21 replies to this topic

[Vicuna]

Just realised yesterday was the 50th anniversary of the last win in the long career of Reg Parnell.

[David McKinney]

Originally posted by Vicuna
Just realised yesterday was the 50th anniversary of the last win in the long career of Reg Parnell.

Well, the second-to-last win, anyway ;)

[Vicuna]

And the last one was?????????

[Doug Nye]

The one after Ardmore.

DCN

[David McKinney]

The Dunedin Festival Road Race on 2 February

[Vicuna]

[vandem]

Story of 1957 NZ GP at Ardmore on Bruce Sergent's website here: http://www.sergent.com.au/1957.html

Same day was Ken Wharton's fatal accident in a Ferrari in sports car race preceding the GP. So also a sad anniversary on 12 Jan.

[Michael Clark]

A recent article in a New Zealand magazine indicated that the '57 GP was Parnell's last victory...

[Tim Murray]

Graham Gauld's biography of Parnell lists two more wins for Reg after Ardmore - the Lady Wigram Trophy at Christchurch and the Dunedin Grand Prix.

[David McKinney]

He didn't win at Wigram

[275 GTB-4]

Watching the ABC tonight...

Show & Tell - Stirling Moss Trophy

Episode 39, Friday 7 November 2008

Tonight’s show and Tell item is a trophy, won by champion British racing driver Stirling (now Sir Stirling) Moss in 1956. It was for the Ardmore Handicap, which was part of the series of races leading up to the New Zealand Grand Prix.

It was sent in by Cam, from Victoria, and could fetch around $2000 at auction.

http://www.abc.net.a...ts/s2413927.htm

[David McKinney]

Originally posted by 275 GTB-4
It was for the Ardmore Handicap, which was part of the series of races leading up to the New Zealand Grand Prix

I love that wording - whilst factually correct, it could be interpreted that the Ardmore Handicap was one of the big NZ international races - NZ Grand Prix, Wigram, Dunedin etc.
In fact the Ardmore Handicap was a supporting race on the NZGP programme

[275 GTB-4]

Originally posted by David McKinney

I love that wording - whilst factually correct, it could be interpreted that the Ardmore Handicap was one of the big NZ international races - NZ Grand Prix, Wigram, Dunedin etc.
In fact the Ardmore Handicap was a supporting race on the NZGP programme

I'm sure it was a big deal for Ardmore in those days David

[David McKinney]

Not denying that - but it wasn't as big a deal as could be interpreted from the ad

[Patrick Fletcher]

There was a buzz surrounding most of the publicity for Auckland events around that time..........

[David McKinney]

That'll be F C Perkins ;)

[Peter Leversedge]

David you are correct Reg Parnell never won Wigram but if I remember correctly Peter Whitehead won it maybe 3 times

[David McKinney]

Yes he did - 1954, 1956 and 1957. There was no race in 1955

In 1957 the Supersqualos won all four NZ internationals: Ardmore (Parnell), Wigram (Whitehead), Dunedin (Parnell) and Ryal Bush (Whitehead)

[fines]

So, Ferrari won the Tasman series that year?



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[275 GTB-4]

Originally posted by David McKinney
That'll be F C Perkins ;)

Was F.C. Perkins a Kiwi David? anything to do with the "Perky Prams" company??

[David McKinney]

F C "Buzz" Perkins was just before my time, so I can't answer either question. He was certainly living in NZ in the mid 1950s, but I have a sneaking feeling he may have been an immigrant from Mother England

[Michael Clark]

Originally posted by fines
So, Ferrari won the Tasman series that year?



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