85 replies to this topic

[Wirra]

... Q...3...How did the name of the singing group..Bee Gees come about....??
...

First called the Rattlesnakes, later Wee Johnny Hayes & the Bluecats, they were introduced to radio DJ Bill Gates by racetrack promoter Bill Goode (who saw them perform at Brisbane's Speedway Circuit). Gates renamed them the "Bee Gees" after his and Goode's initials – thus the name was not specifically a reference to "Brothers Gibb", despite popular belief. Dolgins, Adam: Rock Names: From Abba to ZZ Top, 3rd ed., p.24. Citadel Press, 1998

IIRC Bill Gates (the DJ not the MS guy) raced an Elan and maybe a Super 7 before that?

I actually saw the Bee Gees perform in a tent at the Sydney Royal Easter Show - the twins would have been around 9 or 10, if that.

Edited by Wirra, 24 March 2011 - 03:07.

[dcoupe]

I did when I edited post #16... NASCAR ..National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing

Gave the winners of ATCC from 1964 thru 1969 at same time ( or more correctly who I think won them!! I was just being a tidy Kiwi, sorry Ill post individual answers as they come to mind, I would have beaten Dave McK with the other ATCC Q if I hadnt been searching the memory banks for other answers..

Q6.. was'nt Rob Walker was it?

Edited by dcoupe, 24 March 2011 - 03:03.

[David McKinney]

The info I have is Sumner Beach..

That may have been used. Just because I haven't found any references doesn't mean it didn't happen
My Christchurch geography won't be as good as yours, Ron, but surely Sumner would have been to small to stage racing?

Apologies for the typos - having been out all day I was rushing to get through as many of the new (to me) answers as I could as quickly as I could. It won't happen again Sir

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by Wirra
.....IRC Bill Gates (the DJ not the MS guy) raced an Elan and maybe a Super 7 before that?

Bill raced an Elan, yes, a lightweight Elan if I'm not mistaken. And as I think about it, I know I'm not. Something about insurance covering the damage to it when a matchbox was left on top of a tyre or something, it fell into the works, jammed something and the car crashed. Something really silly.

Anyway, the insurer paid up, they got a new chassis, the bits of the old chassis (again, this is all from a very faulty memory, but it's covered in my MRA - Fast That's Past article on the Lotus 26R) were used by Doug Macarthur after his monumental at Warwick Farm.

And Bill's Clubman was in the 'Aussie photos' thread just a few days ago, maybe a week or so, a red Elfin Clubman with a checkered band around the nose. It was also mentioned that he was the winner of a 12-hour race at Surfers Paradise in an XT Falcon GT, the only major race an XT ever won. If you ask nicely I'll tell you what was done to the radiator to make that possible.

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by bradbury west
.....Questions should be unambiguous in detail to elicit the accurate answers.

And to add to Roger's point, John Medley (currently computerless) suggests that if the 'Large Tablet' 'nickname' is applied to the Lago Talbot of Doug Whiteford, you should also recognise names like the 'Maybash' and others which those on the hill overlooking the various circuits might use if their eskies... sorry, Ron, car fridges... were emptying and they were giving full vent to their lack of class.

[ronmac]

HI ...I have all the answers that I need....except....Q 17...How many race cars were entered for the 1955 Ohakea Trophy Race.??
..........Anybody..??....Try the computer..!!

[wenoopy]

HI ...I have all the answers that I need....except....Q 17...How many race cars were entered for the 1955 Ohakea Trophy Race.??
..........Anybody..??....Try the computer..!!

Q 17 For what it's worth, Graham Vercoe lists 56 Entrants. I'll go with that.

Edited by wenoopy, 24 March 2011 - 07:36.

[wenoopy]

With all the fuss about Stirling's middle name, can we ask if Alfons Franticek Kowaleski did actually change his name to Alf Francis.
Since I didn't actually answer that question originally, I now submit Alfons Franticek Kowaleski as the Ace Mechanic in Q6.

