The Brett Young Collection

[Steve Holmes]

Its always a good day when someone sends me their collection of dusty old motor racing photos. Brett Young has been helping me out supplying me pics for various magazine articles for several years, so I've seen some of what he has, but he and I decided it was time we posted the full collection on The Roaring Season.

Brett, like many amateur enthusiasts, usually didn't have the fancy photographic equipment or media passes to get trackside, so many of his photos are static pit shots. But, ask any historical anorak, and they'll tell you these types of pics are the real gold, as they can often capture that small piece of detail on a car high speed action shots miss.

These photos are taken at several New Zealand race tracks during the late '60s through late '70s. There are also a few here taken by a couple of his buddies. Some are pretty scratchy, but they're all of huge interest, so enjoy, because every time a new photo collection sees the light of day for the first time, its significant for those of us who love motorsport history.

[Steve Holmes]

Kicking off here is a really neat shot of the pretty little MkI Heron. I can't quite read the name on the side of the car, but I believe this car was owned for a time in the late '60s by Brian Robertson, so this could well be during his ownership.

[Steve Holmes]

Great shot here of the right rear quarter of Norm Beecheys 'Trans-Aus' HT Monaro when it visited NZ in early 1971 as the reigning Australian Touring Car Champion.

[Steve Holmes]

Begg FM5. I could be wrong but I believe this is the second FM5 built, which Allan McCully constructed at the PDL workshops and in which he made several improvements over the original Begg/McLean built FM5. This car had a taller air-box, and was raced by both McCully and Graham Baker. Also, was it not actually just named an FM5, with the Begg name dropped?

So if I'm correct who is driving the car here? From my understanding, only these two men raced the car before it went to Australia in 1976.

[Steve Holmes]

Big bangers blast off at Manfeild. This appears to be the final round of the 1975 NZ Saloon Car Championship, and Paul Faheys final race event before retirement. This would also be the breakthrough event for Jack Nazer in the Victor Chevy, as he recorded his first race win in the car.

Shown here are Nazer, Bruce Bellis in the ex-Clyde Collins V8 Cortina, Allan Woolf in the ex-Don Halliday Escort, Red Dawson in the Camaro, Fahey, and Rex Hart.

[Steve Holmes]

Nice shot here of the Bruce Bellis V8 Cortina, possibly at the same event as that pictured above. This car was built by Clyde Collins for OSCA, in which it was quite dominant. Note here the flares, fitted by Robin Officer for Bellis, and using the same molds as the flares that first appeared on the PDL Mustang, then later the Nazer Victor, and ex-Rod Coppins/Bruce Jenner etc Camaro.

The Cortina was later owned by Steve Vigurs, who stripped it to build his MkIV Cortina OSCA racer.

[Steve Holmes]

Dexter Dunlops McRae GM1. Is this the car which mysteriously disappeared on its way back to New Zealand after having raced in Australia?

[seaqnmac27]

Kicking off here is a really neat shot of the pretty little MkI Heron. I can't quite read the name on the side of the car, but I believe this car was owned for a time in the late '60s by Brian Robertson, so this could well be during his ownership.

Baron Robertson?

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks Sean, thats what Brett had labelled the image as, and thats what it looks like is written on the side of the car. I was referring to Graham Vercoes book, in which one of the owners is labelled as Brian Robertson. Someone here will know better than me.

[Rod Grimwood]

Baron Robertson raced a variety of cars mainly single seaters over the years, he even had a go at rallying in a Chevette.

[Oldfart]

+1 for Baron, not Brian.
Gorgeous car.

[beowulf]

Love the trailer.

[beowulf]

Love the trailer, looks like Levin

[TonyG]

+2 Baron Robertson

[David McKinney]

Definitely the Baron

The Heron 1500 (later Twincam) was the first car he raced, I think

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks for clearing that up guys. Awesome.

[Steve Holmes]

The name on the drivers door says Peter Yock, but this looks to me like the Lotus powered Minor built by Warner Collins. Did Yock buy the car off Collins? I know Warner bought brother Clydes A40 Allcomer after the 1967 season. Either way, really nice shot of a well executed Allcomer. That nose has some hours gone into it. Did Warner build this from scratch or is it a modified sports car or single seater nose?

[rf84]

Definitely Baron or "The Baron".
Heron lived at The Baron's very unremarkable mower shop in Hastings. Later cars included the ex Rindt/Roly Levis BT23 Brabham (which became 2 cars), March 722, Elfin F5000 and Lola T70.

[Steve Holmes]

In the mid-1970s, there were several V8 powered Vauxhall Victors racing in NZ. I believe this car to be Greg Lancasters, in a very early guise. Lancaster has since gone on to make his fortune through Noel Leeming and Burger King etc, but back in the mid-70s he was a struggling racer out doing things the hard way. The Victor was developed over the next few years, but was crashed heavily a couple of times, and finally destroyed in 1977.

[Oldfart]

There were a few "weapons" like the Minor and Fowog stuff round Ruapuna way back, and shed loads of fun to watch. Lusted after these then (and now)