18 replies to this topic

[petersracing]

Looking at the beautiful photos reminded me that I had some poor photos of a very unusual F5000 outing. I searched and couldn't find a relevant thread, if these shouldn't be here then please let me know.

In 1982 and 1983 Adelaide was applying to FIA to get the F1 race here. They decided that the application needed some race car footage around the course with the city and parklands in the background . It was clearly impossible to make happen officially so the decision was made to blitz it. The pit section of the track wasn't even planned, it was still the horse race track

Mike Trengoves Elfin would be used with Vern Schuppan at the wheel. Someone decided that rather than having police presence and closed roads which would bring all sorts of legislative problems it would be best to just do it early on a Sunday and hope no-one noticed an F5000 on the streets of Adelaide. It was only known to a few and luckily my great mentor Doug Trengove let me know (well he had to as I was working on my Bowin in his workshop next to the 5000)

The car was prepared in the car park of the rose garden and Vern did two full laps unescorted in amongst the early morning traffic and a number of runs down Dequetteville Terrace in both directions. The car was thrown in the truck and everyone left as fast as possible. No police ever showed. Ive never seen it mentioned. It probably never happened.

[Lee Nicolle]

A couple of years later on the friday as one of the supports a good selection of local racers were invited to do a street parade to the track. From the Parade ground, up King William St and then down Wakefield and in the gate there. We were given unregistered permits. Ofcourse the cars are supposed to be roadworthy to use them. But since the government gave them it was alright!!
We were supposed to have a Police Escort on tempoarily closed roads,but that didnt happen. So we are fighting Friday Lunchtime traffic. It ended up a burnout fest up King William St as ofcourse the clutches did not like the slow traffic.
We did 3 or 4 medium quick laps, and come across the previous display of some old Pommy Tourers tootling along at 30 mph !! We came across them at about 130mph. Aaaargh, that woke us up a bit.
When we left the track it was back down Pultney St, past the Hospital and back to the Parade ground,,, still in normal traffic.
My memory of that is sitting behind a 5000 [possibly Mike trengove] at the lights, he disapeared very rapidy. I had a Vee behind me who was choking in the exhast from a Bus alongside him.

So the above antics were probably better organised than the supposedly official events!!

One year an aquaintance did lunchtime displays on his 7 second drag bike, when he arrived he was told the bike had to be registered! Why since it was a closed road? So he put a trade plate on it and then did some half serious runs on anything remotely straight.With the trade plate flapping in the wind.

The racing was very well organised at the AGP but some of the fill in events were a total shambles. I believe that is still the case with Clipsal now.

[petersracing]

Yes the supports could get quite frantic. I can't speak though as I crashed the Bowin when the front suspension broke while on a demonstration from the historic garage. I was dicing with an Indy car at the time having failed to keep up the Bondy in the 79. Ah, the older I get the faster I was.

We also did the climb to the Eagle in the Bowin and I remember dicing with an ex Moffatt Rx7 on the way up who blew his engine. We were supposedly limited to 60km/hr.

Shame we let the Mexicans steal the race.

[Lee Nicolle]

I got passed by a wheel from something elderly near the devils Elbow .

[Rob29]

Shame we let the Mexicans steal the race.

Any chance you could explain this coment Adelade F1 started in 1985 and contiued until moved to Melbourne.Mexican GP re-started in '86 and finished in'92.

[petersracing]

Any chance you could explain this coment Adelade F1 started in 1985 and contiued until moved to Melbourne.Mexican GP re-started in '86 and finished in'92.

"Mexicans" is a relative term rather than a specific one. It speaks of shiftless hoards of impoverished southerners eyeing the riches of others. Our GP was "relocated" south to Melbourne which is somewhere near the antarctic. They acquire most of their entertainments by the art of purloin. The ones they invented themselves and seek to inflict on others are reprehensible and show why they ought to stick to theft.

In short its an Aussie joke. Apologies for the confusion.

[john medley]

While I live dangerously close to the NSW/Vic border( and some of my best friends are Victorians......), I can only agree.
Some might suggest it is not an Aussie joke

[john medley]

And that wheel, Lee, was almost certainly from Wes Southgate's 2LS Ballot, passengered that day by the amazing Betty Lowe. I would want the wheel to pass me by, but not Betty

[austmcreg]

"Mexicans" is a relative term rather than a specific one. It speaks of shiftless hoards of impoverished southerners eyeing the riches of others. Our GP was "relocated" south to Melbourne which is somewhere near the antarctic. They acquire most of their entertainments by the art of purloin. The ones they invented themselves and seek to inflict on others are reprehensible and show why they ought to stick to theft.

In short its an Aussie joke. Apologies for the confusion.

More generically, a Mexican is anyone south of the border. Used by both New South Welshmen and South Australians to refer to Victorians.

[Geoff E]

... shiftless hoards of impoverished southerners ...

