JAGUAR: A RACING HISTORY IN NEW ZEALAND. PART 8 1961-1962
1961 – The Tojeiro Jaguar, Jaguar C and D-Types, Maserati 6CM Jaguar, the Bagnall Jaguar, and a Jaguar Mk2 3.8 wins the National Saloon Car Title
Ardmore 7 Jan 61 – The 1961 NZIGP meeting was held at Ardmore on 7 Jan 61. Having recently purchased the car from Arthur Moffatt, Bill Gardiner of RNZAF Wigram in his Tojeiro Jaguar was one of 37 cars listed as entries in the 1961 NZIGP race, only 24 of which would qualify. Bill’s best practice time was 1m 39.4s, which was some 3 seconds too slow to be included in Heat 1 for the GP – won by Stirling Moss in a Lotus 18-Climax 2495cc, from Bruce McLaren in a Cooper T53-Climax 2495cc, and Graham Hill in a BRM P48 2491cc.
Bill Gardiner raced his Tojeiro Jaguar in Event 5, the ‘Ardmore Sports Car Trophy Race’ over 12 laps, with a Le Mans start, where he qualified 7th of 16 cars on the start grid. Malcom Gill won the race in his #15 Lycoming Special with a race time of 19m 25.1s, Angus Hyslop was 2nd in his Jaguar D-Type in 19m 38.5, and Bill Gardiner was 3rd in the Tojeiro Jaguar on 20m 9.7s. Not a close race, then!
Event 8 at Ardmore was the ‘Ultimate Ecko Race Car Feature’, held over 12 laps from a handicap start. The official programme showed four Jaguar, or Jaguar-powered, cars entered as follows:- Bill Gardiner #39 Tojeiro Jaguar 3.8, Angus Hyslop #100 Jaguar D-Type 3.8, Ivan Cranch #114 Maserati 6CM Jaguar 3442cc, and David Young #131 Jaguar C-Type 3442cc. Hyslop did not start Event 8 in the D-Type as he had already qualified his Cooper T45-Climax for the Grand Prix, and Ivan Cranch was not listed in the results sheet as even starting the race. So that left two Jaguars in the race, with David Young starting 2m 10s behind the first cars, and Bill Gardiner was further back on a 2m 21s handicap. Howden Ganley won the race in his #109 Lotus 11-Climax 1098cc, from Bill Gardiner in the Tojeiro Jaguar in 2nd place, with Alywn Marshall’s #102 Buckler Ford 1172cc in 3rd, #112 Bob Blackburn’s Lotus 7 in 4th, and David Young’s Jaguar C-Type in 5th.
Event 9 was the 8-lap Saloon Car Handicap race for over 1500cc cars. Handicaps at the start saw B. Monk in his #158 Jaguar Mk 2 3.8 starting 13th at 2m 27s behind the first cars to start; Simon Taylor’s #164 Jaguar Mk2 3.8 was 17th to start at 2m 42s, and Ross Jensen was last to start in his #18 Jaguar Mk2 3.8 at 3m 13s. Ross Jensen won in his Jaguar Mk2 3.8, from Red Dawson in his #150 a Ford Corvette in 2nd place, with Ernie Sprague in his #163 Ford Zephyr 2553cc in 3rd, and Simon Taylor 4th in his Jaguar Mk2 3.8. B. Monk with his Jaguar Mk2 3.8 was 9th. Ross Jensen was also 1st in the ‘over 2600cc class’ from Dawson and Taylor.
After the Grand Prix, that was won by Jack Brabham from Bruce McLaren in their respective Coopers, and Graham Hill’s BRM, came Event 11 a ‘Sports Car Handicap’ over 10 laps. David Young had entered in his Jaguar C-Type to be started off the ‘limit’ of 3m 47 s behind the first cars away – but Young’s car was scratched from the race, won by Peter Lawson’s Austin Healey from C. Judd in a Buckler, and R. Leathers in an Austin Healey.
Levin 14 Jan 61 – At Levin for the 1961 Vic Hudson Memorial meeting held on 14 Jan 61, regular entrant Angus Hyslop once again entered the Jaguar D-Type, while David Young was back with his Jaguar C-Type, and Ross Jensen and Simon Taylor drove their Jaguar Mk2 3.8 saloon cars. Young was 1st and Hyslop 2nd in the over 1500cc class of Race 3 for Sports Cars held over 6 laps. Simon Taylor was 2nd behind Ernie Sprague’s Zephyr Mk2 and ahead of Ross Jensen’s Jaguar Mk2 in Race 6 for over 1500cc Saloon cars, but Jensen was 1st in Race 10, a ‘Saloons Handicap’ over 6 laps. In Race 14 ‘Sports Cars Final’ over 10 laps, Angus Hyslop in his D-Type was 2nd to Doug Lawrence’s Cooper T39 ‘Bobtail’, and David Young’s C-Type was 3rd. Jensen was 1st and Taylor 2nd in Race 14 for ‘Saloon Cars Final’ over 8 laps, and Simon Taylor 4th in Race 17 Saloon Cars scratch.
