Motor Racing pics - my early years, 1964-71 ; Pukekohe Racetrack ;by - Roger Dowdingl

[Roger Dowding]

More John Larry Lawton photos -
3 from the 1965 GP meeting of the main Saloon Car Race.

Bob Jane was the Overseas Driver in his 4.2 litre Jaguar - when the motor was usually 3.8 litre, up against the Allcomer
" Corvette " powered cars and the Lotus Cortinas.

Bob Jane in 2nd place before he was out with mechanical issues.

Big Car Big Motor - Colin Lumsden in the De Soto..

Another photo of the De Soto, this from the Auckland Car Club meeting April 3rd 1965.

Robbie Francevic in the Anglia in 3rd place at the time of the photo.

[Roger Dowding]

The Typed Results from the Wills Six Hour Race in October 1963.

The " Confirmed Results " are dated 26th October 1963.

The event started that year with only the Six Hour Race and the same in 1964, by 1965 however it was joined by the
" Gold Leaf 3 Hour Challenge Race " for modified production cars - and in the first event featured Sports Cars and Saloons in 1965.

Unsure of the actual date of the Race, but the Programmes I have from 1964 to 1967 were all early in the months.

These from the archives of Mark Joblin, which I was given some time ago but had forgotten about.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]75128[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]75129[/ATTACH]

Shows the result for Allan Woolf and J Hayes in a Triumph Herald of 1147 cc .

Raced on this track ... image from the Rothmans Book of Motor Racing - published in 1963.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]75130[/ATTACH]

John Windelburn with Vic [ Don ] Simpkin competed in the Simca Etoile see Entry List not an Aronde 1290 cc Saloon, and did rather well, [ Placed 3rd ] as seen in the results - Car #16.

A photo from John's collection, which he sent me recently.

Still looking for the Entry List book for the 1963 Race - the First of the Wills Six Hour races held, and the 1966 Race - have the 1964 1965 and - 1967 Entry Lists
- [ Have only the Supplementary Regulations for the 1966 Event same cover as the Programme - photo added date from 10th - 1964 to 7th - 1967 of October - the Saturday].

For 1963 and 1964 there was only the Wills Six Hour Race, from 1965 onwards there was the Gold Leaf Three Hour Challenge Race added for factory modified cars - later called the Wills Three Hour Challenge which became the Benson and Hedges Events in the 1970's

[Milan Fistonic]

Quote - Unsure of the actual date of the Race, but the Programmes I have from 1964 to 1967 were all early in the months.

The date is shown at the top of page 1 of the results - 26th October 1963

[Milan Fistonic]

Entry list for the 1963 Wills 6-Hour Race.

[Roger Dowding]

Thanks Milan,
I see the car was an Etoile, not an Aronde, and it is Don Simpkin, must correct that. John Windelburn put it was Vic Simpkin.

***
Don Simpkin used his middle name as he was known by the entry list was his first name, so he was known as Vic.

Interesting is that John W spells his name WindELburn, yet entries often had WindLEburn, he should know

Cheers Roger

[Milan Fistonic]

John Ward's co-driver in car No 2 was John Richards not Jim Richards.

[ERC]

Interesting is that John W spells his name WindELburn, yet entries often had WindLEburn, he should know

Back in the day, entry forms were hand written and someone had to type them up and send them to the printers, so there are often errors in older race programmes.

Nowadays, since computerisation, programmes are created by referring to a database where the drivers input their own details - and believe me, there are plenty of errors from drivers.

[Roger Dowding]

Photo was part of a story about the Brian Ax Austin A40 Farina, put together by Bruce Dyer [ SpGeti ].

This from 1964 - very busy at the Elbow - Lap One.

Photographer and writer of the notes - not known.

[Roger Dowding]

The first appearance of the Mini - Cooper - driven by Bruce McLaren
Comment on the photo
" Well there is Buster Young, Colin Beanland ,Wally ,Harry Pierce, Pat "
Wally would be Wally Wilmott and Pat Patricia McLaren,

The cars was quick and is seen leading Athol McBeath 3.8 Jaguar and Ernie Sprague Mk 3 Zephyr at Pukekohe in the Shell Book of New Zealand Motor Racing 1963 Edition. Photo by Euan Sarginson.

[Roger Dowding]

The Entry List was posted by Milan post #501
- the typed results from Mark Joblin archived have also been posted recently. - the page with this car reposted.

