The Roaring Season

At the Christmas 1972 Bay Park event, the promoters went wild, and imported four international saloon teams to take on the locals. Allan Moffat and Pete Geoghegan from Australia, Pete with his 600hp Super Falcon, Frank Gardner was over from Britain, with a '67 Camaro he'd been campaigning in the British Touring Car Championship and selected European races, and Joe Chamberlain returned, having raced in NZ at the 1970 Christmas event. As in 1970, Joe had a '69 Camaro which he'd been racing in the Trans-Am. He would have been at a disadvantage, given the Trans-Am rules had a maximum engine limit of 5,000cc, and 8" wide wheels, but he was a privateer who enjoyed his racing.

The local drivers included Paul Fahey in the PDL Mustang, Rod Coppins in the ex-T/G Racing '69 Firebird which Roaring Season member Bruce302 now owns, plus Dennis Marwood in the '69 Camaro Joe Chamberlain had with him the first time he visited NZ, and Red Dawson in his beautiful 1970 Kensington Carpets Camaro. Up from the South Island was top OSCA driver Clyde Collins in his V8 Cortina.

Unfortunately, the locals didn't fare at all well, with Fahey out in practice, and Coppins out early on race day. Dawson was the best of the Kiwis, but the overall honours were battled out among Moffat, Gardner, and Geoghegan. Gardner parked the Camaro backwards in the fence trying to pass Moffat in race 2 (I think), while Geoghegan won race 3 after Moffats Mustang retired. Geoghegan was the crowd favourite, with his brutal driving of the big Falcon, as he sprayed dirt and gravel everywhere from running out of race track on most corners.

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Chamberlain was another to end up parked in the fence. Fortunately the damage was superficial. Does anyone know why Chamberlain didn't sell the car in NZ? This was the usual practice for visiting internationals. They went home with a suitcase full of cash to build next seasons car, while a Kiwi got themselves a front running car to race locally. This car is now owned by Steve Sorensen and races with the Historic Trans-Am group. This is what it looks like today: http://historictransam.com/Drivers/StephenSorensonCamaro.htm

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If it weren't for the international teams, the grid would have been pretty thin by the 3rd race, as the Kiwis were dropping like flies.

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Steve Holmes wrote:If it weren't for the international teams, the grid would have been pretty thin by the 3rd race, as the Kiwis were dropping like flies.

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What may be of interest is that when I had Frank's 67 Camaro, the only non-original panel on the car was the rear beaver panel! I would say as a result of the ding shown here.

Are my eyes deceiving me or is that a yellow Mini at the back of the grid. In amongst all that HORSEPOWER..... Brave fella!! Wonder who it is?

Gerald, he would have been ever braver if they'd been reverse-grid races!

aussiemonza wrote:What may be of interest is that when I had Frank's 67 Camaro, the only non-original panel on the car was the rear beaver panel! I would say as a result of the ding shown here.

Yes, that is interesting Rowan. Gardner raced the Camaro the following weekend at Pukekohe, so a very quick beating of the rear quarter and a coat of primer to have it ready was undertaken in the days in between, the end result can be seen in this Steve Twist photo.

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The entry for the three Open Saloon events varied but there were 3 Minis, a Hillman Imp and a couple of Anglias in amongst the big metal. Obviously not all of them started and I don't know which of the Minis is shown in the photo. The drivers were Allan Scott and Bill Sample in 1275s and Warren Spackman in a 999.

Thanks Milan. Someone on here should be able to ID which Mini it is from your list.

Does anyone have any colour photo's of the Terry Allan z28 Camaro when it raced in NZ in the unusual blue colour scheme. I believe Terry was invited to race over there on 2 occasions, once with that distinctive blue scheme and decals. I've seen a black and white photo (Australian Muscle Car mag) but not a colour one as yet.

There was nothing too notable about that paintjob, it was just a dark blue with a very fine mist of metallic in it, and silver minilites. Pretty much like the Camaro that Garry Treloar raced in Australia a few years back, in fact I often wondered if it was the same car or a type of tribute build. The white paint job was straight white with a red-and-green Castrol stripe running lengthwise down the flanks of the guards, and in spite of sounding dull actually looked pretty good.

As Terry Allans Camaro has been mentioned above, I'll use that as an excuse to add a couple of photos of Terrys Camaro from the 1970 Christmas event. This event also included Bryan Thomsons fabulous big block '68 Camaro, plus American Joe Chamberlains '69 Trans-Am Camaro, which was purchased by Kiwi Ian Rorison, and kept in NZ for Dennis Marwood to race.