Wigram 21 Jan 61 – The first event for the day at the 1961 Lady Wigram Trophy Race meeting held on 21 Jan 61 was the 20 lap MRC Championship for ‘open cars not entered, or not qualifying, for the Trophy race’. In wet conditions, Doug Lawrence was 1st in his Cooper T39 ‘Bobtail’ Climax in a time of 35m 33s. Angus Hyslop was 2nd in his #5 Jaguar D-Type, Ron Rutherford 3rd in the #4 260M Zephyr, David Young 4th in the #3 Jaguar C-Type, and W.R. (Bill) Gardiner of Wigram was 5th in his #39 Tojeiro Jaguar 3781cc.
There was heavy rain falling for the 20 lap Sports Car race, from a Le Mans start. Malcom Gill was 1st in the #37 Lycoming Special, from Angus Hyslop in the Jaguar D-Type, Doug Lawrence was 3rd in his Cooper T39 Climax. David Young was 4th in the Jaguar C-Type, and Bill Gardiner 6th in his Tojeiro Jaguar.
There were no Jaguars entered in the 1961 Lady Wigram Trophy race that was won by Jack Brabham in a Cooper T53 Climax, from Stirling Moss in a Lotus 18 Climax, and Angus Hyslop was 3rd in a Cooper T45 Climax.
The final event on a very wet day at Wigram was the 10 lap Saloon Car handicap race. The overall winner was Harold Heasley in his #14 Humber 80, followed by M.B. Mills in his #13 Humber 80. As the only Jaguar in the 23 car field, Ross Jensen in his #18 Jaguar Mk2 3.8 was 1st in the over 2000cc class, from Ernie Sprague in his #19 Ford Zephyr Mk3.
Dunedin 28 Jan 61 – At the 1961 Dunedin Road Race meeting held on 29 Jan 61, Ross Jensen won the Saloon Car race in his Jaguar Mk2 3.8, from Ernie Sprague’s Zephyr Mk2, and Ivan Segedin’s Zephyr Mk2.
In the Sports Car race, David Young led initially in his Jaguar C-Type, followed by Angus Hyslop in the D-Type, but by the end of the first lap Malcom Gill in the Lycoming had taken the lead and he never lost it. Arthur Moffat’s Lotus 15 Climax was 2nd, Hyslop 3rd and Young 4th.
Teretonga 4 Feb 61 – Event 3 at the Teretonga International meeting held on 4 Feb 61 was a Sports Car handicap race over 6 laps 9miles/14.48km where Angus Hyslop in his #5 Jaguar D-Type 3781cc was one of 14 entries together with David Young in his #53 Jaguar C-Type – Brian Watson in his book, at page 180, reported that David Young was 3rd. Event 5 was a Racing Car handicap race over 6 laps, and David Young in his Jaguar C-Type was one of 14 entries, but no results are to hand. Both Angus Hyslop and David Young were entries in Event 7 for Sports Cars over 8 laps where David took 3rd place. Event 8 for Racing Cars over 6 laps saw David Young entered again in his C-Type.
Event 6 was a Saloon Car race over 6 laps and the only Jaguar amongst the 14 entries was Ross Jensen in his #18 Mk2 3.8 – Jensen was 2nd to Ernie Sprague in his Ford Zephyr Mk2 ; and Event 11 was another for Saloon cars with Ross Jensen once again an entry.
There were no Jaguar, or Jaguar powered, cars in the 50-lap Teretonga International race, won by Swede Jo Bonnier in a Cooper T51 Climax, from Englishman Roy Salvadori’s Lotus 18 Climax, and New Zealand’s Deny Hulme in a Cooper T51 Climax.
Waimate 11 Feb 61 – At the 1961 Waimate 50 street race meeting held on 11 Feb 61, the Sports Car race held over 15 laps 21 miles/33.8km, and was won by Malcolm Gill in his #37 Lycoming Special in a time of 19m 21.4s; and 2.2 seconds behind the Lycoming was Doug Lawrence in his #52 Cooper T39 ‘Bobtail’ Climax 1100cc in 2nd place. In 3rd place was David Young in his #10 Jaguar C-Type on 19m 32.0s, just 0.6 secs ahead of Arthur Moffat’s #41 Lotus 15 Climax 1960cc in 4th . In 5th place was Angus Hyslop’s#5 Jaguar D-Type, and back in 11th place was Bruce Monk in his #51 ex-Cantwell Jaguar XK140 Fixed head Coupe.
