82 > NZ HOT RODAUGUST 2019
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Matt’s Bucket List
From John EvaDURINGGMatt Brown’s high schoool
years in the late ‘70s, he would cyclelllelele to
Ruapuna Drag Meets. This struck a chorod.
I did the same thing a few years earlier.
When Matt was still a student, he built a
model of Ron Collett’s first rail. He evene
wrote a letter to Ron asking forccereetain
details of the rail, andRRon invitied Matt
‘round and sawawawawtthehe dragster up closeaaaandndndndnd
pepepepersonal, which led to Ronaaaaskskskskskinininining g g g ggMaMaMaMaMaMatttttttttttt
if he’d like to travelellooooon n n n nn ththththththe ee e eeeTeTTTTeTeTamamamaamamamCCCCCCCCCololololololoooollllel ttttttttt
bus (witth hh h h drdrdrdrdragagagagagagststststststereereree ooonbnbnboaoaoaaardrdrdd) ))) tototototototooooaaattttenennd d d d d
rararararacecececeeemmmmmmeeeeeeeeetstststtstsaaatt t tttMeMeMeeeererereeeemememmemm rere andndTTThuhuhundndndndnddererrrr
PaPPaPaPaPaParkrkrkrkrkrk.. ThThThThTTheeee e eyyoyyoungsgsteer tot ldRRRRRRooonononnhhhhe’e’ddd dhahhhhahhhhveee
tototototooccheheckwwitith hihs Daad.d.dd SSo MrMMrNNNNoeoeoelll lBBrown
and hihs soon n MaMaattttt wwwennt tototottthehehe Colletthhomomomomome e eeee ee
tototottotoommmeeeett wiwiwiththt Rononon. MMMatt told mememememmmmmmananananananananyyy y y
yeyeyey aras laaateteteter;r;r;;““MyM Dadwasasasasasffffffaiaiaiaiaaiairlrlrlrlrlrrly y yyyyy yststsststraraaaaigigigigiggggghththththththtttt,,,,,
ananaaanannndd dddd I II I I wawawawawawawawawassss s sss s drdrdrdrdrdrdrdrdreaeaeadididididingngngngngngggRRRRRRRRonononoonoondddrororopppppppppppppppinininininininingg g ggggggtththththe
f-f-ff-f-bobobbboboboboombmbmbmbmmbmbmbmbmbdddddururururururininininngg g gggouourr vivivivivvisisisisisisitt,tttttt,wwwwwhihihihihiichchchchhhhhhhheeeee eddidd,d,
RoRoRoRoRoRoon nn nnnn bebbebebeb inininini g g g ga a aa a arererereguguguguguuuuulalarr swswearer. Witith h hh ananananananan
ouutststttsttststttrtrtrtetetettchchcchchedededededhhhananannddd,d,dd,ddd he saidd,,,,‘H‘H‘H‘HHHi,ii,i,i,i,IIIIIII’’’m’m’m’mm
Ron fxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxCCCCColoolololeleleeeetttttttttttt.... WeWeWeWWeWeWWeWe’r’r’r’’rreeeeee tatatatakikikkikikikingngngngnggttttthehehehehehee
fxxxxxddrrarararaaaagsgsgsggsgsgsgteteteteteteteerrr rr rrtototototttotoofffffxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xx xxAuAuAuAuAA ckckcckckkklalalalalandndndndndndndndn ,
and we’d like MaMaMaMaMattt tttttoooooo ojojojojojojojojoinininininintttttttheheheheheheheeffffffxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxx
crew’. My Dad dinsttananananantlty y y yy yapaapaapapaapapppprprprprprrovo edaaaaandnd
let me go!” This gave thhhhhe eteteenenee agagaggee eMaMMM tttttt
great knowledge on, nononononot tonononnnlylylyly prepariiiiingngngngn
a race car, but also thellllegendaryyybbbeer-
drinking camaraderiewwwwwwhich came wiwwwwth
the infamous Collett bususususustttttrirrrps. Recalls
Matt; ‘’Trev Tolhurst woooooulululullld d d dd dlolololololoooadaaaaaa abooout
5 0 dozen beers into the e eeee e ebububub s.s.WWWWWWWWe’ee’e’d dddlleleleleave
Ron’s place in Riccartonononnnn, ,ananannd d d d d I’II’d ddd bebebebebeehhhhhalaf
drdrddunk by Ilam!” Which,fforororortthhhhohhh sesesesssssssewwwwhohohohoo
dodon’n’t t knknowow, ,is less than twomilililillesesesesesesese dddddowowowowowo nnnn nnthththththe eeerroaada ffrorom mRoRon nnCoCoC lllllleteteetett’t’t’’sss s plpplace.