The Kiwi opposition included Paul Fahey in his newly built Cambridge sponsored '70 Mustang (who won all three races), Rod Coppins' '67 Camaro, as pictured leading Allan, plus the Shelby Mustangs of Red Dawson and John Riley. Such was public interest in this event, Bay Park organisers had to shut the gates just after mid-day on race day, as they were at full capacity!

The Terry Allan Camaro seems to have vanished, but will hopefully be tracked down (see separate thread). Fortunately, the Bryan Thomson Camaro has been in safe hands for many years, and been restored, and is currently for sale: http://www.my105.com/ListingDetails/tabid/65/p/2/k/camaro/id/2005/Default.aspx

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For their Easter 1971 event, Bay Park shipped Tasmanian racer Robin Pare across in his Don Elliott owned Mustang. The Mustang was displayed in what appears to be a local car dealers showroom prior to the event. Does anyone know which car dealers showroom this was? I'd have assumed it was the local Ford dealership, given Peter Hanna worked there?

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These are the last photos for this part. I'll create another thread soon with more form the Peter Hanna collection.

The local Ford joint where Peter worked as (you'll never guess !) a salesman was Tappenden's, which later became John Dyke Ford.
Looks like the downstairs workshop there.

The Tappenden's tow truck can be seen in the background in several of the old Bay Park pics on that thread.

Edit : Clang ! And is mentioned on the fence advertising behind Robin Pare....

For their Easter 1971 event, Bay Park shipped Tasmanian racer Robin Pare across in his Don Elliott owned Mustang. The Mustang was displayed in what appears to be a local car dealers showroom prior to the event. Does anyone know which car dealers showroom this was? I'd have assumed it was the local Ford dealership, given Peter Hanna worked there?

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These are the last photos for this part. I'll create another thread soon with more form the Peter Hanna collection.[/QUOTE]

Yes Steve, that looks like the inside of the old "John Dyke Ford" dealership on Cameron road, Tauranga where Peter Hanna worked, as it was prime real estate so the building and yard is long gone, now a "Countdown" supermarket.

Dale Mathers

Tappenden Ford Cameron Road corner 12th Ave where the BNZ now are, I think Dale. Pete used to run Baypark out of a tiny sales office on that site before he became a full-time motorsport promoter. Ford dealerships at that time were very active in supporting motor racing and Tappendens were no exception but I'm sure the amount of time he spent doing his thing in their employ would have been an issue. A bloody legend who changed NZ motor racing and stirred up the establishment.

I think Dale's right - John Dyke Ford were right beside the Baptist Church which is on the 13th Ave Cameron Road corner. The site is indeed a Countdown supermarket now.

Tappenden's were on the northwest corner of Cameron Road and Fourth Avenue. Their lower workshop premises exited onto the street behind (Third Avenue West ?) that leads down towards Glasgow Street. This same premises became John Dyke Ford when Tappenden's sold it around 1972.

Milan Fistonic wrote:The entry for the three Open Saloon events varied but there were 3 Minis, a Hillman Imp and a couple of Anglias in amongst the big metal. Obviously not all of them started and I don't know which of the Minis is shown in the photo. The drivers were Allan Scott and Bill Sample in 1275s and Warren Spackman in a 999.

Bill Sample was from Albany on the Nth Shore and his mini was Yellow (positive), and his brothers was Green i think. (long time ago)

This shot isn't from the Peter Hanna collection, this was taken by a friend of Roaring Season member faminz. You can just make out a couple of Minis at the rear of the field. So at least two of the three entered made the start of at least one race.

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GD66 wrote:Tappenden's were on the northwest corner of Cameron Road and Fourth Avenue. Their lower workshop premises exited onto the street behind (Third Avenue West ?) that leads down towards Glasgow Street. This same premises became John Dyke Ford when Tappenden's sold it around 1972.

I can just remember the old Tappendens on 4th ave and Cameron Rd, and went there a few times in my teenage years when it was JD ford, needed parts for my Anglia, Zephyr, Fairlane, etc. I was at the Boys College until 75 and the section Nigel mentions was next to the school and empty for years then suddenly JD Ford had a brand new premise's, was huge lot for a car yard in its day!! i remember the building inside been as in the Pare Mustang picture so can almost presume thats where it was taken, been a Ford(Mustang) JD probably was happy for it to be in the show room!! My memorys of John Dyke himself in the early 90's when i had my own car yard was that he was a very pleasant person!! last of the old school dealers before the Jap Import Car Shark days!!

Dale Mathers