The Roaring Season

pallmall wrote:I see nobody has mentioned Paul Fahey.

Luckily, you have. You didn't mention George Begg, though...

GD66 wrote:Luckily, you have. You didn't mention George Begg, though...

Mentioned in post 15.

Richard Scott after retiring from 500GP for Roberts Team Yamaha came home and was pretty quick in tarmac rallies, hillclimbs and Targa NZ, if a little prone to casting it down banks!

Rod Grimwood wrote:Don't forget one of NZ's best curcuit riders Dr Roger Freeth never got to single seaters but would have been quick.

Rodger Freeth drove a single seater all right - set a NZ land speed record in an Indycar on a road in the Hauraki Plains. My memory is poor, I think he set the record but I know the second run was difficult due to the bumpy road.

If we're talking riders who made the switch anywhere, not just NZ - Wayne Gardner was 500GP champ and went to V8 Supercars with his own team.

Then there is Greg Brinck - motocross, touring cars, now racing powerboats.

Shano wrote:Rodger Freeth drove a single seater all right - set a NZ land speed record in an Indycar on a road in the Hauraki Plains. My memory is poor, I think he set the record but I know the second run was difficult due to the bumpy road.

That's right - Canal Road, incredibly narrow and bumpy for the purpose, not sure whether it was the West or East one, they run parallel each side of the, errrr, canal! I drove both roads a few years later in a Legacy GT and the thought of Rog's head bobbing around in the cockpit at 180+mph made me think of him and Neil Allport in the BDA Escort in the Rally of NZ 1984.

Mike Pero of course was a New Zealand bike champ on Yamaha TZs during the 70s later to punt Commodores in the NZ V8s.

stubuchanan wrote:Back in the 1930's Ron Roycroft started his career on motorbikes. Possibly George Zambucka too, he was Club Captain of the Auckand Motor Cycle Club for several years in the 30's, and George Smith was Club President pre- and post-WW2, although he was racing cars over this period.

Ron Roycroft, Fred Zambucka and George Smith all started on two wheels, as did A J Roycroft and Les McLaren. Smith and Roycroft Sr were, I believe, at it before 1920

Here is a gentle man I witnessed on a bike a few months back, no doubt he would have had a race at some stage in his younger days as he has raced just about everthing with wheels. And still plays with his beautiful little Brabham.

Jim Kennedy and George Dixon come to my mind

Hi Dave, long time no see. Love to meet you again.

We've got a fair bit of catching up to do

There's a chance I'll be visiting Godzone next year sometime. Are you still in the Waikato?

thunder427 wrote:....Our Barry Sheen raced in the English Touring Car series in a Toyota Supra .....I think thats right,but!!!!!........regards thunder427/MJ

Barry did indeed drive a Supra for a while before progressing (?) on to Truck Racing.
He continued racing trucks when he moved downunder.
In the early days of truck racing, they were basically racing road trucks with a few modifications and a number on the side. Hence the bullbar on the truck.I'm sure Barry would have thought, if you have it, you may as well use it.


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The Brambilla brothers, Ernesto(Tino) and Vittorio, both raced motor bikes in Europe in the '50's and early '60's before going on to single seater cars. Tino had placings in World champ bike races, and then did quite well in Formula 2 in late 1960's although his few F1 efforts were unremarkable. Younger brother Vittorio raced in National Italian bike races before hitting F1 and actually won the Austrian GP in 1975, when the race was shortened due to heavy rain, and he lost it and went off the track while taking the chequered flag and drove the victory lap with the front in tatters. Both brothers were regarded as a bit 'hairy' on the track.

David McKinney wrote:We've got a fair bit of catching up to do

There's a chance I'll be visiting Godzone next year sometime. Are you still in the Waikato?

Yup still at the bookshop in Cambridge. Heading to Europe next year in May with the McLaren Trust tour to the Monaco Historics then to England. Staying on for a month or so after that. Looking forward to a good seasons racing before that.