The Roaring Season

One aspect of this story is the Bill Kelly connection with the Wolseley Special. It had a Vauxhall 23/60 gearbox (because Tritton loved the gear noise) with right-hand change, it had tons of power and Bill had slaved many hours in building it.

Then he drove it to Toowoomba to meet Pike to take it to Leyburn for the race. Here he is in the car...



...but I'm not sure whether this is before he left for Toowoomba or when he got back. I snapped this shot of a photo in his album and was expecting to go back and have a good look and chat one day. But Bill died. I must try to visit his widow before it's too late, there were other photos.

Here are two of the cars from row 2 on Strathpine airstrip prior to the race:



The Buick had no gearbox, just a Ruckstell 2-speed diff from a T-model Ford.



Larsen's car had a long range fuel tank, you can see it there, a Cadillac V8 and 21" wheels because of a tyre shortage. The Snow Sefton Ford Special is this side of it and the Cappy Woods Hudson speedcar (driven by Bowes) is almost obscured by it. The missing car...



...is the 25hp Wolseley-powered Special of Cyril Tritton.

Tritton was prevented from competing by his family and so, to keep faith with the organisers and Bill Kelly, arranged for John Pike to drive with Kelly (who worked unpaid overtime to complete the car) to be riding mechanic. But the damage being done to the new bodywork led to Pike withdrawing after being quicker than most of the field in practice.

It is a bit confusing but if you scan the Australian race photo it states 1954 Ohakea.
What better way to advertise an event than to show a bunch of crazy / brave Australians racing each other !
There was no Google photos to choose from back then and it must have worked because it mentions crowds of 30 thousand
(Which is a bit more than attend a lot of events now.)


(Ken H )

I think that was my question too...

Really strange to promote a 1959(?) New Zealand race meeting with an unexplained photo from an Australian race run in 1949.

Ray Bell wrote:The start of the 1949 Australian Grand Prix at Leyburn...

Front row: Frank Kleinig (Hudson Special), Arthur Rizzo (Rizzo Riley), John Crouch (Delahaye), Keith Thallon (SS100) and, nearest camera, Dick Bland in the Reed Special.

Second row: Rex Law (Buick Special), Snow Sefton (Ford Special) then a gap where the Tritton Wolseley should be, Allan Larsen (Regal-Cadillac) and Alf Bowes (Hudson speedcar).

Larsen is about to take the lead, which he held only very briefly. I have a clip on video of that marvellous moment when the 1911 Regal Underslung chassis outpaced everyone.

Thanks Ray Bell and Ken H .. for the clarification and to Ray for the details of the photo .. my question is why ??
- presume a lack of knowledge by the writer /editor of the article

The start of the 1949 Australian Grand Prix at Leyburn...

Front row: Frank Kleinig (Hudson Special), Arthur Rizzo (Rizzo Riley), John Crouch (Delahaye), Keith Thallon (SS100) and, nearest camera, Dick Bland in the Reed Special.

Second row: Rex Law (Buick Special), Snow Sefton (Ford Special) then a gap where the Tritton Wolseley should be, Allan Larsen (Regal-Cadillac) and Alf Bowes (Hudson speedcar).

Larsen is about to take the lead, which he held only very briefly. I have a clip on video of that marvellous moment when the 1911 Regal Underslung chassis outpaced everyone.

Roger,
I think Ray is waiting to explain this photo..
Thanks Ray,

(Ken H)

Ray Bell wrote:You didn't interrupt, Ken...

Everyone is still busy scratching their heads about the Aussie photo I mentioned.

Yes Ray - which Aussie in which photo ?? ..

You didn't interrupt, Ken...

Everyone is still busy scratching their heads about the Aussie photo I mentioned.

March, 1959. "Inside the enclosure, D. Lawrence, of Wanganui, has his TR3 Mistral refueled during the eighth Ohakea motor races on Saturday. Outside were about 30,000 other spectators." The Manawatu Evening Standard. (Is that one of Graeme Lawrence's brothers behind the Mistral ? )


27 February, 1959. "Tom Clark, the well-known Auckland racing driver, tries for room and comfort in the Ferrari he will drive at the eighth Ohakea motor races. At Porter Motors last night Clark's mechanic, Mr H. Green, looks at the car he hopes also to have speeding at up to 160 miles and hour." The Manawatu Evening Standard.

