SKOPE & SFOS meetings @ ChCh, Levels,& Teretonga - Photo Thread.

[AMCO72]

For most NI people, a trip to the South Island to do the SFOS is out of the question. You really have to combine it with a holiday, as you can be away for a month or more if you do all three events. There did used to be Waimate as well, which really was the icing on the cake. Another factor to take into consideration is race car reliability, and/or accidents. These can really throw a spanner in the works if you don't have back-up down there.
We are very very fortunate in having Gary Johnston as a friend in ChCh where we can stay the night or 3, store cars and get the use of trucks, trailers, utes and whatever else is required. Gary of course has a trucking business, BRENICS TRANSPORT, so is in the business of moving things round the country.....mainly bananas, where he has a niche market. Nothing is too much trouble for Gary and his very supportive family, and I would just like to acknowledge their help during our forays in the SI. Gary of course races the TWR XJS and owns the white ex Wellington street race XJS that Angus drove at Teretonga. Was a busy lad jumping from Jaguar to Mini.

The trip from ChCH to Invercargill is a long haul.....7 to 8 hours usually, and there is a not inconsiderable cost involved, and of course the same back, then we still have to get from ChCh to Picton, across on the ferry, and then the haul from Wellington to Cambridge/Auckland. Whew!!!!!! By the time your home again you definitely need a holiday.

This year Angus flew home in between meetings to continue with business up here.......more costs with airfares etc, so we are ramping up the price of this little break considerably. Added to that we had issues with the car after Skope, where the Mini ripped a couple of teeth off the drop gears. Another SI friend came into play here........Chris Charles who lives at Darfield on the Canterbury plains, and ex Bruce McLaren mechanic, was on hand to strip the engine, find the problem and report back to Angus, who organized parts then flew down again a week later to reassemble the engine. Then it was the long haul to Invercargill!!!!

So you can see it was not just a matter of zooming down, doing the business and returning. All sorts of factors come into play.
I'm not trying to put people off here, but you need to do your sums very carefully, because you may be paying off the credit card for a few months.

Was it worth it.........you bet, no hesitation, and if your even thinking of doing it, start saving. You wont regret it.
I should also mention that you need an understanding spouse. Whether you leave her at home or take her with you, just kid her along with the promise of visiting all those wonderfull shops on the Mainland!!!!!!The fellas wont miss out on the shops either. Invercargill has that hardware store to beat all hardware stores.....E Hayes & Sons Ltd.....home of the Munro collection and lots of other automobilia. They also know a thing or two about screws, where the young assistants at your local Bunnings only remember the activities that took place on Saturday night !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Kiwiboss]

For most NI people, a trip to the South Island to do the SFOS is out of the question. You really have to combine it with a holiday, as you can be away for a month or more if you do all three events. There did used to be Waimate as well, which really was the icing on the cake. Another factor to take into consideration is race car reliability, and/or accidents. These can really throw a spanner in the works if you don't have back-up down there.
We are very very fortunate in having Gary Johnston as a friend in ChCh where we can stay the night or 3, store cars and get the use of trucks, trailers, utes and whatever else is required. Gary of course has a trucking business, BRENICS TRANSPORT, so is in the business of moving things round the country.....mainly bananas, where he has a niche market. Nothing is too much trouble for Gary and his very supportive family, and I would just like to acknowledge their help during our forays in the SI. Gary of course races the TWR XJS and owns the white ex Wellington street race XJS that Angus drove at Teretonga. Was a busy lad jumping from Jaguar to Mini.

The trip from ChCH to Invercargill is a long haul.....7 to 8 hours usually, and there is a not inconsiderable cost involved, and of course the same back, then we still have to get from ChCh to Picton, across on the ferry, and then the haul from Wellington to Cambridge/Auckland. Whew!!!!!! By the time your home again you definitely need a holiday.

This year Angus flew home in between meetings to continue with business up here.......more costs with airfares etc, so we are ramping up the price of this little break considerably. Added to that we had issues with the car after Skope, where the Mini ripped a couple of teeth off the drop gears. Another SI friend came into play here........Chris Charles who lives at Darfield on the Canterbury plains, and ex Bruce McLaren mechanic, was on hand to strip the engine, find the problem and report back to Angus, who organized parts then flew down again a week later to reassemble the engine. Then it was the long haul to Invercargill!!!!

