The Roaring Season

I've been inspired to start a new thread, thanks to a batch of cool old New Zealand speedway dirt track photos posted on Facebook by Dale Mathers from the scrapbook he created when he was a young bloke. While The Roaring Season seems to cover many aspects of motorsport history, the glaring omission is speedway.

So, if you have any old speedway pics, be they dirt track, or paved oval, post them up here.

Check this thread here http://www.theroaringseason.com/showthread.php?446-Templeton-Speedway-1960s-and-70s&highlight=speedway

A few more from my scrap book!! Dale M

OK, try again, a Few more form my scrap book, Dale M

Kiwiboss wrote:OK, try again, a Few more form my scrap book, Dale M

Big Bad Charlie Bernstein from Wanganui although Palmy based by the look of the number in this shot.

My hero back in the day, Sam Ferabend.

Second to last shot is 88H, Dayne Plummer from Hamilton with his purple beast.

First shot in thread looks like Gene Welsh.

That weapon of Dayne Plummer's used to sound superb !

Is 1M Don Peck ? I used to work with him on the NZR locos.

TonyG wrote:First shot in thread looks like Gene Welsh.

Your right

TonyG wrote:First shot in thread looks like Gene Welsh.

That's him Tony, Gene Welch, he came to NZ three times, first was with the `68 Camaro, then a `70s Camaro, and finally with a super quick Chev Vega V8 hatchback. Poles apart performance wise than the Kiwis at the time but with him coming out here the whole local speedway saloon car class lifted its game.

Sure did Steve. Really enjoyed watching him race all 3 times he was out.

I recall seeing Gene Welch and his team mate ?? ( can't remember) at Waikaraka Park in the '70 Camaro.
The cars were immaculate as all U.S visitors cars were in those days. Had a poster for years of the '70 Camaro - it was a mean looking car.
When they toured Australia I remember there being quite a stir regarding their "dirty" driving tactics.... but great entertainment.

Not sure where I got these, might have been from Gavin Evitt, as he was a real speedway enthusiast. But here are some old saloon car racing pics from around New Zealand. I always loved the saloons, particularly when they were built out of real cars.

This is Gary McKelvie. He recently built up an HT Monaro to race in Central Muscle Cars. A long time Monaro enthusiast.

This is Ian Easton (Jack Jack) with his '70 Camaro. I don't know much about this car. Maybe someone can fill in the gaps? Check out those injector stacks!

Here is John Scott, with his Firebird. Pretty sure he ran out of Waikaraka Park in Auckland.

Here is Ian Taylor with his Camaro. Note it appears to be right hand drive. I think this was built from a written off road car that Rod Coppins had previously competed with in a production car endurance race at Bay Park. Steve Elliott may be able to confirm this?

Jim Richards in the Sidchrome HQ Monaro. This was actually the Monaro raced by Neville Crichton in the Castrol GTX production road racing series in 1973/74, which Mark Sheehan ended up driving into a river. It had to be written off, and was converted into a speedway saloon for JR to race out of Waikaraka Park.