New Zealand Festival Of Motor Racing (2013)

[Lee Tracey]

Other stuff I managed to capture

[Lee Tracey]

[Lee Tracey]

[Lee Tracey]

[Lee Tracey]

The losing of the race


Unfortunately the 635 moved over to his left causing Black to lift slightly and have to shift his line

[Lee Tracey]

F5000 Preliminary

[Lee Tracey]

[Lee Tracey]

Go Stu!!

[Lee Tracey]

Go The Little Rota!

[Lee Tracey]

[Lee Tracey]

[Lee Tracey]

[Lee Tracey]

[Lee Tracey]

Still need to do a lot of practice with the panning shots

[Bruce302]

Yes the ipad has been located. It turned up in Tauranga having been wrapped in T shirts in the mad pack-up rush. It is being couriered back to Akl. My thanks and gratitude to Dale Mathers and his crew.

Bruce.

Cheers Jerry, Michael & Russ
I'm always hopeful that if overseas owners/drivers can see what the festival is all about they might be tempted into bringing their cars out here and joining in the fun.
Bruce302 - hope you've found your iPad mini

[Shano]

Can Am train - this would have to be the most Can Am sports cars ever in this country.

[Steve Holmes]

Wow, what awesome photos you guys! Its so exciting for to see these appearing so quickly. Several were on here during the event! Really good for those who couldn't attend.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to come say hello to me. It was really great to put faces to the names.

[Steve Holmes]

Great photos and great to meet Steve yesterday too!

It was great to finally meet you too Michael. And I was really impressed by your work on the mike at the bbq. Outstanding effort!

[Steve Holmes]

This rebuild has been on the floor of Duncan Fox's workshop nearly as long as the Trust's M8A. Duncan and Tony (Roberts) of Group Seven Sportscars took the opportunity to pick up the remains of the car which had indeed been one of 3 McLaren M8Bs in 1969. That opportunity was to be able to build the two cars in parallel. For example the tubs of the two cars were almost identical. In fact the Trust car started life as Denny's CanAm winner in 1968 before becoming the "mule" for the M8B and subsequently the team's spare car. The other M8B (of original 3 which included the above "continuation" car) was trashed, as I understand because of severe corrosion on the salt-laden roads of Nth America on the way back to the McLaren base.

This means of the original 3 (or 2.5!) M8Bs there will only ever be one true M8B - the one pictured in the Trust's garage at the Festival. I can't recall if this was Bruce's racecar or Denny's racecar (the Trust car being at different times an A and the spare B). The M8B high wing car was the most successful of all the CanAm McLarens, winning all 11 races in 1969.

Incidentally the Trust car didn't run again this weekend because of major problems with the starter which is proving a headache in term of sourcing the parts. A less authentic set of internals is now going to be used to overcome the absence of any originals.

I was stunned to see this car at the event. As you've said Murray, McLaren built two new M8Bs for the 1969 Can-Am season, and upgraded Dennys 1968 M8A to '69 B specs to use as a test mule and spare. My understanding based on the chassis numbers, would be that the M8B on display was Bruce's 1969 car, and therefore the car which he drove for much of that season. He won the 1969 Can-Am championship, and given the McLaren Trust M8A was the car was Dennys, and he won the 1968 Can-Am, then these are the two championship winning cars from 1968 and 1969. Pretty impressive stuff!

[RacerT]

I was stunned to see this car at the event. As you've said Murray, McLaren built two new M8Bs for the 1969 Can-Am season, and upgraded Dennys 1968 M8A to '69 B specs to use as a test mule and spare. My understanding based on the chassis numbers, would be that the M8B on display was Bruce's 1969 car, and therefore the car which he drove for much of that season. He won the 1969 Can-Am championship, and given the McLaren Trust M8A was the car was Dennys, and he won the 1968 Can-Am, then these are the two championship winning cars from 1968 and 1969. Pretty impressive stuff!

Hi Steve. Not quite correct. It was Denny's car. Denny's M6A and M8A were -2, but Denny's M8B and M8D were -1. Just to confuse the anaraks! I thought this was our best Festival yet. Not a single wet day. We were pleased to get the Mcaren M8E/F going for the second weekend. Still needs a lot of set-up work. Pity about my poor old Corvette war horse! Don't know why it blew. First time a piece of my car has finished higher up the field than me!

TR