Australian Muscle Car latest issue No 83, out this week in Australia, watch out for it.
Australian Muscle Car latest issue No 83, out this week in Australia, watch out for it.
Article says Bay Park closed in 1993, and that Peter Hanna died one year later. I thought the track closed a few years later than 1993?
I have a copy of the programme for the Final Meeting. 1965 - 1995, 30 years. Practice day Sat 15th April and Race Day 16th April.
Likewise.
I wasn't expecting to find "Australian Muscle Car" anywhere in the West or Northwest of Auckland, but found one in a superette at Hobsonville. It took only a couple of minutes to flick through the 2 pages of the article - it was a distinct disappointment.
A mutual friend had given me a dozen or so earlier issues and there were some very interesting articles on "Circuits of the Past" - Orange/Gnoo Blas, Amaroo Park, Catalina, Calder Thunderdrome, and a street circuit at Toowoomba(where a Falcon raced for the first time ever). I have since passed these on, but I kept one which had a fascinating story called "The Great Ruse" about the origins of Mt Panorama, and the correspondence between the Mayor of Bathurst and the NSW Minister of Works about the "tourist road" over the Bald Hills (renamed Mt Panorama) when everybody in the area knew it was to be a motor race circuit.
Against this background the Bay Park story was a complete let-down. Perhaps we should nominate a volunteer to write the proper story for them.
Stu Buchanan
Stu (and others)...your ref to a road racing circuit in the Woomba got my interest...
Scroll down to 20 Sept 1958 below...
http://www.mgccq.org.au/11Motor%20Sp...to%20Taper.pdf
PS I have been told that the MotoX cct at Echo Valley was a former blacktop circuit as well.
Last edited by 275 GTB; 04-20-2016 at 07:12 AM. Reason: more info
275GTB, was down your way a week or so ago, stayed at Tallong in the Tallong Park Estate with friends, on the road saw a couple of Vintage cars on Trailers towed by moderns but being followed by a P76 Leyland V8 .. cheers Roger D
P S just clicked on the link a good read, lots of interesting stuff, the Leybourn Sprints question the comment a Jaguar XK120 was in a different category to some Healey's the XK was a Racing Car the Healey's Sports Cars, maybe a capacity thing !! great stuff, thanks
Last edited by Roger Dowding; 04-20-2016 at 07:18 AM. Reason: add question ?? #### 47
So if the article about Baypark is so wrong, can you trust any of the others to be any more factual? That is the problem with historical stuff, somewhere down the line total inaccuracy becomes the "fact".
Oldfart, I have the same view, have enjoyed other " Lost Tracks " articles, mainly Australian, but how much research went in them ?? , would imagine there is better information around - feel a letter to the editor is required as I posted the thread.
I went to Baypark but only in the early years 1967 to around 1973 and only probably 3 or 4 times, so
From what I have noticed, quite a few of AMC Sacred Sites features have the advantage of relying heavily on features written years earlier for the now defunct 'Motor Racing Australia' magazine published by Chevron Publishing also.
Certainly worth contacting Luke West via his amceditoral@chevron.com.au or you'll find an Australian Muscle Car magazine Facebook page if that's your thing.
Now that they are publishing a magazine every 6 weeks instead of bi-monthly they clearly need more material. But maybe the facts aren't being so well researched.
Stephen
Stephen, where did you pick up that AMC was to be every 6 weeks?
I was suspicious earlier this year when they dropped the months of the issue, now just have the issue number.
I am disappointed by the change as I don't believe there is enough material to sustain it at that rate. I feel the standard will fall greatly.
Strange that there has been no communication to subscribers.
Stephen [ Cooper 997 ], on rereading the article see it was written by Sandy Myhre, who wrote the book ' " 50 Years on Track " - A history of Motorsport in New Zealand, the people, the cars, the stories ', published in 2002, I have a copy. She is described as " an Award - winning journalist who started writing about cars 20 years ago and now considers New Zealand tracks a second home ".
Vaguely recollect that the book did not get great reviews, must now re-read it though as must have some good stories in it.
On page 107 is a Picture of Peter Hanna, with the title -
" The final flag, Peter Hanna at the end of Bay Park's last day - NZ Herald photo ".
It has the same information that Easter 1993 was the last meeting and that Peter passed away 18 months later on 13 December 1994. whereas information posted above shows last meeting in 1995 and Peter passed away 13 December 1998.
So incorrect information has been around for 13 years if not longer.
Roger, your information makes it very much a case of either Sandy not looking for new information or whether AMC used her information from the book with due credit. Regardless, you guys who raced at the last meeting and indeed show proof with the programme cover above deserve the record to be corrected in a future issue.
If AMC decide to run more NZ Sacred Sires features, hopefully they get them right or visit TRS and ask you guys before going to print.
Stephen
Stephen, have reread both the article and the chapter in Sandy Myhre's book " 50 Years on Track ",
- the chapter is entitled " Mr Bay Park ", It is obvious the article was just a cut and paste from the Book, with no checking of information.
I am writing to Luke West, including copies of the clippings that have featured on TRS, from the local paper Bay of Plenty Times, and the copy of the final race programme and the cover of Peter Hanna's funeral leaflet.
Will keep the forum posted on any developments.
Thanks to Ken Hyndman, Kiwiboss, and others for the pictures / copies, You are acknowledged on the copies as providing the material.
cheers
Roger
Terry, issue 72 from Feb 14 is the beginning of the 6 week cycle. I didn't notice immediately, but by early June 14 issue 74 was out and I realised something was going on. I don't know officially but I suspect that monthly Muscle Car Enthuiast magazine must have thrown up some competition.
I think there's a decent amount of history still to be told. Take the Brian Michelmore feature in the current issue. It's when every other issue becomes repetition of Brock, Moffat and Johnson material that you know they've lost it.
Stephen
Those of us that raced at the last meeting have it written in our log books- end of story.