Here the only Chrysler in the Entry and at 3688 cc not quite as big as he Jaguars at 3781 cc.

Image and notes from Hawkes Bay paper - probably the " HB Photo News " as seems their style.

The Angus Hyslop / " Doc " Dick Langley car #3

.

The HB photo notes say 5th Overall, yet the typed results say 2nd in Class and 4th Overall ?.
Which is correct ?.
Notes in the 1964 Programme on the 1963 Race do not mention the Valiant as the Jaguar of Tony Shelley and Ray Archibald won the over 3000 Class and the Race itself, Second place was the Ford Zodiac of Bob Franicevic [ later to be known as Robbie Francevic ] and Steve Borich.

[Oldfart]

Roger, the results sheet you have posted actually shows 6th overall (7th column) 4th on price index and 2nd in class. I never heard Robbie , with either surname variety, known as Bob!

[Roger Dowding]

Roger, the results sheet you have posted actually shows 6th overall (7th column) 4th on price index and 2nd in class. I never heard Robbie , with either surname variety, known as Bob!

Good reading - I didn't study the columns well enough - " Oldfart " and yes never Bob !
I met him back around 1999 in Onehunga when he brought a lad from up North [ actually a mid 50's Man who was almost illiterate ] who was working for his engineering shop to open a Bank Account, Robbie showed the " lad " great respect and was good to talk to him and help the " lad " ..

Cheers Roger

[Roger Dowding]

Laurie Brensell has a question ;
" Asking for a friend- does anyone know if this car still exists?
Carjam says the rego number is no longer registered but the car could have become a race car?
Photos are the Wills 6 hour race at Pukekohe "

The car #25 in the 1964 Race - there were two Datsun 1200 [ 1189 cc ] entered #24 and this one #25.
Entered by J Gardner Motors and driven by Roderick Rankin and Alex Stringer.
- The friend is Rod Rankin

In the 1963 Race Alex Stringer was in a Datsun 1200 with Ian Boyd - Entrant Wilton Motor Bodies.

Was driven hard, looking at this photo - the Elbow ?

[Allan]

Was that a 1200 or a Bluebird?

[Roger Dowding]

Was that a 1200 or a Bluebird?

The 1963 Entry described as a " Bluebird " and the photos from 1964 look like a Bluebird, with the 1189 cc Motor.
In 1964 cars #24 and #25 just described as " Datsun " " 1189 " capacity.

In 1965 the sole Datsun in the Wills was described as a Datsun Bluebird of 1290 capacity driven by Don and Sue Hadfield.

The Hadfield Datsun in the 1965 Wills Six Hour Race, through the Elbow with others - image Milan Fistonic

I don't have entry list for 1966 - only the Supplementary Regulations in a booklet the same as the Programme in style.

I note in the 1967 Wills Six Hour that a Datsun Bluebird of 1299 cc was entered by Max Rae Ltd and driven by Bob Newson and Don Hadfield
The 1200 was later on I think **and the 1200SSS - the Dennis Marwood built version were in the early 1970's
** I arranged a 1200 as a rental in 1975 when my cousin visited from the UK.

A Datsun website says this of the 1200

" B110 - January 1970 Commonly known as the Datsun 1200, this was the second generation Sunny in Japan. "

Successor to the 1200 was more curvy " 120Y ".

" Datsun 120Y and Datsun B210 (in North America), the third generation (1973–1978) Sunny was extremely popular as it debuted during the 1973 "

[Roger Dowding]

More from other " Auckland " events - pre Pukekohe 1963 to 2023.

The New Zealand Motor Cup - was the premier Race from 1921 on raced at Muriwai on the Beach.
The New Zealand Grand Prix - was the main race at Ohakea in 1950 and then at Ardmore 1954 - 1962.

Some images 30 years apart - from first to last.
Muriwai 1931 - a Montage from the " Motor Cup " source not known.

Some time - late 1940's - 1948 ? - Gordon Brown in his GBS and is that Laurie Powell behind in the Ford B4 - with a V8 ?. Photo from Gordon's archives - posted some years ago.

30 years from the first image the 8th NZ " International " Grand Prix meeting 7th January 1961.

The Programme Cover - my own archives - thanks to Allan on TRS.

Cars in the Saloon Car Race [ Saloons over 1500 cc ] - Race 9 a Handicap race over 8 laps - 16 miles.

