The Roaring Season

The interest in HMC as a true historic saloon class for NZ has been fantastic, we have 12 HMC legal cars for the Festival, sure i could relent and let in those that don't quite comply but that's been the problem with all the other NZ class's over the years, and once you do where do you stop!! So along with the 6 Aussie Trans Am cars and about 15 U3L T&C Saloons we will have a 30 car grid, not bad to kick off, and we must thank our good mate here at the Roaring Season, Steve Holmes for the magazine advertising to lift HMC's profile!!!

I still have 3 futher HMC racers spannering away over the break in hope of making it, Steve Malam being one with the Murray Brown Camaro rebuild, which i must say is looking amazing!!

You all have a great X-Mas/New Year and see you at Hampton, Jaunary!!

Dale Mathers

Awesome work Dale. You've done an amazing job with this class, and in such a short time frame. 12 months ago it was just a concept! Now look at where you are!

"The Rat" Paul Radisich To Race With HMC



When the new Historic Muscle Cars class makes its event debut at the opening weekend of the 2012 New Zealand Festival of Motor Racing, Celebrating BMW motorsport, one of NZs most popular and successful race drives will be on the grid, behind the wheel of one of the countries most historic race cars. "The Rat", Paul Radisich will be driving the famous Ivan Segedin Fleetwood Motors Mustang, the first Mustang to race in NZ. Radisich was invited to race the Mustang at the 2012 NZFMR by the cars owner, Neil Tollich, who has campaigned the famous Mustang in both NZ, England, and Europe, during his ownership of the car.

Tollich has fitted the Mustang with a set of Goodyear Bluestreak cross-ply tyres.

Says Radisich on the NZFMR website: [LEFT]"I have never competed or driven at Hampton Downs so I am looking forward to that experience," he said. "All competitors have raved about the circuit so here is my chance to judge it for myself."I've had experience with the [Ford] Galaxie in the UK and also a V8 Cyclone and a Lotus Cortina which Roger Wills and I competed with in Europe together, so you could say I have enough experience with the old cars on the grooved tyres.

Radisich will race the Mustang during both weekends of the event: "It's going to be a lot of fun and they'll be fantastic back-to-back weekends of great motorsport. The key to me going fast in the Mustang will be seeing how far you can hang the car out in a power slide without losing it. That is the difference between modern and historic racing. I can enjoy some big power slides in the Mustang and it should help the times."

More info on the New Zealand Festival of Motor Racing can be found at: www.nzfmr.co.nz

Photos by Terry Marshall[/LEFT]

I understand that Steve will be joining us at the BMW Festival for the first weekend only. For those that have not met him here is your chance to put a face to the name. I would imagine that he will be spending a fair amount of time in Dale's (Kiwiboss) pit with the Historic Muscle Car group.

Please make yourself known to Steve and the rest of us.

Cheers Mike

Thanks for the posting mike, Yes steve will be amongst us for all of the first weekend, he will be at the track all 3 days!! I will intro him at our drivers briefing but otherwise im sure he will be "milling" about with his camera so watch out, LOL. Otherwise he will be hanging out at the HMC Marquee so you only need to ask!!!

Dale Mathers

Here is a photo taken of Paul beside his original fastback Anglia. Great to see them together again after so many moons. Paul was very obliging and keen to be photographed and to sign anything for the fans.

Paul was very obliging. I had a long chat with him - he had some sensational machines and had excellent, detailed, recall about them.

In the USA they have Dan Gurney, Parnelli Jones, etc, England has many such as Stirling Moss, Aussies have Geoghegan brothers, Moffat, JB so here in NZ we need to honour our own Motorsport legends while they still around, and these Festivals are the place to do that!! I spoke with Paul a few days ago and he's keen to come back, i know he really enjoyed himself last year, but was a bit apprehensive as he didn't know what to expect but once settled in he was away, and now we have Dennis also!! Both them understand what we are trying to do with HMC and totally support us and how Historic Racing should be, so great to have them on our side!!

Dale Mathers

Dead right Dale, and the problem is exacerbated in NZ because most of our motorsport heroes from the dim and distant past are not only normal, shoulder-rubbing blokes, but also largely come from the "aw-shucks" school of dealing with fame and notoriety.
Nevertheless, it's very important that we impart to them the impact they have made on our memories, and the part they've played in NZ's motorsport history. If we don't tell them, and it's not noted, then it's all been for bugger-all !
And we all know that's not true... this fabulous website is testament to that.

Agree with all of the above. They were our hero's and they are the ones who stirred us up enough to want to continue with motorsport either by participating or just spectating. We all had our particular heros and would go along to support them and to see how they got on. They deserve a big vote of thanks from all of us.

Heres a beautiful Terry Marshall shot showing Paul Fahey and Dennis Marwood doing what they do best.

That is one for the Autograph.
Make a good backdrop for them when they are on board.

Great Terry Marshall photo - "Baypark Raceway, where the real motor race action is!"
I am always scanning the backgrounds to see if I can find any of my old mates (or even myself!)

Fantastic that Dale is trying to also get the old champions recognised. Yes the stars are the cars but without guys like Paul Fahey that great era of kiwi motorsport would have been diminished greatly. I met Dennis at the McLaren Festival in 2010 - he is a lovely, modest guy and the fire still burns in him.

Regarding Dennis Marwood, certainly one of the greats of NZ motorsport, wish he had made it to F1. Dennis was probably the cleanest driver I have seen, no deliberate push and shove moves and a real thinking, tactical competitor.
And a gentleman off-track too.

Murray Maunder wrote:Great Terry Marshall photo - "Baypark Raceway, where the real motor race action is!"
I am always scanning the backgrounds to see if I can find any of my old mates (or even myself!)

Fantastic that Dale is trying to also get the old champions recognised. Yes the stars are the cars but without guys like Paul Fahey that great era of kiwi motorsport would have been diminished greatly. I met Dennis at the McLaren Festival in 2010 - he is a lovely, modest guy and the fire still burns in him.

Too all forum members, heres a sneak preview of our HMC Tee Shirts, just turned up from the USA so will have them For Sale at Hampton for $20 each, a bunch of different colours!! so bring some money, how could you say no!!

Dale Mathers

I'll bet that they don't last long. They look great Dale

These A3 Fahey/Marwood posters will be available at the HMC pits at the NZFMR, where both of these drivers will be available to sign them. But be quick! Special thanks to Terry Marshall for supplying this beautiful photo for the posters.

This Dennis Marwood poster will also be available at HD.

As will be a few Paul Fahey posters from last years event.

For those interested, i've just crunched the numbers of our HMC/ATA and U3L Saloons for the Festival, with the Aussies added we have 7 Camaro's and 7 Mustangs, 1 Javelin, 2 Toranas, 1 Monaro, 1 Jaguar, and 1 Capri V6 and thats not counting the small Saloons and there will be atleast 15 of them!! we got ourselves a very respectable field!!!

So its all shaping up pretty well, lets hope the weather does!!

Dale Mathers