But clearly the timing and the context showed I was not talking about a bike race...
But clearly the timing and the context showed I was not talking about a bike race...
Originally Posted by Ray Bell
it seemed pretty clear to me, sorry I was confused Ray
Not wanting to prolong this, but the next paragraph gave the full meaning...
"According to Fast Tracks (admittedly a book primarily about car circuits in Australia), motorcycles raced on a longer 12+ mile circuit which included most of the AGP circuit from a date somewhat later in 1928 than the 100 Miles Road Race, which later became renamed as the Australian Grand Prix."
The circuit the Australian Grand Prix for motorcycles has used is just under three miles. It was three miles, but they shortened the inner section a tad because the ground there was always wet and caused it to break up.
i finally managed to get this on you tube. There's some motorcycle footage from twyford 1964 Ahuriri 1956 and some cars at ahuriri later on plus some other stuff too
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ITA...UYbP8LBYDaqLpE
Cars from the Arthur Siddall albums, thanks to Duncan Fox, The Northern Sports Car Club albums
There are several pages of racing at Seagrove - Will put the NSCC related stuff on that thread too !
This is just one of the pages Event in 1947;
Cars a report from an article event in 1949 - thanks to Bob Homewood - another NSCC guy who has a good archive of NSCC early years - not the 1940's but more into the 1950's and 1960's
One page of Arthurs album is from November 1949 - could be the same event.
The article mentions a lot of NSCC members and also mention the " Competitors Car Club of Auckland " holding an event in November 1948 the season opener - was that actually Northern Sports Car Club ?
Bikes - some details of a Motorcycle event at Seagrove in 1947 the Magazine report from December 1947 of an event in November - also from Bob Homewood - this is for " jellywrestler "- have sent it to him separately.
today taurangas old photo news went on line, good resource https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=3&theater
If you go through the rest of the booklet you come across this colour photo. Someone may be able to identify the cars and drivers for us.
No 7 - Ken Sager Lotus 20
Green & Yellow Cooper-Holden - Brian Rice
No 18 Ken Kaye - Kato Special
Red Car at the back is Ivan Cranch's Maserati-Jaguar
The red car at front left could be John Riley's Lola Mk 1 sports car.
Last edited by Milan Fistonic; 04-27-2020 at 10:41 PM.
bell block 1980's, my understanding is that there were car races there, does anyone know anything about it? thanks
talking to someone today local and asked about a circuit in wingate in lower hutt, he confirmed there was but no more info on dates etc.does anyone here know anything about it? sounds like 1950's
John Courtney owns and runs the Kato Special
An old Airfield circuit - 3 runways with connecting Taxiways in the middle of farmland, near the Rakaia River, at Hororata, close to Rolleston ..
Te Pirita ..
This is an image he sent me.
1st added as a better image..
** 2nd photo - originally posted .the track overlay is in the wrong position.. . oops.
Last edited by Roger Dowding; 05-29-2020 at 04:01 AM. Reason: ** 2nd photo comment ###47
yeah second one didn't have the b and w image scaled to the correct spot. would love to see photos of the racing that took place there, beleieved to be one meeting only
I recently saw this old race photo from the 1915 San Diego Exposition Road Race and recognized the names of the streets.
When I first arrived in California, I had no money, no job, no tools and no immigration papers but I had a return ticket to London in case the lovely woman I was after, threw me out. Well I found a job near this road circuit working in a British Foreign Car Shop where Jimmy the Scotchman who always had a flask of whisky in his tool box, was a wonderful mechanic and mentor also set me up so I could get settled in and allow me to marry my bride 46 years ago on July 6th, so this area has a special memory for me.
" On January 9th, 1915, the world’s fastest race-car drivers vied to complete 305 miles on a six-mile elliptical circuit of dirt roads for a winning purse of $5,000. Of the eighteen starters, including Barney Oldfield, Eddie Rickenbacker, Earl Cooper, and San Diego’s own “Bad Bill” Carlson, only five cars finished the race, which was won by Earl Cooper."
The # 4 Mercer leads the # 7 Peugeot driven by Eddie Rickenbacker around the corner from Canon St onto Rosecrans St.
The same corner today does not look nearly as exciting but the beer and fish and chips taste good !
(Ken H..to be continued.)
Last edited by khyndart in CA; 07-02-2020 at 07:43 AM.
Do you have a map, Ken?
Ray,
My map is a bit rough but the course circuit was on roads still used today not far from San Diego Airport.
(Note location of the British Foreign Car Shop.)
1915 winner climbing Chatsworth Blvd.
Chatsworth Blvd today from approx. same location.
(Ken H..)
Great stuff...
My lap of the Savannah circuit was interesting:
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/members...ml#post3459183
21 miles in one version...
Ken H,
great story, good to see you posting again, after your medical bit got sorted
I knew of races at Coronado - the Airforce Base but not the Road Circuit at San Diego - even though I visited a mate in 1982 who ran this Healey and came from San Diego, is still there and still into Healey's although mainly Sprite's these days - Terry Cowan -he may deal with Moss Motors too.
BMC BOY on the left, Bryan Harris also from NZ, and Terry Cowan.. whose workshop was called the Toy Shop - back in 1982 ..
Those races were done and dusted before Healeys were ever a twinkle in Donald Healey's eye...
As were the ones at Savannah.
Roger,
I have driven these roads many times and it wasn't until last month that I learned about this 1915 race taking place.
Thanks for allowing me to ramble on once again, I hope to start work again within 2 weeks.
The Start / Finish line was set up towards the end of a two mile straight along Rosecrans St. and the main grandstand was situated to show spectators the cars going by at their top speeds around 100 MPH. But many of the crowd assembled at the corners as they wanted to see the action at those points.
Some scenes of the start to the 1915 race.
(Note the winning Stutz # 8 started away back in the field. )
Waiting for the flag to drop. The # 3 Tahis has an interesting torpedo shaped extra coolant reservoir above the engine.
Temperatures and tempers are rising in this photo of the start as the cars are about to head north along Rosecrans.
Air pollution apparently was not an issue back then !
The start line area today looking north along Rosecrans St towards the first corner.
The start line area today looking back south along the Rosecrans two mile straight.
(Ken H..)
Last edited by khyndart in CA; 07-03-2020 at 07:37 AM.
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