In response to the suggestion that questions should be framed clearly and succinctly, with no possibility of any ambiguity whatsoever (Or words to that effect) I would say NO, a thousand times NO. Half the fun is the argy-bargy that goes on during the answering phase.

[David McKinney]

Q 17 For what it's worth, Graham Vercoe lists 56 Entrants. I'll go with that.

The official programme for the 1955 Ohakea Trophy lists 33 names, plus a further 19 entered in the concurrent handicap only. Vercoe has clearly combined both and perhaps added another four who entered the preliminary race but not the biggy. Or they might be late entries in the Trophy race

[ronmac]

HI..FINAL RESULTS.......E and OE.. !!!
......Q 1......S.Moss name..........................................................TIM.M......and....
..DAVID.McK..........................ONE EACH..
......Q.2..A..1970...AUS. Champ.................................................DAVID.McK
......Q.2..B.............RACE CAR...................................................DAVID.McK
......Q.3..BEE.GEES..(BARRY.GIBB..BILL>GOODE..BILL.GATES......WIRRA......
......Q.4..AMBROSE...A.............PETTY........................................
.GD.66.......
..............................B.............STANLEY..DE.WALT....................
..GD.66.......
..............................C.............76.POINTS...........................
.......GD.66.......
..............................D.............4.TH PLACE.................................GD.66......
......Q.5...................F1.DRIVER...CONSTRUCTOR........................TIM.M
URRAY>
......Q.6...................ALF..FRANCIS.RACE..MECHANIC (BOOK )......TIM.MURRAY.
......Q.7...................S.N.FLETCHER..(PORRIDGE )........................GD.66......
......Q.8...................FORM>>LIBERA..!!!......................................GD.66.....
......Q.9...................OHAKEA.FRONT.ROW..........15......................GD
.66.....
......Q.10.................BRABHAM..TOWN..ROINA.GOLD.COAST..........ANDREW FELLOWES>
......Q.11.................GRAHAM.HILL..........................................
.....TIM.MURRAY..
......Q.12.................LE.MANS...........HAMILTON and ROLT..............TIM.MURRAY..
......Q.13.................B.Mc.LAREN...........................................
........TIM.MURRAY..

[ronmac]

RESULTS..QUIZ..12.. ( I.LL TRY AGAIN )
......TIM.MURRAY......15......(POLLY 1 )
......WENOOPY..........10..
......GD.66................9...
......d.coupe..............9...
......D.Mc.Kinney.......4...
......RAY.BELL...........1...
......WIRRA...............1...
......BILL.P................1...
......PETE.STOWE.......1...
......WELL DONE ALL..THANK YOU..

[ronmac]

HI Wenoopy..Thak you for your comments regarding Rons Quiz..Yes ..fair enough..we don.t want to make it
too clear.sorting out what it.s all about is half the challenge..Perhaps some folk hav.nt seen Rule 362.Part B..which
states ..No person may make suggestions or complaints..is they hav.nt participated in the aformentioned quiz....
All posts can include spelling errors without comment..Note Rule...1284...E and OE..(Errors and Omitted Errors )
Wenoopy...If you click onto ..Alf Francis Racing Mehanic..A book by Peter Lewis..There are a number of references to...
Ace Mechanic..(I have that book ..somewhere )
Stirling Moss..middle name..If you click onto Crauford...or...Craufurd..there are about the same number referred to...
So I gave both David and Tim a point each.. It did.nt change the result..
Q 3 .Bee Gees I read came from Barry Gibb and Bill Goode (speedway promoter) and Bill Gates (radio DJ and racer )
Q 15..N.Z. pre ww.1.beach races..Quite likely Sumner meant New Brighton...Details came from a New Zealad site that
I had.nt seen before..I will post the site shortly.when I see it again..May make interesting reading for followers of N.Z.
race history..
RAY Bell...Yes I know what an Eskie is..what you really mean is a Chilly Bin..!!