The Holden tool board reminded me of where I worked at WH Lober & Co Pty Ltd (80-92 McElhone Street) for Holden and Cadillac cars. Woolloomooloo, Sydney in 1970. The WH Lober building in 1978 looking along McElhone St. with Kings Cross right above.


( Excuse me for interrupting this thread.)
Ken H

Interesting that an Australian photo has crept in there...

Car 24 is Gavin Quirk's Maserati 250F which broke a half-shaft just before the end of the Ohakea Trophy race.

Good to see Kirk,
More information discovered.

Hope Graeme " jellywrestler " sees the mention of motorcycles in the middle item

Hello, just a quick update for those that are interested. I had earlier made reference to checking through copies of the the Wanganui Photo News as well as local newspapers for any more details on the Jack Edward's car. I was able to make a start on this while on a quick visit to Wanganui last weekend.

No luck to date (first edition of the Photo News was May 1959, so after the time period required), but I did find some lovely period adverts and event reports in the Manawatu Evening Standard as well as a photo montage from the 1959 Ohakea event in the WPN.
Still work to do though, although it will have to wait until when i am next in the district.

Regards

Kirk

KWMartin wrote:Great work, Milan. So that is our man and his car. Well done.

From the Wellington Car Club website I have found this:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]67164[/ATTACH]

http://www.carclub.co.nz/assets/archives/1954.pdf

This advert was in the July / August 1954 edition of the Wgtn Car Clubs newsletter. If the date is correct, Jack Edwards was trying to sell the car between the Ohakea 1954 and 55 events that we know he competed in. He obviously had a change of heart with the sale at the time.

Kirk,

That link is great - some reports on quite a few events- see a few Auckland Boys in the events Laurie Powell Ford V8 - Les McLaren in the Ulster Austin 7, that was Bruce's first competition car - he drove it at Ohakea in 1955 as in that photo.
Must check it out in detail.

Thanks

Roger

Milan Fistonic wrote:This image is a section of the photo of cars on the grid at Ohakea 1955. In Vercoe's book it is said to be the Ohakea Trophy Race but I have two references that show car 37, P J Harrison's Cooper Matchless, was a non-starter in the Trophy race. Therefore I believe the photo shows the start of event 6, the Sports & Racing Car Scratch Race.

Both my references show Jack Edwards as a late entry in car number 68. I reckon that car is the one on the far side of the track, immediately in front of the group of four men. Only the 8 of the number is showing but the actual car 8 is on the back row of the grid (not shown in my portion of the photo). In the grid positions shown in Vercoe's book Edwards is next to car 30 (G Brown's Buckler) and in front of car 58 (Bruce McLaren's Austin 7 Special). That ties in with the photo.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]67143[/ATTACH]

Great work, Milan. So that is our man and his car. Well done.

From the Wellington Car Club website I have found this:
http://www.carclub.co.nz/assets/archives/1954.pdf

This advert was in the July / August 1954 edition of the Wgtn Car Clubs newsletter. If the date is correct, Jack Edwards was trying to sell the car between the Ohakea 1954 and 55 events that we know he competed in. He obviously had a change of heart with the sale at the time.

Milan Fistonic wrote:This image is a section of the photo of cars on the grid at Ohakea 1955. In Vercoe's book it is said to be the Ohakea Trophy Race but I have two references that show car 37, P J Harrison's Cooper Matchless, was a non-starter in the Trophy race. Therefore I believe the photo shows the start of event 6, the Sports & Racing Car Scratch Race.

Both my references show Jack Edwards as a late entry in car number 68. I reckon that car is the one on the far side of the track, immediately in front of the group of four men. Only the 8 of the number is showing but the actual car 8 is on the back row of the grid (not shown in my portion of the photo). In the grid positions shown in Vercoe's book Edwards is next to car 30 (G Brown's Buckler) and in front of car 58 (Bruce McLaren's Austin 7 Special). That ties in with the photo.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]67143[/ATTACH]

Great work Milan, I looked at that photo closely, but could not work it out
Thanks ..
Roger

This image is a section of the photo of cars on the grid at Ohakea 1955. In Vercoe's book it is said to be the Ohakea Trophy Race but I have two references that show car 37, P J Harrison's Cooper Matchless, was a non-starter in the Trophy race. Therefore I believe the photo shows the start of event 6, the Sports & Racing Car Scratch Race.

