Incredible originals of the muscle car racing scene, including the first Mustang to compete in New Zealand, are expected for an impending historic gathering at Manfeild renowned for its rich colour and character.
The Historic Muscle Car class is a fresh addition to The Sound MG Classic, an annual chance for drivers of all types of classic cars to get onto the circuit and let rip, this year at the Feilding venue on November 12-13.
This class puts the spotlight on the 1960s, the earliest period of V8 sedan racing here.
Terry Collier, of the MG Car Club of Wellington, envisages the action to be akin to that seen with high-level historic saloon racing presented at international events such as the Goodwood Revival and the Le Mans Classic.
Even though the machinery now has true classic status, there will be no soft-shoeing.
“These 1960s saloons will be driven at high speed, as they were intended to be,” he says.
The class is organised by enthusiast Dale Mathers, who in the spirit of leading from the front will race an immaculate 1969 Boss 302 Mustang, and is special for being very much the real deal.
“Too often the cars at past classic events in New Zealand have been ‘silhouettes’ rather than real classics, old on the outside but very modern underneath,” Mr Collier notes. That won’t be the case here.
“It is also hoped that the first Mustang to race in New Zealand, the legendary ‘Fleetwood Motors’ car that was driven by Ivan Segedin will also take part.”
Now owned and driven by Neil Tolich, this 1965 car is thought to be among the first examples of Ford’s famous pony car to be imported into New Zealand.
Its original racer owner was a Waikato farmer who, having made his name in a very quick Anglia, decided he needed to try some American excitement.
Fleetwood Motors was a Hamilton dealership that helped procure the car out of the US, not an easy task in those days.
The Segedin Mustang arrived with significant modifications from a tuning outfit that, at the time, was not even fully Ford-affiliated, but would rise to fame the next year when it helped the Blue Oval win at Le Mans.
This, of course, was also a victory that made Chris Amon and Bruce McLaren international stars and raised world awareness of New Zealand as a motorsport talent incubator.
It also put the spotlight on the man whose outfit tuned the Segedin car – Carroll Shelby, racer, car builder and Ford legend.
Though it had a troublesome racing career, the Fleetwood car was an icon of its age; it disappeared from public sight for two decades after conversion back into a road car but has now been restored to its original format.
Also expected on the grid is another famous Mustang, the ex-Red Dawson 1967 Trans Am car being driven by Nigel MacDonald, while Tony Mexted has a 1970 model constructed along the lines of the equally-renowned PDL car.
This isn’t going to be one-horse racing. Mr Collier says the fields are also quite varied, citing as examples the likes of John Sampson’s interesting Westlake-engined 1971 Ford Capri RS2600 and Kevin Gimblett’s 1967 Chevrolet Camaro.
He says the category will present another flavour to an annual event that has been staged annually for 31 years, with the debut outing in 1986 now remembered as the first large-scale national classic race meeting in the country.
“Since then it has continued to set benchmarks in terms of popularity with participants and the public,” Mr Collier says.
Also on the card is the Historic Touring Cars register, for genuine and approved replica period touring cars of the Group A era.
Another precious metal class that enjoyed a fantastic debut at the 2015 meeting will bring many examples of cars that grabbed global attention in such events as the epic Wellington street races of the 1980s.
The line-up includes BMW 635 CSL and M3, Ford Sierra Turbo and Mustang, Volvo’s 240 Turbo, the Rover SD1, Holden Commodore SS and Jaguar XJS included.
The class also provides opportunity for British and European Touring Car championship fare, so will also deliver, from Ford alone, the Cologne Capri, Mondeo and Telstar and Zakspeed Escort.
“Although the Manfeild grid is still being finalised it should include interesting combinations like Angus Fogg in the Jaguar XJS and Mark Petch in one of the original Australasian Volvo Turbo team cars,” Mr Collier says.
Races are also scheduled for Pre ‘65 saloons, Historic Racing Cars and Historic Sports Sedans.
He says the club is also attempting to encourage older racing and sports racing cars to participate in the historic race car fields, or in their own groups, and are offering free entry for Vintage Car Club members with pre-1960 race cars.
“The MG Classic continues to be the longest-running and biggest classic race meeting in the country, and is an event for the family and enthusiast rather than the purist, but is no less enjoyable for that.”
Mr Collier adds that Manfeild continues to stand out as the perfect host venue, with unsurpassed spectator viewing and a track layout that makes for exciting driving.
Manfeild chief executive Julie Keane says competitor and fan enthusiasm continues to drive the MG Classic.
“The meeting is synonymous with our venue and has great status as one of those weekends fuelled by a real enthusiast spirit.”
The race meeting also has the added bonus of being a fundraiser for the Cancer Society. One generator of donations is the annual lunchtime rides around the circuit in a classic car. Manfeild stadium will also be a pit zone, so there will be plenty of rare and fascinating racing metal to be seen under the 7500 square metre roof.
Programme details and further meeting information can be found on the Manfeild and MG Classic websites.
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