The Jaguar Mk 2's - one of 3, [ can't read the race number ] - run by Ross Jensen, B Monk and Simon Taylor, with the Dodge of G Brown and the Ford Coupe - described as a " Ford Corvette " of I [ Red ] Dawson - archive of Classic AutoNews - Allan Dick

The list of Entrants with the Handicaps and the handwritten results for places 1st to 5th - archive of Milan Fistonic.

Who was " Elvis " in an Aston Martin ??.

W " Bill " Kelly in a Renault, Bill was Trevor Sheffield's good friend and co-driver in his Daimler SP250 " Dart " in the 1965 Gold Leaf Three Hour Challenge Race at Pukekohe in October 1965, they placed well, in 3rd, behind the two Morris Cooper S, of Mullins / Neilson and Hamlin / Charles and beat the Segedin / Simmons Mustang which was a close 4th.

[Roger Dowding]

The " Lawrence " Family of Racing Drivers is being featured at a meeting at Hampton Downs in March.
Steve Elliott - is seeking photos particularly of the Anglia - Race #44 to assist with a display at the meeting.

Some photos - posted before - grouped together.

The Team Drivers - a newspaper image.

The Team cars at a Petrol Station in 1964.

At Pukekohe with the Zephyr Corvette of Rod Coppins.

A couple of Entry Lists
- one with the Anglia #44. from December 1964 ACC meeting.
A J Tony Lawrence

Anglia #44 with G Graeme Lawrence 1964 but which meeting am unsure. ** see notes below

Credits on the images - mainly Graham Woods.

*** Notes from Milan Fistonic regarding the Entry Lists and a bit of information.

" Pukekohe post no 514 the first entry list for Race 5 is from the Auckland Car Club meeting on December 12, 1964.

The other entry list is from the 1964 NZ GP meeting on January 11. It was won by Kerry Grant with Ernie Sprague second and Paul Fahey third. "

The GP meeting the first of the year and the ACC December meeting the last, the Anglia engine has grown in size to 1650 cc - or was it the same car - same Race #44.

Also note that a Bob Franicevic was racing in a Humber, it has been mentioned that he was never known as Bob - must have been on the Entry Form like that perhaps.

Any photos would be appreciated - PM me or post on here.

[Roger Dowding]

Photo by John Larry Lawton at the Auckland Car Club Meeting 10th December 1967,
Leading David Oxton in the Lola and John[ny] Riley in the Oldsmobile powered Sports Car - was it also a Lola ?, cannot recall.
- with others behind the start of the Allcomers Sports Car Race.

Would have been at the meeting and was at the January 1968 Grand Prix meeting.

Here is the Buchanan Ferrari in the paddock area - my own photo.

[Roger Dowding]

Two photos of the start of the same event at the Grand Prix Meeting.

First by Frank Fenwick - from the archives of Steve Elliott.
The big guys on the front row - with Frank Bryan in the Mustang. #26 beside Paul Fahey #104 front row
John Ward Lotus Cortina #121 beside Team Mate Rod Coppins Mustang #141.

Second from Donn White who was standing not far away from Frank by the looks. Close to the fence as probably had a Press Pass !!

Tony Lawrence in the Lotus Cortina with the Lotus Twincam motor 1598 cc - it replaced the Anglia the 1650cc pushrod engined car, mentioned in an earlier post.

The Entry List from Milan Fistonic. " borrowed " as was in the comments on the first photo.

[Roger Dowding]

The first appearance of the Mini - Cooper - driven by Bruce McLaren
Comment on the photo
" Well there is Buster Young, Colin Beanland ,Wally ,Harry Pierce, Pat "
Wally would be Wally Wilmott and Pat Patricia McLaren,

[ATTACH=CONFIG]75717[/ATTACH]

The cars was quick and is seen leading Athol McBeath 3.8 Jaguar and Ernie Sprague Mk 3 Zephyr at Pukekohe in the Shell Book of New Zealand Motor Racing 1963 Edition. Photo by Euan Sarginson.

More has come to light on the Bruce McLaren Cooper - as Bruce himself was at Cooper Works at the time, racing in Grand Prix and helped prepare the Mini which was modified - a 998 cc Motor taken out to 1098 cc and a few other mods besides.

Another photo - in monochrome.

On track and leading the Jaguar and the Zephyr.

Motorman article about the Cooper. Jack Inwood photo and a Number Plate on it.
Tells a bit about the modifications and Bruce's involvement.
Thanks to Chris Burles for the images. Photographers not stated