So you can see it was not just a matter of zooming down, doing the business and returning. All sorts of factors come into play.
I'm not trying to put people off here, but you need to do you sums very carefully, because you may be paying off the credit card for a few months.

Was it worth it.........you bet, no hesitation, and if your even thinking of doing it, start saving. You wont regret it.
I should also mention that you need an understanding spouse. Whether you leave her at home or take her with you, just kid her along with the promise of visiting all those wonderfull shops on the Mainland!!!!!!The fellas wont miss out on the shops either. Invercargill has that hardware store to beat all hardware stores.....E Hayes & Sons Ltd.....home of the Munro collection and lots of other automobilia. They also know a thing or two about screws, where the young assistants at your local Bunnings only remember the activities that took place on Saturday night !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well put Gerald as it is just fantastic down there alright!! and I have a new mate in JacMac who's offered for me to stay, use his workshop, mess the house up and clean his fridge out, LOL but as long as he doesn't make me chop firewood to power the generator that runs his computer i'll be OK, LOL.

Garys a really cool guy, ex Te Puke and hooned around in our cars together when we were younger, he had a hotrod Morris Oxford called "Baby Blue" so had some great laughs at Rick and Fiona Michels Friday evening dinner party along with Angus.

Teretonga is on the plans for myself next year, pinky Paul Burnet railed his Torana around all the tracks and I think that is a good idea.

Dale M

[Bryan]

A guy I work with (in Auckland) packed his car into a container and entrusted it to Kiwirail to deliver to the three SI meetings. Got to all the meetings on-time and in one piece. Didn't get much change out of $4k, with airfares and rental car on top of that.

And he enjoyed the racing, especially Teretonga.

[Carlo]

And you are forgetting that the Timaru ENZED meeting fits in between Ruapuna and Teretonga, Look there is plenty of people with storage / workshop space available, likewise bed space just the same as it was when we were all competing seriously in our younger days.
Just like the old days if you need to duck home between Chch & Timaru someone will bring your rig south & store it for you and we can be pretty sure that one of the southerners will get it to Invercargill if you need to go home again. For those who stay and make it a vacation well you just never know who might be able to take you up river in a jet boat or out to the river mouth trying to catch a salmon, then there is the lakes too along with a short time in Central Otago or down through the Catlins.

Try it, you may never want to go back home again

[Rod Grimwood]

Love Teretonga, 2 year ago after travelling down (towing car in trailer) on the Thursday from Christchurch after Ruapuna we left for home on Monday Morn after meeting, we left about 6:30am and headed back for Christchurch got there about 2:30pm quick shower at mates and then off to ferry, then Wellington airport at 3:00am to drop me off for flight home but not open until 5:30 so sleep in van (lucky its a Chevy and big enough for 3 to sleep alright). 5;30 boys left me and headed to Rotorua. That's a good haul and we not young fellas no more but it keeps us that way.

[Kiwiboss]

This posting got me thinking, didn't the original SFOS start with Teretonga first, then Timaru and Skope last? that way one could travel the furthest distance and work there way back, seems more sensible?!!

The Hampton Festival is a must for us historic guys up north but then to race down to Skope a week later is tuff$$, and then to carry on down south is another story, hmmm, oh well I don't seem to have the answer!! but I will be doing what Bryan pointed out and containerise in the future.

Couple more pics for you guys

Dale M

[AMCO72]

Still think towing a trailer down is the cheapest option. I would be worrying like hell wondering whether the container was off loaded at a port somewhere and was bound for India on the 'RENA'!!!!!!!!!!

Really need a covered, lockable trailer, as the Mini got covered in shit on the journey down. With todays fuel efficient diesel 4 by 4's the fuel bill is not too bad. What you do need is time........

The drive down the south island is a real treat and so different from the north island. And straight from the horses mouth......Rod G has done it in his old age, so if he and I can survive, anyone can.

With all this publicity we might bolster the numbers at Teretonga next year by 50%.......wouldn't that be great.
Teretonga is a simple looking track but get the important corners right and big gains can be made........get em wrong and you loose out big time. And it really is as good as everyone is saying............and there is NO 'yeah right' after that.

[Jac Mac]

Yes had some visitors on Tuesday who mentioned the rotating date thing, might have only happened once , I can remember Levels being after Teretonga myself somewhere around 2004/5,was supposed to be shifted around amongst the clubs each year, but seems to have halted, things have changed as we no longer have the Dunedin street race or the mid week Coronet Peak hillclimb either, food for thought & further discussion?

