Motorsport News

The mess NZ motor racing is in

Of the major series this summer, only the TRS has come up with worthwhile fields and this alone will make the series successful. the way the TRS people have gone about their job is a credit to them. Many of us will be able to remember the time when motor racing in New Zealand was […]

Continue Reading...

News

The End of an Era?

  Subaru are not going to market the WRX or STi versions of the Impreza in several countries, including the UK. They cite falling demand and trouble meeting emissions requirements. Supporters of the cars will be quick to seize on the emissions issues as the Real Reason, but if the demand was there, they’d soon […]

Continue Reading...

Motorsport

Leo Leonard

The first F5000 car: This post has appeared on the F5000 Facebook page, but we figure it deserves a place here too. In May 1967 George Begg designed and knocked up, in six weeks, a single seater racing car powered by a standard Chev V8 motor with upturned “BRM” style stub exhausts. It was a […]

Continue Reading...

Motorsport

Is the V8 Bubble About to Burst?

The news today that Shane van Gisbergen is quitting the Australian V8 scene and returning home is obviously rocking the V8 Fans to the core. But below is a piece I wrote two weeks ago for the NZ Motor Racing Weekly email letter. I believe the glory days are over — and not just because […]

Continue Reading...

Classic

Superbird

BEEP BEEP — ZOOM!: This is a very rare bird indeed. It’s a 1970 Plymouth Superbird Roadrunner which followed on from the similar, but not identical, Chrysler Corp bedmate, the 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona. No prizes for guessing that these cars were designed with oval NASCAR events like Daytona in mind, but they were also […]

Continue Reading...

Wedge profile with heavily raked windscreen almost makes this a one-box shape — but still unconvincing as a performance car! Seriously though, it’s got four big doors, a reasonable amount of room inside for four adults and an attaché case of luggage. Classic

I’m in Love With my (small) Car

(Please hold cursor over image for the caption) Because I’ve had a lifetime filled with automotive fantasies people are surprised at what cars I have up my driveway these days. There are four of them and the one that gets the most raised eyebrows is the Daihatsu Charade I was zapped at travelling at the […]

Continue Reading...

Pukekohe was built in 1962 as a hastily conceived replacement for the Ardmore airfield. It has served the sport well, but now the sport has outgrown the place — even with about $7 million dollars being spent. Back to the halcyon days at Pukey’ with this classic Terry Marshall shot of the start of a saloon car race at the 1966 GP meeting — Australian Pete Geoghegan’s Mustang is on pole with the Fastback Anglias of Paul Fahey and David Simpson alongside. Then comes the Zephyr Corvette of Rod Coppins and Jim Mullins in the ex Kerry Grant A40. This was the fourth GP meeting at the place and it still attracted huge crowds. Classic Motorsport

Pukekohe versus Hampton Downs

OVERSTEER looks at what is becoming increasingly obvious as a crisis time for motor racing in Auckland. (Hold cursor over image for caption) The situation in the Auckland area over motor racing facilities is so farcical you’d not believe it, if it weren’t true. After years of being pronounced dead and the corpse being allowed […]

Continue Reading...