Both my references show Jack Edwards as a late entry in car number 68. I reckon that car is the one on the far side of the track, immediately in front of the group of four men. Only the 8 of the number is showing but the actual car 8 is on the back row of the grid (not shown in my portion of the photo). In the grid positions shown in Vercoe's book Edwards is next to car 30 (G Brown's Buckler) and in front of car 58 (Bruce McLaren's Austin 7 Special). That ties in with the photo.

7th Ohakea Trophy
Date: 3rd March 1956
Venue: Ohakea Airfield
15 laps of 3.218kms (48.27kms)
Starting Grid: (The runways were wide enough to allow the cars to line-up in four rows)
Row 1:
Frost, Sulman, Stafford, Hugill, Palmer, Syd Jensen, Roycroft, Petersen, Drew, Webster, Clark, Caldwell, Gilbert and McMillan.
Row 2:
Lawrence, Culver, McCutcheon, McDonagh, McLaren, Buckthought, Freeman, Wells and Moorhead.
Row 3:
Hobbs, A Thompson, Cowie, Ross Jensen, McDougall, Bailey, Fearon, Dawson and McWhirter.
Row 4:
B Harris, Wigmore, C Harris, Kerr, Cottrell and E Thompson.

The results list [ extract again from " sergents " website - NZ Motor racing results 1949 - 1976 ].

The first 5

" Result Driver Nat Car / Engine Laps Time
1 Tom Clark NZ Maserati 8CM / Maserati 2992cc 8cyl s/c 15
2 Ron Roycroft NZ Bugatti-Jaguar / Jaguar 3442cc 6cyl 15
3 Arnold Stafford NZ Cooper Mk IX / Norton 530cc 1cyl 15
4 George Palmer NZ Cooper-Bristol Mk I / Bristol 1971cc 6cyl 15
5 Ross Jensen NZ Austin-Healey 100S / Austin 2660cc 4cyl 15 "

The rest ;

" Other starters, not listed in finishing order.

Tom Sulman Aust Aston-Martin DB3S / Aston 2996cc 6cyl
Ron Frost NZ Cooper Mk IX / Norton 530cc 1cyl
Rob Hugill NZ Cooper Mk VIII / Norton 498cc 1cyl
Len Gilbert NZ Cooper Mk VI / Norton 498cc 1cyl
Syd Jensen NZ Cooper Mk IX / Norton 530cc 1cyl
Snow Petersen NZ Cooper Mk IV / JAP 497cc 1cyl
Bruce Webster NZ Cooper Mk VII / JAP 497cc 1cyl
Ray Drew NZ Cooper Mk IX / Norton 498cc 1cyl
Russell Buckthought NZ Lestone Special / JAP 497cc 1cyl
John McMillan NZ Alfa Romeo Tipo B / Alfa 2905cc 8cyl s/c
Bill Culver NZ DeSoto Special / DeSoto 3368cc 6cyl
Ted Thompson NZ Bugatti-Ford / Ford 4071cc V8
Reg McCutcheon NZ Normac Special / Chevrolet 3870cc 6cyl
Des McDonagh NZ Thomas-Mercury / Mercury 4100cc V8
Allan Freeman NZ Lago-Talbot 26C / Talbot 4485cc 6cyl
Graham Wells NZ Riley 9 Brooklands / Riley 1098cc 4cyl
John Bailey NZ Ford 10 Special / Ford 1172cc 4cyl
C Harris NZ Buckler Mk V / Ford 1172cc 4cyl
Phil Kerr NZ Buckler Mk VI / Ford 1172cc 4cyl s/c
Brian Harris NZ Allard PB / Ford 2262cc 6cyl
Olly Cottrell NZ Cotti Special / Ariel 1000cc 4cyl
D McWhirter NZ MG Special / MG 1286cc 4cyl
B Hobbs NZ Triumph TR2 / Vanguard 2088cc 4cyl
John McDougall NZ Triumph TR2 / Triumph 1991cc 4cyl
Les McLaren NZ Austin-Healey 100 / Austin 2660cc 4cyl
A Thompson NZ Austin-Healey 100 / Austin 2660cc 4cyl
Graham Cowie NZ Austin-Healey 100 / Austin 2660cc 4cyl
Doug Lawrence NZ Citroen 15 / Citroen 1911cc 4cyl
J Fearon NZ MG TD / MG 1250cc 4cyl
Dave Dawson NZ MG TC / MG 1250cc 4cyl
H Wigmore NZ MG TF / MG 1250cc 4cyl
J Moorhead NZ Morgan plus 4 / Vanguard 2088cc 4cyl Ret
Dave Caldwell NZ Alfa Romeo Tipo B / Alfa 2905cc 8cyl s/c
"

