David Lange: Racing Car Driver

[Steve Holmes]

Does anyone have any photos of former NZ prime minister David Lange when he raced in the Ford Laser series in the 1980s? I have a couple of neat Ray Green photos, just need one more for my Ford book.

Thanks in advance.

[khyndart in CA]

Steve,
I don't know if these are of use to you but I found them on the net. Not sure who was the Pukekohe photographer but the 1988 photos are from the Timaru Herald.

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(Ken H)

[Steve Holmes]

Hi Ken, hey thanks so much for that. I saw those on the net too. Was too scared to use them for fear of copyright.

Thankfully Warwick Clayton has come through (again) with some neat pit and action shots.

[Kwaussie]

Often driving into work down Harper Ave. in Christchurch and stopping at the lights waiting to turn into Park Terrace you could see an old garage door with signs painted on that covered some recent event - not long after the PM raced at Wigram for all to see was
"Ski Lange" on the door, I think it was there until the snow came that year.

[brucie321]

That brings back a couple of memories, I was part of Dave Slater's team supporting the PM at the time. It took him a while to get going with the whole thing, one of the more slightly disturbing features of his driving (at Puke) was braking at the end of the back straight (well near the end...) and then immediately chucking it into 3rd gear. Needless to say engine life wasn't all it could have been.

Great Bloke, and fun to be around. Even the Bodyguards enjoyed the meetings!

[Rod Grimwood]

Pretty sure they could be Rex Rattenbury photos Steve.
They (Lange family) were in paddock pit area next us at GP, on other side was ice ceam caravan, we saw them a bit.

He was alright and we had good banter and chats during the day, my brother was having jokes with him about throwing it into hairpin etc, and there was laughter and comments.