In the 15 lap ‘NZ Specials and Racing Cars’ race, Doug Lawrence was 1st in his Cooper T39 Climax 1100cc in a race time of 20m 32.2 s. David Young was 10.7 s behind in 2nd place his #10 Jaguar C-Type, closely followed 0.2s back by #4 Ron Rutherford in 3rd place in his R.A. 260M Zephyr.
In the 10 lap Saloon Car race for cars over 2000cc, Ross Jensen in his #49 Jaguar Mk2 3.8 was 1st in a race time of 15m 17s. In 2nd place was Ernie Sprague’s Ford Zephyr Mk2 just 2.2s behind Jensen, and Ron Silvester’s Chev Coupe was 3rd a full 54 seconds back.
Ahuriri, Napier 18 Feb 61 – At the third Napier Road Race, held at Ahuriri, Napier, on 18 Feb 61, Angus Hyslop entered his Jaguar D-Type in the races for Sports cars. In Race 4 over 6 laps for Sports cars over 1500cc, Angus won in a time of 8m 2.2s, being 0.2s ahead of Alan Grimshaw-Jones in the ex-Lenny Gilbert Cooper T23 Bristol Mk2. In 8th place was Rod Coppins in his Jaguar XK120.
In Race 6, an Invitation Sports Car Handicap over 6 laps, Rod Coppins was 7th in his XK120 to race winner Doug Lawrence in his Cooper T39 Bobtail, with Grimshaw-Jones 2nd. In his book, at page 197, Brian Watson records Angus spinning into a concrete wall and denting the nose of the D-Type when someone hit a 44 gallon marker drum that rolled into his path.
In Race 10, and Invitation Handicap for Saloons and Sports cars, Rod Coppins finished 3rd in his XK120, to Colin Ngan in his Cooper T39 Bobtail Climax, and ahead of John Pierson in a Simca.
Ohakea 25 Feb 61 –The 1961 Ohakea Motor Races were held on 25 Feb 61. Event 4 was a Saloon Car Scratch race over 3 laps for cars ‘2001cc and over’; two Jaguar Mk2 3.8s were entered in Event 4 – #34 for Simon Taylor, and a late entry in #44 Ross Jensen. Jensen won the race ahead of Taylor, with J.M. Hayes Ford Zephyr Mk2 in 3rd place, A.F. McLeod’s Ford Zephyr in 4th, Ron McDonald’s Ford Zephyr Mk2 in 5th, and M.A. J. Hunt’s Ford V8 in 6th.
Event 6 was a ‘Racing & Sports Cars Scratch’ race held over 7 laps, and in the ‘over 3000cc class for Sports cars’ W.R. (Bill) Gardiner from Wigram was 1st in the #32 Tojeiro-Jaguar 3.8, from Rod Coppins in his #31 Jaguar XK120 3.4 sports car in 2nd. Angus Hyslop in the #30 Jaguar D-Type was also entered, but he may not have raced.
Unusually, the Ohakea Trophy race for the Molesworth Trophy in 1961 was raced for by Saloon cars. From a Le Mans start, cars raced for 1 hour with two compulsory Pit stops for both a plug change and a wheel change to be completed by the driver. Simon Taylor took 1st place in his #34 Jaguar Mk2 3.8 from R. McDonald’s Ford Zephyr Mk2, and John Histed’s little Austin A35.
Simon Taylor’s Jaguar Mk 2 3.8 was also entered in Event 12 Consolation Saloon Car Handicap, but given his win in Event 10 is it doubtful he was permitted to race in Event 12 – a race won by T. Butcher’s Ford Customline, from A.F. McLeod’s Ford Zephyr Mk2, G.D. Dixon’s Chevrolet, J.M. Hayes’ Ford Zephyr Mk2, Johnny Riley’s Ford Customline, and M.A.J. Hunt’s Ford V8. Quite an eclectic mix!
Event 10 at Ohakea was a ‘Racing and Sports Car Handicap’ over 7 laps, and was won by Tony Shelly in his 2-litre Cooper T45-Climax, from R.C. Register’s Morgan Plus 4. In 3rd place was C. Cavanagh’s 1500 Special, with R.F. Leathers’ Austin Healey in 4th, and Doug Lawrence’s Cooper T39 Bobtail Climax 1460cc in 5th. Both Angus Hyslop in his Jaguar D-Type and Bill Gardiner in his Tojeiro-Jaguar were entered, but the D-Type was withdrawn before the race. Rod Coppins was also entered driving his Jaguar XK120.
