Ganley Festival - Hampton Downs January 2015

[ERC]

Thought it was about time to get a thread running, initially for potential entries, supporters etc.

These are the ERC potential entries so far for weekend two only - just one grid but the current intention is practice and 1 scratch race Friday, two handicaps Saturday and Sunday, the second on each day to be series points scoring rounds.

Grids jointly sponsored by Arrow Wheels and Auckland Engineering Supplies, our usual series sponsors, for which we are very grateful. This only gives them the naming rights of course, but like Dale (HMC), we'll probably be looking to get posters done.

1 Alan Ferguson - BMW M8
3 John Dennehy – Aston Martin Vantage
19 Kerry Chadderton – Porsche
20 Geoff Sparkes - Triumph
21 Bryce Platt – Porsche
22 Peter Robinson - BMW
28 Bruce Manon - Escort (Mike Sexton's car)
29 Mike Lucas – Datsun 240Z
34 Graeme Park - Porsche
42 Des Redgwell - Volvo 242
44 Derek Moore - Jaguar XJS
47 Gary Baildon – BMW
48 Ricky Cooper – Datsun Z
49 Chris Browne – Alfa
67 Paul Kendrick - Porsche
69 Dennis McConnell – Escort
70 Ray Green – Marcos
71 Adam Jones - Escort
75 Craig Howser - Escort
83 John Honore - Ferrari
87 David Brace – BMW
93 Ivan Selak - Escort
115 Chris Barendregt - Porsche
120 John Munro – Jaguar
135 Don Roy - MGB V8
158 Tony Vujonovich – Perana Capri
185 John Nuthall - Alfa
231 John Hudson – BMW
233 Max van Maanen - Alfa
240 Earl Cruickshank – Datsun 240Z
246 Tony Olissoff – Alfa
253 Gerry Hodges - BMW 635
280 Ken Williams - Mercedes
333 Rogan Hampson – Ohlsen Cobra
502 Steve Cowie – Alfa
616 Dave Mallin - MGB V8
635 Zac Lawrence - BMW 635
739 Grant Kern – MGB V8
865 Johan van Heerden - Renault
866 Frans Cronje - Renault
910 Simon Mills - Alfa
944 Paul Madeley - Porsche

76 Craig Sawyer – Vauxhall – provisional entrant

Any remaining expressions of interest may be held for a week or two to give those overseas or away, time to get in touch and to try and maintain variety.

72 Karl Sentch - Datsun Z - pending 01
242 Roman Schiff - Datsun Z - pending 02
6 or ? Mal Clark - Rover or BMW - possible

Updated 13/10/14

[Kiwiboss]

I think the poster idea is great Ray, not only to lift the profile of your group but also the profile of the actual event, the public just luv giveaways, it puts a smile on their face and possibly makes them return again which we all want don't we!! entertainment dollar is hard fort these days!!

Dale M

[ERC]

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[Steve Holmes]

Neat photo Ray.

[ERC]

Do you have a decent contact for posters Dale - or does anyone else for that matter?

I was thinking of a gridded design with a pic of every car and a white space underneath each pic for autographs. A poster for each driver as a memento as well as the public.

We may be too old now for F1 glory but it helps the ego to autograph anything when you are a nobody, a never-has-been or never-will-be!

I'd also like an embroidered badge (like the TACCOC Whenuapai meetings) to be done.

[Kiwiboss]

Do you have a decent contact for posters Dale - or does anyone else for that matter?

I was thinking of a gridded design with a pic of every car and a white space underneath each pic for autographs. A poster for each driver as a memento as well as the public.

We may be too old now for F1 glory but it helps the ego to autograph anything when you are a nobody, a never-has-been or never-will-be!

I'd also like an embroidered badge (like the TACCOC Whenuapai meetings) to be done.

In the past Steve(Holmes) has computer draw up our legend posters and i've had "True Colours" next to me at work print them out, i usually buy the paper to get better quality and to cheapen the cost in the A3 size, really you can design it however you want Ray as its just effort but it is a cool idea for both Racer and Public, we maybe too old for F1 glory but we can still live the dream(sort off) i guess we're all "could have","would have", "should haves" has beens LOL. The embroidered badge is a great idea and have thought of that also but not quite got around to it(theirs that "Round to it" word again that i keep hearing about, LOL) i believe at an event like this its kinda nice to lift the profile of each class which in turn helps the event organizers so please go for it Ray.

As of yesterday we have been successful in obtaining an HMC class sponsor for the festival and this helps offset material and other cost such as posters, trophies, etc. In-fact this wasn't to hard to get, just gotta ask i guess.

I'd offer my help Ray but i know you're more than capable in organizing this!!PS: don't forget the chocolate fish, LOL

Dale M

[ERC]

I do have contacts with embroidery Dale, if you need it. We might have find an alternative to chocolate fish... Congratulations on landing a sponsor Dale. I'm sure they'll be thrilled with the value of the exposure. We are so fortunate in having had just 4 great sponsors across the two series over the last 19 years.

Expressions of interest still coming in from our guys (so I'll update post #1) but I want them to enter early and not cause Jim and Chris the grief they have had in previous years from tardy entrants.

