Some indulgences

Some funny moments , musings and happenings in no particular order.

Standing next to a Eurosport camera tower observe my Formula ford minus all 4 corners torpedo the tower and thinking that's going to hurt , come round in hospital wondering why to find out the camera landed on me and our driver walked away.

Confusing Bruno Lawrence with Denny Hulme at an annual awards dinner

On flags at the hairpin (Ruapuna) drop the blue flag on the car being passed

Running after Leo Lennard to hand him his jacket or gloves only to get his attention and mutter incoherently

Whistling tunelessly while working with Steve Vigurs, ex merchant navy seamen don't like whistling apparently sounds too much like escaping steam

Being overtaken by our own trailer & race car on the M4 and being the cause of its closure for several hours

Flags at Lady Wigram running across the track to pick up a stray muffler only to hear the commentator say something like that's brave he wont hold onto that for long.........I still have the scars

Being 1.5 seconds quicker going the "wrong" way round at Ruapuna during private testing

On doing indemnity forms on the dummy grid , dropping the pen into John Osbourne's car and receiving the ultimate accolade "Fcuking Idiot"

Being banned from Cobb & Co for filling the window spaces with beer bottles

Parking my Dads MkII Cortina on the Norwest flight path at ChCh airport with Grant Milligan and Andy McElrea as passengers

Again on doing indemnity forms came across Warwick MacLachlan (Formula Ford) waiting to go out with the wheel nuts loose on all for corners, we've remained firm friends ever since

On borrowing Geoff (Steve Vigurs crew - sorry Geoff do not remember your last name) ute promptly lunching the diff and using Warwick's next race entry to repair it.

Driving down to Teretonga for the wrong race weekend

Being given the huge responsibility to lock/unlock the main gates at Ruapuna on my own


Having been domiciled in the UK for the past 25 years my motorsports involvement has been limited to 3 years with a works Mondiale FF a season polishing an M8F and many track days in between but nothing will come close to the late 70's and 80's spent around N.Z race tracks and its people.

LOL GokiwiPommie......... nothing wrong with some humour ..... something that planet earth is lacking at present keep laughing you certainly gave me a grin..

Good stuff - especially confusing Bruno Lawrence with Denny Hulme!

I had a similar experience at the annual BRM supporter's club dance in about 1964/65. I managed to get the autographs on my membership rules card, of Graham Hill, Jackie Stewart, Tony Brooks, Raymond Mays, Wilkie Wilkinson, Tony Rudd etc. and I thought, Richard Attwood, but 'Richard Attwood' turned out to be Jaguar racer Albert Powell...

I still have that card, but maybe it is time to sell.

Geoff Dunn still swings spanners, on Willis F5000 Lola, travels up from Christchurch (wish he would arrive earlier so people could get to bed earlier as doesn't work on time just volume), good lad and has some good tales about you lot.

Great indulgence at Taupo today as seen on tv3- Perkins, Murphy co pilot, said- great to be diving the Mike Pero Falcon.
Murphy didnt look impressed

Hi John, just got home from a weekend down there at Taupo went with 6 other petrol head race drivers was just good to catch up with some people & drivers ......[NOTHING HAS CHANGED] ego still a ruler in this sport ..... I guess with out it there would not be a lot of hype etc etc .............................. indulgence last night was fantastic beautiful Indian food & fine beers ..........