The Roaring Season

I too would like to say farewell to one of MOTORSPORTS more interesting characters having met him a couple of times in the late seventies and had similar interests the history of the sport. We had a couple of great conversations, Farewell David we did not know each other that well but we may meet up somewhere else sometime in another life to talk Motorsport history.

I'm sure my friend David Beard will not object to me posting these here for you all:







Farewell, David.

Agree Glenn, must get the timing correct - he will notice!
Cheers

Top idea Glenn

I certainly will be Glenn. This is certainly a sad loss. Not just the loss of knowledge but the touch of humour behind them. I am one of the many on here who never met David, a great disappointment to me now, it just reminds me how much knowledge needs to be shared and gifted to others, a gift David was always willing to give.

RIP David.

Sean McBride

Chaps, David's service will be held at 11am Friday, which is midnight Friday in NZ time. So, we can't be there, but let's raise a glass to David on Friday wherever we are, for his amazing understanding, sympathy for and knowledge of NZ's racing history, and for sharing it with us all.
Cheers, David.

Regards Glenn Ducey.

The loss of David cuts deep.
It was so much more of a shock to me - as I had emailed David only 18 days ago ...and had a cheery reply from him.
I had the 250F Maserati book written by David and I finally met him about 7- 8 years ago and reading his works had already given me an insight into his amazing mind.
I visited him when he was living in Vartry Rd in Tottenham and we also had many lunches during my UK visits.
Both of us being born in NZ meant a lot of ground was covered during our annual lunches in London - when I went over for the Goodwood Revival. A a lot of time was spent rehashing our parallel childhood days in Auckland.... as well as “car stuff”.
An astounding fact emerged during one of these lunch chats: David used to stay with his grandfather on some weekends in Parnell, a near-city suburb in Auckland.I actually lived 200 yards from that very house.... however we had never met.
I went to Auckland a couple of years ago and took photos of the actual street and his late g/father’s house and sent them on to David. He was like a kid when he saw them, telling me later he had also sent them on to his sister, who I think is still in NZ??? I knew little about his family.
Amongst the many roles in his life, David worked for some time as a Parliamentary reporter in Wellington, NZ -and when I said that when my wife and I were in Wellington, we had dinner at a hotel right across the road from the Parliament buildings. David said ”Oh boy, we “lived there” after work, having a beer or 3!
One of nature’s characters and sadly missed by all who had known him ..and had benefitted from his “human hard drive” memory abilities.
RIP David

Very sad to hear this. Never met Dave nor corresponded with him, but as a former UK-based motorsports journo and someone with a great interest in and modest knowledge of motorsports history, I was in awe of Dave's breadth and depth of knowledge. HUGE respect, and sincere condolences to all who knew him.

Art Markus

Very sad to hear this. Never met Dave nor corresponded with him, but as a former UK-based motorsports journo and someone with a great interest in and modest knowledge of motorsports history, I was in awe of Dave's breadth and depth of knowledge. HUGE respect, and sincere condolences to all who knew him.

Art Markus

Mark and Stu, thank you for the info and comments. I did visit the Autosport forum and read the both sensitive and amusing eulogy that Russ contributed. He is certainly a very capable writer and it would have been interesting to have seen a publication co-authored by both of those gentlemen -concise, but a take no prisoners style, that's for sure.

markec wrote:Russ has been in contact with both Davids daughter Jo, also Davids sister, both of which he has also known for a long time.
David and Russ had made trips to race meetings in Europe together, they shared an intense interest in Historic Motorsport and as Grant has said, both have extensive collections of print material on this subject, much of it regarding NZ history.

On behave of Russ I would like to pass on his gratitude for all the expressions of sympathy and sorrow at the sudden passing of his great friend David.

The Encyclopedia has closed.

Mark Coulthard.

You can read a eulogy from Russ on the Autosport Nostalgia Forum at http:/forums.autosport.com/topic/192052-david-mckinney/page-2

Also photos and many other eulogies.

Stu Buchanan

Grant Ellwood wrote:I knew he was close to passing but nevertheless still a shock. I am hoping Russ Cunningham will post a eulogy because he was a very close friend of David's, stayed with Dave in UK. Both guys had (or in Russ's case have) a huge cache of NZ Motorsport history.
A great loss.

Unfortunately Russ Cunningham is unable to make a posting in the memory of his great buddy David McKinney, as he has a lifetime ban from this site.
Russ has been in contact with both Davids daughter Jo, also Davids sister, both of which he has also known for a long time.
David and Russ had made trips to race meetings in Europe together, they shared an intense interest in Historic Motorsport and as Grant has said, both have extensive collections of print material on this subject, much of it regarding NZ history.

On behave of Russ I would like to pass on his gratitude for all the expressions of sympathy and sorrow at the sudden passing of his great friend David.

The Encyclopedia has closed.

Mark Coulthard.

Neat guy...neat memories...honour to know. Peter Bennett

I never meet the man , but after reading here from you guys I wished I had ..... RIP David

Steve - is the updated software reposting each time it is edited?

I noticed it when I corrected a typo, so had to manually delete the extra post.

Good post Richard, but as a pedant, I'd query your typing!

Steve - is the updated software reposting each time it is edited?

I noticed it when I corrected a typo, so had to manually delete the extra post.

Good post Richard, but as a pedant, I'd query your typing!

I am stunned - such a knowledgeable person on NZ motorsport. This is a great blow considering the book David was going to put together on the history of NZ motorsport.

RIP David

I am stunned - such a knowledgeable person on NZ motorsport. This is a great blow considering the book David was going to put together on the history of NZ motorsport.

RIP David

You have all said it much better than I could. We all miss David's answers to a variety of questions. I am delighted that his book is in good hands, and look forward to its completion. I knew David in the "good old days' when he was with Wellington Car Club and part of a group that were into rallying. Some of them even became responsible citizens. I met David briefly at a McLaren dinner during the McLaren Trust trip to England a couple of years ago, still the same sharp mind that I remembered. I hope that all his information has been saved and is in good hands. One of the great things that the Roaring Season has done is made a lot of that information available to us enthusiasts and pendants.

Richard Wright

You have all said it much better than I could. We all miss David's answers to a variety of questions. I am delighted that his book is in good hands, and look forward to its completion. I knew David in the "good old days' when he was with Wellington Car Club and part of a group that were into rallying. Some of them even became responsible citizens. I met David briefly at a McLaren dinner during the McLaren Trust trip to England a couple of years ago, still the same sharp mind that I remembered. I hope that all his information has been saved and is in good hands. One of the great things that the Roaring Season has done is made a lot of that information available to us enthusiasts and pendants.

Richard Wright