Photos: The Bill Pottinger Collection - Part 1

[tweaks]

I do like the tyre set up on Lin's Lightweight Mini..slicks on Minilites on front and good old Dunlop Aquajet on std S rim on rear.

Cheers
Lynds

[Kwaussie]

In the photo of Jim Palmer & his father it is interesting that the mechanic in the dark jumper has a watch on both wrists - maybe one was Jim's. Great photos!

[Grant Sprague]

Wonderful ! Thanks, lads. Gotta love TRS...

Thanks just fantastick photos, when you think you had seen them all in they come like opening a new dimension............keep them coming [brings back childhood memories]

[Steve Holmes]

Graeme Lawrence (McLaren M4A FVA) leads the field in the February 1969 Gold Star round (N.Z. Drivers Championship) He went on to win from Roly Levis 1.6 Brabham (BT23C FVA) and Graham McRae (McRae Lotus TC). Levis went on to win the championship for 1969 from Lawrence and McRae. McRae in his home-built car was the fastest 1.5 litre car for the season comfortably beating the Brabhams and Lotuses.

[Steve Holmes]

Derek Bell (2.5 litre Brabham BT26 Ford Cosworth V8) speeds into the straight during the Lady Wigram Trophy race, round 3 of the 1970 Tasman Series. Bell qualified 4[SUP]th[/SUP] but blew his engine during lap 34 of the race while in 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] position.

[DJMcD]

Such a smooth operator I think we underrated him at the time, went on to a wonderfully long career in sports cars.
I was lucky to operate with Bill in those great years at Teretonga, he is just a lovely guy, great photography, every shot a cracker!

[Steve Holmes]

Bruce McLaren reflects on his win in the 1968 Teretonga International where he drove a BRM P126 V12 of 2.5 litre size designed by Len Terry and being trialled for the upcoming Formula 1 season. He finished ahead of Jim Clark (Lotus 49T) and Frank Gardner (Brabham BT23D Alfa Romeo V8).

[Carlo]

Bill was a very acomplished driver in his own right as those who competed against him will testify

[Steve Holmes]

Derek Bell (2.5 litre Brabham Ford V8) is sideways and on two wheels as he crosses the bump in the Wigram Loop beside the hangars. After starting 3[SUP]rd[/SUP] on the grid he withdrew on lap34 when his Cosworth Ford V8 blew up while in 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] place.

[Steve Holmes]

Chris Amon’s Ferrari Dino 2.4 litre V6 cockpit is shown as the car is warmed up prior to the Teretonga International. Amon finished 3[SUP]rd[/SUP] in the race behind winner Piers Courage (Frank Williams entered 2.5 litre Brabham BT 24 Cosworth Ford V8, chassis no.3.) and Graham Hill (2.5 litre Lotus 49T Cosworth Ford V8). Amon went on to win the 8 race Tasman Series for 1969.

[Steve Holmes]

Denny Hulme (Brabham BT23C-FVA 1.6 litre) finished 6[SUP]th[/SUP] at the January 1969 Teretonga round of the Tasman Series behind McLaren, Clark, Gardner, Amon and Courage. Hulme was the current F1 World Champion driver. His car for the Tasman Series was the ex Roy Winkelman Jochen Rindt F2 car but this was damaged in the first race of the Tasman Series beyond repair and was replaced with his own F2 Brabham he had used the previous year in European Formula 2. This is the car shown here at Teretonga.

[David McKinney]

Correct, except that the cars were BT23s, not BT23Cs

[Grant Sprague]

You got me going , hey I have a beautiful coloured print of Y Rindt side ways up over a hill some where in Europe in the Lotus number 3 ............this site is fantastic rejuvenating youth lol

[GD66]

Hulme was the current F1 World Champion driver. His car for the Tasman Series was the ex Roy Winkelman Jochen Rindt F2 car but this was damaged in the first race of the Tasman Series beyond repair

And THAT is another story, for another thread on another day....

Have recently re-watched the CanAm Thunder dvd, quite joyful to see again the obvious affection in which Pete Lyons held Denny.

[Steve Holmes]

Roly Levis (Brabham BT23C FVA) oversteers into the main straight at Teretonga Park during the January 1969 round of the Tasman Series. This was the year of the wings for single seater cars. Laurence Brownlie raced a similar car but without wings. While Levis got the wings, Brownlie got extra gear ratios.

[Steve Holmes]

Graeme McRae driving a McLaren M10A Chev rounds the Elbow bend on his way to winning the 1970 Teretonga International from USA drivers Ron Grable (McLaren M10A), and Mike Goth (Surtees TS5 Chev). McRae won the 1970 N.Z. Gold Star and finished 5[SUP]th[/SUP] in the 1970 Tasman Series after contesting and winning only two rounds.(Teretonga and Surfers Paradise).

[Art Markus]

Until Carlo mentioned Bill's driving exploits, I was starting to think we can't be talking about the same Bill Pottinger that I remember, even though there can't be too many petrolheads of a certain age and of that name in the country. But it's the same guy all right. And boy, was he a DRIVER. Around the same time (mid-70's) I was pootling about in my 1970 MG Midget, Bill had a Mini 1275GT. He had the most FANTASTIC car control of anyone I knew at that time, and all these years later I have never seen anyone better. Yet he was always modest and unassuming in the great Kiwi tradition of sportsmanship. He went on to rally an Escort (a Mark One with Twin Cam engine from memory) but always with a limited budget to the best of my knowledge. I lost contact with the NZ motorsports scene after going to the UK in 1978, so don't know what happened to Bill subsequently, but if you happen to see this Bill... greetings. Great photos too.

Art Markus

[Steve Holmes]

Art, thats great! And yes, Bill will see this. I can put you in touch if you like?

[Steve Holmes]

Graham McRae waits on the grid for the start of the 1970 Teretonga International. He went on to win the race.

[superroo69]

These images are superb and I can only say it is a great shame that Bill didn't continue on with his motor sport photography, as he had a great eye for the subject matter and would have had quite a successful career IMO. I particularly like the shots of the drivers, as these types of photos are few and far between, compared to the racing shots.

Paul