ByByByByByByByByytttttheheheheheemmmidid-’ 808080 s,s,yyyouououngnngMMMMMatatatat tpupuurcrcrcrchahah seses d d
LeLeLes s sHuHuHuHuHuHuHuHuHuntnterererererrr’s’ss 33350500 CCCheheevyvyvypppowowowwereereredddd‘‘ 23232323
TT-T-TT-T-bububububuuckcckeet, annn 11111111 1-1- 1 sesesecococondndndndndsssstttrtrreeeeeeeet t t ‘n‘nnnsssstrtrtrtripipipippccararar,,
and pprpococococceeeeeeee dededededededededd d dd dtotototowwwwinininii hisi cccclalasssssaaaat t tRuRuRuRuapapapapununununna aaaa
DrDrDrDrDragagagaagagagagsss s s s swiwiwwwiwiththththccccononsiiiiststststtteneneenent tttregularitytyyyyyfffffororooorortttthehehehe
nenenenextxtxtxttttttenenenennyyyyyeaeaeaeaearsrsrrsrs, usually innnJJJJununununioioioior,r,r,r,HHHHHotototttRRRRodododod
ororSSpopopopopoportrsmman classssssss....ItItItItwwwwasasasasaaaaasssssssucucucuccecececessssssssfufufufuul lllll
reeigigigigiigggn nuntil II I I prprprpresesesesumumumume,e,e,e,e,e,e mmmmmararararaarrririririaage, mortgtggggagagagagagggggee,e,e,e,
kikidsddddsdddsdsaaaandndndndnddrrrrrreaeaeaeeaeal lll lililililillfefefefefefeppppppputututuututuu ttttthhhehheTT-bucket at the
babababababackckcckckckckoooooofff f ffththththeeee eshshshshshedededededdddd...BeBfore he knew it, one
mimiiissssssssssedededededededrrrrrrrracacacacaacacaeee eeesssesseason became ten missed
raracceeeeessseaeaeae sons.Matteven soldthe bucket
ataatatat one statatat gege, tht ennnbbbbbouoo ght it back aggggaiaiaiain.n.n.n.
