Motor Racing pics - my early years, 1964-71 ; Pukekohe Racetrack ;by - Roger Dowdingl

[Roger Dowding]

The pictures are my own taken with a basic Kodak Camera with no adjustments possible, just point and shoot;.

The thread has changed it's purpose, now includes other peoples pics and news items ..
It is :" The Pukekohe Story " 1963 to now !!

April 1966 meeting ; the Reverse Direction one ; never tried again as too dangerous and quite a few accidents including
Ron Browns Mini; as mentioned Ron was Assistant Clerk of the course that day ; he was the Team Mate of Allan Boyle who also ran a Cooper " S ".
Attachment 30895

Attachment 30896

Attachment 30897
Dennis Marwood - Cooper
Attachment 30898
Ivan Segedin - Mustang [ The Fleetwood Mustang - with the feature of the time stack exhaust pipes, many a good bonnet wrecked ].
Attachment 30899
The Sports cars get ready - Car on left trhe Orchid Special with a De Joux body Bucklers with similar bodies , Daimler SP250 Honda S600 [ another photo later of this car ]
Attachment 30900

Information regarding the April 1966 meeting at Pukekohe ;
this from Bruce Blacklock
" The reverse direction meeting was to test a theory put forward by the great Jim Clark, who felt the normal direction was dangerous if a car came unstuck approaching the top of the hill. He felt it would fly into the hill stand. The track had approval for one meeting only to be run in that direction. Without the necessary approval a permit would not have been issued by MANZ. The hedge and fence at the end of the back straight were removed after negotiation with the land owner to provide a run off. "

There has been a picture from Milan Fistonic on the Facebook page " Old New Zealand Motor Racing " showing the small saloons,just after the start going up the Hill known for many years as Rothmans

[Roger Dowding]

Following on the comment from Bruce Blacklock;

" The reverse direction meeting was to test a theory put forward by the great Jim Clark, who felt the normal direction was dangerous if a car came unstuck approaching the top of the hill. He felt it would fly into the hill stand. The track had approval for one meeting only to be run in that direction. Without the necessary approval a permit would not have been issued by MANZ. The hedge and fence at the end of the back straight were removed after negotiation with the land owner to provide a run off. "

Here is the Milan Fistonic photo ; After the start, they have been up the hill to " Rothmans " and are heading down to go through the Esses and on to the Hairpin. [ note from Milan ]

Bob Meek in the A40 near back of pack
Graham Park on the outside of the lead car, Graham thinks



Imagine the track going the wrong way - everything off camber, slower approach to the hairpin, but what about Railway, 90 degree left after the long straight, no wonder there were a few offs.



Posted before Ron Brown - from a magazine on racing at Pukekohe

[Milan Fistonic]

Roger. The cars are coming down the hill from Rothmans

[Roger Dowding]

Roger. The cars are coming down the hill from Rothmans

Milan, they are indeed, have just passed the " summit ".
You must have been near the flagpoint that was above the ditch !
Thanks for the photo. - will edit the comment, cheers.
Ron Browns accident, was I understand a bit further from Rothmans towards the hairpin, somewhere near the " Woolshed "

[Roger Dowding]

Roger. The cars are coming down the hill from Rothmans

Milan, they are indeed, have just passed the " summit ".
You must have been near the flagpoint that was above the ditch !
Thanks for the photo. - will edit the comment, cheers.
Ron Browns accident, was I understand a bit further from Rothmans towards the hairpin, somewhere near the " Woolshed " often seen in photo's

[Milan Fistonic]

Milan, they are indeed, have just passed the " summit ".
You must have been near the flagpoint that was above the ditch !
Thanks for the photo. - will edit the comment, cheers.
Ron Browns accident, was I understand a bit further from Rothmans towards the hairpin, somewhere near the " Woolshed "

Yes, between Rothmans and the right-hander before the hairpin. Where Bruce McLaren ended up in the ditch in 1965.

[Roger Dowding]

Yes, between Rothmans and the right-hander before the hairpin. Where Bruce McLaren ended up in the ditch in 1965.

Cheers, Milan, i see you have posted the entry list for the race in your photo " down from Rothmans " on " Old New Zealand Motor Racing ". thanks. I thought the A40 Ford with the stripes was Mike Meek, not Bob Meek, maybe they shared the cars, as brothers ??

[Roger Dowding]

Photo on the Dog Box Club thread - there is a post regarding the Baypark Fire Truck - A Dodge that replaced an F100 that replaced a Ford Ranchwagon.
Here [ photo borrowed ] is the Ranchwagon, with a Tow Truck, Dodge Ambulance and the famous Timing Bus.



