1989 - the Reunion meeting.



Facing the other way.

The Tony Herbert Ginetta, now in Europe with Richard Bauz.



Buckler - the MGA powered Ian Hallet car



Another photo of the Lotus XI



The other cars feature are in the background of some of the photos, the Buckler and also another Buckler the Green / Yellow car that is now in Europe.

[Roger Dowding]

A photo that had apparently been lost for a while - a Mini hitting the Bank at Rothmans, people scurrying away from the edge of the track.
- All looks OK but look up high.
Distinct lack of fencing along Rothmans, just the men in White Coats - did that job myself with NSCC many times.

Photo from " Ethel de Aardvark " - correct name not known, but a friend of " JohnB " E de A - now lives in Australia.
Date of photo not confirmed 1966 is a guess
- * note from Milan Fistonic " November 1965 meeting at Pukekohe "

.

Lost a front myself back in 1967 in Titirangi, came a round a corner and the nose dropped as the wheel had torn away from the stud holes.
Early Mini wheels were known to have this issue.
They, the " 10 x 3.5 inch " with 5.20 x 10 tyres got replaced by later Mini wheels widened by Dave Jolly to " 10 X 5 " and had 5.90 x 10 Firestones fitted, as seen here.

[Milan Fistonic]

Quote: Date of photo not confirmed 1966 is a guess

It was at the November 1965 meeting at Pukekohe.

The Motorman report of the incident.

[Roger Dowding]

Quote: Date of photo not confirmed 1966 is a guess

It was at the November 1965 meeting at Pukekohe.

The Motorman report of the incident.

Thanks Milan,
can detail the photo.

342,243 views, and growing, still not up with ERC at 2,066,652 .. and rapidly growing.

[Roger Dowding]

A series of photos have emerged - John Larry Lawton has been given Terry Baker photos from the 1971 - The October Winfield meeting.

Should go on the Baypark Story - but here is an example.

Jim Smith brought the car to NZ, not sure how many meetings he attended.
Rod Grimwood and Milan Fistonic both have images from Magazines of the time - Autonews etc

[Roger Dowding]

What began as the " Wills Six Hour " Race - for Standard Production Saloons - in October 1963 Developed into two Races by 1965 with the Introduction of the " Gold Leaf Three Hour Challenge " Race for Modified [ Factory ] Saloons and Sports Cars in 1965. By 1967 the Challenge Race was " Wills Challenge Race ".

The Race became the Benson and Hedges 500 and continued into the 1980's as such.

A selection of photos from Kevin Lancaster of the 1971 race.
First 2 photos - first lap first corner - the Elbow / Stables.





Ralph Emson - Doug Bremner Triumph 2.5PI, pursued by another 2.5PI.



Graeme Harvey - Don Davies 2.5PI at the hairpin.



Barry Phillips Bruce McLean Ford Cortina 2000GT



A couple of the " Big " cars ;
- Bruce Anderson Pat Smith Ford Falcon 500 and Tim Bailey Merv Neil Chrysler Valiant V8.

[Roger Dowding]

A selection of programmes covering the early to mid years of Pukekohe 1963 to 2023.

1963 December Blue Cover and 1964 April Red Cover ACC Meetings - White cover is from 1960 - presume meeting was at Ardmore.



Wills Six Hour meetings 1964 - 1967 - anticlockwise from bottom right 1964



1966 ACC and NSCC National Meetings



1967 ACC and NSCC



1980's
- 1981 and 1985 Benson and Hedges Programmes and the 1986 New Zealand Grand Prix
- Only two makes of cars entered for the Grand Prix Race - Ralt RT4 [ 13 cars ] and Chevron B34 [ 2 ]. The GP had lost its status but had 5 drivers from the USA and one Private Entry from Australia.



The Programmes came from Allan Cameron, Lloyd Gleeson, and Ross Cammick.