Though the first serious attempts to organise motor races in New Zealand took place shortly after the First World War, a further 30 years elapsed before the sport became established, and only in the late fifties did a definite pattern emerge. By 1963 motor racing in New Zealand had achieved full international status and any future developments would be likely to conform to world standards as set by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, the recognised governing body with its headquarters in Paris.
Sumner Beach, near Christchurch, was the scene of a few motor races held before the First World War, but there does not appear to have been any set form of competition. When, in 1921, the first organised races were held, beaches were still regarded as the most suitable venues. Muriwai Beach, north of Auckland, was chosen for the New Zealand Motor Cup Race, organised by the Auckland Automobile Association which donated a silver cup from which the event took its name. In the inaugural event, the race was simply a 25-mile dash along the beach, which the winner – Howard Nattrass driving a Cadillac – covered in 17 minutes, an average speed of 88 m.p.h. The distance was doubled in 1922 and was made up of four 12½-mile laps. The race became an annual event and touring cars gave way to more specialised machines, though the most successful car of the twenties was an American Stutz in which Bob Wilson won the 1926, 1927, and 1928 events to become the outright winner of the trophy. Beaches continued to provide the main circuits for motor racing until 1949 when the use of the Wigram Aerodrome (a Royal New Zealand Air Force Station near Christchurch) was obtained for a race which used the runways and connecting roads to form a 2·1-mile circuit. The first race, the Lady Wigram Trophy of 105 miles (50 laps), was won by M. Proctor in a “Brooklands” Riley at an average speed of 66·17 m.p.h.
Until this time, lack of suitable venues had hampered the development of actual racing, though there was considerable activity in other forms of the sport – hill climbs, acceleration tests, timed trials and rallies, and reliability trials. These events were organised by national and regional car clubs, and their growth led to the formation in 1947 of a national body, the Association of New Zealand Car Clubs, the present controlling authority.
There were very few true racing cars in the country in the immediate post-war years and entries in speed events comprised saloon and sports cars, and “specials” (locally made hybrids), most of which could be driven to and from the events. The dearth of factory-built racing cars was reflected in the fields for the early distance races of which the Lady Wigram Trophy was a forerunner. A change in legislation made racing on public roads possible, but the administrative difficulties involved limited the number of road events. Near-standard sports cars were joined by locally made racing cars – a development of the earlier “special”. Many of these cars were notable for their high standards of workmanship, but even with additional events, including a second airfield circuit at Ohakea, near Palmerston North, the racing season was a short one and gave insufficient time for development and testing of specials under race conditions, with the result that in many cases they were regarded as unreliable. As more events were added to the calendar, interest developed to a point where true racing cars – mostly pre-war – were imported by New Zealand drivers. Australian entries were also attracted to the main events. Of the imports, the most successful was the P3 Alfa Romeo (produced in the mid-thirties) which, driven by Ron Roycroft, of Auckland, scored numerous successes in races, hill climbs, and timed events.
The most significant development of the fifties was the formation of a body in Auckland – the Auckland (later New Zealand) International Grand Prix (Inc.) whose aim was to organise an annual Grand Prix on an international level. The first Grand Prix for the New Zealand Motor Cup, donated by Bob Wilson, of Stutz fame, and a prize of 1,000 was held at Ardmore (near Auckland) on a 2–1-mile airfield circuit. The race attracted overseas entries, including the famous 16-cylinder 1½-litre B.R.M. This race was won by Stan Jones, of Australia, driving a German-Australian hybrid, the Maybach Special.
This race, and all major events up to and including 1963, were held under a Formula Libre classification which placed no limits on engine size, car weight, or design. This was necessary because at that time there were insufficient cars of any one class within the country to provide a “suitable” field. The adoption of Formula Libre made it possible for New Zealand drivers to purchase at reasonable prices grand prix cars that had been made obsolete by periodic changes of the main formula overseas, but at the same time it led to a still wider variety of racing cars within the country. No long-term plan for classification, either based on overseas practice or on a New Zealand formula, was introduced. Entries in some of the major races ranged from tiny 500 c.c. machines to massive cars with 10 times the engine capacity. The post-war development of motor racing in Europe owed much of its success to support given by oil companies. Some of these commercial interests, notably B.P. and Shell, extended their activities to Australia and New Zealand by giving technical and financial assistance to overseas teams visiting the country, as well as to promising local drivers. This led to the regular appearance of world championship drivers, including Stirling Moss, Jack Brabham, and Graham Hill, as well as to the latest “works” cars.
