New Zealand Grand Prix

Manfeild, 15 Feb 2015

All cars are 5-litre F5000 unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. Lola T332 ["HU54"-2] (Ken Smith): Thought to be the F5000 Lola T332 chassis bought by Interscope Racing for Danny Ongais to replace the car damaged by Ongais at Riverside 1975. Then the T332-spec spare car used by Ongais alongside his new T332C in the US series in 1976. The spare car was "comprehensively written off" in practice at Elkhart Lake but may well have been repaired. This is believed to be the car deposited in the Justice Brothers Museum some time between 1977 and 1980 by Ed O'Brien. It remained in the museum until 2010 when acquired by Ken Smith (Auckland, New Zealand), his chief crew Barry Miller and Phil Richardson. Raced in the 2011/12 F5000 Tasman Revival series but Smith crashed heavily at its second race. Rebuilt with a new monocoque, and raced in the series every season from 2012/13 to 2017/18.
2. Lola T400 [HU6] (Andrew Higgins): See full history: Lola T400 HU6.
3. McRae GM1 [009] (Steve Ross): Built for 1973 season. Quicksilver Racing (Rockville, MD) for Jim and Chuck Sarich: raced in US 1973 (debut Watkins Glen R5 17 Jun 1973), US 1974 (1 race: Laguna Seca); advertised Autoweek 26 Apr 1975 - Ted Wenz and Peter Marcovicci (of Marcovicci-Wenz Engineering) 1986: raced by Wenz in US vintage racing 1986-1998 - Stan Redmond (Christchurch, New Zealand) 2003. Retained 2004 and used in the F5000 Tasman Revival series in 2004 and 2006. To Alistair Hey (Christchurch) 2007, and used by Chris Hyde to win the 2007/08 F5000 Tasman Revival Series. To Steve Ross (Dunedin) 2009, who continued to run it in the F5000 Tasman Revival series (#5 orange).
4. Lola T330 [HU6] (Brett Willis): New to Australian Colin Hyams who raced it in the UK series in early 1973. To Trevor Twaites June 1973, and raced by him in the UK series in 1973, 1974 and 1975. Later to John Jordan (UK), who entered it for Tom Belso in 1977, and raced it himself in libre in 1978. Entered by Jordan for Dave Williams in libre racing 1983, and then for Tony Trimmer in the BRSCC Libre Championship from 1984 to 1989, winning the championship in 1986 and finishing second in 1987 and in 1988. At some point between 1985 and 1988, the T330 was dismantled and parts used by Dave Finnigan (Biggleswade, UK) to construct T332 "HU42" for Jordan's team. The original HU6 chassis remained with Finnigan until early 2000 when sold to Richard Lines (UK), then to Kevan McLurg (UK) 2005 and built into a complete car by McLurg and then by John Crawford's Motorsport Solutions NZ Ltd by July 2009. Owned by this time by Lindsay Willis of Wilco Racing (Rotorua, NZ), and raced by his son Brett Willis (Rotorua, NZ) in the F5000 Tasman Revival series every season from 2010/11 to 2017/18. More information about Lola T330 HU6
5. Surtees TS11 (Gregory Thornton): A car with Chuck Haines (St Louis, MO) in white livery in 1990 and bearing the chassis plate TS11/04. it is unclear whether this is the original TS11/04 or a rebuild of TS11/04 using a spare monocoque. This would account for Haines having had a damaged tub in Mathews livery as well as a separate complete car. Sold to John Yandell (San Francisco, CA) early 1990's and restored by Tom Fredericks. Later to Scott Drnek (San Francisco, CA) accompanied by spare TS9 tub to John Bladon (Castor, Cambridgeshire) 1998. Raced by Bladon in HSCC events until very heavily damaged at Mallory Park in early 2001. Repaired and sold to Anthony Goddard (Isle Of Wight) for 2003. Part-exchanged back to Bladon for a Merlyn Mk 9 in December 2006. Sold to Greg Thornton in 2008 and raced extensively by him in UK events and in the Tasman Revival series until June 2012 when the car was badly damaged in a fire at Thornton's garage. Completely reconstructed by WDK Motorsport and racing again in 2014.
