Healy-Guttman Blog

The adventure continues in Timaru and the Levels racetrack - home of the second in the series of 3 “meetings” (race weekends) that comprises the Southern Festival of Speed here on the South Island of New Zealand. 

This “installment” in part 2 of our NZ adventure begins after we leave Lake Tekapo and head towards Timaru for our second of three race weekend on Thursday.  Did you miss “Part 1″?  If so, please click here

We check into our home for 4 days through the race weekend at Centre Hill Cottage in Pleasant Point - a handy 10 minutes from the track:

Host Ian Blackmore is an organic farmer and this cottage sits amid 200 acres and hundreds of sheep, deer, cattle, potato fields and rustic scenery.  It is also home to Tango the cat who sprinted into the cottage once we opened the door and spread out on the couch:

…and our “mascot” right next to the cottage who always had a perplexed look on his face as if asking “who the heck are you?!”:

The view from our window and deck:

 T

The deer:

And Ian:

Friday we were able to practice in the morning and then qualified that afternoon.  The weather was decent and the track is smaller than Ruapuna but has a great corner at the end of the long straight that challenges you to brake as late and as little as possible to carry your speed through the long left hand sweeper.  I will have in-car videos later after we get back to the States and I have some time to edit them.  The track was also a lot less forgiving with run-off room.  There were places where you just didn’t want to head off the track or you would be met with a stout stack of old tires with the consistency of granite.  Everyone in our group did fairly well and we celebrated the day at the home of several couples in our group and fearless leader, Tony Garmey - the Ashley Motel in Timaru:

Tony provided a typical NZ medley of meat with a few crayfish and mussels:

…Suzanne and I are no longer vegetarians….

Saturday morning we headed out to the track thinking we had plenty of time until my first “Small Saloon” race which was late morning.  ….however, my decent qualifying time and the amount of cars in this group conspired against me.  The “racer relationship” guy came by and told me that I was being moved to the “Large Saloons”.  I had to move quickly to get the car ready for this race.  Here are the type of cars I was up against:

Don’t let that little red Anglia fool you - it has about a 300 HP engine…  My car is looking a little puny behind this Detroit Iron:

…no that RV in the background was not part of the group….

In this first race, I was immediately passed by some of the bigger horsepower cars (it seemed like all of them) as they muscled their way through to turn 1 and a tight chicane.  By now I was understanding the “race protocol” and was able to hold my own for the remaining laps by making myself as wide as possible when necessary and poking my nose deep into corners on the inside.  …stuff I would never try at home…  …and I had a blast!  My only issue during this race was a newer Renault Megane (1997 model - why was this car in a “classic” car event?) that was simply too fast on the straights but would slow down to a crawl in the turns.  As it turns out, this guy was in the next race with me as well…

My second race of the days was a “fun race” where they mix up all types of saloons together just to really mess with your head.  It was called the “Big Boys Power Tools” race (or something like that).  The aforementioned Renault was in this race but I had a great start and was able to get ahead of him before the first corner, so he would stay behind until the very end…  This was one of the most eventful races I have ever had.  I was having a great battle with a Porsche 911 driven by a Kiwi named Roger Carter.  His car:

 

He was a good driver and we went back and forth a few times but I couldn’t manage to stay ahead of him for very long.  At one point, a silver M3 driven by another Kiwi - Noel Sutherland - spun in the high speed left hand sweeper at the end of the straight which sent me, Roger and a Vauxhall flying off the track to avoid contact.  Noel’s car:

We were still going fast so everything happened quickly.  I shot right and ran down the grass between the track (and Noel’s spinning M3) and one of those rock hard tire walls for about 100 meters trying not to make one wrong move.  I was then able to get back on the track right behind my friend Roger.  It was one of those moments that etches itself in your mind. 

We had one more lap to the finish where I gave it a go at the last corner to try and catch Roger, but just couldn’t find the speed to get by.  I let out a breath after the checkered since it was such an intense race (yeah, I have it on video), slowed the car for the first corner, looked in my mirror, and before I could say “Oh Sh…”, that “vintage” ‘97 Renault I mentioned earlier came screaming through the finish without slowing down - who knows what he was thinking - and about 50 meters away - instead of maneuvering around us he slams on the brakes - and hits me.  I go spinning into the infield in total disbelief at what had just happened.  After the checkered!  Slams on his brakes!  What a moron!!!  I have to admit I got pretty hot about it, but the officials calmed me down, threw the remains of my fiberglass flare into my car and sent me back to the pits.  Here’s Pete afterwards:

My souvenirs:

I spent some time with the “CRO” (Chief Racing Officer) who had seen the incident.  I asked him if the driver would be sent home, but he was unsure…  Later, there was a determination that yes, this guy was at fault, and he was fined $100.  …yep - that’s how they do it in NZ.  I get stuck with a really large repair bill and this yahoo gets slapped on the wrist with a $100 fine.  …however, being one to always look on the bright side, Pete was still driveable.  I got my act together and went out for my third race of the day sans flare and had some fun.  I figured - what else can happen? 