[ERC]

I do have contacts with embroidery Dale, if you need it. We might have find an alternative to chocolate fish... Congratulations on landing a sponsor Dale. I'm sure they'll be thrilled with the value of the exposure. We are so fortunate in having had just 4 great sponsors across the two series over the last 19 years.

Expressions of interest still coming in from our guys (so I'll update post #1) but I want them to enter early and not cause Jim and Chris the grief they have had in previous years from tardy entrants.

[Murray Maunder]

Great, really great, that the HRC guys chose to honour Howden in this way. I had a chat to him the year of the first (Bruce McLaren) Festival of Motor Racing at Pukekohe in the BM Trust marquee and he was just the most obliging, friendly, and lucid interviewee you could hope for. His story really needs telling and sadly EY is no longer able to fill us in with the 70s insights. I'm sure there are many here who would like to know more about "the fourth Kiwi" of the 60s/70s motorsport world motorsport scene.

It's also an indication of his affection for his kiwi motorsport roots that he seems to come back every summer to celebrate a wonderful bygone era that he was a very significant part of.

This interview extract gives a quick overview of Howden's racing career from very humble beginning.

[video=youtube;y-p1OHW9OD0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-p1OHW9OD0&feature=youtu.be[/video]

[ERC]

Having scanned our entries (or potential entries) it became apparent that we had a great basis for an "International Trophy" teams race.

My thinking at the moment is that this would be handicap race 1 on the Sunday - notwithstanding any attrition of course.

Handicapping would be as normal and points awarded to the top 5 finishers in each team. A fun trophy, not a serious one, to maintain the spirit of the event of course.

This is the provisional look at the moment - and no doubt it will change...

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[Bryan]

Great idea, Ray, will look forward to watching.

[ERC]

Time for a bump up the list I think.

Just a reminder that late entry fees click in after November 30th.

Our own group is looking pretty good so far and those blocked in green have already entered as at two days ago. The 'teams' concept for the Sunday morning handicaps seems to have gone down well with drivers, but the composition of the teams keeps changing a wee bit as people pull out and others come in. Maximum grid size is 46 cars.

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[khyndart in CA]

Here is some footage of Howden driving at the Nurburgring circuit in his BRM in 1973 with Jackie Stewart commentary.

[video=youtube;3USj05JopcU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3USj05JopcU&index=2&list=PL82FD0341B41C551F[/video]

[khyndart in CA]

Howden Ganley in 1973 driving his Formula One Iso-Marlboro FX3B Williams at the Nurburgring circuit with commentary by Jackie Stewart.
When brave drivers drove on real tracks, not like the go kart tracks of today !

[video=youtube;otqXk2r_m7s]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otqXk2r_m7s[/video]

[ERC]

We have over 40 drivers who have entered our grid for the Festival plus one or two who claim they have entered but don't (yet) appear on the list from HRC.

Several have also entered who are not on my list above, so the teams have to be reshuffled...

What is certain is that barring attrition between now and the second weekend of the Festival, that we should have a full grid of cars.
And I do mean a full grid, not 'all those who have entered a series'.

Well done guys and if nothing else, spectators will have something to look at on track other than bare tarseal - other than the last laps of the 4 handicap races of course, where the field condenses! Friday's scratch race will mean that we slower guys are lapped, but at least there will be plenty of overtaking towards the end of the races.

I'l publish a revised list of entries, just as soon as the queries have been resolved.

[Andrew Metford]

Well done Ray, and congratulations on a full grid. People voting by entering confirms what we've known all along, the series is in great hands and people love the way it is run. Great stuff!!

I'll see you there to get my poster to frame for the man cave

[ERC]

Whoops! We have an OVER FULL grid... A combination of drivers entering late; not communicating their intentions beforehand and not ticking the correct box on the entry website.

Maximum grid size at HD is 46 cars. We have no less than 59 who have been logged on the HRC website. I should be able to whittle one or two down as they have cross entered with the Historic Saloons grid, so much as we'd like them in our grid, it may well be that we'll have to say "Choose!"

Other than that, those who entered late may be on the reserve list for a while, but knowing the normal attrition rate between now and the end of practice (we can practice 20% above the grid limit), I am sure that all will be racing. One driver can't make the Friday, but we are happy to have his entry. A massive thank you to all the ERC guys for the support. A great bunch and hopefully, we'll educate a fair few spectators that modern V8s and Utes may get the publicity, but at classic level, you still see good racing.

Now I have to sit down and re-jig the teams...

[ERC]

First draft of our poster for the event. All pics are my own other than a couple (75 & 616) and the two spaces will be filled - if not by two new cars to the series, then by Jaguar logos in the bottom corners. Cars 36 & 31. Car 31 was at the track Sunday but as it hadn't yet turned a wheel in anger, it stayed on the trailer. Driver of car 36 apparently fell off a 1 horsepower device and broke a rib...

I need to get on the outside and take some pics from R to L.

So many drivers that we had to go to A1 - and even then, no signature space.

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[Oldfart]

Where is my good friend Frans?

[ERC]

Six down, left side. Time for new specs Rhys...

I have had to use a pic of Eddie York's old XJ6 instead of his XJ40 and used Gary Johnstone's XJS instead of Win Jacob's car, which I haven't yet seen.