The Roaring Season

Some more advertising from the 1960 NZGP programme when it was still in pounds, shillings and pence ..etc. (Life in 1960 in NZ )















( Ken Hyndman )

Moving on to 1962 when Ardmore held it's last New Zealand Grand Prix on Jan. 6th 1962.



Note the prize money for the winner is half as much as in 1960 !
(Can any one explain the "pay cut" ? )




(Ken Hyndman )

In 1960 the winner received 1000 pounds. In 1962 only 500.

I wonder what the reason was for the pay cut. Total prize money in 1960 was 2560 pounds. In 1962 it was 1570 pounds.
Can you imagine telling the teams & drivers today. " Sorry lads your winnings will be half of what it was 2 years ago !"
There must have been some other attraction for the international teams to come all the way out to NZ and Australia.
(any input is appreciated for the question of the day.." Why the pay cut ?"
Perhaps they were saving for the move to Pukekohe.


(Ken Hyndman )

Ardmore. Jan 6 th 1962. Entrants list for the Saloon Car Race up to 1600 cc. Again some well known names in this race including; Bruce Mclaren, Ron Flockhart and Roy Salvadori along with all the local drivers.

Ardmore. First lap of saloon car race up to 1600 cc.
Kerry Grant in his Austin Farina # 118 leading R.Redmayne in his Wolseley # 129 followed by Roy Harrington in his Morris Minor # 121 who is just ahead of Ron Flockhart in his Austin Mini Cooper 998
and the rest of the field as they charge through College Corner.







( Ken Hyndman's scrap album picture from the 8 0clock newspaper)

Roy Harrington ?

GD66,
I was just testing to see if anyone was paying any attention to what I am entering as there are very few comments and no answers to the questions I put out. So you pass the test. Thank you. Actually I did have a friend in Santa Barbara named Rod Harrington so it was my error when R.D. Harrington became Rod. I have some more programme inputs left to go and I do appreciate any of your inputs or memories also. I have carried this stuff to the States so I imagine many of you have much the same material from this era also so I do not want to be too repetitive and boring but I am enjoying doing this and getting it out on TRS before it is forgotten or lost altogether.

(Ken Hyndman )

khyndart in CA wrote:Ardmore. College Corner. First lap of saloon car race up to 1600 cc.
Kerry Grant in his Austin Farina # 118 leading R.Redmayne in his Wolseley # 129 followed by Rod Harrington in his Morris Minor # 121 who is closely followed by Ron Flockhart in his Austin Mini Cooper 998.

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( Ken Hyndman's scrap album picture from the 8 0clock newspaper)

Ken - that really is a great picture of the day - a very full and diverse field of saloons on the charge

khyndart in CA wrote:GD66,
I was just testing
I have some more programme inputs left to go and I do appreciate any of your inputs or memories also.

Keep at it mate, they are great reading.

Oops ! Ardmore Saloon car race up to 1600 cc. Jan 1962

D.A. Currey facing the wrong direction in his 848 cc Mini as B.Elder goes by in his Singer Gazelle.




(K Hyndman scrapbook )

Looks about right to me...Currey has got the engine and drive in the correct end.

Shoreboy57 wrote:Ken - that really is a great picture of the day - a very full and diverse field of saloons on the charge

Thank you Ken always great to get info from you .... Grant

I remember being here at Ardmore with friends and cousins and cheering on anyone from the Morrinsville / Hamilton area that was racing that day. We certainly had plenty to cheer on even though we eventually got soaked in the rain.
From the local BMC dealer, Neil Johns in his 848 cc Mini, Dennis Marwood in his Humber 80, Ross Greenville in his Lotus 18, Spinner Black had a Mistral TR 2, Kris Kay in a Ford 10 Special and Brian Innes with his Ford Zephyr.
Morrinsville was well represented that day in January 1962 and we were noisy little brats letting everyone know around us know that, as we watched from in front of the Tatts Stand at the final corner before the finish line.

( Ken Hyndman )

I have mentioned before that a relative was involved with the Motordrome Service Station in Te Rapa and they had this race team which had some future stars and again Morrinsville was well represented in 1962 with Marwood, Greenville and Innes being on the team along with Howden Ganley.

The Ardmore race for saloon cars over 1600 cc assembled as the rain started.








G.Dixon in his Chevrolet ( 141) leads a bunched field around College Corner on the first lap.
The 8 lap race was a hard fought dice at the front between John Riley in his older Chevrolet and Brian Innes in his Motordrome Team green Ford Zephyr. Brian Innes held on to win and our section of the crowd cheered him on as the rain started to get heavier.

(Ken Hyndman )

Earlier in the day Angus Hyslop won the Ardmore Championship Race for NZ drivers only, in his Cooper. Some well known names are listed for this event including a certain Mr C.A. Amon.



In this clipping of the first lap, Hyslop is already leading and only briefly challenged by Johnny Mansel in car # 17. Behind Mansel is Rod Coppins in his Tec Mec # 16 with Tony Shelly on the far right. Behind Shelly is Forrest Cardon in the Lycoming and directly behind him and in one of his first races is the great Chris Amon in his Maserati 250 F.




(Ken Hyndman )

khyndart in CA wrote:I have mentioned before that a relative was involved with the Motordrome Service Station in Te Rapa and they had this race team which had some future stars and again Morrinsville was well represented in 1962 with Marwood, Greenville and Innes being on the team along with Howden Ganley.
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What a beaut photo....early years racing team ....so cool Thank you Ken .......

You may note that this next race started at 10.30 am and the previous race was at 9.55 am and some of the same cars were in both races ! Wow. That did not give much time to get ready especially on a warm Ardmore day. I know we have early English cars that have real chronic starting problems after they have sat for 15 -20 minutes and the heat being transferred from the engine through the intake manifold and into the carburetor bodies, which then boils the fuel in the float bowls so that the mixture is all wrong when you try to re-start the car. This may have happened to Forrest Cardon and Rod Coppins when they tried to start the Sports Car Trophy Race. Sadly they did not get to compete at all in this race.
( Thanks to Stu Buchanan for the great coloured photos of this LeMans type start..some of the drivers and cars were already worn out. I wonder who set this race schedule ? ! )


(K Hyndman scrapbook )





(coloured photos thanks to Stu Buchanan )

( Ken Hyndman )

Question; Is the car number 74 driven by J. Nicholson, the John Nicholson of McLaren, Cosworth engines and Lyncar fame ?


( Ken Hyndman )