Later on, we attended a really packed house in a large tent at the track.  The Kiwi’s know how to party and not wanting to offend our guests, we did the same.  It’s been a long time since Suzanne has insisted on dancing - but dance she did!  We quickly forgot about the “incident” and had yet another fantastic evening in NZ.  Fellow vintage racer Tim Osborne, wife Carol Tranfaglia, Suzanne and I whooping it up: 

 The following Sunday we woke up to rain and I was pretty happy about it.  How else was I going to compete against cars with twice or triple my horsepower?  I threw the rain tires on and went out and put down the fourth fastest time in the group.  This was a lot of fun with cars that were sideways half the time and since the track was slick, their horsepower was a hindrance rather than helpful.  I really enjoyed this race and my trusty Toyo Proxes came through with predictable performance and decent grip.  I was dueling mainly with Noel Sutherland in the silver M3 that had spun in my race the day before.  I was able to get by him after he faltered on the exit of the last corner - he tried an unsuccesful inside late braking move that had us side-by-side through the chicane after the start/finish - another intense, but fun battle with a decent driver that gave me room.

The rain quit and the skies cleared by lunchtime.  The Can Am boys put on a show right after lunch and then the 356’s in our group went out next after putting back on their dry tires.  I got to watch this race and the intense battle Jim Loveall was having with this 911:

During the last lap, Jim appeared after the twisty bits down the final straight billowing some blue smoke (ahead of the 911) and it was apparent he had body damage that was rubbing against his tire.  I ran down to the pits and sure enough, yet another one of our cars suffered some damage on the track:

What a shame…  Jim was pretty disappointed in not only getting hit from behind but the comments made by the other driver afterwards about how Jim had turned into him.  Fortunately Greg Campbell had everything on video and it clearly showed that the 911 had plenty of room but had actually moved towards Jim’s car… 

This incident led to another conversation with the CRO who to his credit was trying to understand why we were so upset.  …after all, this is racing…  We explained how vintage racing in the States is a “no contact” sport.  This rule is supported by a very rigorous system of checks and balances - and consequences - that makes sure all drivers understand on-track conduct and eliminates those drivers who “don’t get it”.  This is our system.  In NZ, they have different rules - right, wrong or indifferent - it’s a different program.  Under our rules, an incident such as this one with Jim would result in the other driver being sent home on the trailer.  Here it is called a “racing incident” (unless you want to go through a long protesting process). 

We are their guests and racing in their country, so we have no right to complain about the way they do things.  …however, we are in hopes that at least for these few vintage/classic events, the various committees and racing organizations in NZ might rethink their system.  If they want drivers from other countries to spend the money on bringing their rare and beautiful vintage cars to these events,  a ”no contact” rule needs to be in place - and enforced.  I think had some of us better understood the style of driving for these events, we would have either skipped the trip or brought “lesser” cars. 

Regardless of the above, I am having a great adventure, meeting lots of friendly people, staying in some amazing places, breathing clean air and racing against cars that I may never have an opportunity to see again.  Where else can you race against something like this:

A Renault Dauphine with a Ford engine in the “backseat” open up that rear door and you have access to the engine.  A true oddity.

My last race of the day was spent mostly behind this car:

The driver Michael Eden campaigns this Vauxhall GT with his wife (she was driving the same car in the “small saloon” class).  It is powered by a 2.3 liter engine and is smoking fast.  Michael was a great driver and even on tires that gave up on him half way through the race, he “tank slapped” his way through the corners and stayed ahead to the finish.  I have promised him a copy of my in-car video that should be very entertaining. 

So what about Pete?  Tony worked his magic and was able to find a “panel beater” that would take on the repair project on such short notice.  They promised to repair the fiberglass flare, pull out the dents and have everything back together (excepting the paint) in just 3 days!  This is where Pete will be through Wednesday night while we are wine tasting in Central Otago:

Until the final race at Teratonga raceways in Invercargill, we are staying at the Mt. Rosa lodge in Central Otago.  This is one of the nicest views I have ever seen from a B & B:

 

Panning left:

Our hosts Maureen and Brian Dennis are fantastic.  They have put together some private tastings for us at wineries in this region that are not normally open.  For our first night, they invited over Alan Brady who was the pioneer in this region for Pinot Noir.  He was the first to plant grapes here 25 years ago (even though everyone told him it would not work due to the terrain and weather).  As it turned out the Pinot Noir grapes thrived (like they do in Oregon).  Today, Central Otago is recognized worldwide as producing some of the best Pinots in the world.  Maureen and Brian made a great dinner and supplied some local wines and Alan regaled us with tales of the area and the “early days”. 

