Thunder Park, helicopter view.
Not sure who this is, maybe someone here can provide an ID? Look how the convertible roof is ballooning from the pressure.
Fantastic shots Steve! Looks a LOT different now. It would be great to take photos from the same perspective today-it would be a sea of green (grapevines) with (maybe) an "island" of brown. I have been told that there is a small area where they have not managed to get grapes to grow-apparently it coincides almost exactly with the position of the start line/burn out area and is attributed to the chemicals used to treat the tyres during burnouts.
Warren Armour (in shorts), with Mike Gearing in the car.
In the mid 80’s a friend of the family put shares in the track with Garth Hogan and a few others to get it going again.
I was in my teens but remember going down to Hastings and helping out. My job was being a runner from the pits to the control tower. I may still have some photos of various cars floating around. Will have to have a look. I know I did take one of a VW with a 350 Chev in it, and possibly a jet car that came from overseas.
Ran there once in a borrowed Austin - Healey a 100 / 6 I think with a 3 litre motor,my 100 / 4 was not up to the task, no photos, just my time cards.. not that quick, not my car !!
What years did Thunderpark operate? The NZHRA website says 1976 to 1997 but I have my doubts about the closing date-I would have said it was earlier than that.