August 2019 at Laguna Seca. (WeatherTech Raceway)

[khyndart in CA]

Two Kiwis that know their way around McLaren Can Am cars, Tony Nicholson (L) and Duncan Fox (R) preparing a Formula 1 1983 Arrows A 6 # 29 for Chris Bender to drive.

.(Ken H photos )

(Adams photo..)


(KH )

[khyndart in CA]

Some more Formula One at Laguna Seca.

1979 Shadow DN 98 # 17 driven by Chris Warner.
(KH photo..)

(Warner trying a different way around the Corkscrew Turn as a Tyrrell and a Lotus 77 go by..

1976 Lotus 77/3 # 5 ex Mario Andretti car.

Race winner Greg Thornton in his 1982 Lotus 91/5 # 12.
(Adams photos.)

(KH..)

[Bruce302]

Thanks for the photos Ken, sorry i missed you this year.

[khyndart in CA]

Some more Chevrolet DeKon Monza pix.
1975 DeKon Monza. Chassis # 1002. # 48 driven by Doug Stevens.

Richard Goldsmith drove his immaculate 1976 DeKon Monza. Chassis # 1007. # 3
Although he waved and gave the thumbs up the car actually had no second gear due to lock wire getting caught up in the selectors.
That was an easy fix and a big relief to the team.

(KH photos..)

[khyndart in CA]

In case you had some spare change in your pocket you had the opportunity to bid on this magnificent machine.

(KH photos..)

[928]

for a replica, really?

[ERC]

Questions Ken.

We are in Monterey for the day June 3rd 2020 (cruise), probably catching up with Paula's daughter. Is it normally worthwhile heading to Laguna Seca on a Wednesday? Or any other petrol head stuff worth visiting?

Depending on how things go, if my wife can't make the trip to the UK in the August/September, I might well fly into SF and head for the Laguna Seca meeting, end August, maybe even only for a day or so, then head down to LA or fly Virgin from SF to the UK. If I'm without my wife, then I'm trying to spend the minimum amount of time away as possible, but include Goodwood.

Are there any track decent vantage points for an amateur photographer, meaning no wire fences?

[khyndart in CA]

Ray,
Although it is not official yet I think the first weekend in June will be centered around the Sonoma Raceway which is over the Golden Gate Bridge which might be a bit far for you but it is a very good weekend of racing.
I would love to link up with you somewhere so please stay in touch and PM me for more info.
https://petrolicious.com/articles/there ... ma-raceway

At Laguna I just photograph around the pit & paddock area. My friend likes to photograph up on the Corkscrew Hill area where he gets photos like this and also at the Turn 4

John Adams Corkscrew Corner photo.

Turn 4 view. ( Ken H photo. )

Best wishes for your plans and I can relate to the uncertainties involved also.
Ken

[khyndart in CA]

for a replica, really?

928,
That does seem like a lot for a replica although it does show as a genuine Bentley on the Bentley site but it does have a different engine number. Was it altered to look like a Henry Birkin Le Mans racer ?

"The Blower Bentley represented one of two solutions to a problem. In 1928, despite the fourcylinder 4½ Litre’s Le Mans win, the consensus at the Bentley works was that it was no longer competitive. W.O. Bentley’s decision was to create the Speed Six. The other decision was to supercharge the four.

W.O. hated this latter idea. But Sir Henry Birkin, whose notion it was, had persuaded fellow Bentley team driver Woolf Barnato that it was worth a try – and, since Barnato’s heavy investment in Bentley Motors, Ltd. was the principal reason the company was still alive, W.O. had no recourse but to grudgingly give his okay, and incidentally find room at his factory for production of the 50 cars necessary to qualify for Le Mans. Fortunately, Birkin had also convinced the Hon. Dorothy Paget to finance premises at Welwyn for the conversion of 4½ blown production cars into race cars – so W.O. did not have to witness the final desecration which would, in his words, “pervert” his engine and “corrupt its performance.”

Actually, the performance of the Blower Bentley was spectacular – in short spurts. Blindingly fast, the car was also woefully unreliable. A Speed Six won Le Mans in 1929 and 1930. The Blower never did win a race. Its best finish was second in the 1930 French Grand Prix to a Bugatti that was half its weight. This was a compelling achievement, but didn’t impress W.O. much. The Blower’s other moment of competitive glory was at Brooklands in 1932 when Birkin broke the Outer Circuit record at 137.96 mph.

At $7375, the Blower Bentley was priced about $2000 more than an unsupercharged version. "

http://www.vintagebentleys.org/carpages/gt8774.php

(Ken H )

[khyndart in CA]

1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwings at Laguna Seca.

