The wonderful sight and sound of the cars competing in the SAS Autoparts New Zealand Formula 5000 Revival Series will again highlight the collection of single seaters on display and racing at the Skope Classic in Christchurch this weekend.
The Formula 5000 category sits nicely into the theme of classic cars. At a time where the “sound of silence” is being widely encouraged, it generally accepted that much of the attraction of these cars is the wonderful sound of the V8 engine.
Likely front runners include Christchurch based Michael and Anna Collins who will both drive McRae GM1s, along with a former national Formula Ford champion Kevin Ingram.
If it is not a Formula 5000 and it is a single seater or an open top sports car then welcome to the Formula Libre and the relatively new Formula Open class here at Skope. These grids consist of cars from various formulas and periods that have been in vogue both internationally and locally at times.
The TRS cars (Toyota Racing Series) became our latest and current premier single seater category some eighteen years ago and is the country’s longest standing formula of its kind (aside of Formula Ford). It is therefore appropriate that earlier models have now found a way to classic meetings via the Formula Open class.
Overseas drivers who have arrived at Formula 1 following victories in New Zealand include Lando Norris and Lance Stroll. It is worth noting that in the second year (2006), local driver Matthew Hamilton won the Lady Wigram Trophy race here at Ruapuna driving a TRS FT40. Other locals of note from the category are Liam Lawson, Brendon Hartley and Mitch Evans.
The meeting will feature eight of these cars, along with a number of Formula Atlantic cars. These nimble 1600cc powered cars were our national formula from 1976 to 1993. Among the notable overseas contestants in this era was 1982 world champion Keke Rosberg and Indy 500 winner Danny Sullivan.
Entered in the open category is former local Formula Ford competitor Steve Edwards who will run a 2 litre Formula Renault. Formula Libre entries include Grant Clearwater from the far north with a beautiful 1965 1600cc Brabham BT16.
Other drivers who had an association the BT 16 included Ken Sager who imported the first one into the country and with David Oxton who was second in the 1969 National Formula championship in. Despite having engine issues he had a win at Timaru and seconds at Wigram, Pukekohe and Levin (twice).
One driver who competed in the latter years of Formula Atlantic was Aucklander Grant Campell. Grant has in the interim been a longstanding Formula Ford competitor in the South Island and now returns with the Swift FB4 that he won the 1989 New Zealand championship in.
The oldest car in the Formula Libre field is Keith Cowan’s 1970 Johnston Formula Ford followed by Hayden Cox with his 1971 MK8 Elden. Aucklander Noel Woodford has bought his 1973 Dulon MP15.
This is an English built car by a manufacturer that also produced a wings and slicks 2 litre Formula Ford. New Zealand’s most noted car racing manufacturer, Begg, will be represented by Carl Rabbidge, who will drive the 1973 Begg Formula Ford.
The sports car ranks will feature an assortment of Lotus 7’s and Mallochs. It also includes a New Zealand built SID (“Still in debt” or “something I did !), cars that were designed and successfully raced by Rotorua’s Jamie Aislabie in the SCANZ 2 litre championship. Also of local construction is regular John Mines with his JRM, a car he built in 1967, while Royce Bayer will drive the stylish 1976 built 1600 Donavan Typhoon.
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