6. Lola T332 [HU38 (A)] (Sefton Gibb): The original tub from HU38 was repaired and sold as a spare tub at the same time as the complete HU38(B). These were last advertised by Tuck Thomas (Edina, MN) in May 1978. The complete car was sold to Gordy Oftedahl (Minneapolis, MN) but the fate of the repaired tub is unknown. It may have gone with the complete car via Oftedahl and Chris Carrell to Chuck Haines. Believed to be the car sold by Chuck Haines (St Louis, MO) to Ian Clements (Christchurch, New Zealand) in 1999. The car was rebuilt in New Zealand, and raced in the F5000 Tasman Revival series from 2003 to 2007. Then sold to Sefton Gibb (Napier, New Zealand), who continued to race it in the Tasman Revival series from 2007/08 to 2016/17. Sold to Tony Galbraith (Te Kauwhata, NZ) and raced in the 2017/18 Tasman Cup Revival, at Monterey in August 2018, then in the 2018/19 Tasman Cup Revival, but was crashed badly in the Skope Classic in February 2019, putting Galbraith in hospital. Car and driver both returned for the 2020/21 season and raced again in 2021/22. More information about Lola T332 HU38(A)
7. Lola T332 [HU28] (Russell Greer): Graeme Lawrence (NZ) for Tasman 1974, New Zealand Gold Star 1974; Tasman 1975; Tasman 1976; Gold Star Oct/Nov 1976; Australian Internationals 1977 - Terry Hook (Aus) Australian Internationals 1978, Australian Internationals 1979; heavily crashed at a club event at Lakeside 21 Jun 1981. Rebuilt by March 1982 by Chas Talbot on a new tub. Sold to Bob Minogue and Pete Brennan in the mid-1980s who sold the rear end to Peter Bick to complete his ex-Davison HU34. The ex-Hook car was then built up with other parts and sold to Manuel Jimenez who in turn passed it to Murray Richards (Murrumbeena, Australia). To David Sharp (New Zealand) 1993. To Murray Sinclair (Hong Kong, and Christchurch, New Zealand) 2001, and raced in the F5000 Tasman Revival from 2003 to 2007. To Russell Greer (Blenheim, New Zealand) 2007, who continued to race it in the Revival series. More information about Lola T332 HU28
8. Talon MR-1A (Aaron Burson): Michael Brayton (Newport Beach, CA) acquired a Talon Formula 5000 car for 1977, but previous history of the car is unknown. During 1977, he rebodied the car for SCCA A Sports Racing, and then raced the car, as the "Wolf-Brayton 001" in Can-Am from 1978 to 1981. The car was later acquired by Mike McComas, who was then under the impression it was the Wolf-Dallara WD1. He sold it to Tony Roberts and Duncan Fox in New Zealand in 2003, where it was restored to F5000 specification. Raced by Roberts in the F5000 Tasman Revival from 2003 to 2005, when it was sold to Aaron Burson, then raced by him from 2005 onwards.
9. Lola T400 [HU8] (Shayne Windelburn): New to McKechnie Racing Org and raced by Richard Scott and Bob Evans in UK series 1975. To Len Gibbs for Keith Holland UK 1976 and early 1977. To Gerry Amato, then Allan Kayes for Group 8 in 1977. Then unknown until 'found in a garage in Cambridge' by Mike Connor and raced in a libre at Castle Combe in April 1980. Next seen with Mick Hill 1982, who converted it into a "BMW M1" with 7.4-litre Chevrolet V8 for "GT" racing: raced in Donington GT series 1983 (shared between Hill and Kevin Riley). Also raced in Thundersports, co-driven by Riley 1983 and 1984 … advertised by Straight Six (Tony Hildebrand) 1986 … David Sheppard: raced in Thundersports, co-driven by Gary Dobbin, 1989 … Ian Higgins (Boston, Lincolnshire) about 1990, and taken apart to recreate the Lola T400. To Shayne Windelburn (Auckland, New Zealand) around 1991. Raced by Windelburn in Australian and New Zealand historics from 2000 (or earlier), and raced regularly in the F5000 Tasman Revival from its start in November 2003, when he won the feature race at the opening round, to the 2017/18 season. More information about Lola T400 HU8