KH photo.

(J Adams photo..)

[Roger Dowding]

[video=youtube;0ScEgnpUwNQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ScEgnpUwNQ[/video]
Australians Paul and Christine Freestone were at Laguna Seca with their two Holdens. An FX and an FJ. Both looked outstanding.
The 1948 Holden 215/FX # 25 entered in the Group 1B 1947-1955 Sports Racing and GT Cars.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]62706[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]62707[/ATTACH]
(Ken H photos. m)

[video]https://www.tradeuniquecars.com.au/news/1906/freestones-fj-48-215-twins-head-for-usa-video[/video]

I hope the videos play ok for you.

(Ken H )

The Video was great and the car is seen in this clip too Ken H.

Was posted from You Tube by Mark Donaldson to myself and others - we were at Monterey together in 1982.

" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7loFrlN ... e=youtu.be "

Enjoy - almost like being there as " From the Cockpit " - as they say !!

[Roger Dowding]

Ken H,

A couple of Mike Ryan photos of the Holden- must tell him I stole / " borrowed " them..

Mike had a good chat with Paul Freestone about the car.

A further photo of the car - under the bonnet again from Mike Ryan.

Was at the Ninth Running of the Historics in 1982 - brings back fond memories !!

[khyndart in CA]

The 1981 Lola T 600 is still a sleek looking machine.

KH photos..

J. Adams photos..

Plus here is some information regarding these two cars.

https://www.conceptcarz.com/z20620/lola-t600.aspx

http://www.lolaheritage.co.uk/2018/regi ... ferro.html


(Ken H.)

[khyndart in CA]

This was the first time I had seen this particular F 1 car but it certainly brought back memories of the past to me.
This was Graham Hill's Embassy 1975 Formula One car Chassis # GH1 /3 # 52 that is beautifully restored.

Ken H photos)

[khyndart in CA]

The Hill GH 1 /3 was raced by several drivers throughout the 1975 F1 season.

The last driver to drive this car in 1975 was Tony Brise.
He really liked the workmanship of NZ mechanic Graham Donaldson. Graham Hill signed Graham D for the 1976 Formula One season to be Tony Brise's mechanic.

Graham D even had me hang around with the Theodore Team as they prepared for Tony's last drive at Riverside in October 1975.
Luckily Graham Donaldson was searching for accommodation in London and did not go on that fateful flight that crashed and Hill and Brise and other team members lost their lives November 1975.

Riverside Oct. 1975.
Tony Brise second from left. Graham Donaldson 2nd in from the right. Hyndman on the right.

(Ken H.. )

[Roger Dowding]

Looking Good Ken H .. great memories.

Have " borrowed " your FX Hodlen stuff, plus posted some Mike Ryan pics of the FX 48-215 on the Facebook page " Old Motor Racing Photographs Australia " There is a lot of interest in the car. and then there is this link about it too !!

" http://www.speedhunters.com/2015/05/fin ... vBhBOcyWKE "

Hope it works.

Just checked and I can get the link OK

[khyndart in CA]

Williams Formula One cars at Laguna Seca.
# 27. 1980 FW 07 B driven by Charles Nearburg.

# 6. 1982 FW 08 driven by John McKenna.

KH photos.

# 1. 1983 FW 08 C Driven by Erich Joiner.

( J. Adams photo..)

[Roger Dowding]

Ken H, a guy I knew from my 1982 " Healey /Snowmass "trip to the USA, a Guy called Terry Cowan, Healey 3000 and Sprite Racer has posted a heap of photos of this running - from preview days and the actual Races.

It includes several of the Holden FX /48-215 and other great cars - would you like a few on here. Almost like being there - well not quite !!

Cheers

Roger [ wish I was there too !! ]

[khyndart in CA]

Roger,
That would be great, the more the merrier and much appreciated instead of my dull uneventful pix.
You too will have to add this event to your "bucket list".

(Ken H)

[khyndart in CA]

Randy Smalley was there with his 1984 Jaguar XJR-5 # 44 with a glorious sounding 6.2 liter V-12 engine.

Randy driving a Jaguar in a Porsche outfit !

Randy and the team enjoyed my old programme with the Camel GT ad.

Signatures of some of the drivers of this car including Hurley Haywood, Bob Tullius and Brian Redman etc.
(Ken H photos..)

An article about this car chassis # XJR-5 010.
https://www.conceptcarz.com/z22351/jaguar-xjr-5.aspx

(Ken H.)