Classic motor racing takes centre stage at Teretonga Park in Invercargill this weekend.
Two full days of action get under way as the Ascot Park Hotel Classic SpeedFest takes place at an appropriate venue, the country’s oldest motor racing circuit.
Five classes of historic racing cars – pre ’78 saloons/Historic & Vintage Racing Association (HVRA), Formula Junior, classic saloons, Formula Ford/Libre and vintage racing cars, plus the Noel McIntyre Drainage Club Saloons, will add up to a fantastic weekend of action and entertainment.
Spectators are welcome to wander through the pits, look at the cars and talk to the drivers about their machines. International drivers are starting to return to the event post-pandemic with drivers from the United Kingdom, Australia and Denmark among the entries.
The pre ’78 classic saloons/HVRA have combined this year with the pre ’78 saloons providing interest, including Rodger Cunningham of Te Anau in his Mustang and John Munro of Coatesville in a Daimler XJ6.
The HVRA competitors add some big banger cars. Brothers Leon and Kyle Hallett line up in their Falcon and Mustang respectively, along with fellow Mosgiel driver, Paul Coory in another Mustang, plus Gary Johnstone, of Rolleston, in his Jaguar.
The class will compete for the Brian Crosbie Memorial Trophy in their finale, a six-lap handicap race.
Formula Junior was a stepping stone to Formula 1 from 1958 to 1963 and were driven by many of the world’s best drivers. A sizable contingent from the UK has travelled to New Zealand for the event with a brilliant line-up of cars from the period.
Dunedin’s Steve Ross will pilot the iconic PDL Mustang 1 in the classic saloon races while Porsche drivers Guy and Marcus Stewart, of Christchurch, and Mike Baker, of Picton, will be prominent.
There will be real variety in the Formula Ford/Libre field with Steve Heffernan, of Invercargill, one to watch, along with Gerald Duncan, of Cromwell, in the SID. Young Southland driver Jacob Begg joins the field fresh from competing in the South Island Formula Ford Championship.
Paul Coghill, of Dunedin, is always competitive in the vintage racing car class while an interesting entry in the class is Jac Nelleman, of Denmark, in a Mallock.
Nelleman was the Danish Formula 3 champion in 1976 and 1977 and entered the 1976 Swedish Grand Prix in a Brabham run by the small RAM team in a field that contained names like Scheckter, Andretti, Amon, Lauda, Hunt, Fittipaldi and many more superstars of the sport.
Many of the south’s best come together in the Noel McIntyre Drainage Club Saloons with Jordan Michels (MARC Mustang), Liam MacDonald (Falcon) and Dion Dawson (Saker) among the entries.
Saturday’s programme is expected to start at 10am with qualifying for each class followed by racing from about noon. Sunday’s programme will start at 9.30pm with a full day of 17 races.
Discounted weekend passes are available from Auto Centre, Tweed St, Invercargill or E Hayes & Sons, Dee St, Invercargill and Harrisons Supplies, Mersey St, Gore — $40 plus any applicable administration fees.
Day passes and weekend passes are also available at the gate during the event.
Children 14 and under accompanied by an adult are free.
By Lindsay Beer
