JAGUAR: A RACING HISTORY IN NEW ZEALAND. PART 11A 1966
1966 – The Mk2, E-Type, ‘Bag-Jag’, Humber-Jag, Tojeiro Jag
Pukekohe 8 Jan 66– At the 1966 NZIGP meeting held at Pukekohe on 8 Jan 66, Event 3 was a 6-lap ‘Saloon Car Scratch Race’ for over 1300cc cars and Ray Olenius entered his Jaguar 3.4. The race was won by Ron McDonald in the ex-Fahey Lotus-Cortina, from Ross Douglas in his Morris-Cooper S 1293cc, and Terry Scott in his Cooper S – but the pace was too willing for a big and heavy Jaguar 3.4.
Event 4 was the ‘Ken Wharton Memorial Sports Car’ race over 6 laps and included entrants G.F. (Gary) Bremer his #26 Jaguar E-Type 3.8, and Brian Watson his #58 Bagnall Jaguar 3.4. Australian Spencer Martin won the race in the Scuderia Veloce #11 Ferrari 250LM 2953cc, from Jim Boyd’s #22 Lycoming Special 5520cc, Ian Horley in the #33 Beowulf Ford 1498cc, and Ian Green in the ex-Len Gilbert #30 Cooper T23 Bristol Mk2 sports 2000cc. As there was no mention of this race meeting in Brian Watson’s book ‘Racing Jaguars in NZ’, page 247, it may be assumed the Bagnall Jaguar did not appear – indeed Watson reported that in January 1966 he modified the Bagnall by cutting 12 inches out of the chassis in time for his first 1966 event on 26 Mar 66.
Jaguar XKE (E-Type) Fixed Head Coupe, and Open 2 seater
In Production – Series 1 3.8 Fixed Head & Open 1961-1964
Series I 4.2 Fixed Head & Open 1964 -1968, 2+2 1966-68
Series II 4.2 Fixed Head, Open & 2 + 2 1968-1970
Series III 5.3 V12 Open 1971-1975 & 2 + 2 1971-1973
Quantity Made – Series 1 3.8 Fixed Head 1798 rhd, 5871 lhd; Open 942 rhd, 6885 lhd
Series I 4.2 Fixed 7770, Open 9550, 2+2 Fixed 5600
Series II 4.2 Fixed 4860, Open 8630, 2+2 Fixed 5330
Series III 5.3 V12 Open 7990, 2 + 2 7300
Photo – Jim Barclay 2021 Brit & Euro Car show
Event 7 was the ‘Auckland Star Allcomers Open Saloon Car Scratch’ race over 10 laps and Jaguar entries were Gary Bremner #126 Jaguar E-Type 4.2, and Frank Radisich in his #127 Humber 80-Jaguar 3.8. Australian Ian Geoghegan won the race in his #100 Mustang, from Paul Fahey’s #117 Lotus-Anglia, and Rod Coppins #141 Zephyr Mk2 Corvette.
Event 9 was the ‘All-Comers Saloon Car Handicap’ over 6 laps and once again, Gary Bremner entered his #126 Jaguar E-Type 4.2, as did Frank Radisich his #127 Humber 80-Jaguar. The race was won by Rod Coppins in the #141 Zephyr Mk2-Corvette, in a time of 11min 55sec, from Ron Brown’s #87 Mini-Cooper 1293Scc, Neil Doyle’s #132 Anglia-Corvette, and Angus Hyslop’s #60 Austin-Cooper S 1293cc.
Graham Hill in his ‘works’ #2 BRM P61 1930cc V8 won the 1966 NZIGP, from Jackie Stewart in his ‘works’ #6 BRM P61, with Jim Palmer 3rd in his ex-Jim Clark #41 Lotus 32B Climax 2495cc.
Levin 15 Jan 66 – There were two Jaguar-powered entries for the 1966 Gold Leaf International meeting held at Levin on 15 Jan 66. Brian Watson’s #58 Bagnall Jaguar sports was one, and Frank Radisich in his #92 Humber Jaguar ’Allcomer’ saloon the second Jaguar-powered entry. Once again, there was no mention of the race meeting in Brian Watson’s book, page 247, so it is assumed he did not arrive at Levin. Frank Radisich was 3rd in Race 20 for Allcomers Saloons over 6 laps, behind Ron MacDonald’s ex-Fahey #88 Lotus-Cortina Mk1, and Rod Coppins’ #141 Zephyr Mk2 Corvette.
Englishman Richard Attwood won the Levin International race in a ‘works’ #2 BRM P61 V8 1930cc, from Scotsman Jim Clark in a ‘works’ #1 Lotus 39 Climax 2495cc, and Australian Spencer Martin in a Scuderia Veloce #11 Brabham BT11 Climax 2495cc.