While the effect of this was to turn major events into an imported spectacle in which New Zealanders were rarely among the major place winners, it provided valuable race experience for New Zealanders. Consequently a “driver to Europe” scheme, introduced by the N.Z.I.G.P., led to the discovery of Bruce McLaren, who was runner up in the world championship in 1961 and third in 1962. Sports and saloon cars, outclassed in the main events, found keen competition in special supporting events which made up the programmes at the main meetings. In 1963 the N.Z.I.G.P. changed its venue to a new specially made circuit at Pukekohe, 30 miles south of Auckland. This track, formed on a horse-racing course, made use of existing grandstand facilities. A similar type of circuit had been in existence for several years at Levin, near Wellington. After 1962, the New Zealand International Grand Prix conformed to current overseas formulae and became elegible for inclusion in the world drivers' championship.
The first Grand Prix, run on the new circuit over a distance of 150 miles, was also the last to be run under the old Formula Libre. The 1964 Grand Prix was run under the new 2·5-litre “Tasman” Formula over a shorter distance.
The summer meetings held at Wigram Air Force Station since 1949 are the oldest established and, apart from the New Zealand Grand Prix, have attracted the keenest competition amongst overseas drivers. At this meeting the principal race is for the Lady Wigram Trophy, which was initially run over 150 miles. In 1964 this distance was shortened to 101·2 miles. In 1956 the Levin Motor Racing Club established a 1·1 miles flat, winding, permanent circuit. There is an international meeting in January where the principal event is the Vic. Hudson Memorial Race, run over a distance of 30·8 miles.
In 1957 the Southland Sports Car Club established a permanent 1·5 miles circuit at Teretonga Park, near Invercargill.
In 1964 a “Tasman” Drivers' Championship was instituted. This is competed for on the major racing circuits in Australia and New Zealand. Races are run under a “Tasman” formula which imposes a limit of 2·5 litres unsupercharged and requires the use of 100/130 straight aviation petrol. Eight meetings – four in Australia and four in New Zealand – met the Tasman Cup standards in 1964, the four in New Zealand being those held at Auckland, Levin, Christchurch, and Teretonga (Invercargill). Points are awarded for the first six places in the New Zealand International Grand Prix and in any two of the remaining three New Zealand Tasman races. Similar conditions hold for the Australian races.
The Association of New Zealand Car Clubs is the controlling body for motor sport in New Zealand. It has about 10,000 members, and is affiliated with the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. The Association licenses drivers for all competitions; coordinates the national calendar of motor sport events each year; and awards Gold Stars for the best driver in selected racing events, hill climbs, and trials. All attempts on national speed records are supervised by the Association. In addition to the four Tasman Cup fixtures, two other events are usually given Gold Star status. The first of these, the Renwick 50, is run over a slow, 50-mile road circuit near Blenheim, while the second is run over a 70-mile “round the houses” course at Waimate, South Canterbury. The New Zealand Racing Drivers' Club also makes similar awards to the successful drivers of racing, sports, and saloon cars competing at certain meetings.
