The Roaring Season

I'm so excited about being able to share this collection with you all. Allan Porter is a hugely talented motoring/motorsport photographer, whose collection spans from 1964 - 2000. If you think you've seen several of the photos posted here before, you're right. Allan's stunning photography has been featured in various New Zealand magazines, most commonly New Zealand Hot Rod, from the outset.

Allan's photos feature mainly the North Island drag strips Meremere and Thunder Park, but he also snapped many shots at the gravel surfaced Kopuku Dragway, a coal mine South of Auckland, and the place thought to be the first organised drag race meeting in New Zealand. In addition are other temporary venues, such as the Waiouru Military Airstrip, Ardmore, and the famous Kerrs Road, as well as circuit racing tracks, such as Bay Park and Pukekohe.

What I love about this collection is that it demonstrates the early years of drag racing in New Zealand, and its very grass-roots nature.

What I also love are the cars, and the people Allan has captured. Drag racing was very much an amateur sport, and those taking part were invariably teenagers and those in the early twenties. Long, shaggy hair, bell-bottomed jeans, and t-shirts feature throughout. There is a real hipster feel about the whole scene.

And then there are the cars. Kiwis didn't have access to US sourced dragsters, so they simply made their own. There was a booming New Zealand speed equipment industry that stemmed out of the difficulties in importing, and many of the early pioneers feature here. The purpose-built drag cars are really home-built specials. But likewise, many of the cars raced were simply the hot rods that were run up and down Queen Street and other cities and towns all over New Zealand every Friday and Saturday night. Some of you who were around this scene during this time are probably pictured. Or you'll at least recognize many of those who are.

Allan told me his collection compiles approx 59,000 photos! Only a fraction will be shown here. But even then, I'll need to split them into several different threads.

For those of you on Facebook, Allan has his own page where these photos are featured. I'm personally not a big fan of the way FB displays photos, and I hope having Allan's stunning images here does them a little more justice. They certainly deserve that.

But for those of you who are on Facebook, please visit and 'Like' his page. Its the least we can do for being allowed to share his beautiful photos here: https://www.facebook.com/allanporterphotography/

This is where it all began; Kopuku Dragway. It featured an unsealed and fairly rough surface. But its all there was.

Everything was raced at Kopuku, including rail cars. Must have been a hell of a rough ride.

Keith Vazey and Kevin Cairns.

Ed Jensen.

Ken Vincent and Gail Prast.

Dave McDougal's wild Altered.

Thanks Steve. What dates did they run here at Kopuku ?
I remember going here and seeing the coal buckets for Meremere certainly brings back memories.
I keep looking in the crowd photos for any familiar faces.
Great and clear photos.
Sorry I do not have any photos to share.

(Ken Hyndman )

The Red Baron of Kevin Cairns.

khyndart in CA wrote:Thanks Steve. What dates did they run here at Kopuku ?
I remember going here and seeing the coal buckets for Meremere certainly brings back memories.
I keep looking in the crowd photos for any familiar faces.
Great and clear photos.
Sorry I do not have any photos to share.

(Ken Hyndman )

Someone here will know more than me Ken, but I believe it was for three years from 1966?

#9 Prast- in 409 Chev

John McKechnie wrote:#9 Prast- in 409 Chev

Is the car still about John? Extremely rare beast.