Saturday 5 January 1963

[Rod Grimwood]

Supporting acts, must admit even as young fella I loved the saloon cars, maybe because I could relate to them as they were seen on the roads.
Still liked the 'race cars' though.

[hilstwist]

The other fact that sticks out for me is that the crowd was 40,000 plus! Was there a lot of people lining the inside of the track? There was a big crowd at Levin the following week. I remember My father being really impatient in the car waiting to get into the track! I was 15 at the time and I recall trying to worm my way to the front of the crowd around us so I could at least see the cars.I think that it was Mclaren in that Mini Cooper that made me a lifelong Mini fan! This thread makes fascinating reading and once again thanks Steve H for making it possible!

[jamie]

Morning Gang looking at thr pict of Denis remindes why I did not like that corner he must have brakes like my FORD 10 Singler Seater with the super charger on it that was the only to stop it ? the Cooper Bobtail was A difrent story Loved theTrack then Jamie A

[John H]

"FORD 10 Singler Seater with the super charger"...Ah so thats what it was!! I remember running my mk1 Zephyr at a hill climb in Maramarua and noticed your car and felt that it was less like a race car I had ever seen. But i'm sure it went well. Chrs

[Murray Maunder]

I was fortunate enough to look after old cine footage of the GP for the Bruce McLaren Trust from Ardmore years to 1965. Here's the 1963 NZIGP.

[video=youtube;vGv0TaUCkJc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGv0TaUCkJc&list=UUssaSL2jwLUXT6u5E673cSg&index=14[/video]

The spectator appeal back then was MASSIVE.

[Rod Grimwood]

Great footage Murray, how many cars and people at Ardmore in that 1961 footage. Very safe start with starter on back of landrover, and the chequer flag guy was really interested in the rest of field, hard case how things have changed.

[Murray Maunder]

Indeed how times have changed Rod. The 1961 is my favourite of the series of Clifford Irving films for the atmosphere it captures. I am amazed at the spectator facilities and "infrastructure" as we so quaintly put it these days. Huge crowds which carried over to the Pukekohe meetings of the sixties when many of GP racing's stars and cars came down under.

It's neat to see Pukekohe reach 50 years and the Aussie intrusion in the track layout is, I believe, not necessarily going to affect all racing there. The long back straight, high speed kink and first gear hairpin sequence is classic so let's hope organisers don't all forsake the "1.75 mile" layout.

[jamie]

Hi Murray That was A grate Clip Isaw most of the race from the Bridge made me feel like I was 19 again? Jamie A

[Steve Holmes]

I hope I've got this right? These pics were supplied to me by Bob Homewood. Pretty sure they're from this event.

[stubuchanan]

That would tally with the NZGP programme, Steve.

Gary Pedersen (50) Ford, and George Dixon (111) Chevrolet, and Bruce Mclaren (128) Mini from the earlier post. Some of the big crowd still finding their way to a good viewing spot.

Stu

[bob homewood]

Yes Steve those two photographs are from the 1963 NZIGP , it is interesting to look at the Hairpin area , it bears no resemblance to how it looks these days , as I think I commented on another a thread on here there was nothing if you went straight ahead at the end of the back straight until you reached the creek

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks guys.