Racing Motorcycles - To - Racing Cars

[Rod Grimwood]

Don't forget one of NZ's best curcuit riders Dr Roger Freeth never got to single seaters but would have been quick.

[Shano]

Don't forget one of NZ's best curcuit riders Dr Roger Freeth never got to single seaters but would have been quick.

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.

[Murray Maunder]

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.

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.