[wenoopy]

Hi Ron. My sort of rules! You don't want people taking it too seriously and going to the Privy Council or something!
Yes I read the Alf Francis book, probably way back when Decimal Currency was still a few years away.
Wigram - just looked it up in a 1962 Lady Wigram programme I had - it lists the 1949 and 1950 races among the list of Lady Wig winners.... (cute, never used these things before)

Eskies - takes a while to get fluent in OzTalk, but its not worth arguing with them. Shame about their cricketers

[ronmac]

HI Wenoopy..The Website regarding history of very early N.Z. Motor Racing that I was not aware of is.......
Te Ara Encyclopedia of New.Zealand 1966..About pre war beach motor racing.on sumner beach.....But does not appear
to have been any set form of competition till 1921..It says..
Perhaps David may be interested too..

[David McKinney]

Te Ara Encyclopedia of New.Zealand 1966..About pre war beach motor racing.on sumner beach.....

Probably written by a North Islander...

[Tim Murray]

Yes ..fair enough..we don.t want to make it too clear.sorting out what it.s all about is half the challenge.

Hi Ron. My sort of rules! You don't want people taking it too seriously and going to the Privy Council or something!

Perhaps some folk hav.nt seen Rule 362.Part B..which states ..No person may make suggestions or complaints..is they hav.nt participated in the aformentioned quiz.

I would also draw attention to Rule 721 Part G subclause 87, which states:

'All protests to be submitted in writing to R. McPhail accompanied by a non-refundable cheque for $100 AUD.'

Thanks, Ron, for another great entertainment. Once again I managed to be first pig at the trough so got the pick of the plum easier questions. I'm sure next time won't be so easy if the other top contenders are on the ball. I'm slightly disappointed that so few TNFers bother to have a go - come on, you lot, it's a good laugh.

[wenoopy]

Probably written by a North Islander...

Maybe even a Waira-rapper. My mother was born in Carterton.

[ronmac]

HI..Congratulations Tim..Well done again..Is there any truth in the rumour that young Polly also has a lap top..??
That would be a Birdyputer..!!
It is a little difficult to pick a time that suits every one..Six or Seven P.M. Aust. dos.nt suit E.1pix..which would be the mddle of the night U.S.A..I think..
..I.ll rest my brain for a couple of weeks..I find it fun watching you lot discussing some question..that I.m not too sure of myself..
Heaven forbid that Wikipedia is.nt 100 per cent correct..

[Tim Murray]

Is there any truth in the rumour that young Polly also has a lap top..??
That would be a Birdyputer..!!

She actually has her own specially-made Apple device called an iPoll.

[ronmac]

QUIZ 12..ANSWERS..
Q1 S.Moss name..Tim and David..One each.
Q2 1970 Aus champ (A) David..(B) David.
Q3 Bee Gees.(B.Gibb..B.Goode..B.Gates)Wirra
Q4 Ambrose.(A.)Petty Stanley.Dewalt 76 points 4th..GD 66
Q5 F1 driver own car.Brabham.Tim
Q6 Moss Ace Mechanic..Alf Francis.Tim
Q7 S.N. Fletcher...No. In Jail..GD 66
Q8 Formula libre..(A )No engine size limit (B) No car weight limit © No car design limit..GD66
Q9 Ohakea Front Row.. 15 cars.GD 66.
Q10 Brabham lives Gold Coast.Andrew Fellowes.

[ronmac]

QUIZ 12 Results.
Q11..Graham Hill..TIM..
Q12..53 LeMans..Hamilton and Rolt..TIM.
Q13..B.Mc Laren....TIM.
Q14..N.A.S.C.A.R.....d.Coupe
Q15..N.Z. Beach race...Sumner.Brighton..Pete Stowe and David Mc Kinney.
Q16..Rolt Prison..Colditz...Bill.P
Q17..Ohakea Race Field....56....Wenoopy.
Q18..1964.Aus Touring Champ.(a)dcoupe (B)dcoupe©dcoupe(D)dcoupe(E)dcoupe(F)dcoupe
Q19..1961 Oulton Gold Cup..(A)S.Moss..TIM (B) Ferg,Car.TIM.
Q20..T.Sulman..(A)Buthurst..TIM..(B)Conrod..TIM..©Lotus..TIM.