The DNA cars / drivers - presume did not start ;

" DNA Ken Baigent NZ Hillman Alpine / Hillman 1265cc 4cyl
DNA D Richardson NZ Austin-Healey 100 / Austin 2660cc 4cyl
DNA S Robinson NZ Triumph TR2 / Triumph 1991cc 4cyl
DNA B Henderson NZ Triumph TR2 / Triumph 1991cc 4cyl
DNA John Seabrook NZ Austin-Healey 100M / Austin 2660cc 4cyl
DNA Trevor Sheffield NZ AC-Ford / Ford 3731cc V8
DNA Laurie Powell NZ Ford V8 / Ford 3622cc V8
DNA George Smith NZ GeeCeeEss / Chrysler 5641cc V8
DNA Dave Bransgrove NZ Wolseley Hornet Special / Wolseley 2215cc 6cyl
DNA Terry Nixon NZ Cooper Mk VIII / Norton 498cc 1cyl "

Note the race was only 15 laps and the cars lined up in four rows -being so wide.

No mention of Jack Edwards car.

That is all I have from " sergents " as highlighted by Kirk in the start of this post.

As an aside have gathered a couple of photos from the Kennedy family about Jack and his Austin Seven Special from his Grandson. The Kennedy Austin is pictured on the back sleeve - coloured cover of the Vercoe Book

Maybe an Ohakea story should be done.
Have previously posted Ohakea Reunion photos on the Dunedin Thread - instead of creating a new thread.

Cheers

Roger

The entry list Grid placings.

" 6th Ohakea Trophy
Date: 5th March 1955
Venue: Ohakea Airfield
15 laps of 3.218kms (48.27kms)
Starting Grid: (The runways were wide enough to allow the cars to line-up in three rows)
Row 1:
Roycroft, McMillan, Smith, F Shuter, McDonagh, V Shuter, Simpson, Stafford, Frost, Jensen, Stanton, Harrison, Lee, Freeman and Petersen.
Row 2:
Caldwell, Palmer, McCutcheon, Seabrook, Cowie, L McLaren, Powell, McInally, Drew, McDougall, Orr, Aitken, Harris, G Brown and Edwards.
Row 3:
Bern, Clements, Weaver, Buchanan, L Brown, Culver, Buckthought, Jonathon, Long, Bransgrove, Tilsley, Gilroy, Wells and B McLaren.
"
Details of Cars and Drivers.
The Top Five
" Result Driver Nat Car / Engine Laps Time
1 George Smith NZ GeeCeeEss / Chrysler 5600cc V8 15 23m 26.8s
2 Frank Shuter NZ Cadillac Special / Cadillac 5200cc V8 15
3 Syd Jensen NZ Cooper Mk VII / Norton 498cc 1cyl 15
4 Ron Frost NZ Cooper Mk VIII / Norton 498cc 1cyl 15
5 George Palmer NZ Jackson-Mercury / Mercury 4118cc V8 15
"

Placing of the Edwards Car is not detailed but it did finish.

