T
he Auckland Car Club Summer Race
Series is set to kick off on Sunday,
1 September at Hampton Downs
Motorsport Park in Te Kauwhata, Waikato.
The series comprises six rounds — one
each month over summer, except in January.
Hampton Downs, Pukekohe Park Raceway,
and Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park in
Taupo will each host two rounds. Races are
held for five main classes, from production to
purpose-built.
“Whether you are a seasoned campaigner
or new to motor sport, we have class that will
suit,” says club president Brett Davy.
Each class has its own coordinator, who
can help with competition licences and car
and driver safety or can refer you to other
participants who can help get you track ready.
Brett is keen to hear from people who could
join the throng needed to run the eventseach day, such as potential flag, pit lane, and
dummy-grid marshals — you’ll never get
closer to the action unless you are driving.
Every event is free to spectators.
The five classes are the ACC Production Race
Series, All Classic Japanese Series for Japanese
cars over 20 years old, Racing Saloons,
Production Muscle Cars, and Northern Muscle
Cars. See aucklandcarclub.org.nz for details.TAKING TO THE TRACK
Photos: Auckland Car ClubNATIONWIDE EVENTS (^) Classic events from around New Zealand
N
eil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and
Edwin ‘Buzz’ Aldrin, were the module
crew of NASA’s first manned mission
to the moon. The trio were launched into space
on 16 July 1969, and, when Neil Armstrong
stepped off the Lunar Module on 21 July 1969,
he became the first human to walk on the
surface of the moon. Nearly 240,000 miles
from Earth, Armstrong spoke these now-
famous words to more than a billion people:
“That’s one small step for man, one giant leap
for mankind”.
As far back as 20 years ago, I began thinking
that some sort of celebration should occur on
the 50th anniversary of that milestone. A classic
car event for all vehicles manufactured before
1970 came to mind, and so planning began in
earnest, three months before the due date.
On Sunday, 21 July 2019, a great variety of
vehicles departed from Woodlands Cafe in
Leithfield, North Canterbury. Among those
was a one-owner VW Beetle that the owner
had actually taken delivery of direct from the
factory in Germany.
The tour was actually quite short on this
occasion, only 55 very scenic kilometres.
One of the highlights was a drive-through
of a brand-new luxury retirement village,
named after a Canterbury World War II hero,
Charles Upham. Many residents watched as
vehicles of the type and model they may have
owned in their younger days paraded past.
The climax of the day
The tour finished with a concert and display
at the Balcairn Hall. The music played
that matched the era was great, as was the
opportunity to view the big collection of older
household items that had been brought along
for display. “Those were the days” and “The
good old days when life was much simpler and
things were made to last” were just two of many
comments overheard.
THE EAGLE HAS
LANDED
Words: Trevor Stanley-Joblin
50 YEARS TO THE DAY,
HISTORY IS MADE
106 New Zealand Classic Car | themotorhood.com