After 30 years of racing cars, the former New Zealand Touring Car Championship winner and Former Begg JM1 racer had gone 22 years without racing a car.
However, he decided to return to the tracks at this year’s George Begg Festival, which began yesterday at Teretonga Park.
"I’m still trying to catch up with it all, but it has a strangely familiar feel to it so far. I’m not going very fast, so you know, it’s a bit like ... not the real thing — but it is about having fun."
Among the cars he would be racing were a 2004 Porsche GT3 Cup, Ford Capri 1973 and his "old friend" a 1973 Begg JM1.
"This was the car which I made my name 50 years ago, so that was my main motivation. I wanted to hop into the car that I’d raced 50 years ago."
Rangiora driver Murray Sinclair was also returning to the tracks after six years without competing.
He brought his 1955 Edelbrock Special to be part of the event, which was the South Island’s most successful race car before Drummond driver George Begg started to build his cars.
Not only the veterans enjoyed the classic cars yesterday — 240 pupils from Otatara School also took the day off to meet the star drivers and have a taste of the races.
Principal Carla Werder said it was an opportunity not to be missed.
"All the students were very excited — as soon we got out of the bus, at the gates, I could only hear ‘wow’ from the kids."
Pupil Charli McDougall said it was her first time seeing cars racing that closely.
"Probably my favourite thing of today is to watch the cars going really fast," she said.
The George Begg Festival continues until Sunday.
![George Begg Festival team members [from left] Stephanie Gellatly, Hannah Whyte, Curtis Williams,...](https://www.odt.co.nz/sites/default/files/styles/odt_landscape_small_related_stories/public/story/2025/04/exp10georgebegg.jpg?itok=NJhVWK9N)