[Horizon]

I,ve done the SFoS 3, times now, coming from Seattle. The first time, we put the race car (lister) on a car carrier truck to each race meeting. Started at Christchuch, then I think it was ether Dunedin , then the Hill Climb in Queenstown, onto Invercargill. Second time we came down, rented vans and trailers from Warren Bert,in Timuru (ch-ch,levels,Tere) and in 08? we had 6 cars down. This time, used shipping containers over land between each track. This worked the best. Dont have worry about about your gear beween races, cover when it rained and shade when needed. Barry Leitch provided great support and assistance.

if I were to do it again, the containers are the deal, especially the ones with doors at each end.

Tony Garmey

[ERC]

This is all great stuff and I know the SI hospitality is legendary, but judging by grids at most meetings this last season or two and the advancing ages of both drivers and cars and diminishing incomes, maybe a co-ordinated blitz on the South Island for say 2016 or 2017, with a reduced North Island programme at that time of the year, might work, though the HD Festival is already working on Porsche for 2016.

I am not sure that it would ever be within my own budget, but I do know that every year, there are always North Islanders making either plans or dreams of doing the SI series, or part of it, maybe only once.

As AMCO points out, a month away is not exactly easy to manage and I am pretty sure that having toured the SI (including a visit to a very soggy, cold, wet Teretonga) in 2005, my wife would not be to keen on doing it all again. (We have a winter cruising addiction to finance...)

Car reliability is a huge problem and whereas it might be relatively straightforward to find Mini bits in a hurry, or for those with a bucket load of spares they can carry, I am not too sure about the availability of old Volvo engine spares in a hurry - even if there was the expertise around that I don't possess!

Many locals seem to be missing for several meetings with car problems these days, even the hardened regulars, sometimes even for a season - and that is without their mangled backs, necks, knees, hips and shoulders...

We have a combined grid of 37 cars for Pukekohe this weekend, one of the best of the season, but it does look as though we'll be combining our grids next season.

[AMCO72]

Ah yes........the WEATHER...We have all been dreaming of sunny skies, gentle breezes and bikinis, with a spot of motoracing thrown in. Unfortunately it is not always like that, but looking at the images posted on this site, you could be forgiven for thinking it was.

I know the weather can get shitty anywhere, but Invercargills grey drizzly days, with the wind straight from the south pole seem that much worse. Nothing we can do about that, and we were fortunate on the two occasions of our visits the weather was nice.
Is there anywhere worse on a rotten day than a motorace circuit!

Makes that winter cruise sound very attractive.

[Rod Grimwood]

Also as mentioned before by some one, South island is a pretty place to travel and Invercargill buildings are very pretty and period with history all round. Been there couple times of late and lucky with weather and it was great. One trip years back when it was not so good with a southerly and rain, Remember one of the boys reckoning it should have been called Inveergigggle as he was shivering and stuttering with cold.

[Barry]

One thing you all seem to forget is that when we travel to the north Island the distance is very similar. When you are away racing no matter what island it is there is always plenty of help from fellow enthusiasts. Finally, is there any where worse than a race track on a wet day, anywhere is worse, the race track is always the best place to be especially when all of your friends are there as well.

[Kwaussie]

One thing you all seem to forget is that when we travel to the north Island the distance is very similar. When you are away racing no matter what island it is there is always plenty of help from fellow enthusiasts. Finally, is there any where worse than a race track on a wet day, anywhere is worse, the race track is always the best place to be especially when all of your friends are there as well.

I think Barry that Jafas were taught that nothing was south of the Bombay Hills so to get to Teretonga they had to drive north. I think that there was a sign up near the top that indicated that to go south you had to turn around and go back thus it was always further their way - we learnt to live with that.
Must say that Teretonga from the photos on here, is looking great with smooth green grass and not many lupins! Great circuit and a club that has seen the highs and lows of NZ Motoracing. Cheers

[beowulf]

Still think towing a trailer down is the cheapest option. I would be worrying like hell wondering whether the container was off loaded at a port somewhere and was bound for India on the 'RENA'!!!!!!!!!!

Really need a covered, lockable trailer, as the Mini got covered in shit on the journey down. With todays fuel efficient diesel 4 by 4's the fuel bill is not too bad. What you do need is time........

