Motor Racing pics - my early years, 1964-71 ; Pukekohe Racetrack ;by - Roger Dowdingl

[Michael Clark]

I recall Leonard/Hawes won in '68 - who won in '69?

[John McKechnie]

Milan...have Motorman 1968 ,they give results for the first 6 races of 32 action packed races...56 competitors.
So no mention of Jim Palmer

[Milan Fistonic]

Results from the August 18, 1968 Club Circuit meeting at Pukekohe.

[Peter M]

Leo Leonard and Ernie Sprague won in 1969. Brent Hawes ( business partner as well as driver to Leo) was tragically killed at Ruapuna in a sports car race in early 1969.

[Roger Dowding]

Thanks to Steve Sharp for this grid photo.

- Milan Fistonic for the entry list and handwritten results

Milan noted about the entry of Jim Boyd " You might have noticed in the entry list I posted that Jim Boyd is listed as driving the Lycoming (22) and a Cooper Climax (39) and both cars are shown on the grid. The reason apparently was that Jim sold the Cooper, just prior to the meeting, to Grant Bloore. "

The meeting was known for the Accidents and some of the first photos on this thread are of Ron Brown - before and after shots of his car and the accident in the Esses - between Rothmans and the Hairpin.

Some comments on the event ;

Glen Ducey wrote " Must have been a little daunting whistling down the back towards the 90deg Railway with no evidence of any form of escape road !

Bruce Blacklock wrote " With the co-operation of the owners of the land the fence was removed for the weekend and the ground graded to provide a run off area. "

Alan Boyle : about the track " It is interesting that that meeting was run as an experiment suggested by non other than the late Jim Clark. He was worried that in a tangle a car could be sent up the earth face of the banking and into the hill stand. i recall the out cry over the lack of a run off at Railway Corner, which was resolved for the day but there was no real concern about the right turn at the Elbow, where the racing club track railings were. "

Alan Boyle [ Ron Browns best Mate and Team Mate when they both ran Mini's ] " We were lucky that our great friend Ron didn't suffer severe injury or worse when he took out the steel hawser cable fence off the top of Rothmans hill. "

A photo from a Magazine about the incident [ posted before ]..

Rons Car before -Ron getting in - or out ?

and after - loading onto the trailer -

The lady Anna Rowland with blond hair beside the car drivers door - worked with Ron at Dominion Motors in the 1960's and was a friend of Alan [ Boyle ] and Ron [ Brown ] for many years - Anna was my neighbour growing up in Herne Bay in the 1950's, Anna passed away a year or so ago. Her family and ours remained friends over all the years- I last saw Anna's Mother at my uncle Ed [ Eddie from NSCC 1919 - 2018 ] and Aunty' Una [ 1920 and still with us ] 60th Wedding Anniversary in 2002.

[Roger Dowding]

Before my time there - that was late 1965 [the B and H race - on - although did watch the B and H for a while outside the track in 1964 with my father - story told before !!

This the results from that First Pukekohe Grand Prix.. Graham Woods archives.

.

Small field finished the race,which apparently made it quite boring as opposed the the exciting Ardmore GP the year before when Sir [ then just Mr ] Stirling Moss won in the rain.

[Roger Dowding]

Pukekohe in the trackside paddock area by the Stands and near the Wooden Tote building.
Mike Feisst picture

a couple of recent photos by the current owner - and rebuilder Kent Larsen - and yes the " Big Wing " is going back on.

Holes in the rear hatch screen ready for the Wing ..

[928]

looks like they missed the holes with the wing installation in the first picture.

[Roger Dowding]

looks like they missed the holes with the wing installation in the first picture.

928 - yes, perhaps they were for ducting when Scott Wiseman created the Beast ..

[Roger Dowding]

Alan's Coca Cola sponsored Vauxhall Viva ; First outing was the 1971 GP meeting, car had just been finished and the suspension / ride height had not been fully sorted.

My photo of the car in the paddock area

A couple of Graeme Lindsay photos - Graeme was a Flag Marshall at many events and has a large collection of action shots at Pukekohe over the years.

