Photos: The Bill Pottinger Collection - Part 1

[Grant Sprague]

Grant- sounds like you may be getting ready to have a mid-life crisis and get a HMC , Sports Sedan or SS2000

LOL John ....... Geeee you just might be right never thought of it that way , you see I stayed home while the girls all grew up & went to school , then got back into cars & stuff.
Most weekends are family fun days they are not into cars as such , so its picnics , walks etc etc weekends away, BUT my soul now looking for a new spark re the car thingy as the girls are into marching in the summer months 7 my wife is very supportive for them etc etc , so my time is starting to free up a bit.............. Rod yep we will sort something soon .... cool . Grant

[John McKechnie]

Grant- put your toes in the water by coming along to Ice Breakers HMC in September.If nothing else you will be more than welcomed as an existing legend. You certainly be given some hot laps if the program allows.

[Grant Sprague]

Grant- put your toes in the water by coming along to Ice Breakers HMC in September.If nothing else you will be more than welcomed as an existing legend. You certainly be given some hot laps in the program allows.

John this is very thoughtful & kind of you ............this is most certainly worth talking about ....Thanks grant

[Steve Holmes]

Time for another update from Bill's stunning photo collection, showing Graham Hill, Frank Gardner, and Jochen and Nina Rindt, enjoying a round of golf. Do you think Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber play much golf together in their spare time?

Here is Bill's description of these photos:

"More shots, this time from a golf match between Jochen and Nina Rindt, Graham Hill, Piers Courage and Frank Gardner a couple of days prior to the January 1969 Teretonga round of the Tasman Series.

One pic shows Jochen Rindt shifting the sprinkler from the green to allow the game to procede.

Another shows Nina in action and the other is of Graham Hill towing his trolley while he searches for the ball.

Amazing to think I could go with them for the game, thanks to Eoin Young who wanted some photos for his articles".

[Grant Sprague]

Thanks Bill
& Steve........ amazing how the mind works re the super stars of to day [eg F1 drivers ] & how we perceive the perception of others ... I see them as just people [as I get older ..lol ] but as a kid it was the wooow factor..... terrific piks of the men on the mission.......

[Steve Holmes]

Speedway Motors Timaru team of Brent Hawes and Leo Leonard

[Grant Sprague]

Good pik of the boys , so sad re Brent I think I mentioned I was there that day , about 12 yrs old when Brent died sad for every one , I had turned just at that moment from the hairpin started to walk towards the pits , as Gary & Ernie were share driving the red Anglia that day in the next all comers race Dad felt so down he did not race , on the way back [to the pits]I had not realized at that point what had happened , was busy picking up empty fiz bottles for my pocket money to re sell to the shop on the left before the pits... as for Leo he is still that same build we catch up at the ford corp box each year [xmas meet levels] we have a great catch up ....PS this pik looks like the back ground of Teretonga.. ? . after Brent got Killed Leo salvaged the engine .. G/ Box , some suspension bits & pieces & turned it into an other begg with the help of George , the orange F5000 car with some trekka suspension bits True story

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks Grant, thats a great recollection, and yes, a very sad loss.

[Steve Holmes]

Derek Bell catches up with the latest from "Motoring News".

[Steve Holmes]

George Begg gets Geoff Mardon ready to go out on the track in the Begg FM2.

[Steve Holmes]

Donald McDonald chats to Laurence Brownlie in his Brabham BT23 FVA during practise.

[Grant Sprague]

Great pik of Laurence , I was talking to him a couple of years ago [still living in the deep south] Laurence is a master at painting free hand of motor racing history NZ & probably over seas , not sure if oils or water........ Laurence is still coming to grips with the accident he had years ago between him & Denny at Puke... [Many years ago ].... A very long story I am fortunate to have meet Denny & Gretta....... But shit does happen .....naturally that's our choice to be apart of this sport ....

[Steve Holmes]

Thats right Grant, he has a website for his artwork: http://www.laurencebrownlie.com/

[Steve Holmes]

This photo is stunning! Graham McRae is clearly pushing hard. He didn't have a good time of it at Wigram, where a small fire erupted in his engine bay as the cars were on the grid, and by the time the fire was put out, the rest of the field was already on its second lap. McRae completed just 20 laps before the McLaren retired with overheating issues. He did, however, win his preliminary race, by a comfortable margin. Bill, can you recall if you took this photo during the preliminary or the main race?

[Steve Holmes]

What an awesome photo! Bill captures a camera man leaning out of the window of an HT Monaro, filming the McLaren M10A of Frank Matich at Wigram, in 1970, for the tv news.


Matich went on to have a very good event at Wigram, taking pole position, and winning the coveted Lady Wigram Trophy.


Anyone got a copy of the tv clip?

[GD66]

This photo is stunning! Graham McRae is clearly pushing hard.

Great pic ! Frank Radisich in behind in the M4A.

[Grant Sprague]

I think the infamous bump at hanger bend ?????? You can just see the share determination plus the talent no fear attitude of Graham & his beautiful car ............. Geeeeee amazing man amazing photo . [THANKS MATE] , he had his ups & downs like most of us , if only ???????

[Rod Grimwood]

Where is that Monaro now, great how McRae has got his head tilted over to give action to the filming, well done.

[Steve Holmes]

I was wondering the same thing myself Rod, re the Monaro.

[Steve Holmes]

This is just a great shot, Bill must have just about got his toes run over when he captured this one. But look at the determination on McRae's face, you can actually see the whites of his eyes!