Other starters, [ and non starters noted - DNS ] not listed in finishing order.
Others retired like Ron Roycroft Peter Harrison

Ret Ron Roycroft NZ Alfa Romeo Tipo B / Alfa 2905cc 8cyl s/c Axle
John McMillan NZ Alfa Romeo Tipo B / Alfa 2905cc 8cyl s/c
Arnold Stafford NZ Cooper Mk VIII / Norton 498cc 1cyl
Bill Lee NZ Cooper Mk VI / Norton 498cc 1cyl
Allan Freeman NZ Cooper Mk IV / JAP 497cc 1cyl
Snow Petersen NZ Cooper Mk IV / Norton 498cc 1cyl
Ret Peter Harrison NZ Cooper Mk II / Matchless 498cc 1cyl Fire
Dave Caldwell NZ JBS 52 / Norton 498cc 1cyl
Gordon Brown NZ Buckler Mk VI / Ford 1172cc 4cyl s/c
Graham Wells NZ Riley 9 Brooklands / Riley 1098cc 4cyl
L Brown NZ Brown Special / Ford 1172cc 4cyl
Paul Simpson NZ Lestone Special / JAP 497cc 1cyl
Bill Culver NZ DeSoto Special / DeSoto 3368cc 6cyl
Morrie Stanton NZ Stanton Special / DeHavilland 6124cc 4cyl
Reg McCutcheon NZ Normac Special / Chevrolet 3870cc 6cyl
Des McDonagh NZ Thomas-Mercury / Mercury 4100cc V8
Herb Gilroy NZ A40 Special / Austin 1200cc 4cyl
Don Tilsley NZ Singford / Ford 1496cc 4cyl
Jack Weaver NZ Austin 7 Special / Austin 747cc 4cyl
Jock Aitken NZ Dodge Special / Dodge 3600cc 6cyl
Russell Buckthought NZ Ford 10 Special / Ford 1172cc 4cyl
Ian Buchanan NZ GBS / Ford 1172cc 4cyl
Dave Long NZ Watson-BSA / BSA 1095cc V2

Jack Edwards NZ Ford 10 Special / Ford 1172cc 4cyl


Laurie Powell NZ Ford V8 / Ford 3622cc V8
Barrie Jonathan NZ Ford 10 Special / Ford 1172cc 4cyl
Bruce McLaren NZ Austin 7 Ulster / Austin 747cc 4cyl
Dave Bransgrove NZ Wolseley Hornet Special / Wolseley 2215cc 6cyl
John McDougall NZ Triumph TR2 / Triumph 1991cc 4cyl
M Orr NZ Triumph TR2 / Triumph 1991cc 4cyl
Wally Bern NZ Triumph TR2 / Triumph 1991cc 4cyl
L Clements NZ Singer SM / Singer 1500cc 4cyl

Peter McInally NZ Austin-Healey 100 / Austin 2660cc 4cyl
Graham Cowie NZ Austin-Healey 100 / Austin 2660cc 4cyl
John Seabrook NZ Austin-Healey 100M / Austin 2660cc 4cyl
Les McLaren NZ Austin-Healey 100 / Austin 2660cc 4cyl

Brian Harris NZ Allard PB / Ford 2262cc 6cyl
Vic Shuter NZ Allard J2 / Ford 3662cc V8

Ray Drew NZ MG TF / MG 1250cc 4cyl DNS
Phil Neill NZ Austin-Healey 100 / Austin 2660cc 4cyl DNS
Tom Newton NZ Allard PB / Ford 2262cc 6cyl DNS
Ivan Cranch NZ Riley / Riley 1860cc 6cyl DNS
Bruce Webster NZ Alfa Romeo 8C / Alfa 2300cc 8cyl s/c DNS
G Vaughan NZ RV8 / Ford 3622cc V8 DNS
Ted Thompson NZ Bugatti-Ford / Ford 4071cc V8 DNS
Fordy Farland NZ Singer-Buick / Buick 4074cc 8cyl DNS
Fred Parker NZ Sunbeam Talbot / Sunbeam 2267cc 6cyl DNS
Anne Fox NZ MG TF / MG 1250cc 4cyl DNS
Olly Cottrell NZ Cotti Special / Ariel 1000cc 4cyl DNS
Peter Wormersley NZ A40 Special / Ford 2262cc 6cyl DNS
Don Rumbles NZ Austin 7 / Austin 747cc 4cyl s/c

Fastest Lap: George Smith "

Car should be in the Jacket photo in the Vercoe Book of the Grid for the 1955 Trophy Race - back cover. They don't seem to be in 3 rows though.