[ronmac]

QUIZ 12 RESULTS.
Q21..Mildenhall Speedway.(Incredible Racing) Reliant Robins..TIM.
Q22..Wigram Race.(A)..1954.Wenoopy.(B)Whitehead Wenoopy©Ferrari..Wenoopy.
Q23..N.Z..Cup.(A) (B) ©.Wilson..Wenoopy.(D)Stutz.Wenoopy.
Q24..Brabham....TIM.
Q25..1965 Aus.Touring Champ.(A)Beechey.d.coupe(B)Mustang.d.coupe.
Q26..1971 Aus.Grand Prix (A)F.Matich..TIM.(B)Matich A50..TIM>
Q27..Maybach at York Museum...GD.66
Q28..1953 Aus.G,P.(A)Whiteford..Wenoopy(B)LagoTalbotWenoopy©Large Tablet..RAY BELL. !!
Q29..U.S.A.Ferguson driver..B.Unser...GD.66.

[David McKinney]

Q...17...How many race cars were entered for the1955 OHAKEA TROPHY RACE...??

So the programme was wrong then?
(see my earlier post)

[ronmac]

Good Morning David..The information I used was very easy to find.......
Start with......6 th Ohakea Trophy Race
Click onto......N.Z.Motor Racing Drivers C
Scroll right down to bottom
Click on...Back to N.Z.Motor Racing
Click on...Other Races 1949 to 1976
Click on 1955
Click on ..N.Z. Motor Racing
Then on 6th Ohakea Trophy..
Which shows..15 cars on Front Row..Q9
And Total of listed entries.(not starters or finishers)Q17
I TOLD YOU IT WAS EASY TO FIND...!!!
I look forward to receiving your cheque for $100(see previous post )
Regards.
I am more than happy to come to London to discuss the matter..in the SUMMER.!!

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by ronmac
.....Ray Bell...Yes I know what an Eskie is..what you really mean is a Chilly Bin..!!

Whoops... Ron, you caught me out there!

I was thinking that 'car fridge' was the NZ expression, but it's the Victorians who use that. To put it all in perspective, in the era in which those cars might have been nicknamed popularly as being discussed, 'Esky' (note spelling) was the brand name adopted by Willow Industries for these insulated boxes, they were the most successful marketer of these in those early times.

Remember when they used to be made of pressed metal? These were the things of which I was thinking.

NSW people referred to them as Eskys because that's what they were... initially. The name stuck as a generic title long after other brands came onto the market.

So please delete 'car fridge' wherever used in my earlier post and insert 'chilly bin'... actually, ch-ll- b-n', it being pronounced by the natives totally without vowels.

[David McKinney]

Good Morning David..The information I used was very easy to find.......
Start with......6 th Ohakea Trophy Race
Click onto......N.Z.Motor Racing Drivers C
Scroll right down to bottom
Click on...Back to N.Z.Motor Racing
Click on...Other Races 1949 to 1976
Click on 1955
Click on ..N.Z. Motor Racing
Then on 6th Ohakea Trophy..
Which shows..15 cars on Front Row..Q9
And Total of listed entries.(not starters or finishers)Q17
I TOLD YOU IT WAS EASY TO FIND...!!!
I look forward to receiving your cheque for $100(see previous post )
Regards.
I am more than happy to come to London to discuss the matter..in the SUMMER.!!

It's always easy to find incorrect information on the internet
I still prefer to believe the programme

[ronmac]

HI David..I see what you are saying.but as the programme is often printed about a week before the event..
the entries may be a lot different to the total field that turns up on the day..On the other hand an old friend of mine
who arranged the programme. for the Ohakea Race Meetings .Nigel Bartholomew Winterbottom,,quite often mixed up
the car entries with the motor cycle entries..
RAY BELL...No I don.t remember the metal cooly boxes..must have been BEFORE my time..!!(sorry about spelling)

[Ray Bell]

Just like your memory falters over the 'ch-ll- b-ns', Ron, a lot of internet stuff is reliant on those memories in other people...

