The Roaring Season

Milan Fistonic wrote:He didn't make it into the ditch. He hit the willow tree and his Anglia ended up banana-shaped. Got a photo somewhere.


Found it.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]34981[/ATTACH]

I think there is another pic of that somewhere on here Milan

John McKechnie wrote:Just talking to a customer about #1 Daimler Dart.- SP250 (sic)
He said his one that was in my workshop also had a swim in the ditch in 66-67.
Driver was George Jackson, red with white stripes, had Ecurie Daimler on the side.
Trevor Sheffield may remember it...
Milan , could you have a pic of this in your collection ?
Car was dried out and continued to be used in competition by Rob Douglas.
He also had a big moment in the chicanes in mid 80s

My memory records that George Jackson in his SP250 never "had a swim in the ditch". In later years he retained his interest in sports cars and as transport drove a Mazda MX5. Model aeroplanes became his main interest.

He was an integral part of the production sports car group of the time, but only raced briefly early on. I attended his funeral a couple of years ago with Charlie Conway and said a few words concerning his motor racing, as no one else attending had acknowledged his motor sport.

Refer my previous post regarding details concerning the one and only SP250 which went swimming. LOL

seaqnmac27 wrote:I think there is another pic of that somewhere on here Milan

Nope, the one I am thinking is Cyril Hyde's accident, the photo of which is here http://www.theroaringseason.com/showthread.php?169-The-Mike-Feisst-Collection-Part-3

http://www.theroaringseason.com/showthread.php?147-There-was-a-Big-Bang - Post number #2

Rod Grimwood wrote:Ferrari job is outside on way to the hill, Steves, Jim Boyd, Shack Manon, the Imp, and Bruce McLaren and others was over the top of hill skidding infield towards the pits.
They piped and covered the outside.

A few years ago someone posted these pictures of Shack Manon's big off into the ditch (in late 60's). Fortunately I downloaded them at the time, because I doubt that I could find them on the forum.





I presume that is Shack in the water - he looks as if has been totally immersed! The car is certainly a mess, I think it made the front page of the Auckland Star on the next Monday.

Somewhere, I have a very short 8mm movie clip of Jim Boyd's dive in the Valour, but it's not in a format I could put up here .

Stu

Not Shack in water, top photo the guy in white T-Shirt is a young Bruce Manon and bloke bending over is Shacks mechanic-helper who still helps Bruce out. Pretty sure Shack was away having a quick check up, as he may have had a tadpole or 2 in throat. Actually this was the most damaged car I saw from the creek.

And dont forget Auckland Car Club's Barry Webber in the the long "styly" coat .Barry Webber and Eric Mallard stawarts of the Auckland Car Club management.Thankyou guys for the hard work you did in running such a sucessful club.

So right Ross, they were amazing along with others, one of my favourites was the big fella with the chequer flag, Lorrie, used to call him 'uncle' he asked me once why do you call me 'uncle' and I told him because that's how you treat all of us, like a big uncle and we look up to you.

Jan 1968 or 1969. NZGP. Pukekohe.
A bit of a view of "The Ditch" as the Grand Prix drivers are being driven around the circuit on the back of MGBs before the start of the race.
The drums make a pretty formidable barrier and it might have been easier on the car / driver by going into the ditch if anything happened instead of hitting those drums !



(Ken Hyndman photo )

Dave's Anglia looking rather sad - it hit the tree in the background.

It usually started like this - same meeting - it might be Dave, but the note on the back says Cliff Everson....

Don't think they are the same meeting, unless some very smart sheep-rustlers have been operating. Clicking on the photos suggests top one is April 65 and lower one November 65. But, Dave Jurie was No. 164 at the February 1965 meeting and no trace in April programme.

Stu

Righto....it's a box of old photos...some with dates, most not.

I was reading Desmond Mahoney's book "Trio at the Top" and came across this photo of Bruce McLaren making his way to the ditch during a heat for the 1965 NZGP. I bet that camera man went to church the next day !


I may be thrown out from TRS inputs after admitting this, but the last time I was at Pukekohe was for the 1976 NZGP with Mr Southward driving Prime Minister Muldoon in the Stutz before the main race.
It does show the "Ditch" clearly.



( Ken Hyndman )

I remember seeing that. That was the day Redman screamed through the chicane in his Chevron at the start of the GP.

GD66, that was classic, down the back straight and lead over hill and then the power caught up.

That Stutz was classic 4 shots for every lamp post it past.

GD66 wrote:I remember seeing that. That was the day Redman screamed through the chicane in his Chevron at the start of the GP.

I was there that day too - clearly remember Redman at the chicane!

I talked to Brian Redman at Monterey a few years ago and he still laughs about this. He figured he only had one opportunity on the opening lap and as there was no curbing to launch off he thought he would "give it a go" and claim brake failure if he was penalized.
It is amazing how many of us saw this. I know I was up on the hill.
Here is one last photo of that day as Ken Smith comes away from the Hairpin in his Lola T 332 and laps Robbie Booth in the Katipo M70, on one of the final laps to win the race. The NZGP. Jan 4, 1976.



(Note all that safety fencing ! )

(Ken Hyndman photo )

Rothmans chicane

This has probably been shown before but this Youtube clip shows some scenes of the "Ditch" plus what Pukekohe looked like in 1966.

[video=youtube;UJQXmIAgEf8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJQXmIAgEf8[/video]

I love the Mike Walker Fiat Bambina in action.


(Ken Hyndman )

Here's another shot of John Baldwin's Imp in the ditch at Rothmans in 1969. It was in the December 1969 edition of Motorman. Ken posted his photo in post #4.