The Roaring Season

Like that cheating rule, Dale ! As you know, drag racing has a number of categories and classes, all of which are calculated by a number of parameters, including the vehicle's weight and capacity. Soberingly, if the car is found to be under-weight or over-capacity, the offending participant is disqualified FOR LIFE !
Certainly cuts out any grey areas...

Thanks Frost5(David Graham, HMC tech auditor) there's some useful information in that "Heritage Legends of Bathurst" code of conduct and I dare say i'll use some of it!! its also interesting that pretty much all overseas historic racing groups are going down this road, the cars are the stars and the owners, along with the public don't want to see them damaged and are bringing the axe down on over zealous drivers, good to see!!

Rod, im probably the only grumpy bugger in the pack, with good reason though, LOL but yes, lots of fun and banter and that's what makes this class so great,its all you have left when you remove the need to win!!

GD66, this is nothing new in overseas historic racing, the philosophy behind the cheating rule speaks for itself as its the "Spirit of Sportsmanship" that's most important for HMC!! but some just can't help themselves and want to bring a "gun to a knife fight" it seems to be the kiwi way? and HMC is not about that, plenty of other class's were winning comes first and how you get there doesn't matter!!

As always lots of interest but I believe in "steady as she goes"!!!

Life is Good

Dale M

Having just got the latest issue of NZ Classic Car magazine, and in seeing the HMC write up, I`ll have to get some advice from Dale about how to cope with the limelight.........

fullnoise68 wrote:Having just got the latest issue of NZ Classic Car magazine, and in seeing the HMC write up, I`ll have to get some advice from Dale about how to cope with the limelight.........

Another classy article from RS founder

Our founder has a way with words, that for sure. But I'm sure it is all true Steve and a lot more could be said about your racing activities.

fullnoise68 wrote:Having just got the latest issue of NZ Classic Car magazine, and in seeing the HMC write up, I`ll have to get some advice from Dale about how to cope with the limelight.........

Steve, I'm sure the agents will be queuing up outside Specialized Imports to get your signature once they have read the write-up LOL!!!!

fullnoise68 wrote:Having just got the latest issue of NZ Classic Car magazine, and in seeing the HMC write up, I`ll have to get some advice from Dale about how to cope with the limelight.........

Does this write up have any of my photos in it?... has dale handled the fame well after starring in Auto Action!? hahaha

Just wish my "wallet" was as swollen as my "head" LOL. Dale M

and the BIG man himself, great write up Steve E:

On a far more serious note, one person has been killed, and another has critical injuries after an horrific crash at Queensland Raceway this afternoon. Apparently it happened during a `private hire' event. The 8 HMC guys that raced there in June this year would all understand QR being a very high speed track, and when things go wrong, the inevitable sometimes happens. Not good......

Link here: http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/19400937/one-dead-another-trapped-in-qld-raceway-crash-at-willowbank/

Very sad steve, I met the owner of the car, it was racing at the 2 days of thunder, I may have been a member of his family that was the driver (the passenger was killed), but not confirmed, he asked for pics of his car that I took at the 2 days of thunder but I had none as I was focussing on Trans-Am.. we are racing there this weekend, will be an emotional round this weekend due to the unpredictable nature of our sport, Rest in Peace

fullnoise68 wrote:On a far more serious note, one person has been killed, and another has critical injuries after an horrific crash at Queensland Raceway this afternoon. Apparently it happened during a `private hire' event. The 8 HMC guys that raced there in June this year would all understand QR being a very high speed track, and when things go wrong, the inevitable sometimes happens. Not good......

Link here: http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/19400937/one-dead-another-trapped-in-qld-raceway-crash-at-willowbank/

By now you may know that the deceased was Sean Edwards, son of Guy and an accomplished driver in his own right.

just looking through the posts from this time last year- Dales birthday on 25th October.

John McKechnie wrote:just looking through the posts from this time last year- Dales birthday on 25th October.

Pretty good John, very close but its actually the 26th, grand ol age of 54 young years and the bones are just starting to ache!! Still, 20 years younger almost to the day than my mate Mr Fogg(Gerald that is) he's only just hung up his helmet(or has he?) so with his inspiration i have some time left yet!!

Dale M

If someone wants to build up an outstanding HMC, I have available a 1964 Mercury Comet-not mine, Scott brought it in -and I will be listing it on the For Sale section.
Great looking car, long rear quarters for lots of NASCAR advertising.
Will put up some pics. Body is good.

Would love to see that car on the grid - we are starting to get a great variety of cars in the class. Long may it last. When I win Lotto I will join in.

This could be ideal for Grant Sprague-, all that pre65 knowledge could be put to use. What about it Grant- ready for a mid life crisis?