The programme is made up from the entry forms submitted, there might be variations by race day but generally they will be more accruate.

[ronmac]

HI Tim Murray..(when you wake up ) Do you normally get full coverage of the back up races and interviews from
Melbourne..Or only the F1 Qualifying and the main event ?? Or can I send you footage of the F5000...V8.s..Porche.or celebrity
events..etc (or any of our quiz gang is welcome as well )??

[Tim Murray]

That's a very kind offer, Ron, thank you very much. In the UK we get the F1 on BBC and the V8 tintops on Motors TV. However I'm not sure we're getting the F5000, which I really would like to see, but wouldn't it be a ginormous file size to send winging across the ether? I'm not really up on these technical things.

[GD66]

All support race results are on the natsoft.com.au site if that's easier

[Wirra]

My two bob's worth

The F5000 historic racing at Albert Park was pathetic on TV, just like previous years. They look like a bunch of old farts taking their boys' toys on a few parade laps. The sound might be fantastic at the track but it doesn't transpose to TV. It's such a shame as I would walk over hot coals to see them in the paddock and watch them at the track but it just doesn't work on TV, not at Albert Park anyway.

Adding to the disappointment was the terrible commentary... "the blue car is behind the red one" and guest commentator, former F5000 driver Alan Hamilton, didn't add anything to the telecast. A nice guy I'm sure but not a commentator.

[David Shaw]

I was thinking that 'car fridge' was the NZ expression, but it's the Victorians who use that.

Oi! Maybe in Toorak and Brighton, but elsewhere they are known as an esky. (Note the lowercase)
In my early days, we used to buy a cheapo styrene version, fill it full of beer and ice, and see how long it would survive as a grandstand.
Total destruction was compulsory by the end of the day.

[David McKinney]

HI David..I see what you are saying.but as the programme is often printed about a week before the event..
the entries may be a lot different to the total field that turns up on the day

Q17.
I've been going into this, as it's been keeping me awake...

Sergent's website is based on Graham Vercoe's book. The entry-list Vercoe used is based on a marvellous photograph which shows all the cars nicely lined up in such a fashion that it is possible to work out the grid, and therefore the 56 starters

The order of the front row of the Trophy race was Roycroft, McMillan, Smith, F Shuter, Palmer, V Shuter, Brown, Tilsley, Stafford, Frost, Jensen, Caldwell

In the preliminary it was Roycroft, McMillan, Smith, F Shuter, McDonagh, V Shuter, Simpson, Stafford, Frost, Jensen, Stanton, Harrison, Lee, Freeman and Peterson, with Palmer among those on the second row.

Therefore:
•The famous photo of the 56 starters is of the preliminary
•There were 28-30 starters in the Trophy race plus up to 15 more entered in the concurrent handicap
•The question was about entries: the correct answer is 33, or 52 if you want to include those who were permitted to start, but were not entries in the Ohakea Trophy itself
•Included under the “race car” terminology used in the question are a number of sportscars, including production cars as well as one-off specials

Edited by David McKinney, 26 March 2011 - 10:26.

[ronmac]

HI David Shaw..Yes those syrene ones did.nt last long..but they were cheap..You had to watch out on the way
home when the lid flew off from the ute in front.!!

[ronmac]

Hi Tim..I have some DVD.s that you may be able to use for your club film evenings.I.ll get in touch with you via
email.,to arrange something..Even though the F5000 race was.nt an F.F.A.S.L.H.R. (foot flat and steer like hell race).There were 25 entries and a number finished in the kitty litter ..a little push and shove,, and I believe another F5000 race tomorrow.
A pity that Kenny Smith (N.Z.) was.nt there...Go Red Bull Team....(Webber )