36 replies to this topic

[Ray Bell]

When Roger and Jean Lund joined me for a walk around Warwick Farm fifteen or so years ago, Roger said something that has stuck with me ever since...

He referred to how important those eight or nine weeks in January, February and March were to enthusiasts in the United Kingdom. That their interest was probably as keen, maybe even keener, that that of the Antipodean enthusiast in the World Championship races on their side of the world.

So I'd like those interested to reflect on how it was for them as the International races got under way in New Zealand and Australia each year. Of course, it wasn't always for the Tasman Cup, hence the title I've chosen, but initially it was a loose bunch of races where entrepreneurial promoters invited off-duty Grand Prix drivers to come out and get some off-season racing. And other fun.

We're now coming to the days when it would all begin each year, either the last days of December or the beginning of January, when New Zealand followers would go to places like Levin, Pukekohe, Wigram airfield, Teretonga and Ardmore. There they would see the latest cars and the top drivers battling for honours with some local drivers mixing it for leftovers.

Then there'd be a weekend off before the crazy four-races-in-four-weeks in Australia began. And with long distances to be covered between each of them. Warwick Farm, Longford, Sandown Park, Lakeside, Surfers Paradise, even Hume Weir and Ballarat airfield got their moments in the sun.

And sun there generally was, hot days when water-skiing would seem more logical. Or tropical storms, too, testing the best of them.

I did this piece some years ago in response to Keir asking for comments from Kiwis about his hero, Chris Amon:

http://forums.autosp...-14#entry193328

Maybe that will get some emotions going?

[opplock]

Was it really 50 years ago? Funnily enough I was thinking how life has changed a few days ago. For starters I was looking out on a foggy Kent morning. From the ages of 8-13 I spent December not in anticipation of Christmas but counting down the days until Dad took me to Levin. He was secretary of the club organising motorcycle racing at the 3 meetings held there annually, national meetings in November and March and of course the early January international. No separate meetings for bikes in those days, the Levin Car Club allocated a number of laps for motorcycles at each of their meetings. Dad, my uncle and two cousins all competed on motorcycles (none of them in road racing) but being able to watch McLaren, the Hills (P and G), Clark, Stewart, Brabham, Rindt.... meant that I became a devotee of single seater racing. Dad's official position meant that I was free to roam the pits on race days and we always arrived at about 6am, hours before racing started.  

 

Memories, too many to list but highlights included

 

1) 1966. Seeing the Scuderia Veloce 250/275 LM in the flesh. Until then Ferraris were things I read about in books.

2) 1967. Accosting Jackie Stewart as he stepped out of his Jaguar and asking him to sign my brand new autograph book. He made me feel as if I was doing him a favour by letting him be the first to sign it.  

3) 1968. Standing next to Chris Amon's 246 Dino for about 1/2 hour while his mechanic warmed up the engine. A fantastic experience and I am still amazed that I wasn't chased off.

4) 1970. Graeme Lawrence beating the F5000's and ensuring 3 consecutive Levin Tasman wins for my favourite, the Ferrari V6.

 

Fast forward to (I think) 1996. I attended the Goodwood FOS with my wife and our Canadian nephew. Having obtained the autographs of Froilan Gonzalez and Eddie Irvine on his programme I spotted Frank Gardner. Having added his autograph to our nephew's collection  I told Frank that I still his autograph he'd given me at Levin in 1967. He looked at me for what seemed a very long time, rocked backwards and forwards on his heels and finally said while shaking his head "LEVIN! Nah, you're not old enough!" 

 

Funnily enough from November 1964 to January 1970 there was never a wet Levin meeting. When Manfield opened (a mile from home) 24 of the first 30 meetings were affected by rain.  

Edited by opplock, 28 December 2016 - 14:58.

[Jack-the-Lad]

I believe I've told my Tasman story here already, so pardon the repetition, but it seems appropriate to the thread....

In 1969 I was a young lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps, serving in Vietnam. As a lifelong racing enthusiast, I saw this as a great opportunity to attend a Tasman race, as there would be one at Warwick Farm during my tour of duty, and Sydney was a Rest and Recuperation destination for US forces. (Talk about making the best of a bad situation!). So, having already been "in country" for nine months (!) I suppressed the urge to use my R&R leave earlier and held out to go to Sydney in February of 1970. Of course, the series had changed by then, and under the circumstances I had not kept up with the coming changes. So, I have to admit I was a bit disappointed after arriving in Australia and reading about the upcoming race in the newspaper. Still, I was all-in to go to the race. The people at the AARC office could not have been nicer or more welcoming. I was provided with an all access pass, a program and an AARC grill badge, both of which I still have. Honestly, I don't remember much about the race except that my favorite, Graeme Lawrence, did not win the race although he went on to win the championship that year. (Did he clinch it at Warwick?). But I'll always remember the warm hospitality of all the Australians I met there. Thank you!