| New Zealand National Speed Records (as at May 1964) | |||
| Flying Start Kilometre Sprint | |||
| sec. | m.p.h. | ||
| Class A Over 8,000 c.c. | * | .. | .. |
| Class B 5,000 to 8,000 c.c. M. F. Stanton (Stanton Special) | 12·87 | 173·8 | 1958 |
| Class C 3,000 to 5,000 c.c. J. Tutton (Jaguar XK 120c) | 15·47 | 144·6 | 1956 |
| Class D 2,000 to 3,000 c.c. F. Shuter (Maserati 8CLT) | 14·21 | 157·4 | 1959 |
| Class E 1,500 to 2,000 c.c. H. W. Shaw (Triumph TR2) | 19·46 | 115 | 1956 |
| Class F 1,100 to 1,500 c.c. P. M. Hoare (Maserati) | 15·30 | 146·2 | 1958 |
| Class G 750 to 1,100 c.c. D. W. Wild (Lotus) | 18·12 | 123·5 | 1957 |
| Class H 500 to 750 c.c. W. Mauger (Austin 7 Special) | 29·46 | 75·94 | 1956 |
| Class I 350 to 500 c.c. R. Campbell (Cooper) | 20·73 | 107·9 | 1958 |
| Class J Up to 350 c.c. | * | .. | .. |
*No attempt made
| Standing Start Kilometre Sprint | |||
| sec. | m.p.h. | ||
| Class A Over 8,000 c.c. | * | .. | .. |
| Class B 5,000 to 8,000 c.c. M. F. Stanton (Stanton Special) | 23·13 | 96·7 | 1960 |
| Class C 3,000 to 5,000 c.c. M. F. Stanton (Stanton Corvette) | 22·32 | 100·2 | 1962 |
| Class D 2,000 to 3,000 c.c. T. E. Clark (Maserati) | 24·99 | 89·5 | 1953 |
| Class E 1,500 to 2,000 c.c. L. G. Witte (Triumph TR2) | 33·11 | 67·6 | 1958 |
| Class F 1,100 to 1,500 c.c. P. M. Hoare (Maserati) | 26·19 | 85·4 | 1956 |
| Class G 750 to 1,100 c.c. E. M. Watt (Dyna 4 Special) | 34·62 | 64·6 | 1960 |
| Class H 500 to 750 c.c. W. B. Miller (Fiat 600) | 55·11 | 40·59 | 1962 |
| Class I 350 to 500 c.c. R. Campbell (Cooper) | 30·05 | 74·5 | 1958 |
| Class J UP to 350 c.c. | * | .. | .. |
*No attempt made
| Standing Start Quarter-mile Sprint | |||
| sec. | m.p.h. | ||
| Class A Over 8,000 c.c. | * | .. | .. |
| Class B 5,000 to 8,000 c.c. M. F. Stanton (Stanton Special) | 12·42 | 72·46 | 1958 |
| Class C 3,000 to 5,000 c.c. M. F. Stanton (Stanton Corvette) | 11·87 | 75·85 | 1962 |
| Class D 2,000 to 3,000 c.c. R. S. Rutherford (Zephyr Special) | 14·02 | 64·22 | 1962 |
| Class E 1,500 to 2,000 c.c. | * | .. | .. |
| Class F 1,100 to 1,500 c.c. | * | .. | .. |
| Class G 750 to 1,100 c.c. G. Derby (Austin A40) | 22·91 | 39·28 | 1962 |
| Class H 500 to 750 c.c. J. D. Lovell (Lloyd Special) | 17·79 | 50·6 | 1962 |
| Class I 350 to 500 c.c. | * | .. | .. |
| Class J Up to 350 cc. | * | .. | .. |
*No attempt made
| Tasman Cup Result |
| 1964 B. McLaren (39 points) |
In 1932, Norman Smith made an attempt on the world land speed record in New Zealand. For his attempt he used a special car, known as the Fred. H. Stewart Enterprise, which was driven by a Napier-Lion motor. This achieved speeds of up to 200 m.p.h. but did not pass the world speed record of 245 m.p.h.
All record attempts are supervised by the ANZCC which follows the FIA standards in this matter. Most of the existing New Zealand records were set up on Christchurch courses: the exception are the standing kilometre sprint records for Classes C and H, which were established at Ashburton, Class D (Hamilton), and Class G (Ardmore).
by Eileen Higgs, National General Secretary, Young Women's Christian Association, Wellington and John Stuart McBean, M.A., Journalist, Tourist and Publicity Department, Wellington.