Sponsorship in Motor Racing.

[khyndart in CA]

49 years ago, January 6, 1968. I went to the New Zealand Grand Prix at Pukekohe and watched Jim Clark and Chris Amon battle for the lead plus Denis Hulme's devastating crash late in the race. Sitting on the Hill that day with friends and family little did I realise that I was witnessing the end and beginning of an era. The era of the great Jim Clark was to sadly end in April 1968 and the era of tobacco sponsorship in motor racing was about to begin.
Restrictions on advertising in racing had been lifted for the 1968 season and Colin Chapman did not mess around and procured the Imperial Tobacco Company's Gold Leaf cigarette brand to sponsor his Lotus Team.
After winning the opening Formula One South African Grand Prix on Monday Jan. 1st 1968, Jim and the team flew to Auckland so he could prepare to race at Pukekohe for the opening round of the 1968 Tasman Series on the Saturday ! That must have been a hectic week for all involved.
The Team Lotus 49 raced in the familiar colours of British Racing Green and Gold stripe that weekend.
Two weeks later after racing at Levin, on January 20th, the Gold Leaf Team Lotus appeared for the first time to the world in what was almost the beginning of tobacco sponsorship in motor racing.
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Jim Clark waiting on grid at Pukekohe. Jan 6 .1968. in his Team Lotus 49, ahead of the BRMs of Pedro Rodriguez and Bruce McLaren.
(Hyndman is somewhere in the crowd on the hill in the background. )


Two weeks later in Christchurch, Jim Clark proudly sits in his newly sponsored "Gold Leaf" Team Lotus 49.


Jan. 20. 1968. Jim Clark in his "Gold Leaf" Lotus 49 battling with Chris Amon's Ferrari at Wigram.
(What great memories and great racing. )


(Ken Hyndman )