10. Begg [018] (Calvin Bonney): First raced by Jim Murdoch in the New Zealand Gold Star in late 1974, then in the 1975 Tasman series, finishing second in the New Zealand Grand Prix, the 1975-76 Gold Star season, and in the 1976 NZ Internationals. The car was then retired to the Queenstown Motor Museum, where it remained when it was sold to Gavin Bain (Christchurch) in the late 1980s. It was later sold to Phil Mauger (Christchurch) and reappeared in 2004 when raced by him in the F5000 Tasman Revival series. Then to Noel Atley (Invercargill) who raced it in the Tasman Revival series from 2005 to 2009. Sold to Calven Bonney for 2010, and raced by him in the Tasman Revival series until sold to Scott O'Donnell (Invercargill) in 2017. The car will be on display on a regular basis at Bill Richardson Transport World in Invercargill.
11. McRae GM1 [015] (Stuart Lush): Longer wheelbase car built for Graham McRae and raced in the 1973 British season. To Ian Ward Racing early 1974 and modified as "Ward KS1" but not raced in this form. It was then sold to Chris Featherstone and raced by him once at the end of 1974, then through the 1975 and 1976 seasons. After a single race at the start of 1977, the car was raced by Keith Holland in four races later in the year, and then by Featherstone in the Australian Rothmans series in February 1978. To Gary Dumbrell (Australia) 1978, then to Bob Tomlinson 1978, and then to Salt Walther 1979 for the 1979 Rothmans series, but it may be that Lee Seaton of Thomson Motor Auctions owned it though this period. Sold to Ray Gibbs (Australia) September 1979 and kept by him until sold to Stuart Lush (Auckland, New Zealand) 2000, and raced at Historic Sandown that year and in 2001. Lush raced it in the Tasman Cup Revival series from 2003 to 2015, during which time it was also raced by Chris Hyde in the 2009/10 season and by Greg Thornton in the 2012/13 season. Lush also raced the car in England during the Kiwis' visits to the UK in 2005 and 2008, and at Road America in 2014. Lush sold it to its former driver Garry Dumbrell in 2016, and after Dumbrell died in October 2021, it was sold to Peter Brennan (Melbourne, Australia) in December 2021. More information about McRae GM1-015
12. McLaren M10A [300-09 (A)] (Tony Roberts): One of two cars that have emerged from McLaren M10A 300-09, which was rebuilt on a new monocoque in 1970. This car was completed by Wes McNay and Henry Alexander in 1988 using the original 300-09 monocoque, and raced in US vintage racing. Sold to Dave Isselhard (Battle Ground, WA) in 2005. Then to Tony Roberts (Auckland, New Zealand) in 2014, and raced in the F5000 Tasman Revival in 2014/15, 2015/16 and 2017/18. More information about McLaren M10A 300-09 (A)
13. Lola T400 [HU9] (Glenn Richards): New to Eppie Wietzes (Thornhill, Ontario) and raced in the SCCA/USAC F5000 Championship in 1975 and early 1976. Retained by Wietzes until 1986 and used as show car by Canadian Tyre in mid-1980's. Sold to Horst Kroll and converted to Can-Am Frissbee specification as "Frissbee KR4" for Can-Am 1986 and CAT in 1987. Retained by Kroll until sold to Glenn Richards (Auckland, New Zealand) in mid-2010. Raced by Reg Cook in the 2010/11 F5000 Tasman Revival series, and then by Richards in the series every season from 2013/14 to 2017/18. More information about Lola T400 HU9

Sources

The identification of individual cars in these results is based on the material presented elsewhere in this site and may in some cases contradict the organisers' original results.

All comments, clarifications, corrections and additions are most welcome. Please email Allen (allen@oldracingcars.com) if you can help in any way with our research.