The Viva sitting high ; coming out of Railway

Through the Esses heading for Rothmans and over the top to the Start /Finish line

Another photo posted on TRS Facebook page - Gary Simkin photo Alan Boyle Viva and believed to be Tim Slako in the Mini - at the hairpin - the early livery so maybe 1971 GP meeting again. Has the gaffer tape on the fronts of the flares as in the Graeme Lindsay photos

At a later meeting - photo from Alan's own archives ; meeting and date not noted - doesn't / does it look like Pukekohe ?? !
Different livery and a front / chin spoiler fitted - sitting lower too !!

[ERC]

Post #364. Fifth place Rex Flowers Gemini. I presume that is the same FJ Gemini now owned by Jim Barclay? If so, a stunning result for a Junior - or was it fitted with a 1500cc engine back then?

Whenuapai 1989

[Roger Dowding]

Post #364. Fifth place Rex Flowers Gemini. I presume that is the same FJ Gemini now owned by Jim Barclay? If so, a stunning result for a Junior - or was it fitted with a 1500cc engine back then?

Whenuapai 1989
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Looks like the Tony Herbert / Remi Rutkowski Ginetta next to the FJ Lotus.
Another photo for you Remi !!

[Remi110984]

I spotted it! Thanks!
The Gemini looks great

[Roger Dowding]

Posted on Telecom thread but belong here ;

Was at Pukekohe for the first time since 2007 [ saw the NZ V8's at that meeting ] for the Saturday of the " Supercars " .. have a few photos to download, mainly the Muscle cars and some Mustangs - plus the Radisich Mustang - a real screamer -revs to 11,500 rpm apparently.

[Roger Dowding]

NZ Muscle Cars -I presume the group that was " Central Muscle Cars " Saturday 14th September.
Sadly the Camaro had an off on the Sunday hitting a wall.

More photos to edit;

[Roger Dowding]

A few more of mainly the " NZ Muscle Cars " but first the Mustang Parade group and as " they " - the Muscle Cars started ;

Programme Cover ;

Mustang Parade Laps finished ;

Some of the Muscle Cars - had a couple of favourites :

Damn that wire fencing - even with a long lens [ 55 - 250 ] couldn't get to stand high enough up !!

[Roger Dowding]

A Montage of that TR4A - the slideways one -
when first bought in 1978
at Pukekohe 1979/80
after the accident 1980
at a Concours in 1978/79 not sure - a mate was there in his TR7 - an NZ Triumph TR Register gathering.

[Roger Dowding]

Thanks to Graham Woods for these images from the programme and both Graham and Milan advised it is the december 1964 meeting;

Eric Mallards welcome.

Driver Profiles

Race 1 Saloons to 1000cc

Race 2 BMC MINI Race

Race 3 is missing will add when I get it ??

Race 4 Saloons 1301 - 2000 and 2001 and over class.
Rob Williams in his Ford V8 Coupe Graham Park in his well known Plymouth Coupe, Rob's great mate and my ex neighbour Allan Woolf in a Triumph 2000. Allan had lived in Seabrook Avenue, New Lynn when he had the Ford 8 as a race car - he moved to a new house in Green Bay around 1960 or so.

[Roger Dowding]

Race 5 - All comer Saloons

Race 6 Sports Cars - some Austin Healeys, Daimler SP250 with Trevor Sheffield Milan has the first 3 placings.
as ...
" The race was won by Jim Boyd (Lycoming), from Ian Green (Tojeiro Jaguar) and John Donnelly (HWM Thuderbird). "

This from a magazine / book showing three SP250 Daimler's - including Trevor Sheffield leading and David Oxton .. From the March 1964 Race with Bob Wilkin in the middle SP250
Trevors car has the old style plate on " Black on Yellow "

The 1961 - 1964/65 plates -
They started issuing the Aluminium Silver on Black plates in July 1963 for the 1963/64 year for Motorcycles and Trailers, Cars for the 1964/65 Registration year and Heavy Vehicles - Trucks Buses and Taxis etc the 1965/66 year

Race 7 Single Seaters or Racing Cars as they are known

Big gap to Race 15 -[ will add later ] - assume that some of the above would have had second or even third Races

[Roger Dowding]

1965 from Graham Woods archives - somewhere have a photo of the Team Cars - now to find it !! will post when I do !

Three Lawrences ..amongst some other well known drivers

The Zephyr Corvette ran those colours Ivory with stripes for a while ..Pukekohe a Terry Marshall photo. Team Molyslip on the door and no stack pipes through the bonnet yet

C M " Morrie " Hogan ran the "Allardette " .. here chasing the Morrari.. a Jack Inwood photo