Edited by Jack-the-Lad, 29 December 2016 - 15:16.

[SJ Lambert]

Was it really 50 years ago? Funnily enough I was thinking how life has changed a few days ago. For starters I was looking out on a foggy Kent morning. From the ages of 8-13 I spent December not in anticipation of Christmas but counting down the days until Dad took me to Levin. He was secretary of the club organising motorcycle racing at the 3 meetings held there annually, national meetings in November and March and of course the early January international. No separate meetings for bikes in those days, the Levin Car Club allocated a number of laps for motorcycles at each of their meetings. Dad, my uncle and two cousins all competed on motorcycles (none of them in road racing) but being able to watch McLaren, the Hills (P and G), Clark, Stewart, Brabham, Rindt.... meant that I became a devotee of single seater racing. Dad's official position meant that I was free to roam the pits on race days and we always arrived at about 6am, hours before racing started.  

 

Memories, too many to list but highlights included

 

1) 1966. Seeing the Scuderia Veloce 250/275 LM in the flesh. Until then Ferraris were things I read about in books.

2) 1967. Accosting Jackie Stewart as he stepped out of his Jaguar and asking him to sign my brand new autograph book. He made me feel as if I was doing him a favour by letting him be the first to sign it.  

3) 1968. Standing next to Chris Amon's 246 Dino for about 1/2 hour while his mechanic warmed up the engine. A fantastic experience and I am still amazed that I wasn't chased off.

4) 1970. Graeme Lawrence beating the F5000's and ensuring 3 consecutive Levin Tasman wins for my favourite, the Ferrari V6.

 

..........................

 

 A big shock, I had no idea he was so ill. One of my all time favourite drivers, especially after his epic battle with Jim Clark at Sandown the week before Longford (as a motorsport mad 11 year old I was glued to the ABC telecast). In a car not as quick as Clark's Lotus 49 on the fast Sandown layout he absolutely harried Clark all the way, drawing level on two occasions near the end of the race, but couldn't quite get past. Fantastic race and only tenths in it at the flag.

I'm sure he must have been a bit gutted returning to the family dairy farm after such an incredible life in Europe and globally, especially having not achieving what he had hoped for, but what a life! Works Ferrari driver, so many laps led, pole positions, podiums and race wins driving some of the greatest racing cars ever built. Driving on the most challenging circuits and mixing it with the very best drivers in the world, sometimes quicker than all of them.

I can well imagine at the end of his days he would have actually felt quite fortunate to have survived when so many of his contemporaries did not.

Sometimes you don't have to win Grand Prix to make a mark in life and judging by the response just on TNF, he can certainly claim to have had a huge impact, both as a driver and as a person. RIP Chris Amon

PS : forever in the record books as the outright lap record holder at Longford in the Ferrari P4, faster than Jim Clark in the Lotus 49.....

 

 

I was too young to see Amon in the Ferrari (s) - I reckon Longford in the late sixties would have been sublime!

[Lee Nicolle]

Having driven around [most of] Longford 45 years ago it scared me then driving at the speed limits, the trainline, the proximity of the pub to the track and more made me and my mate think they were crazy, 45 years on I know they were.

Though in hindsight most of the tracks were. 

While I am not a fan [nor is a lot of people] of nanny stuff like safety? cars for a simple spin or failed engine , stop goes for alleged offences, etc things  like run off, tyre barriers and the like have generally been a plus.

And yes unfortunatly I have tested them.

[launchpad]

I have documented some of my memories in Tony Loxley's F5000 and Tasman Cup books.

But! "A picture saves a thousand words."

Here is a photo few have seen in 49 years.

This is a memory worth having!

Chris Amon on the "Flying Mile" in the (very) wet.

 

[DanTra2858]

Wow, it appears that the front tyer is not making contact with the road, WOW.

[Ray Bell]

And that's just the beginning of the straight...

In the 'real' Tasman time I attended 19 races, I went to every circuit used after 1962 at some time for one or more of these races and hounded the drivers and crews in the pits.

Memories of those days are some of the greatest of my life.

Take Longford, 1966, for instance. I had a couple of weeks off work commencing at around 1pm on the Friday before Sandown. My then-girlfriend met me in the city to spend some time with me before I was to catch the Pioneer bus to Melbourne a little after 3pm, so we wandered around together with me carrying my sleeping bag and a small bag of clothing.

