Hey Grant, great to hear from you.
Some friends of our family from the Motorcross days used to own that gas station at the bottom of Queen St, so I may well have been there at some time.
Frank and Ernie seemed to be always doing some sort of deal or other together over the years.
Frank was tireless in his efforts to try to scrape together enough money to get Paul overseas in the early days. The NZ Dollar was at an all time low to the UK pound, so it was a really difficult task. Without the support of the people Frank knew like yourselves, I am sure Paul would never had made it overseas, and the story might have been a lot different.
I am very proud of what our family has achieved, both in racing and outside it. Paul did us all proud by going on and having the racing career he had, and carried a little bit of each of us in the family with him all the way.
I'm not disappointed I didn't get that drive with Dad that time, as it would never have been mine anyway. I am younger than Paul, and he had much more experience and was faster than me at that time anyway, so it would have made no sense. I had fun in the racing that I did do. I enjoyed helping Paul to put together our team for the International series in NZ each year, and then being part of that team.
Great to hear you are buying
Aegis Oil. It's the only oil blended in New Zealand these days, and Frank has now stepped aside (although he is still there each day actually blending the oils) and Paul has taken over running the company.
Tony is still based in Auckland. I saw him last time I was in NZ. He's still working as hard as ever doing the things he does.
Grant Sprague wrote:Chris, I remember that toyota well , was one out of the box , gave Gary & Leo a run for thier money, was a super little car a great choice, I think we meet down at the bottom of Queen Street & along to the right , did you use to pump gas in that servo on the l/h side ??. My father sold Frank a hot mk 2 engine years gone by they wheeled & dealed, Ernie bought the Anglia off Frank that Gary raced , can also remember Frank coming down to Tauranga to help muster funds from us car dealers to support Paul UK motor racing that would have been early 80,s I gues , you will be proud of the history behind yr name , as for you not getting that drive at Bay Park , you were a little like me at the wrong end of the peck order lol. You will be happy to know I buy AEGIS products off your family business, & hey great piks enjoy my freind , Kind Regards Grant ps hows is yr uncle Tony , have bought a few cars off him in the past , sharp as a tack is Tony
