Yep, tucked up in bed at Ruapuna a couple of weeks back and sent on holiday to Phillip Island, off next week to reunite with them. Never been there so looking forward to it.
Yep, tucked up in bed at Ruapuna a couple of weeks back and sent on holiday to Phillip Island, off next week to reunite with them. Never been there so looking forward to it.
Drool, drool, Rod! The thought of a full grid of F5000s charging down to turn 1 and jockeying into Southern Loop gives me goosebumps. Hope the attrition rate is better than at HD and that everyones stays out of major strife at this beautiful circuit.
Let's also hope for some great pictures from PI at The Roaring Season.
Hi Rod dont know you from a bar of soap ,but Bry and I will find you in the pits and take you for a tour of the great spots to watch at Philip Island if you have some time regards Angria
Can anyone tell me why there are no McLaren M10s racing - what happened to them all? Still one of the nicest looking F5000 cars, not as brutal looking as the Lolas, but would be nice to see some in the fields.
Good question Shane. The cynical side of me thinks its got something to do with the Tasman Revival F5000 series itself, where there is a heavy emphasis on race wins and championships. A later model Lola or McRae will definitely offer more chances to win a championship than an older McLaren M10. The McLaren is possibly a little cheaper to buy, but running costs will be the same. But a newer car will put you towards the front of the field, where the tv and magazine coverage tends to focus more.
There are supposedly 3 M10s in NZ, one was entered for the BMW Festival, but did not arrive.
Thankfully there seems to be more early cars on carburettors coming out to play and I hope that we will see the M10s out with the early Lolas, Surtees, etc cars.
I guess this is an issue when you run a true racing series for older cars, winning becomes all important, sometimes at the expense of period correctness and cars that everybody wants to see get left in the shed because they are not going to win. Like the Historic Muscle Cars the cars should be the stars. Surely there are now enough cars to split the field into the later 'racers' and the earlier cars, be good for us spectators and must be a way of getting the early cars out of the sheds and onto the track.
Yeah good point Gavin, I know the championship is split into the older and newer cars, but it would be neat to see the older cars getting their own race.
There are four McLaren M10's currently in NZ being rebuilt for racing. Tony Roberts has the original Church Farm Racing machine (M10A 300-01 ex Gethin) that is part way through rebuild. Poul Christie has an M10B (400-6 ex Gethin) that was enterted at HD but didn't quite make it but will be on track soon. His son Graham also has an M10A (300-02 ex Eaton) that is working its way through a home rebuild. Frank Karl has an M10B (400-03) - he was telling me at HD that the car is being worked on at present. For the McLaren Festival Grant Clearwater brought his M10A (300-08) out to race and as far as I know the car is still in NZ although I haven't seen or heard of it.
There are also two M18 F5000 cars in NZ plus another M22 but news on these cars is scarce at best.
Angria, look forward to catchting up, look for this group and we will be close by.
Grant still has the McLaren up north here. (well last i looked a year ago)
Last edited by Rod Grimwood; 02-28-2012 at 05:13 AM.
I'd be surprised if M10s were cheap to buy - my guess is that they'd rate near the top end of 5000s for prices.
Years ago, for the TACCOC magazine, I did a list of something like the 10 most significant 5000s - my opinion only of course. I think I had the M10A/B at #2 to the Lola T330/332.
The M10 certainly wins the 'best looking' 5000 to my eye - from the McRae GM2, Lola T400 and Surtees TS8...
Yes, agreed. I'm hoping someone will start a thread from the PI event.Originally Posted by Murray Maunder
Re the intense competition,I have a very casual acquaintance with some of those involved with the F5000 revival and while some of them are out to win at all costs the great magority are out to have a little fun in their middle aged years. You have to remember that many of those competing today would never have been able to afford to race this type of car back in their youth,marriages, children and mortgages were ruling what they were able to race, it wasn't necessarily in that order either.
What an unruly bunch. I hope that you are taking your camera Rod and come back with hundreds of photos for all of us unlucky enough not to be going. LOL
I believe that the M10 is in Kerikeri.
Come on Mike, sneak away, use me as an excuse. You are the photo man. Will try and get as many as possible in between what we do.
The boys are only unruly when i am not there to watch them.
Shano,
Bruce Leeson campaigns an M10B in the US and here occasionally.
There are 3 M10's here in Melbourne; 2 under resto which should be complete by end march . The 3rd is race ready.
Hopefully we'll have them testing together in a few weeks........(pics)
Yes Grants' M10 is in Keri, well it was yesterday! Along with a LOT of other really cool cars.
Are the Connaught and Brabham in amongst them ?? Any chance of finding out which other cars are there ??
Last edited by kiwi285; 02-28-2012 at 07:08 PM.
Hi M10B - does that include the Graham Wadsworth car ?
Good news on the M10 front then. It's just that they were such an important step in the evolution of F5000s and without one or two, the existing grids are missing something.
Yes, but as I am not sure what he wants revealed I would much rather get his approval.
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