At three o'clock we went into the Pioneer office so I could catch the bus and the girl behind the counter greeted me with, "I'm sorry sir, but we've over-booked the bus. Do you have somewhere to stay in Melbourne tonight, if you do we'll fly you down?"

And so I was to have the first experience of flight in my life and Jacquie and I spent another couple of hours together before I had to leave. In this time we spent a fair while at the AARC office talking to Mary Packard.

Once I got to Melbourne I took a (very late) train to Noble Park, climbed the fence into Sandown and found somewhere to lie down in my sleeping bag. Then, after a full weekend of taking in the activities of BRM and hearing the mechanics moan that Jack was using a 3.0-litre engine it was yet another night secreted away somewhere in the sleeping bag prior to finding my way to the shipping terminal for the voyage to Devonport.

I don't recall how I accomplished the trip to the docks, but as soon as I got off the ferry in Tasmania I started hitch-hiking around the island. West to Burnie, down to Queenstown and then towards Hobart. This was where I got the most memorable lift of the adventure, someone in a LandRover (a tradesman from the Gosford area, IIRC) picked me up.

We climbed the mountains to the East of Queenstown and were getting along well as night fell. He told me he'd be sleeping in the well-laden vehicle, but I'd have to find somewhere to bunk down. An abandoned shed not far off the road near King William Saddle came into view and I spent the coldest night of my life there, adding newspapers to the sleeping bag in an effort to get some more protection.

The next day we got to Hobart. There I was to leave him, but I'd by then told him about the Tasman race coming up and how good it was to be at Longford for the race and he was later to turn up there and we met up again.

It was no trouble at all to hitch-hike up the Midland Highway to Longford. The 'gathering storm' was all settling in there, Will Hagon arrived with a pillion passenger on his BMW, they did a little celebratory dance on the grid and I pressed on with my annoyance of the various mechanics and team owners/managers.

Among these was Alec Mildren, who was wielding a 16mm movie camera for the day in the absence of his regular cameraman (whose name now escapes me). From Saturday he was relieved of those duties and able to revert to his normal duties.

During the weekend I would get lifts with sundry spectators going between the various spectating areas and I was to watch the race from a point above Newry, somewhere close to the spot where Rod has been to take the photo of Chris Amon above.

It was all hot and dry this time, however. I was talking to Leo Geoghegan in the pits at one point, he being there to buy and take delivery of the Lotus 39, while Bruce Burr was there to do the same with the Lotus 32B as modified by Jim Palmer. So our local Gold Star field was to have two new cars added to it, with Bruce telling me how much straighter the Lotus tracked down the straight than the Brabhams.

Time to find my way home. I fully expected to get a lift from someone and Bob Holden introduced me to Ian Pope, who was towing the Lolita behind Bob's mother's Peugeot 403. After getting off the ferry we had a straight-through drive which culminated in me being home on time to go to work the next day. And so concluded the only Tasman where I attended all four Australian races.




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Edited by Ray Bell, 09 January 2017 - 21:24.

[eldougo]

Quote....even Hume Weir and Ballarat airfield got their moments in the sun.

 

Now that something  when did this happen ???? RAY.

Edited by eldougo, 09 January 2017 - 22:37.

[Ray Bell]

1961, eldouglas...

And at Ballarat the winner was Dan Gurney in a BRM.

[DanTra2858]

Nice story Ray, very enjoyable.

[Porsche718]

I had a few years of Sydney Showground Speedway (and Westmead), then dad took me to to Oran Park for the first time in '67 then came 1968. Stinking hot February day at Warwick Farm.

 

The sound of the V12 BRM's coming out of Homestead and down the straight and disappearing toward Creek Corner. Seriously, my whole world changed.

[Ray Bell]

And to top it off, that was the day Piers Courage in the little McLaren FVA spent the whole race hounding Chris Amon in the V6 Ferrari...

Jack Brabham was off the air, too, and Jim Clark had a fairly easy run to the win.

[Porsche718]

Ray, I was only 12 at the time. It was all about the sight, smell and sound. The intricacies of Warwick Farm escaped me at that age.

 

The fact that a talented driver in a well sorted little car could annoy the hell out of a bigger engined car (even with a talented driver) at the Farm. Look at the 67-68 period with Brian Foley, Phil Barnes, Jim McKeown and others battling with (and sometimes beating) the Geoghegan Mustang.

 

But that '68 Tasman Series should have been the start of something great with Piers Courage. Sadly, taken much too soon.

