Photos: The Ken Hyndman Collection

[khyndart in CA]

When I was reading about the early driving days of Jim Richards, it mentioned he had driven at the 1/4 mile sprints at Tamahere between Hamilton and Cambridge in the 1960s. The Bruntwood straight, Waharoa airfield, Matamata road races and Raglan were some of my earliest memories of car racing. As I have previously posted, I enjoyed this entry by "Amco72"
"I found this wonderful description of the Bruntwood 1/4 mile written about 5 years ago by "Amco72".

" Anyone remember the standing and flying 1/4 mile sprints that the Hamilton Car Club held on the Bruntwood straight.....was on the back road between Hamilton and Cambridge. At that time, 1967, there were only about two farm houses down that stretch of road and most of the land either side was owned by a rough-as-guts farmer....Walter Byrne. I had a farm just a mile further on from the 'straight' in Mills road and used to attend this, what was an annual event. The last time I saw Logan Fow and the Ferrari GTO was there...wish I'd had a camera. Another competitor was Dennis Marwood in the Humber 80. Walter, the rough-as guts' farmer had a Daimler SP250 which he used to literally blow the cobwebs out of. Also a strange early front engined dragster powered by a WW2 Allison aircraft engine.....the type that powered the Mustang...the American fighter/bomber that is. I remember the 'officials' getting all us spectators well back from the road before they would let this thing go. Had a remote starter that plugged into the side. It certainly sounded the part but was disappointing as far as time was concerned, popping and banging it's way down the course. Logan could have given it 100 meters start and still beaten it in the GTO. There was also another very rough, and I mean ROUGH, old HWM sports car..maroon in colour with disc wheels that had been hugely extended. I recall this because not only had they been extended but also had pieces of steel strip spaced round the wheel like spokes to strengthen the widened piece. One of the strips had FALLEN OFF...shonky welding....and the owner was attempting to remove the strip opposite to try and balance the wheel.!!!!!!!!!!! Imagine that flying off when the car was doing a run. Anyway it was just a heap of junk, although probably hugely valuable today. I think Marwood had a better time. But everyone was there having a go with scrutinering in an adjacent paddock. One competitor with a Wolseley 6/99 was having a 'discussion' with the official who had just failed the Wolseley because of a worn tie-rod end. The said competitor was really getting very wound up and giving the tester a tune-up, telling him that the car would be OK because 'he was a mechanic and knew about these things'. Imagine that today.......'on yer bike sonny'. ".


Thank you Gerald,
That description certainly brought back memories for me.

I am sure these guys were entered at Tamahere before the days of the " Motordrome Team" and the "Fleetwood" Mustang.

( Ken Hyndman ..scrapbook cutting )
If anyone has a Tamahere memory or photo etc. please share it..thanks.