That's the trouble with hoards, you have to find somewhere to keep them.

[john medley]

Among the usual suspects I believe I can see Vern Schuppan and Trengove pere and fils. Who is the one in the striped T Shirt? And is that a map of some sort of street circuit sitting on the wing?

Thank you for this Good Stuff. I think it is even better than the Denis Jenkinson Christmas Lotus 12 story and pictures

Another thing we undoubtedly cant do now, therefore important nostalgia

[petersracing]

Another thing we undoubtedly cant do now, therefore important nostalgia

Glad you find it interesting.

Can't do it now?

Admittedly its a part time rack but there were general public on the road for the rest of lap.

24 years after the one above. Shooting an ad for BASF

[petersracing]

Among the usual suspects I believe I can see Vern Schuppan and Trengove pere and fils. Who is the one in the striped T Shirt? And is that a map of some sort of street circuit sitting on the wing?

I think striped shirt was film crew. Doug and Mike ran the car up themselves I don't think they had crew. Dad and I did some pushing. The think on the rear wing is a cloth cover over the camera lens, for what I can't imagine given what was to happen next.

[ronmac]

NOT ONLY but also..We regard folk from New South Wales who sneak over the border to enjoy the
Sun and Sand and Surf here on the Gold Coast ,,Queensland as Mexicans..too..Though I believe it is O.K.
for me to sneak in from Christchurch to live the life of Riley (whoever he was )on the Gold Coast,,The land
of plenty..
Recently I read that about 20 per cent of the Christchurch population intend to leave and live elsewhere ,
and I expect that many will head to Brisbane and the Gold Coast..(Move over Ron )!!
Still improving the I.Q. of both countries..(A Muldoon ism )

[William Dale Jr]

Looking at the beautiful photos reminded me that I had some poor photos of a very unusual F5000 outing. I searched and couldn't find a relevant thread, if these shouldn't be here then please let me know.

In 1982 and 1983 Adelaide was applying to FIA to get the F1 race here. They decided that the application needed some race car footage around the course with the city and parklands in the background . It was clearly impossible to make happen officially so the decision was made to blitz it. The pit section of the track wasn't even planned, it was still the horse race track

Mike Trengoves Elfin would be used with Vern Schuppan at the wheel. Someone decided that rather than having police presence and closed roads which would bring all sorts of legislative problems it would be best to just do it early on a Sunday and hope no-one noticed an F5000 on the streets of Adelaide. It was only known to a few and luckily my great mentor Doug Trengove let me know (well he had to as I was working on my Bowin in his workshop next to the 5000)

The car was prepared in the car park of the rose garden and Vern did two full laps unescorted in amongst the early morning traffic and a number of runs down Dequetteville Terrace in both directions. The car was thrown in the truck and everyone left as fast as possible. No police ever showed. Ive never seen it mentioned. It probably never happened.

Great photos! The only other record I've seen of this was in the book Raceyear 1984, which contains a chapter on Adelaide's approach for the race. It's of Schuppan driving through a corner (East Tce?) while a local was standing in a robe watering his garden! I'll try get the book to my scanner.

[Lee Nicolle]

NOT ONLY but also..We regard folk from New South Wales who sneak over the border to enjoy the
Sun and Sand and Surf here on the Gold Coast ,,Queensland as Mexicans..too..Though I believe it is O.K.
for me to sneak in from Christchurch to live the life of Riley (whoever he was )on the Gold Coast,,The land
of plenty..
Recently I read that about 20 per cent of the Christchurch population intend to leave and live elsewhere ,
and I expect that many will head to Brisbane and the Gold Coast..(Move over Ron )!!
Still improving the I.Q. of both countries..(A Muldoon ism )

I thought half the population of the Gold Coast were displaced Kiwi dole bludgers, and 30% of the rest were from somewhere else. And that came from a Kiwi!!

[Lee Nicolle]

Any chance you could explain this coment Adelade F1 started in 1985 and contiued until moved to Melbourne.Mexican GP re-started in '86 and finished in'92.

Yes, and is Bernie sticking it up them now. That event is totally unviable anywhere in Australia now. Motorsport at the taxpayers expense. Give the GP back to Bob Jane. Hey they race at Monaco, Calder is wide open spaces. Though they couldnt use the track version with the bowl, all their tyres would blow out!! Or maybe at AIR where the bowl is not so severe. And there is chains behind the turn one sand trap to stop them ending up on Supple Rd.

[BRG]

Can't help thinking that there is an immense gulf between these antics and poor Hamilton being crucified for spinning his wheels in a road car.

[Lee Nicolle]

Can't help thinking that there is an immense gulf between these antics and poor Hamilton being crucified for spinning his wheels in a road car.

Yes, but hoon these days is in polly speak. We have a state premier[but not it seems for much longer] who knows all about hoons and motoring issues. Ofcourse he cannot drive!