Hejust sllipipippppepeppeped dd d frfrfrfomoomomttttheheheheherrrradararararffffororororaaaa
cococooupupupupuplelele of decadedededees,sss,s,eeeeevevevevev n nn n nwhwhwhwwhwhenenenenrrrracacacacininining g g ghihihihis s s s
Hondndnda aa AcAcAccocc rd for a bit offff quqququququararaateteeeer-r-r-r-r-mimimimimimimilelelelelelel
fuf n nin 222010101 4/4/4/ 20200011511 , and ththththhen in n 20202020202001818181818181888 , , , , ,hihihihihihihihs s s s sss
old T-buuckckkketetetwwwwwasasssseeeeeeeee n for sale on sosososoooociciciciciciiialalalll
mememedididia.a..IIIIInnn n nAAuAuAA gugugugustststsstllllasast yeyeyeeearaaraa, word filterereed dd dddddd
thhhhhrururur ’’totoTTThheheeeGGGGGaragggge eeethththththhhhhhatatatatatMMatatatatatt t t tBrown wawawaws
susufffffferereriniining g frfromomompppppananananaannnncrcrcrcrcrcrcrreeeaeaeaeaeaeaetititttiticc cancncncererererererrrraaaaaandndndndndndnd the
prprpogooggnonosisisiis s wawasnsn’t’ttttttttttoooooooooooo ggggooooooooo d.d.WWWWWWeee e eeweweweweweweww rere tolololollllddddd d d
ththththhisisisissbbbbyyyy y GaGararagegerregegulululullllllaaarara PPPPPhihihl l GaGaGaarrrrrrretetetetetettt,t,t,ttt,t,wwwhohohohohohoh
wawawawwwawas s s ssMaMaMaMMaMatttttttttt’sssssBBBBBrorororoooththththerer-i-in-n-n-n-n-n-n--lalal ww ww wfrfrfomommmmaaaaaaapppppppasasasaasasast tttt tt
rererererrelalalalatititititiononononnnshshshshshhipipipipiipip... .PhPhPhPhPhPPPhilililii’s’s’sssppparartntntntntnttntnere aaafffffeweewe yyyyyeaeaee rsrsrsrrrrs
bababababackckckckckwwwwwasasKKKKKererererrryryrryryBBBBBBBrororororrorownwnwnwnwnwn, , sisiiiststststststserereeererooof fMaMaMMattttttt..SoSoSoSoSoSoSooooo,PhPhPhPhPhhhililiililiillllbbbbbbbbrororororororougugugugu hththhttMMMMMMatatatattttttt Brown to Theh Garagagagagaggee
whwhwhwhwhwhwherererererere eee eee heheheheheheheheccccccccccouououououououoououoo ldldldldlldldhhhhavavavvve e eeea aaabebebebebeer with a few ww w w w
olololololololldd dddddd dd frfrfrieiieiei ndndndndndndnddds,s,s,s,s,s,ss,ooooooththththtththththerererereeererrffffffforororormmmmemememeerrrr DDrag Racers aaaanand d
acacacacacaacacququququqququququaiaiaiaiaintntntntntntttananananaananana cecececececececececesssss.s.sss.s..HHHHHHHHHe eevene litup p p ppaa a aa a cicicicciciiiigggarereeeetttte;e;
onononnnlylylyytttto obebebbebebebeettold: “Thhhhose thththhhhiiniininingsgsgss’l’l’l’ll l l lkkikkkkllyyyyya!a!””
TThThTThheenen Matt was strarapppppppppededededeedediiiinntntntno
GeGG off DeDeellll’s’s’sssDDDevil WomanTTTTT bucckkekekeket,t,
annnototthehher 11-sssecece ononnd ddstststststrererererereetetetetetetTTTTTTT, , ,,,and takekekekeennnn nnnn
fofofofofofofoooor rraa aa 20202020 -m-m-m-mininininnutututututee e eeee cccrcccrcruiuiuiuisesesee‘‘‘rororororooounununununuunu d the
nenennenneeigigigigigghbhbhbhbhhbouoouououuuurrhrhrrrhrrhrhoooooooooood.d.MMMMMMMMMatatatatataatatatt’tttttts sgrgininininwwwwwasasasassssso o
widededededeehhhhhhe lolololoookokokokokokokkkkedededededeedededllllllikikikikike a aspsplilililiittt ttt wawawawawawaw teteteteermrmrmelelelelllllonoononononnn..
