Matamata Round the houses.

[Oldfart]

I have very fond memories of this, but don't seem to be able to find much.
Anyone?

[Steve Holmes]

How many years did they run it for Rhys? I don't think it was on the championship trail so didn't get the media coverage that other events did. There are a couple of great photos floating about of Red Dawson in his Willys coupe and Garth Souness in the Morrari from Matamata.

[Oldfart]

I believe it ran for 2 years. The old man was Town Clerk there. There were plenty of articles and photos in Motorman, Almost all the "names" took part with every class imaginable.

[nigel watts]

Yep, I remember these meetings. Saw my first E Type Jag and Gordon Keeble at the Matamata races. Must have been 63 & 64 I think

[Oldfart]

I am pretty sure it was not 63, as we did not live there then. 64 and 65 or 65 and 66. I could have confirmed this if the council official newspaper cutting books had not been sent to the Turnbull after Mum died last year, as she collated them.
Certainly Andy Buchanan and co were there as I remember that he won the feature one year in the Brabham (?)

[David McKinney]

Definitely 64 and 65. I went to the first one, but not the second

Ten points for whoever can identify the Spitfire driver:

[stubuchanan]

The Spitfire Man. Perhaps someone who was more often seen in small saloons and bigger single-seaters?

Stu

[David McKinney]

I would think that description fits

[Milan Fistonic]

[Milan Fistonic]

The circuit appears to be the same for both years.

[Steve Holmes]

Fantastic thread, lets keep this going. Thanks for starting this Rhys.

[jim short]

I was there ,first time I ever saw a car with dual wheels, a Dodge or ???plus around the fuel tanks at Mt Maunganui was the same time Frank Matich in a Lotus 19 ?? and a Brabham?? cleaned up. Archibald in a Mk2 Jag also ran I think

[hilstwist]

I just have to ask but did Archibald ever race that MK11 Jag in the North Island? I am sure he was never at Levin as I remember allways wishing he was going to be there

[Oldfart]

I was there ,first time I ever saw a car with dual wheels, a Dodge or ???plus around the fuel tanks at Mt Maunganui was the same time Frank Matich in a Lotus 19 ?? and a Brabham?? cleaned up. Archibald in a Mk2 Jag also ran I think

Colin Lumsden in the Dodge Kingsway? I remember him coming out of the Loop at Puke, standing on it and the back of the car was hidden totally by tyre smoke!

[jim short]

Archibald was in those 6hr races at Puke .Sadly I never saw him ,only wheels I had back then had Ped??? on the side a convertable top one or two pusher motors now fifty years ago.I did see him up close in 64 Ardmore reunion at Puke.had to look fast as he wasnt along side for very long plus Marwood was stuck to my bumper in stock standard v8 Rover ..No he woundnt BS me.Years later Ernie Spraque told me Ray changed his diff ratio to suit

[Rex Bentham]

I sure remember the dual wheel Dodge, imagine trying get past, it must have 8 feet wide! Also Rod Coppins Mark II battling with a
Mini Cooper, maybe Brian Innes? How good was that when the Motor Racing came to our hometown, seem to remember there was
so much anti feeling from the residents about noise, damage to property etc that it was canned after the 2 meetings. Nothing
changes! Does anyone recall the Matamata Airfield grass track meetings? Must have been 1956-57? You couldn't see much of
the racing, only the start, the rest of it was under a huge cloud of dust. By the end of the day the cars had dug a trench around each
corner. Some great old cars tho', I think the Lycoming was there on one occassion. My first introduction to motorsport.

[David McKinney]

The dual-wheel Dodge was a DeSoto. Ended up with a Corvette engine and disc brakes, IIRC

Ray Archibald raced his Mk2s at Ardmore, Ohakea and Pukekohe (GP meeting as well as 6hr)

[Oldfart]

There were also grasstrack at Waharoa in the 60s or 70s, I am not sure when but as we did not live there for long it had to be between 64 and 70. I remember the first Hillman Imp I had seen racing, apparently faster in 3rd than top according to the commentator. Lycoming was there with Jim Boyd.
Of course there was Raglan grasstrack around the same period

[jim short]

Well I must have seen Ray at Ardmore as I only missed the first year 54 ,I clearly remember Tom Clark big Mk 7 Cantwell running out of petrol in blue XK 140 ,Bob Gibons in the pale blue D Type plus the two Ferrari sport cars that I have so many debates over the years NOT the same Jenson had a 3.4 motor . a 860, whartons was a 750, different bonets and grills ,yet most reports say they were the same ,strange I do remember Ray he had the whole front covered with tape looked ugly I think??

[Milan Fistonic]

There were also grasstrack at Waharoa in the 60s or 70s, I am not sure when but as we did not live there for long it had to be between 64 and 70. I remember the first Hillman Imp I had seen racing, apparently faster in 3rd than top according to the commentator. Lycoming was there with Jim Boyd.
Of course there was Raglan grasstrack around the same period

This meeting at Waharoa was held on March 4 1961.