The drive down the south island is a real treat and so different from the north island. And straight from the horses mouth......Rod G has done it in his old age, so if he and I can survive, anyone can.

With all this publicity we might bolster the numbers at Teretonga next year by 50%.......wouldn't that be great.
Teretonga is a simple looking track but get the important corners right and big gains can be made........get em wrong and you loose out big time. And it really is as good as everyone is saying............and there is NO 'yeah right' after that.

I'm with AMCO. The SFOS is a great experience. New tracks, new and different cars and drivers, Southern hospitality, fabulous scenery, and great empty roads. ERC go South young man, a much better experience than a cruise.
Yes it is expensive, and yes you are away for a month, but you are a bloody long time dead.
I have been down twice and had a ball both times. Raced at the last ever Wigram meeting, what a mighty track.
Dunedin street races, i'd go down for that alone. What other town would close part of it's CBD, SH1 motorway so we could do skids. Truly fabulous. I doubt if we will see it again in action.
Put it on your bucket list, give up something, beer? and go. You won't regret it. Oh and take the dearly beloved there is some great shopping so I am told.

[Jac Mac]

Why does it have to take you NI guys a month? the meetings are held over three consecutive weekends, so even with a slow trailer that should only be a bit over 18/19 days tops.

[Oldfart]

I think Barry that Jafas were taught that nothing was south of the Bombay Hills so to get to Teretonga they had to drive north. I think that there was a sign up near the top that indicated that to go south you had to turn around and go back thus it was always further their way - we learnt to live with that.
Must say that Teretonga from the photos on here, is looking great with smooth green grass and not many lupins! Great circuit and a club that has seen the highs and lows of NZ Motoracing. Cheers

Come on, most of them think there is nothing North of the Brynderwyns either.

[Spgeti]

It use to be North of the Harbour Bridge...

[AMCO72]

I would like to think that these 'JAFA's' that a few posters are taking cheap shots at, don't actually belong to the roaring season fraternity, so their comments are falling on deaf ears.

We were having a friendly discussion on the problems and logistics of the North Island racers to get themselves and their cars to the South Island. I did not forget that South Islanders also come north, and therefore have the same set of problems/expenses etc, but at the time we were discussing the traffic from North to South.

And Barry, you are right when you say that the distances travelled by the south island brigade to come north, are 'similar' to the distances travelled by the north island brigade to go south. I have looked up in my Collins Road atlas of NZ, and what do you know........they are so 'similar' that they are exactly the bloody same!!!!!!!!!!!!

This thread started out as a photo record of the SFOS events. Unfortunately, apart from a couple of 'snappers' there don't seem to be people like Kiwi285 and others down there. Maybe all the postings are on Facebook or Twitter, which I don't subscribe to.

[ERC]

ERC go South young man, a much better experience than a cruise.
Put it on your bucket list, give up something, beer? and go. You won't regret it. Oh and take the dearly beloved there is some great shopping so I am told.

You've met my dearly beloved Beowulf and I thought she did well to put up with us at Monaco! However, like many ladies, she is not into shopping.

As for a better experience than a long cruise? Hmm. Not at all sure about that and the cruise food is much better than living on grossly overpriced chips, soft drinks, tiny over priced coffees etc. Also, you don't get speeding tickets, parking tickets, water bills, paper bills, traffic jams, panel damage and phone calls - or even relatives you are not keen on.

A wet day at a race track without your own campervan, shelter or shade is indeed a miserable experience. In comparison, our growing number of cruise buddies is such that it now exceeds the number of motorsport buddies.

Maybe if I was 30 years younger, I'd give it a go as a competitor.

So, which is the best south island meeting/track for an amateur photographer? Sorry, but I don't think I'd go back to Invercargill for a field of 90 cars. Skope always sounds like a great meeting, as does Philip Island, but I'd still want to know what the spectator access is like - and PI is probably cheaper to get to than Teretonga. (Love Melbourne.)

Jacmac - sorry, but I couldn't do it from here and back in less than 22 days. I wouldn't expect to drive to Wellington from here, with a trailer, catch a ferry, drive back from Invercargill to Picton and then back to North of Auckland, in less than 4 days, at my age! Equally, I wouldn't be racing if I felt in any way stuffed by the journey down either.

Unlike some on here, there is far more to our lives than cars and motorsport.