And that ridde mimimimmimimighghghghggghghttttt hahahahahahah vevevvevev beeen n thththththhhhheeeeeeee
fifififirsrsrsrst ttt unofficial 1 111 seseseseseseeecococococccocoondndndndndEEEEEEEEEET TTTT inininininPPaaggggggesessss
RoRoRoRoadadad.. BuBuBuButt t we won’t go thththththhherererererrre.e.e.e.e.LLLLLLLataaatererererereeer
thththhatataateeevevevenininiingngng,,MaMMM tt commentededededededd,,, ,“M“M“M“M“M“MMy yyy y y y
wiwiwfefefe’ssgggonononnnananakkkilill l mememememewwhen I tell herrrr
I IIwawawawannnnnna aabubuuy y yy anananannoototheher rhohoootttt trorrrr d!”
A AAA AAccococoupupu leleeooof ff dadaddysyssllatataterer, , PhPhililGGGGGarararaarett said,
“I“IIIt tt wawawwas s sa a aggrgreaeaeat t evevenenining g ononnnTThuhursrsdadadadaday.y.y.y.y.
MaMaMaMMMMaMatttttwwwwasassstitillllbbuzuzzizingngoon n FrFrididayay. .HeHe
fefefeffefeltltltlttllllllllikikikikikikikike eeee e hehhehehe’d’ddllefeft t alall l hihis s shshititbbehehinind d
hihihiiimm mmmm m fofofofofofor rrrrthththththththe e ee e eeveveevevenenenenenining.g.WWe e cocoululdndn’t’thhhavave e
dododddd nemmmmmorororooorore eeeeefofofofoorrrr rhihihihhhimm m m mifififififwwe’e’d d trtrieied.d.....””
Matt returrrrneneneneneeeeddddddd dtototototoTTTTTTTheheheheheheGGGGararagage e seseveveeeerrrarrl
wewww eks later withththhhaaaaassssssigigigiigigiggneneneneneed d dddd d phphphphphphphhhotooototo o o o ooofo hhis T
bubuckckckckeeteee during ittss ss s DrDDDDrDragagagggRRRRRacinininininng ggg gg g hehehehehh ydydydday,,
whwhwhwhwhiicicichh h isissnnnnnowo proudddlylylydddisisssplplplplplplayayayayayyyyyyeede for
eveveveveveverererereryyoyyoyonenen ttto oosesseseseseseeeee.e By now,rrreaee liiiisisisisisisingngngngngnghhhhhheee e e e eeee
shshououlddsstatatatatatartrtrtrtrtrtttickikikingngngngngng a few things ofofooffffffffffff fff
hihis s bubuckcketetlisist.t.MMMMMMatttt tweweweentnnnn to the USUSUSUSA,
atatattetendndining gththe e WiWntnttererNNattioioonnnannn lsaatt
Pomommomonana, anand ddodoining g a afefewwww wwwlaps in a Naascscscscscs arr,
whwhwhwhwwwwhwwhwhich hh puput tananeeveven nbibigggggggg er grin onhhisissss
fafafafaacececececeetthhhahahh n nthhe eriidedeiiiinnnn nnnDevil Womaan!
OnOnOnOnOn 33333 AAAAAAprprpil 220101111999 9, 99 Matt passeddaaway yyyininininnnn
ChChristchchchchchurururururchcchchchhPPPPPPPublic Hosppitall, surrrrrrouououououuunnnnndnn ed
bybybbybyffffamily.HHHHeeee wawas sjust 5 6 yey ars ololololod.dd.d.d.d.
CoCoCCC ndndddololololeene ces to wife Suuee, andddddcchihihihihhllldren
CoCoCoCoCCoururrrrtntnttnt ey andJonnyy. FoF r suuuuuuchchchchchhhaaaaa funguy
ananananand d d aaa a fafir competiitotor tobbbbbee echchchchccc eated like
thhhhhhhisisissssjust isn’t fairir. Far
totototottooooo young.gggRRIPIP Matt.t.t.t.errooadaddfrommmRoRonnCoCollllleeeettt’t’tsplplace PhPhPPhhhhiliilililillllbbbbbbrrMatt being strapped into Geoff Dell’s T-bucket, 2018.Matt Brown’s T-bucket at an event in 198 6