The Dodge - an older shot.



A recent photo- the vehicle is for sale and should be saved for NZ Motoring History.

[Roger Dowding]

a Milan Fistonic photo at the meeting ;



My own photo's the same meeting !!

On the Hairpin ;



On /Off the Hairpin ...
He did win, not sure if the same race ..



Thanks Milan - have borrowed the photo.

[Roger Dowding]

Ron Brown wrote - " Pukekohe, mid-60's. Roy Harrington and myself at the head of the pack lining up for another 1000cc race. Original dummy grid area, above and to the left of the track crossing. "

Alan Boyle added - " Ron Brown sits in his Blue 997 Mini next to the yellow Imp of Roy Harrington who is standing behind my G/friend Margaret. Ken Sleath at far right, Ken died some years ago. . In the Centre in Blue jacket Peter Hutt, Ron’s mechanic ex Dominion Motors, where Ron also worked, Pukekohe late 1966 to 68 ? "

I am picking 1967 - 68 ..
The Ron Brown archives Photo.



Posted before Ron Brown beside his Mini - unsure if the same car - ** See note below the photo's
This is April 1966 - the Reverse Direction meeting.
before Ron had a bad off in the sweeper between Rothmans and the Hairpin [ back to front of course - usually Hairpin to Rothmans Hill !!



after - loading onto the trailer ..



** Ron advises that the " Reverse Direction " meeting Mini was a 1293 cc not the 997 in the colour photo.

[Roger Dowding]

November 1971 ..





1971 most likely the GP meeting " International " .



Sports car and Formula Ford race 1971

[John McKechnie]

Race 9...great field of cars, many still going ....
82- Frank Radisich RS 1600 Escort now running in HSC

[Roger Dowding]

Entry lists for the first Three Years of the Wills Six Hour races. Thanks to Graham Woods for the images.
The Standard Production Car Races - they were preceded by the Gold Leaf 3 Hour race for factory modified cars Mini Cooper S, Lotus Cortina etc
- some were not saloons as Austin Healey 3000's and Daimler SP250's ran, as seen on photos posted previously

1963



1964



1965

[Kevin Hirst]

Entry lists for the first Three Years of the Wills Six Hour races. Thanks to Graham Woods for the images.
The Standard Production Car Races - they were preceded by the Gold Leaf 3 Hour race for factory modified cars Mini Cooper S, Lotus Cortina etc
- some were not saloons as Austin Healey 3000's and Daimler SP250's ran, as seen on photos posted previously
Are the 3 hour entries available Roger?


1964



1965

Are the 3hour entries available Roger?

[Milan Fistonic]

Kevin, the first 3 hour race was held in 1965.

[khyndart in CA]

I remember being at this race and it was the first time I had seen a Mustang race. I thought the Segedin /Simmons "Fleetwood" Mustang was the most magnificent car in the world. (It still looks great, it never ages in my opinion.)
Ken

[Roger Dowding]

I remember being at this race and it was the first time I had seen a Mustang race. I thought the Segedin /Simmons "Fleetwood" Mustang was the most magnificent car in the world. (It still looks great, it never ages in my opinion.)
Ken

Ken H, agree, love that car and you have the 1965 programme for the meeting - copied here.



and a Peter Bruin photo of the start with the Bill Dunster - now Ross Cammick AH 3000 and those Daimler SP250's ..
Both shown before - but puts them together !!.

[John McKechnie]

First Mustang I saw race was Bullitt

[khyndart in CA]

John,
I am sorry to know that you were so delayed on entering the Mustang scene by 3 years !
The Pukekohe 3 hour race was on the 9th of October 1965.
The movie "Bullitt" Release date: October 17, 1968 (USA)
You have certainly made up for that handicap start and pulled way ahead !
Ken.

[Trevor Sheffield]

Ken H, agree, love that car and you have the 1965 programme for the meeting - copied here.



and a Peter Bruin photo of the start with the Bill Dunster - now Ross Cammick AH 3000 and those Daimler SP250's ..
Both shown before - but puts them together !!.

The beloved, trailer transported, spoiled and sponsored, mighty muscle 4.6 litre Mustang, was beaten into fourth place and off the podium, by the 2.5 litre blue car shown fourth on the grid, which was raced on a shoe string budget, served as mundane daily transport and come Monday, took me and the manager cf Britannic Cables UK, on a very rapid business tour of the upper North Island. LOL