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Tuesday February 24 2015 [EDITION DATE]
SELWYN TIMES
CANTERBURY
VINTAGE SPEEDWAY Wilson Print Day in the Dirt When you think of speedway these days, it’s often big wings, shrill V8s and big fat tyres!
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ut that’s not how it’s always been as you will see when visiting the Ellesmere Speedway on March 22 for the Canterbury Vintage Speedway’s Fifth Annual Day in the Dirt. In the good old days, things were so much simpler. Cars looked like cars; three-quarter midgets (TQs) were originally restricted to
500cc motorcycle engines. Midgets had an engine you may have had under the family sedan’s bonnet, such as a six-pack Holden or Zephyr; neither had roll cages and the stock cars of the day were basically a 30s or 40s V8 coupe or four-door with the mudguards off. Year 2015 sees all the favourites from previous events and more, including Joe
Gillman who will run his vintage 1935 Ford coupe that has been in beach racing, hill climbs and race meetings since the 60s. It’s fresh from the Leadfoot Festival along with the vintage V8 single-seat racer of Peter Leversedge. The 1930s Alfa Romeo styled roadster of track ace Avon Hyde returns to prove there is a substitute for cubic capacity. Powered by a supercharged 950cc Morris Minor engine and only on motorcycle tyres, it is quick! The stock car ranks are bolstered by a 429 cubic inch Ford V8 powered 1935 Ford vintage stockcar built by Woodford Glen stalwart, Chris Leigh. The midget ranks will see Mike Parker’s ‘new’ old school VW powered car, the VW LTC car of Murray Smith driven by retired midget star Selwyn Everett, plus a good field of others. Another match-up is an ‘old school challenge’. The Ford side valve V8 powered ‘Freddy Flintstone’ car of Don and Colin Cameron will be up against the GMC six-cylinder powered “Junior Jimmy” of Greg Lewis, who is racing against time to get the old hill climb and drag race car up and running. Classic rally cars turned up for the first time in 2014 and they are promising to be back in force. The retro Vespas kept the flat track motorcycles honest in 2014, running hard through the corners to make up the ground lost on the straights to the big bikes. This year, they are looking for outright
SUNDAY 22nd MARCH 2015 GATES OPEN AT 9am The Dirt Starts Flying at 11am Rain Date: Sunday 29th March 2015. Cancellations on MoreFM
ADMISSION - ADULTS $10 UNDER 14 (ACCOMPANIED BY PARENT) OR OVER 75 - FREE
341c Flaxton Rd, Rangiora 03 313 7208 andrea@wilsonprint.co.nz Hosted by Canterbury Vintage Speedway Enthusiasts Club Inc www.freewebs.com/cantyvintagespeedway
honours. Also back are the Rat Rod boys. Regular favourites Angus McKay and Justin Orpwood will really stand on the gas in their great sounding V8 powered machines, and, there are a few more sneaking up in performance to knock them off. Another to watch out for in the muscle car ranks is the 1958 Chev Belair Moonshine Runner of Phil Henry, always sideways and spectacular. The Ford Zephyr 6 engine powered No. 22 midget, originally built and raced by Royce Clive at Templeton Speedway, (now Ruapuna) in 1969 to 1970 will be on display in the marquee. Royce’s grandson has just won the NZ TQ championship held in Greymouth earlier this month; racing is in the family DNA! The marquee will also be home to a few other vehicles and a historic photo display by CVSEC historian Alan Davies. Alan is always on the lookout for old photos and stories, please drop by the tent for a chat. There’s a friendly and casual atmosphere to the unique Wilson Print Day in the Dirt. No placings are taken and no prizes awarded; that is, except for bragging rights. The pits are open all day, making for a great opportunity to see the cars, bikes and some of the stars of the past up close. We’ll see you and the family on March 22 at Ellesmere Speedway, Leeston. Gates open at 9am for competitor sign in; the dirt starts flying from 11am. The rain off date is March 29 with cancelations on More FM. If you’d like to run a vehicle or for more information, contact Andrew Stevens on 027 451 4375 or Greg Lewis on 0275 368 960. Visit www.freewebs. com/cantyvintagespeedway.
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