Quote Originally Posted by Rod Grimwood View Post
These 2 photos are the only motor racing ones in my late father's collection. He wasn't a motor racing fan, boats were more his thing, living in Devonport. We never got an explanation of the photos from him, but a friend of his was a salesman for one(?) of the car firms in Albert St, Auckland in the late 1920's - 1930's and that may have been the connection.

Stu
There was a big grass track oval at Devonport where the Golf course is now opposite the old Gas works in those older days. It had a swamp in middle as well i think as the sea came right upto the other side of the road. There used to be races for motor bikes and cars, and you sat up on a hill to watch. Remember going to watch with my grandfather and father when i was very young. They were big meetings.
GeeWhiz, you must be really really Old, Uncle Rod!
That was the "Takapuna Racecourse" which goes back to the 1890's. When my mother took up golf she first played there (1950's) it was only 9-holes and I think parts of the old horse race course were still visible, but later they made it into 18 Holes.


It was used for motor cycles as well as horses and was quite a lethal place according to my father - about 10 jockeys and at least one motor bike rider were killed there. They got huge crowds there for the bikes, estimated 20,000 for one meeting 1929? with top riders like Percy Coleman etc. I don't know when bike races stopped there, before WW2 I guess. I think the left grandstand was stiil there years later (may still be?) used as the golf Clubhouse. I never heard of cars racing there, but anything was possible in those days.

Stu