some great old ak stockcar drivers (Read 11,812 times)

[grubbyoldman]

Just a few names to see what people remember
Sam the man .Laurie Hines.Joel Pear Shape Wright.Dave Greer.Ray Wrecker Wright.Graham Mitchell.Andy Andreson. Wally Page.Noel Gerrad?.

[Admin]

Yep sad to say I'm old enough to remember all those greats from years gone by plus Phil Joyce , Wee Mac and a host of others

[pallmall]

Some of the names that made Waikaraka Park a must go to Saturday night speedway in the sixties and seventies.
The 40th Anniversary of the opening in 1967 this December, is there going to be any celebration of this event?

Here are Dave Greer, Sam Ferabend, Joel wright, and Lawrie Hines celebrating another Pall Mall Team victory.



The 1971/72 Pall Mall Team lineup:



Lots more names to add from this era. I may put something a bit bigger together around the anniversary date.

Here is one from around 1968, a bit of action. Who can name these two drivers?

[grubbyoldman]

One persons name that still stands out from the end of that era is a young fella .nicknamed Billy the kidd.None other than Billy Neill.

[Roaddog]

the old man MAD ROSS GAME 79A most people remember him for going the wrong way round the track and his pink cars and pink nickers off the roof plate.

[pallmall]

I have had a request for some photos of Colin Brockliss which I am putting in this thread. Pall Mall team in the 1973/74 season with Lawrie Hines, Graham Baker, and Vic Cook.








Might even get around to putting a few more Auckland identities up on the thread now the off season is upon us.

[pallmall]

Joel Wright isn't Pear Shape these days after an illness, but is fit and healthy and still block laying a couple of days a week. Here is a photo of Joel in #6 with #25 Bill Gallagher, and #5 Barry Davies during the NZ Stockcar Championship race in 1962 at Gloucester Park in Onehunga (now a Motorway).



Quite a few of the Waikaraka drivers in the early days had raced at Gloucester Park, some also at Epsom and Western Springs. One who raced at all three as well as Palmerston North and Forest Lake in their first seasons was Sam Ferabend, pictured in his last season in 1972.



Graham Mitchell was also a Gloucester Park driver, pictured here at Waikaraka in his World Championship and South Pacific Championship winning car in 1969.



And yet another couple of Gloucester Park old boys, #2 Graham 'wee mac" McLachlan and #91 Vic Cook.




Dave Greer wasn't a huge name, but was an awesome driver and great teams racer during his many years with the Pall Mall team.




Mad Ross Game probably got himself banned from most tracks he raced at, but always came back to dish out more mayhem.



The late Colin Weller was always hard charger in top machinery.




Sometimes accused of being a flag racer, Phil Joyce won a NZ Championship in 1972, could always give back more than he got and built some great cars.




Noel Gerhardi, always consistent, won a lot of races, and very popular with the fans and other drivers.



More will follow.

[gazza63]

You have some great photo's there. I remember those days well, do you have anymore from that time?

[pallmall]

Terry Collins


Arthur Carson


Andy Andreson


Joel Wright



Frank Irvine & Ian Verrall


Noel Gerhardi

[gazza63]

Fantastic Andy lived in mangere 2 doors from my old man. He was one hell of a driver. He had two boys, one was Shane is that the same Shane that raced.

[pallmall]

Andy Andreson.


Gary Harris


Vic Neal.


Kevin Johnston.


Collin Weller.


Val Joyce.

[pallmall]

Wayne Davis & Ray Wright


Roger Kesseler


Peter Tohill


Alan Stevens & Trevor Boyd


Ian Pettit


Bruce Fraser & John Webster

[gazza63]

Gavin were the pits down at the cemetery end in Auckland? and if so what year did they change to town bend. Do you know the year of that photo with the stadium in the back ground.

[grubbyoldman]

Others i can remember, George Rhind, Roy Merrilles,The mad Hatter.Wally Page.and one with last name Jackson ,fast V8 from the Noth Shore.

[pallmall]

Jun 1, 2009 17:07:17 GMT 12 gazza63 said:

Gavin were the pits down at the cemetery end in Auckland? and if so what year did they change to town bend. Do you know the year of that photo with the stadium in the back ground.

The pits were originally at the cemetary end of the park, actually mostly on the outside of the wall using half of what is now the car park.
They were moved when the first re-development took place which included the track being lengthened towards Neilson Street and the earth banking and wooden fence being put in. I think this was for the 1970/71 season. The track is basically the same layout today, the ASSCC put the concrete wall in when they took over the lease from Cowan Black in 1978. Apart from a slight realignment of the exit from Cemetary Bend and a wider back straight in 1996 the wall and gates are as built 31 years ago.
The photo was taken at a practice day in late 1968 for the second season.

[pallmall]

Jun 1, 2009 19:43:42 GMT 12 grubbyoldman said:

Others i can remember, George Rhind, Roy Merrilles,The mad Hatter.Wally Page.and one with last name Jackson ,fast V8 from the Noth Shore.

Will get to a few more in time, there were so many stockcar drivers racing through the 70's, C grade had about 40+ cars registered, B grade around 20+, and around 25 A grades.

[gazza63]

Thanks Gavin, good history there.

[pallmall]

Jun 2, 2009 11:36:53 GMT 12 gazza63 said:

Thanks Gavin, good history there.

Down the board a little way there is a thread on the 40th Anniversary of Waikaraka Park. On there is a photo in colour of the old pits in 1968.

[gazza63]

I love seeing those old photo's, it really shows the work done in those days to make this sport a success. It's great to see what has gone before, and to see where it is today. I am looking forward to coming back to NZ soon, and going to the stocks while I am there. I have always missed the stocks so it will be great to return to the home track. Cemetery bend has a new look to me now , it's where the pits once were, and now I know what they looked like as well. Thanks Gavin

[fireball]

Awsum post guys.Sam ferabend and wrecker wright now theres two legends .That pall mall team was awsum used to love going with my dad and helping pitcrew for george paki. i think 11a.