 

I can't get to my RCN's at the mo but do I recall correctly that the tyres used by Courage at Longford had a large centre groove cut into them for water clearance?

 

Similar to Jackie Stewart's memorable win in the torrentially wet 1968 German Grand Prix.

[Ray Bell]

Tyres were certainly the key to his win there...

But I don't know that they had any special grooving, they were just good 'monsoon' Firestones.

There are many stories can be told about that race, and about the 1969 wet Warwick Farm too. And Surfers in '68, Lakeside in '66, the Farm in '65, and more.




,

Edited by Ray Bell, 27 March 2017 - 10:12.

[eldougo]

1961, eldouglas...

And at Ballarat the winner was Dan Gurney in a BRM.

To early form me Ray aim not that old !!!

[Ray Bell]

Dan's win that day is a great story, Doug...

I hope someone who was there will tell it for us.

[SJ Lambert]

Dan in the BRM at the Air Strip

 

http://autopics.com....air-strip-1961/

 

 

and Stan Jones enjoying a beer at Longford after winning the Grand Prix in 1959

 

 

http://autopics.com....er-peter-dabbs/

[Porsche718]

Dan's win that day is a great story, Doug...

I hope someone who was there will tell it for us.

 

The couple of larrakins who "borrowed" Gurney's BRM during the night were certainly there. Thankfully, they managed a soft landing into some straw bales and then did a runner. They car was undamaged and Dan drove it to victory the next day,

[Ray Bell]

Yes, it was all pretty colourful...

The LCCA wanted to stage the race at Albert Park and couldn't get permission. So the Ballarat airstrip was called into action again. From memory there had been a plan to use it the year before, but that never eventuated, it had not seen racing since 1951. Nor would it see it again.

All the same, it was one of the races that led to the establishment of the Tasman Cup series.

Hume Weir was an entrepreneurial gesture from Len Lukey, who sank thousands of pounds into the then-new venue to make it (almost) acceptable for an International race.

Such things were all good fun... who has some personal stories to tell?



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Edited by Ray Bell, 10 January 2017 - 12:13.

[Porsche718]

Hey Ray, wanted to wait a couple of days to see if we had any other takers. But .....

 

I've been to every Warwick Farm Tasman from 1968 on. For many years it was not only the main race that attracted me. I was also taken by the support categories because they were also bolstered by exotic cars and overseas talent (even if Frank Gardner was Aussie!). In 1973 Frank brought out the SCA Camaro but couldn't cope with the rain.

 

The touring cars were virtually ATCC quality every year with Mildren's always adding an Alfa or two. Including the GTZ1 in sports cars which Max Brunninghausen took over IIRC.

 

Even the Formula Vees were given a lift in '68 with their own "mini Tasman" Lakeside, the Farm and Sandown.

 

In the earlier years of course some rounds were graced by the massive Gawaine Baillie Ford Galaxie.

 

Scuderia Veloce would always be present with a Ferrari. I will never forget anything Spencer Martin drove but he could always get that 250 GTO going at Warwick farm.

 

The only thing I truly would like to have been present for is Longford 1968. Chris Amon on the Saturday in the Ferrari P4. Outright lap record 122.2 mph average. That man had talent (perhaps should read balls!!!).

 

Anyhow I hope we get some more takers with their memories. Cheers

[Porsche718]

And how could I forget the South Pacific Touring Series.

 

1970 I think the concept took everybody by surprise. 1971 and 72 were the best races, but it seemed to peter out from '73 on. I don't think FoMoCo ever took it seriously. Maybe Symmons Plains ATCC in March was always a bit close to really get involved. At it least it enabled some locals to shine at each of the venues.

[Ray Bell]

Like you, I'm a bit disappointed with the lack of response...

Not only from Australians, but from the Kiwis and from people on the other side of the world who were busting to get information about their favourites.

The Tasman Cup was a big deal to them too, and it kept many of them warm through the winter as they followed the racing.

You are right, of course, that the supporting events at the main Australian races became a drawcard too, but it was the Tasman, with its wealth of imported cars and talent, which got us in.

[launchpad]

I too am surprised at the lack of responses.

So here is an edited version of my recollection of the Longford Tasman Race 1968.

 

 

 

Memories of Longford Tasman 1968 and The Railway Viaduct.

The Viaduct. What was the Viaduct? It is an engineering feat created to serve the Tasmanian railways and it still exists, but it will never be a corner as a part of the Longford circuit again. The approach has been destroyed by a road realignment and reconstruction of the Midland Highway.