Tim & Carol joined us for our Central Otago “Pinot Day” on Tuesday and we started things off at “The Big Picture”:

The Big Picture is a cafe, wine merchant along with a sort of movie theater.  The experience begins with a visit to the “Aroma room” where you can sample close to a hundred different aromas such as “rose petals”, “apricot”, “french oak”, “musk”, etc. etc. which is actually a great way to refine your sense of what you are getting in the nose of the wine you are tasting.  Next up is a 25 minute “move” where you can taste 6 wines along with the winemakers who give you their impressions of the wine.  It’s worth the $20 admission price and even though Suzanne and I had done this before, we had just as much fun the second time around.

From there we headed to Kawarau Winery to taste some wines with manager Jonathan Holdsworth.  We really liked their wines during our last visit, and their new ‘06 Pinot is even better.  Next up was a private tasting with partners Dennie and Jane at Desert Heart winery.  They were incredibly generous with both their time and wine and their vineyard location along with the wool shed building that was converted to accomodate their business  was unique and historical.  They have a great respect for the land, the history and are doing everything organically.  Our Kodak moment:

 

We walked away with a case of their ‘06 Pinot Noir that we will be putting inside the race car for the journey back to Seattle.  Great stuff!

We rushed back to Mt. Rosa Lodge for a quick change and caught up with Alan Brady again at Mt. Edward winery - a brand new facility that was just completed.  Alan is in “semi-retirement mode” but is still making some of the finest Pinot Noir on the planet.  If you can find his ‘06 Pinot Noir, you will be in for a treat.  Alan along with his mascot:

Finally to cap off an incredible day, we headed to Amisfield Winery for a “chef’s choice” meal.  The weather, food, wine and company were all excellent:

Since we were so close to Queenstown, we decided to spend some time there.  A friend in the States had suggested we pay a visit to “Minus 5″ - sort of a frozen bar.  …this is my second visit to Queenstown and I have to say I’m not too fond of the place…  The town is about as far from what I love about New Zealand as it gets.  Set up for tourists, it is a gateway to many of the “adventure stuff” like bungee jumping, jet boat rides, etc. etc.  The city center is a collection of activity brokers, camera stores and restaurants.   It is overbuilt and difficult to get in and out of due to traffic.  I’ll skip it from here on out.

We met up with Tim & Carol at Minus 5 after an unsuccessful visit to the casino right upstairs.  This is a 30 minute “activity” complete with two drinks of your choice and your own personal bartender in a -7 C “freezer” with ice sculptures and a really sticky floor (apparently it’s tough to clean).  We sucked down a few drinks and had our 30 minutes of frozen fun:

Thanks to Joe Gordan for his suggestion!

The next day we said goodbye to our hosts at the Mt. Rosa Lodge (one of our favorite B & B’s of the trip) and headed for Invercargill for our final race weekend - the “Teretonga Speed Fest”.  Invercargill is as far South as you can go before you hit Antartica.  The weather can be tricky, but it was cooperating Thursday afternoon for our first “test & tune” time on the track.  The entry to the motorpark:

Pete’s fender was about half finished with the fiberglass flare repaired and some rough body work done and primed in silver.  It looked great from about 50′ away - but I couldn’t complain based on the time the shop had to do the work (and on such short notice).   Back in the states, I will just need to do some final sanding/filling and then get it sprayed to match.

Teretonga was a fun track and a lot faster than Levels or Ruapuna.  …however, it is a “horsepower” track so my underpowered car would be challenged here vesus the other two tracks.  Regardless, it was a blast and I had two long sessions with just myself and one other car on the circuit before we discovered a problem with the alternator that shut me down for the day.  The alternator turned out to be toast, so I would have to rely on battery power all weekend…  This turned out to be sort of a hassle as the battery is very small and would only get me through a short race with a full charge.

Friday we had some more test & tune time in the afternoon but by now many of the participants had arrived, so we were out with a lot more cars.  The track wasn’t difficult to learn, but had some tricky corners that could make or break a “momentum car” like mine.  I saw a few familiar cars and faces from the past two events but there were also a lot of new cars along with “club cars” that would be running that weekend (newer cars that all seemed to have wings).