Wigram 22 Jan 66 – Event 4 on the 1966 Wigram programme on 22 Jan 66 was the ‘MRC Championship’ race over 11 laps. There were 32 entries comprising a wide variety of cars. The Wigram book, at page 72, reported: “…early leader Barry Porter (Lotus 15) was passed on lap two by Geoff Mardon (Stanton Corvette) who had National Sports Car Champion, Jim Boyd (Lycoming) following close behind. On lap seven Boyd took over the lead and Porter dropped back to third position behind Mardon, however, a spin as he entered the loop on lap nine dropped Porter another place to fourth, behind Brent Hawes [#94 Tojeiro Jaguar]. Mardon unfortunately ran out of gas on the final lap and although he pushed the Corvette over the line he lost a hard earned second place. Final results were Jim Boyd #22 Lycoming 1st, Brent Hawes #94 Tojeiro Jaguar 2nd, Barry Porter #74 Lotus 15 Climax 3rd, and, Dave Silcock 4th in his #37 Jaguar XK120.
After Event 8, the 44 lap Lady Wigram Trophy Race won by Jackie Stewart from Richard Attwood in their ‘works’ BRM P61s, with Jim Palmer’s Lotus 32B in 3rd place, came Event 10 ‘The Gold Leaf Allcomers’ Saloon Car race final over 7 laps. There were 39 entries including the late entry by Brent Hawes in the #94 Tojeiro Jaguar fitted with a gypsy-like temporary roof in order to qualify the car as a ‘saloon’. The official programme stated only 30 cars were permitted to start the race. Results showed Spencer Martin won in the Ferrari 250LM ‘saloon’ (!), with Dave Simpson 2nd in his Lotus Anglia, and Rod Coppins 3rd in the Zephyr Mk2-Corvette, although another unofficial source put Brent Hawes in 3rd place.
Teretonga 29 Jan 66 – Motorman magazine of August 1966 includes a brief report, including results, from Teretonga on 29 Jan 66. In Event 3, the 8 lap Racing and Sports Car race, #22 Jim Boyd in his polished alloy Lycoming Special was 1st in a time 10m 4.2s, from Geoff Mardon in the red Stanton Corvette (10m 10.8s), and #37 Dave Silcock was 3rd in his green Jaguar XK120 (10m 54.8s), with G. Smith’s blue and black Healey Corvette in 4th. Brent Hawes in his #94 Tojeiro Jaguar was entered in this race.
In Event 6, the 8 lap Allcomer Saloon race, #16 David Simpson in his Lotus Anglia was 1st in a time of 9m 35.8s, from Paul Fahey in his #54 Lotus Anglia (10m 8.5s), and Lin Neilson was 3rd in his #18 Zephyr-Corvette (10m 24.2s), with Frank Radisich 4th in his #68 Humber 80 Jaguar (10m 26.2s).
In Event 7, the 10 lap D.R. Filter Trophy race, Spencer Martin won in the #10 Ferrari 250LM in a time of 11m 44.4s, from #22 Jim Boyd (12m 6.5s), #53 Geoff Mardon (12m 24.2s) and #23 Peter Ackeroyd in his Heron sports (12m 55s) – if they raced, neither Hawes in the Tojeiro, nor Silcock in his XK120, were placed.
In Event 9, the Racing and Sports Car race over 6 laps, Geoff Mardon won in 7m 9.6s, from Jim Boyd in 7m 13.2, and Tojeiro Jaguar driver Brent Hawes was 3rd in 7m 29.4s. Dave Silcock in his#37 XK120 was not in the results.
The Teretonga International was won by Jackie Stewart in a BRM P61, from Frank Gardner (Brabham BT11 Climax), and Jim Palmer was 3rd in his Lotus 32B Climax.
Waimate 5 Feb 66 – The final Waimate 50 event was held on 5 Feb 66. Jim Boyd’s #22 Lycoming Special took 1st place in a time of 12min 15.4sec in the 10 lap Sports Car race. In 2nd place was Brent Hawes in his #94 Tojeiro Jaguar 3442cc, some 40 seconds behind on 12min 55secs. Boyd’s fastest lap was in 1min 12sec, compared to Hawes on 1min 15sec. In 3rd place was #21 Graham Smith in his Austin Healey-Corvette, #6 Phil Ackeroyd was 4th in his Heron 1475cc Sports, and Dave Silcock was 5th in his #1 Jaguar XK120 3781cc with a fastest lap time of 1min 18sec.
Brent Hawes in the #94 Tojeiro Jaguar was also 2nd in the ‘NZ Specials and Racing Car’ race to Graham Smith’s Healey-Corvette 4635cc, and ahead of #20 Dave Bruton in a Begg-Humber 1600cc who was 3rd. Dave Silcock in his XK120 retired from the race.
