Photos: The Bill Pottinger Collection - Part 1

[Steve Holmes]

I've been looking forward to starting the process of posting this first part of the Bill Pottinger Collection on here for some weeks, since Bill and I first made contact, thanks to Roaring Season member, Michael Clark. Bill grew up in Invercargill, in the deep southern tip of the South Island of New Zealand. His local race track, as a young enthusiast, beginning in the late 1960s, was Teretonga, and its Teretonga Bill's incredible collection centres around.

The majority of the photos in this collection were taken during the Teretonga round of the Tasman Series, beginning in the late 1960s, running through to the early '70s. I'll let Bill tell the story from here: "I started taking photos in 1967 at age 14 and used to bike out to Teretonga with my father's Asahi Pentax and a 135mm telephoto lens which I bought. I learnt developing and printing so I could sell the photos to the drivers and local newspaper, and then Eoin Young took an interest when he came out for the Tasman Series and used the photos in his overseas magazine articles.

"The thrill of being close to the track and then rushing home to develop and print them and see the images appear on the photo paper was something to never forget".

So far, Bill has sent me 48 photos, and has taken the time to caption each, as he recalls clearly taking every photo that appears here. Therefore, I'm splitting these 48 photos over two parts, so each can be appreciated on its own merits, and with Bill's caption for each.

You'll note, several photos have been signed by the drivers, which makes them even more interesting, in my opinion. One of the few drivers whose signature Bill didn't get, was Jim Clark. Bill explains: "Jim Clark was my hero but I was always too shy to ask him for an autograph!! April 7th this year marked 45 years since his untimely death at Hockenheim, but that time has gone in a flash".

Sadly for us, Bill's collection only spans a few years. "In the early '70s I moved to Christchurch for Uni so didn't have Dad's camera anymore and that was the end of the car photos!"

[Steve Holmes]

Note that all the text for the photos posted in this collection are the captions provided by Bill:

Derek Bell, the no 2 driver for Ferrari in the 1969 Tasman Series accelerates into the main straight at Teretonga on his way to 5^th place behind Courage, Hill, Amon and Gardner. Bell had contacted Rindt on the starting grid when the flag dropped and Rindt broke a driveshaft in his Lotus 49T.

[Steve Holmes]

Team Lotus drivers Jochen Rindt and Graham Hill pictured at the January 1969 Teretonga International in Invercargill N.Z. Graham Hill finished 2^nd to Piers Courage (Brabham BT24 V8) while pole sitter Rindt broke a driveshaft on the startline in his Lotus 49BT V8. Teretonga was the final N.Z. race before moving to the 4 meeting Australian section of the 8 race series.

[Steve Holmes]

Jim Clark in his Lotus Ford V8 presses on sans front bodywork after an off-course excursion while comfortably in the lead. He finished 2^nd behind winner Bruce McLaren in his BRM V12 P126 but ahead of Frank Gardner, Chris Amon, Piers Courage and Denny Hulme. Clark made fastest lap of 61.0 secs.

[Steve Holmes]

Just one more for today:

Ferrari Team Transporter during the 1968 Tasman Series at the Teretonga round. The open doors of the VW Kombi reveal a spare Dino V6 engine for Chris Amon’s car. Amon finished 2^nd to Jim Clark’s Lotus49T in the 8 race series.

[Kwaussie]

Great to see Bill Pottinger's here - they are some of the best that I have ever seen from Teretonga. Looking forward to veiwing the next 43!!

[tonttu]

Just one more for today:

What an incredible photo this is. It seems to really sum up the relaxed uncomplicated way of racing way back then.

[Steve Holmes]

Frank Gardner (Brabham BT23D Alfa Romeo V8) on the grid for the 1969 Teretonga International. He went on to finish 3^rd behind McLaren and Clark.

[Steve Holmes]

Pedro Rodriguez leans on the brakes of his BRM P126 V12 before pitting when a holed radiator caused his engine to overheat. Pedro was backup driver to Bruce McLaren in the BRM team for the 1968 Tasman Series.

[Dale Harvey]

A great portrait of Frank Gardner, but, he is in the Mildren Mono or Yellow Submarine not the Brabham. Different roll bar and the Brabham had a perspex windscreen. Sorry Steve, I don't mean to be picky.
Dale.

[kiwi285]

[/QUOTE]

Bet there was some paint removed from under the nose of the BRM here. No anti-dive front suspension here.

Great photos and looking forward to seeing the rest of them. I like the one of the Ferrari engine just sitting in the open for all the see. Would anyone know these days what an F1 engine looked like at all !!!

At Sandown in 1967 I managed to sit with Jim Clark for 10 minutes odd and talk about racing in general and the next seasons F1 and he was quite happy to do it. These days you would be lucky to see an F1 driver several hundred metres away ducking from motorhome to pits. I wouldn't waste my time and money going to a modern F1 event - give me historic racing every time.

Thanks for sharing

Cheers Mike

[GD66]

What do we think that hose or lead is that runs down the side of the car and up into the engine bay ? Looks like a water pipe below it, which is fair enough, but I have spotted this before and been intrigued. Now that we are lucky enough to have TRS, I can ask !

[928]

air bleed off the radiator back to the header tank is my guess

[Steve Holmes]

A great portrait of Frank Gardner, but, he is in the Mildren Mono or Yellow Submarine not the Brabham. Different roll bar and the Brabham had a perspex windscreen. Sorry Steve, I don't mean to be picky.
Dale.

Thanks Dale, the text is all supplied by Bill to accompany the photos. Bill's knowledge is impressive, so this would have just been an oversight. And I didn't pick up on it myself, so its good you've corrected it.

[Steve Holmes]

Jim Palmer (McLaren M4A-FVA) talks to his father George in the pits before the 1968 Teretonga International in which he finished 8^th after a spin on the wet track.

[225sloper]

These photos are unreal

[Steve Holmes]

Dunedin Driver Lin Neilson in the late 1960s at Teretonga Park near Invercargill. This is the southern most circuit in the world and is operated by the Southland Sports Car Club. He is testing his new lightweight Mini Cooper S.

[Steve Holmes]

Piers Courage is pictured putting at Queens Park Golf Course in Invercargill. Behind him Jochen and Nina Rindt compare scores during a golf match with Graham Hill and Frank Gardner after practising at nearby Teretonga Park for the 1969 Teretonga round of the Tasman Series. Piers Courage was to win the 1969 Teretonga race from Graham Hill, Chris Amon, Frank Gardner and Derek Bell.

[bob homewood]

air bleed off the radiator back to the header tank is my guess

Yes it was a extra bleed that was fitted to overcome the overheating problems the cars suffered in the opening rounds ,you can see it here in this photo of the car being repaired after a off course excursion ,with the raditor removed

[GD66]

Wonderful ! Thanks, lads. Gotta love TRS...