The Viaduct tested every driver in every lap of the track.

After the start, drivers had to negotiate a high speed straight, then a steep drop, a right hander and into a really tight and slow left - right flick of the wheel to pass under an arch of the Viaduct.

The columns of the viaduct were protected by hay bales for its safety – although the track was narrow and totally without any run-off room. Thus there was no protection for drivers and their bravery was questioned as if in a crucible every time.

The corner, however deserves this notoriety.

I travelled to Longford on two occasions - 1967 and 1968 for the annual last round of the Tasman Series.                                                                                                                                                                                               

I became fascinated by this corner - or change of direction, by reading contemporary magazines.

Standing on an embankment that provided an almost natural grandstand, the view into the cockpit of every car was like a diamond to a twenty-year old obsessed with racing cars. Especially as this angle was unique anywhere in Australia. I shot photos from here in 1967. These photos no longer exist due to water damage since.

In every class without exception, drivers of sports, touring, sports sedans and open wheel single seaters had to deal with “The Viaduct” some succeeded and many failed.

Many reports have been penned of the fabulous and dangerous 1968 race, and I am glad to have been there to experience and to photograph the race. Consequently I have a collection of rare photographs from an important chapter in Australian (maybe World) Motorsport.

It was Jim Clark’s last Tasman Cup Title just prior to his tragic death only two months later.

Suffice to say that on that day, each and every driver sat for his test in this race and it proved such a Test of Courage that we can say that Piers brilliantly topped the class.

 

[Porsche718]

launchpad, my wife and walked every bit of Longford in 2004.

 

We took photos that lined with every period photo I could find. I even made the wife drive over the railway crossing in the same positon as the famous Stan Jones Len Lukey shot.

 

We climbed over the rail fence (yes , the one that said "No Trespassing"), climbed carefully down the rocky embankment, and started walking toward the viaduct only to realise that we were on the old track. Entry into the viaduct was blocked by yet another fence but climbed over (wife wearing jeans so no problems), and into the viaduct itself.

 

The "Champion Spark Plugs, Lucas and Shell" signage is still clear and visable. the most amazing thing is the amount of what I thought was reeds growing along the banks on the side of the viaduct that the cars used to enter from. Then I realised it was wheat.

 

All those years of cars missing their braking points and plowing into the protective hay bales had broken them up and the bales had taken root and grown. Amazing.

[Porsche718]

I will never forget anything Spencer Martin drove but he could always get that 250 GTO going at Warwick farm.

 

 

Should of course read "250 LM"

[Ray Bell]

Was anyone here present for that tremendous dice between Stirling Moss and Chuck Daigh at Sandown in 1962?

And does anyone have a personal recollection of the Hume Weir event in 1961?

[SJ Lambert]

The McKay Ferrari, courtesy of the Ron Lambert collection

[SJ Lambert]

Another ripper from Ron’s library

- also taken at Sandown

[Ray Bell]

That's the debut of the Ferrari, February 1965...

As for the open-wheelers, is it maybe Geoffrey there with Jack?

The Goodyear man standing between Jim Clark's 32B and Jack's car is just at the threshold of the move Goodyear was making into F1 and major road racing.

[Tim Murray]

As for the open-wheelers, is it maybe Geoffrey there with Jack?

I’d have thought not Geoff (b 1952) but more likely Gary (b 1961) - assuming the young lad is one of Jack’s sons.

[2F-001]

The pic in post 29 is 1965, is it?

At the time (for me, late 60s) when I became aware of the Tasman series, I only saw brief mentions and short reports in the magazines that my Dad liberated from the recreation room at work - it all sounded very exotic and I yearned to know more about these races on the other side of the world. By the time I had found (and could afford) regular sources of information (eg. Motor Sport and Autosport), we were getting nearer the F5000 era which I don’t attracted quite as much press coverage here.

[opplock]

I’d have thought not Geoff (b 1952) but more likely Gary (b 1961) - assuming the young lad is one of Jack’s sons.

 

He's either touching the car or pointing at something. I'd guess he was with the team but I used to get almost that close to cars at Levin without being chased off. Such access unimaginable at a major meeting in today's world.     

 

Fantastic photos, more please. 

[Ray Bell]

Potential mums in the background helps influence the thought that it's family...

And getting into the Sandown pits was not easy for a kid.

[Formula 5000]

 

Was not easy for a kid, just smile a lot. Managed to get one of three posted.

[Formula 5000]

 

Getting the hang of it. Sandown.

[Ray Bell]

Please, keep them coming...

And stories about things you remember from those glorious years.