Ruapuna Park Feb 66 – At the Canterbury Car Club’s meeting at Ruapuna Park, Christchurch, in Feb 66, G. Smith won the Sports car race in his Healey Corvette, from J. Slater in a Jaguar E-Type. In the Racing Car scratch race, Alan Rhodes won in his Lotus 18 Ford 1.5, from Peter Gilliam in his Cooper T65 Ford, and Brent Hawes was 3rd in the Tojeiro Jaguar.
Levin 12 Mar 66 – Brian Watson entered his #58 Bagnall Jaguar sports racing car in the Gold Leaf National at Levin on 12 Mar 66, but as he did not mention the meeting in his book, it is assumed he did not arrive; indeed his book notes his first event after ‘shortening’ the Bagnall Jaguar was not until 26 Mar 66.
Port Road, Seaview 26 Mar 66 – in his book, at page 247, Brian Watson wrote that his first event after ‘shortening’ the Bagnall Jaguar was a 1/8th mile sprint at Port Road, Seaview, Petone, on 26 Mar 66. He wrote that on his first run he broke another right rear De-Dion hub axle; a newspaper report said the Bagnall Jaguar came grinding to a halt only a few yards from the start with one of its back wheels further down the road. Brian said he fitted a spare he always had with him and continued racing. He finished 8th overall, and 4th in the over 1500cc Sports car class.
Ruapuna Park 17 Apr 66 – Motorman magazine of August 1966 reported that Jaguars took the first four places in the Rothmans-sponsored 30-minute production saloon car race at Ruapuna on 17 Apr 66. A race long tussle between Ray Archibald and Ernie Sprague was resolved on the 26th lap when ‘the wily Archibald’ slipped ahead and stayed there. After the first lap the order was Sprague, Archibald, Ian Dow and Giff Tait, all of whom drove Jaguar Mk2 3.8s. Overall race results were Archibald 1st, from Sprague, Dow and Tait – and the results were the same in the over 3000cc class.
Pukekohe 14 May 66 – Tim Boyle raced the ex-Radisich Humber Jaguar at Pukekohe on 23 Apr 66, and again on 14 May 66. In May, at a combined Club meeting, Tim Boyle twice finished 2nd to former Humber Jaguar owner, Frank Radisich in his #36 Lotus Anglia.
Wairarapa Sprint 21 May 66 – the Wairarapa Car Club held a sprint on 21 May 66 that included times for a standing quarter, and the flying quarter mile outright speed. The equal fastest flying quarter mile speed of 133.2mph was shared by Peter Lawson in his Jaguar E-Type 3.8, and Mrs P. McLeod in a 7-litre Pontiac. Lawson made the fastest standing quarter time in 14.76 sec in his E-Type. In the ‘Saloons over 1600cc’ class, Mrs P. McLeod in the Pontiac set a time of 15.53sec and a fastest speed of 133.2mph, and her husband Alister McLeod in the same Pontiac set 14.74sec and 133.1mph. In 3rd place was C. Sutherland in his Jaguar Mk2 3.8 setting times of 16.24sec and 122mph. In the ‘Sports car class over 1500cc’, Peter Lawson in his E-Type set 14.76sec and 133.2 mph, with D. L. Rowse in 2nd place in his E-Type on 15.22sec and 130.7mph.
Ruapuna Park 22 May 66 – In the feature 15-lap Sports car race held at Ruapuna on 22 May 66, Brent Hawes in the Tojeiro Jaguar finished 3rd overall to Geoff Mardon Stanton Corvette and Robert Stewart in his Robat Mantis. In the over 3000cc class of that race, Mardon was 1st from Hawes, with G. Smith 3rd in his Healey Corvette.
Palmer Head 11 Jun 66 – At the Wellington Car Club’s Palmer Head hillclimb on 11 Jun 66, Brian Watson in the Bagnall Jaguar was 3rd in the ‘Sports car class’ with a time of 44.92s – in 1st place was B. Jones in his Cougar on 43.48s, and 2nd was P. Ransom in his Lancer, also on 43.48s. Outright winner was Neil Whittaker in the ex-Tony Shelly Cooper T45 Climax 1960cc on 39.22s
Ruapuna Park 19 Jun 66 – In a Saloon car scratch race at Ruapuna on 19 Jun 66, Ernie Sprague in his Jaguar Mk2 3.8 was 3rd to John Miller in his Cortina Corvette, and Carlos Neate in his Prince GT.
1965/66 Summer Season Championship Results – Brent Hawes in the Tojeiro Jaguar was second in the 1965/66 NZRDC Sports Car Championship, to Jim Boyd in the Lycoming Special. Boyd won all 7 races from 7 starts to finish on 70 points, while Hawes had 21 points from three second placings at Renwick, Wigram and Waimate. Although Australian, Spencer Martin, in the Scuderia Veloce Ferrari 250LM, won some of the sports car races associated with the international season in New Zealand, he was ineligible for the Championship. On 12 points, Dave Silcock was 4th in the Championship driving his Jaguar XK120.
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