Not really going or went through that John after getting the screaming eagle it vanished lol , , as for a comet , I remember racing against George in his big block comet , & the teething pobs he had as you do with a side oiler big block...dont really want to go there as my engine man [kelford cams] is living in Chch now the old team has moved on or past away , so if i ever decided It would be joining the ranks with Pete [Stevenson] the meats type of car [fast back ] , I see Dales car goes pretty damn good , I still recon a good 302 67 fast back would be lighter & might be a wee bit quicker than the bigger car , I see Dale only lets a few enter this class could be a closed shop for some , I did hear Foggy was interested or is that the same class Auck muscle class runs that Deano is involved in ? to build a good car to day & be strong in that class , be Dales or the above & pre 65 .... you would get no change out of 100k.... unless you wanted to be mid field , Dale would I be right about this , & you would probably need to be single again .....?????????????????

HMC is about having an eligible car and being there,doing it and not sitting on the side line .
Mid field runners get the same chokky fish as first to the flag or last .
I got to the big Jan meeting for $45K inclusive of original purchase price of the car and finished every race.

Grant Sprague wrote:Not really going or went through that John after getting the screaming eagle it vanished lol , , as for a comet , I remember racing against George in his big block comet , & the teething pobs he had as you do with a side oiler big block...dont really want to go there as my engine man [kelford cams] is living in Chch now the old team has moved on or past away , so if i ever decided It would be joining the ranks with Pete [Stevenson] the meats type of car [fast back ] , I see Dales car goes pretty damn good , I still recon a good 302 67 fast back would be lighter & might be a wee bit quicker than the bigger car , I see Dale only lets a few enter this class could be a closed shop for some , I did hear Foggy was interested or is that the same class Auck muscle class runs that Deano is involved in ? to build a good car to day & be strong in that class , be Dales or the above & pre 65 .... you would get no change out of 100k.... unless you wanted to be mid field , Dale would I be right about this , & you would probably need to be single again .....?????????????????

Be great to have you involved Grant but motor racing in any form is about spending money not making it(as you well know)!! and seen you where a "high achiever" in Pre 65, historic and classic racing might be a bit too tame for you and there is nothing to win so why anyway? the class may appear close shop but that it is not, anyone can join in and race, all we ask is that their car be legal to rules and schedules outlined which are based around UK Saloon FIA Group 5 as used in NZ 68 to 73, American Trans Am 66 to 72 and current Australian Classic and Historic rules such as there group Nc, pretty simple really but turning non legal cars away is in no way a reflection against the person, its the CARS we want rite. Some years back i asked if i could race with Pre 65, run of the back as a field filler and offcourse i got turned down and rightly so, i took it as nothing personal and accepted that and understood why, HMC is about doing the same, but make the car rite and one can come racing!!

Generally over the last 18 months i have seen HMC has been an attraction for the weekend budget racer(such as myself) and older retired ex racers that want to have a bit of play before they bite the dust and also because its not so serious. For guys like Foggy(and Deano) HMC is probably really not their class and rightly so as those two are still fiercely competitive and appear to want to race too win at all cost with less concern about the machinery, i know Foggy thought about it but has decide to of head in another direction and good on him!! There are others i hope i never see in HMC, but still build a legal car and they will not be turned away!! but what i've discovered there are two types of racers, those that luv the cars and race them accordingly(such as myself) and those that the cars are only a "tool" and "winning" is the primary concern, thats why i constantly pushing the two Philosophy's as below and by removing "points" and "championship" tends to have less attraction for the "i want to win at all cost racer" and so far its worked. But as with any new organization it takes time for an understanding of what is to be achieved, its alright for me(and others im sure) as i've seen first hand hows its done overseas at proper historic and classic racing events, we are just on 2 years in on a 5 year plan for HMC and certainly the feed back is strong and i do understand that its not for everyone as with most things in the world, for me i can't stand "cricket" but people do play it so it can't be that bad!!

Philosophy. Historic and Classic motorsport is that branch of the sport where vehicles from a past era are used in friendly rivalry to allow them to be exercised in a manner that the manufactures intended. It is not a branch of the sport where series and trophies for winning races are held in higher regard than the sheer enjoyment of being involved.

CHEATING: Our rules are simple. They are not exact in many areas as “the spirit of sportsmanship” is the primary focus. The "Statement of Purpose" will take precedence in any rule dispute. If an entrant is found to have contravened the spirit of the rules he will risk disqualification from any further involvement with HMC. In other words, cheating is not something that will be taken lightly. READ THE RULES and ask questions.

Dale M

John McKechnie wrote:HMC is about having an eligible car and being there,doing it and not sitting on the side line .
Mid field runners get the same chokky fish as first to the flag or last .
I got to the big Jan meeting for $45K inclusive of original purchase price of the car and finished every race.

Friggen hec John, you achieve in 3 lines what i write a story about, LOL. You can do the next HMC newsetter if you like, LOL

Dale M