Racing Mustangs in New Zealand

[michael84]

Hi.

Ok heres a few questions im just gona throw out there.

When,Where and Who drove the first Mustang in a race in NZ?

When was the Mustangs first win in NZ?

How many and What championships have the mustang won in NZ?

What series if any is the Mustang currently competing in, in NZ?

Thanks

[Steve Holmes]

OK well I'll have a crack at this and someone will let me know if I've got any of this wrong.

The first Mustang to race in NZ was the Ivan Segedin car, which arrived in mid to late 1965. Will post a photo shortly.

The first Mustang to win a race in NZ would probably be Pete Geoghegans, which won the saloon car race at the 1966 NZ Grand Prix at Pukekohe, which would be January 1966.

The first Mustang to win a championship would be Paul Faheys, which due to a bizzare points system, finished 2nd overall to Rodger Andersons Mini Cooper in the 1967/68 championship, despite winning most races outright, but he won the overall championship in 1968/69.

Now as for championships won, I'll just base this on outright championships, rather than class championships:

1969: Paul Fahey
1970: Red Dawson (who was tied for the championship with Rod Coppins in a Camaro)
1974: Jim Richards

The NZ Saloon Car Championship was basically ended following the 1977 season. There are a few spaceframe Sports Sedan style Mustangs that compete these days in GT racing in NZ, and several also compete in historic racing and in muscle car racing.

Hope that helps?

[Steve Holmes]

The Segedin Mustang.

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[michael84]

Thats an awesome photo.....Is the car still around these days?

[Steve Holmes]

Yep, its still around. Has been restored to as it originally raced, and the owner even took it to Europe a couple of years ago to run some FIA Historic Touring Car events, including Spa.

[pallmall]

Thats an awesome photo.....Is the car still around these days?

There is a photo near the beginning of the Mustang Photo thread of it in 2010 at Hampton Downs, and some of it as an allcomer saloon in the same thread.

[nigel watts]

[nigel watts]

[nigel watts]

[David McKinney]

First Mustang to win a race in NZ was Segedin's, in the Gp2 race at Pukekohe 11/12/65

[nigel watts]

Another Jack Inwood image

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[michael84]

You must have some awesome photos in your collection Nigel

[Kiwiboss]

Nigel MacDonalds 67 Mustang "Historic Muscle Car"

[Kiwiboss]

Dean Camerons Group 2 Historic Muscle Car

[Steve Holmes]

Those look like 17" wheels on Nigels car Dale. Or is that an old photo?

[nigel watts]

[Kiwiboss]

Yes it is Steve, here's a better picture!! Nigel in Action at Hampton Downs with correct wheels

[Kiwiboss]

Daryl Narain out of Wellington in full flight at McLaren Hampton 2010

[Paul Kirk]

Am I to assume, Steve, that the championships Mustangs won in OSCA are too insignificent to be considered?
PK.

[Jac Mac]

Am I to assume, Steve, that the championships Mustangs won in OSCA are too insignificent to be considered?
PK.

[color="#0000FF"]Don't think so Paul, if anything the OSCA cars have a much more prestigious place in the history books as with the exception of the Fleetwood, Fahey, Dawson cars most of the above are clones, copies & born again versions of overseas cars that never raced in NZ in a previous life, and I think the only current 'series' if you want to call them something would be the CMC & HMC events. Might be something to do with the population bias in this country as well, you gotta remember some folk on this forum never got to experience the OSCA series in real original form, imagine if it had continued as such and resisted the pressure to go the spaceframe route, with the huge variety of cars & body styles now available, variety is supposed to be the spice of life and the series that have followed have never really endured have they. Parity sucks [/color]