Ahh, the joy of being young! How many seasons did you run the Atlantic and the ShellSport car side by side Steve? Were you getting good sponsorship money to run both cars?
Ahh, the joy of being young! How many seasons did you run the Atlantic and the ShellSport car side by side Steve? Were you getting good sponsorship money to run both cars?
Steve this was a great read what you got up to in between gaps, might have been short re what you did but you did very well , I often think of those times so much fun & excitement , Thinking of shellsport never went there ,was keen to see Europe etc , [shell sport ]the SI guys I remember about when we did GTX were Allen Farr [Escort ] a good friend he also did GTX in fiat 124 ], Wayne Murdock [Nissan like yours] Grant Aiken [Nissan ] ummmm......who else oh yep Kevin Ryan [escort] I sent him pistons & Rods from UK for his bda,, that's an other story on its own . .You remember your lap times as we do means you still have the fire in yr belly.. .& that is very healthy...........Oh and one more thing you speak highly of yr old team , yr wife & yr Dad........... that says it all you are blessed & have humility .......Talk soon Grant
Steve, only the one year with both the Shellsport and the Pacific. I think , back then in 1976 with the Shellsport car only, I had a contract with Shell Oil NZ for all my fuel, oil etc etc and about $5,000 in sponsorship. I think I had it structured were I only got paid if I placed; so much for 1st, so much for 2nd etc.Originally Posted by Steve Holmes
I was lucky enough to win both Shellsport championships I competed in back to back, so with the following;
1. Shell contract
2. Sponsorship
3. prize money (Fortunately this did add up nicely)
you only LOST a smaller amount of money! Ha Ha, the joys of motor racing.
With the Pacific in 1977, I think I had about the same, $5,000 from The Eastern Tool Co plus another $2000 from Fletcher Brownbuilt and of course my contract with Shell. Lots of people did things for me for love. Without those people you wouldn't be able to do it. The pacific was a wrong move for lots of reasons and I had everything financed to get into it. It took years to pay everything off after I could not afford to continue.
The physical injuries were not the reason I stopped, it was just money. When i was released from hospital I couldn't walk and had crutches and special inserts in my shoes to control my shattered heels. ( What was the side of my right foot is now the bottom) However the biggest thing was i could not put any pressure on the brake pedal. I was using both feet in the braking area..................was as weak as a kitten and in no state to be driving a Pacific. I was also taking some very big risks out of sheer determination.
It was a good thing to park the car at that time.
Grant, Thanks for your kind words. Dad and me met up with Alan Farr at the Waimate 50 last year. Dad had a big battle with him at Baypark in the 124 coupes for the GTX championship. I think we were wondering what was going to be said, (that old NI vrs SI thing) however everybody was just wonderful as Dad had been especially invited to be reunited with one of his old racing XU1's. He got the royal treatment, including parade laps and television and newspaper interviews. Now that is a great event!
I have just had a friend ring me and say that John Gobbe passed away yesterday. John was the person behind trying to get Shell Sport restarted. He also owned several old Shell Sport cars. I hope the class continues.
That is very sad news. Yea he was trying to get Shell Sport back in classics. As you say lets hope it continues to develop.
RIP John
Hi All; after the very sad news of John's departure; does anyone have a progress report on the resurrection of the Shellsport class, and where John's collection of cars went?
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