4 replies to this topic

[Speedy27]

For anyone keen to have a look, the following link will take you to a selection of my pics of this magical addition to the Australian GP program of events. A field of 36 (yes, you read that right!) entrants from NZ, Australia, the UK and the USA seemed quite comfy to ignore the close proximity of the concrete walls and put on a typically stirring display of exciting racing with battles happening all the way through the field.

68 year old NZ racing legend, Ken Smith drove a canny & determined race, pressuring double race winner Chris Hyde all the way, while no doubt remaining mindful of his early demise in last year's event when fighting for the lead on the first lap with another keen young driver. By finishing a very close second in both races, Smith won a second successive Tasman Revival championship - and lowered the lap record twice while doing so!

In a word : unforgettable!

F5000 images - 2010 Australian F1 GP

Enjoy the pics
Peter

Edited by Speedy27, 14 April 2010 - 01:51.

[tyrrellp346wheels]

Fantastic images Peter

Thanks for uploading

[Speedy27]

Fantastic images Peter

Thanks for uploading

Thanks for taking the time to look & I'm thrilled that you enjoyed them as much as I enjoyed having the opportunity of being up close and taking them!

Take care
Peter

[tania34]

For anyone keen to have a look, the following link will take you to a selection of my pics of this magical addition to the Australian GP program of events. A field of 36 (yes, you read that right!) entrants from NZ, Australia, the UK and the USA seemed quite comfy to ignore the close proximity of the concrete walls and put on a typically stirring display of exciting racing with battles happening all the way through the field.

68 year old NZ racing legend, Ken Smith drove a canny & determined race, pressuring double race winner Chris Hyde all the way, while no doubt remaining mindful of his early demise in last year's event when fighting for the lead on the first lap with another keen young driver. By finishing a very close second in both races, Smith won a second successive Tasman Revival championship - and lowered the lap record twice while doing so!

In a word : unforgettable!

F5000 images - 2010 Australian F1 GP

Enjoy the pics
Peter

Thankyou Peter your photos are just magic. So much more character than an F1.
Ken is just a legend.
I saw these cars at Phillip island the week before, an even better setting for them there.

[Speedy27]

Thankyou Peter your photos are just magic. So much more character than an F1.
Ken is just a legend.
I saw these cars at Phillip island the week before, an even better setting for them there.

Thanks, Tania

I was at Phillip Island the week before too - see this link for proof !! 2010 Phillip Island Classic historic racing images I've been there every year since I moved to Aus and wouldn't miss it for ... well, anything I can think of right now. If you're keen to look back, I have a selection of pics from each year (check the 'sets' button) since 'going digital' in '05 and still upload more older ones when the boredom between Phillip Island and Sandown historics reaches it's annual peak!

I relate well to what you mean about their character - in relative and absolute terms.

Spending time in the pre-race paddock, with the cars lined up on rows as they used to be in the 'good old days' (!) and with engines silent is - in itself - an experience of sensory overload proportions, aided and abetted by the appreciation and respect of the history of these demanding machines and the men (and odd woman - Lella Lombardi being the only one I seem to remember reading about) who were and are brave and skillfull enough to face the challenge of racing them close to, at and beyond their limits.

Ken Smith was one of my childhood hero's. I used to read about him in Autosport, as a child living thousands of miles away and it is just incredible to watch him behind the wheel now - still setting the standard against which the rest of the field are measured. I met him at the GP and we spoke a number of times. He is a humble, down-to-earth gentleman - one of the nicest and most unaffected racing superstars I've ever met. I was surprised, thrilled and proud to get an email from him yesterday via a friend of his (as he is not an online regular) to tell me how much he enjoyed seeing my pics. There was no need to do that - and it made my day!

Right then, only about 48 weeks to go until PI 2011 ...

All the best
Peter

Edited by Speedy27, 14 April 2010 - 06:50.