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Not giving up P3
Donn “Hopper” McLaren with his Ford/Mazda Escort that he is taking north for the Leadfoot Festival. PHOTO JAIME PITT-MACKAY 290119-JPM-0010
Hopper to tackle the Leadfoot BY JAIME PITT-MACKAY JAIME.P@THEGUARDIAN.CO.NZ
Pairs champs found
P24
One of the most successful club sport cars is set to tackle one of New Zealand’s most exclusive hill climb events, with its Ashburton owner and driver in the hot seat. Donn “Hopper” McLaren and his 1970 Ford/Mazda Escort are set to tackle the Leadfoot Festival this weekend in the Coromandel Peninsula. Property owner Rod Millen opens his 150-acre ocean-fronting estate each
year to host more than 150 champion and competitive race participants. There is a mile-long driveway, perfectly designed for a hill climb event, which is what McLaren is targeting after having his application accepted. “You have to write to Rod Millen and describe yourself and your car in less than 100 words and they decide from there if you will be accepted or not,” he said. The decision to have a crack at the event came about when sharing a drink
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with Spraymarks owner Darcy Prendergast, who said if McLaren was able to bring his car back into shape, he would pay for him to go to Leadfoot. “She was in a pretty rough condition,” McLaren said. “A lot of people had said she was gone for all money.”
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