Things are pretty relaxed at Teretonga, so Saturday, we didn’t get to qualify until things got started at 10 AM.  I was one of the first groups to go out (classic saloons) but not before several meetings - the new drivers meeting, the regular drivers meeting, another classic saloon meeting (where we learned that they would be splitting the group up into two), etc.  I was disappointed to find out that once again, the three Porsche 356’s in our group would be in a different class of cars and I would be grouped with the mustangs, corvettes, M3’s and other big engine beasts…  This turned out to be one of my biggest gripes about NZ racing - how they group cars.  They don’t use engine displacement but rather what seemed to be the “shape” of the car to determine grouping.  On the flip side, there were a few Cortina’s, Anglia’s and Vauxhall’s that I could “play with” in the back of the pack.  …but it would have been fun to have raced with the Porsche 356’s since our times were relatively close…  

Saturday was the day that the “NZ curse” came to closure.  The only two cars out of the 6 that came down here in two containers that were relatively “unscathed” were Ian Wood’s Can Am car and Greg Campbell’s 356.  The first tough break of the day was a broken stub axle on Ian’s car.   He was motoring along and all of a sudden saw his rear wheel flew by!  He was able to get the car safely off to the side of the track, but had to be brought back on the “crane truck” (remember my car at Ruapuna?).  Some photos:

For the size of this car, I was surprised at how small the spindle was and suspect this will be a weak link on this car unless Ian can come up with a “beefier” design.  In typical fashion, Ian took it with aplomb and managed to come up with another one of his infamous songs -  this one to the Kenny Rogers Lucille song, with the slight improvisation: “You picked a fine time to leave me Loose Wheel”.  Funny guy.

…that left Greg Campbell…  None of us wished any ill will on Greg, but Jim Loveall and I were giving Greg a hard time that he was the only driver/car that hadn’t had too many problems during the trip.  we suggested it was his turn, and sure enough, the next race he spun (uncharacteristic for Greg) while dicing with an MGB and as he ran off the track his rear windscreen flew off and headed towards Mark Powell who was behind him.  Mark ducked to avoid the flying plastic saucer and Greg soldiered on.  Photo after he got back to the pits:

About 5 minutes later, there was a general announcement:  “will the driver that lost his windscreen please report to the pit office to retrieve it”.   Greg after picking up his souvenir:

Sunday morning we woke up to howling winds even though the prediction had been for a fair day.  When we got to the track, our cars had been moved and there was an empty field where the large Leitch Motorsport tent had been.  …apparently it had blown down in the wind right before we arrived.  We moved our “circus” to the scrutineering shed nearby and carried on.  Later the rains started and I actually had to put on my rain tires for the first time during the trip.   

One of the cars that I had fun dueling with during the weekend was a 1970 Lotus Cortina driven by a father/son duo.  They were great folks and our cars were fairly evenly matched.  One of our races on Saturday came down the a half car length at the finish.  The car:

We wrapped up the day early (I only got two races Sunday) and packed everything up that was going back in the car to prepare for the journey back to the Port of Seattle.  …the Festival of Speed was over…  We are now anxious to get back to Hawaii for a few weeks and then back to Whidbey Island after having been gone  for so long.  We are crossing our fingers that all will go well with US customs and we can get the car down to Laguna Seca the second week of April for an SCCA event (I love that track!). 

After my last race, Suzanne and I drove a short distance down the road to Oreti Beach - a 26 K long beach famous as the place where Burt Munro tested and raced his modified Indian motorcycles.  It’s hard to believe he got his “old school” bikes up to 136 MPH on this beach…  It was still really windy:

I’m not sure how this happened, but this guy definately did not follow in Burt’s footsteps:

Suzanne and I made a visit to E Hayes & Son - Hammer Hardware store - the next day after saying goodbye to our excellent hosts at “Beersheba B&B” - and to friends Tim & Carol.  It is a very cool hardware store complete with replica’s and original Burt Munro Indian motorcycles.  We also found the little “Knights of NZ” factory outlet and bought both of ourselves some very warm coats at really reasonable prices.

We flew back to Christchurch and checked into our favorite B&B - Clearview Lodge - and took hosts Sue & Robin Clements to a fantastic dinner at Hays Restaurant.  The next morning we were up before the light to catch a flight to Honolulu via Auckland.  We are now back at the “Love Shack” catching back up to reality and transitioning into some “Aloha time”.  …then back to Whidbey Island where two months worth of mail and countless projects await our return… 

We are already talking about our next trip to New Zealand.  Possibly for the Targa New Zealand tarmac rally event in 2010 (assuming Targa Newfoundland goes well next year).  …stay tuned…