Richard Scott after retiring from 500GP for Roberts Team Yamaha came home and was pretty quick in tarmac rallies, hillclimbs and Targa NZ, if a little prone to casting it down banks!
Rodger Freeth drove a single seater all right - set a NZ land speed record in an Indycar on a road in the Hauraki Plains. My memory is poor, I think he set the record but I know the second run was difficult due to the bumpy road.
If we're talking riders who made the switch anywhere, not just NZ - Wayne Gardner was 500GP champ and went to V8 Supercars with his own team.
Then there is Greg Brinck - motocross, touring cars, now racing powerboats.
Last edited by Shano; 07-10-2011 at 11:33 PM.
That's right - Canal Road, incredibly narrow and bumpy for the purpose, not sure whether it was the West or East one, they run parallel each side of the, errrr, canal! I drove both roads a few years later in a Legacy GT and the thought of Rog's head bobbing around in the cockpit at 180+mph made me think of him and Neil Allport in the BDA Escort in the Rally of NZ 1984.
Mike Pero of course was a New Zealand bike champ on Yamaha TZs during the 70s later to punt Commodores in the NZ V8s.
Here is a gentle man I witnessed on a bike a few months back, no doubt he would have had a race at some stage in his younger days as he has raced just about everthing with wheels. And still plays with his beautiful little Brabham.
Jim Kennedy and George Dixon come to my mind
Hi Dave, long time no see. Love to meet you again.
We've got a fair bit of catching up to do
There's a chance I'll be visiting Godzone next year sometime. Are you still in the Waikato?
Barry did indeed drive a Supra for a while before progressing (?) on to Truck Racing.
He continued racing trucks when he moved downunder.
In the early days of truck racing, they were basically racing road trucks with a few modifications and a number on the side. Hence the bullbar on the truck.I'm sure Barry would have thought, if you have it, you may as well use it.
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The Brambilla brothers, Ernesto(Tino) and Vittorio, both raced motor bikes in Europe in the '50's and early '60's before going on to single seater cars. Tino had placings in World champ bike races, and then did quite well in Formula 2 in late 1960's although his few F1 efforts were unremarkable. Younger brother Vittorio raced in National Italian bike races before hitting F1 and actually won the Austrian GP in 1975, when the race was shortened due to heavy rain, and he lost it and went off the track while taking the chequered flag and drove the victory lap with the front in tatters. Both brothers were regarded as a bit 'hairy' on the track.