The final race of the day at Ohakea was Event 13 ‘Consolation Sports & Racing Car Handicap’ over 7 laps and won by R.J Blackburn’s Lotus 7, from Jim Boyd’s HWM-Alta, with Alan Grimshaw-Jones 3rd in the ex-Len Gilbert Cooper T23-Bristol ‘sports’. Both Hyslop’s D-Type and Coppins’ Jaguar XK120 were entered, but if they did race, they did not feature in the results.
1960/61 Summer Season Championship Results – At the conclusion of the 1960-61 racing season David Young in his Jaguar C-Type finished 8th in the ANZCC Gold Star Championship. In first place was Denis Hulme in his Cooper T51 Climax, with Pat Hoare’s Ferrari 256 V12 in 2nd, and Angus Hyslop’s Cooper T45 Climax in 3rd.
Ross Jensen won the 1960/61 NZ Racing Drivers Saloon Car Gold Star Championship in his Jaguar Mk2 3.8, from Ernie Sprague’s Ford Zephyr Mk3, Harold Heasley’s Humber 80, and Ian Segedin’s Ford Zephyr Mk2.
Angus Hyslop in his Jaguar D-Type was 2nd in the 1960/61 NZ Racing Drivers Sports Car Championship to Malcolm Gill in his Lycoming Special in 1st place. Doug Lawrence in his Cooper T39 Bobtail Climax 1.5 was 3rd, David Young in his C-Type Jaguar was in 4th place, Arthur Moffat in his Lotus 15 Climax was 5th, and Bill Gardiner was 6th in the Tojeiro Jaguar.
Urenui Hillclimb, date TBA 1961 – The Taranaki Car Club staged their annual hillclimb at Urenui sometime between September and November, and Ian Green of New Plymouth entered a small Cooper Jap. In 2022, Ian said a friend towed the Cooper on its trailer to the hillclimb, but they couldn’t get the JAP engine to start (or it died on the first run). Ian had driven out from New Plymouth to the hillclimb in the Jaguar Mk2 3.8 racing saloon he had recently purchased from Simon Taylor, when he in turn had purchased the Jaguar D Type from Angus Hyslop. So, in place of the Cooper JAP, Ian drove the Jaguar Mk2 in the Urenui hillclimb and he gained first place in the Saloon class D (2300cc and over) with a time of 59.4 seconds, ahead of B. Collingwood’s Jaguar Mk2 3.8 (65.6sec), and N. Gifford’s Riley on 67.3 sec. Ian also recorded 2nd FTD, behind Doug Smyth’s Buckler sports car who recorded FTD of 57.6 sec. Soon after the hillclimb, Ian Green sold the Jaguar Mk2 3.8 to Alister/Athol McBeath of Otaki.
Renwick 11 Nov 61 – For the second time, a National race event was held at Renwick, near Blenheim, although the track layout used on 11 Nov 61 was different to that used in 1960. Event 1 was a 10 lap Sports Car race of 12.5miles/20.12km with only 6 entrants in two race classes. With a race time of 12m 30.6s, Bill Gardiner in the #29 Tojeiro Jaguar 3781cc won both the ‘over 2000cc class’ and was ‘overall’ race winner. Rod Coppins was 2nd overall in the Tec Mec V8 now fitted with a sports car body, and Doug Lawrence 3rd in his Cooper T39 Climax was 3rd. The Marlborough Express for Monday, November 13th reported, “W.R. Gardiner (Christchurch) in his Tojeiro Jaguar led all the way in the 10 lap sports car race but was closely followed for the first five laps by B. Cottle (Dunedin) in a Lola [Mk1] until the latter lost an oil pipe down the back straight. R.J Coppins (Auckland) in his Tec. Mec. moved up to second place and D. Lawrence (Wanganui) in a Cooper Climax into third. After lap seven, these were the only cars in a field of five.”
Event 2 held over 15 laps for 18.5 miles/29.77km was for ‘NZ Specials and Racing Cars’. There were nine cars on the grid in Class B for cars of ‘1501cc and over’, and the race was won in a time of 18m 10.8s by Brian Prescott in his Maserati 250F (chassis 2501/2523C). Morrie Stanton was 2nd in his Stanton Corvette, and Bob Eade 3rd in his Maserati 250F (chassis 2508). If he did race, Bill Gardiner in the Tojeiro Jaguar was not placed.
Event 4 was the 50 lap 62 mile/99.78km race of the ‘Renwick 50 South Island Championship Road Race’. There were 20 cars entered, but only 13 cars started in a race won in 58m 44s by Pat Hoare in his ‘new’ 1961 Ferrari 256 V12 Dino with a shark-nose fitted for this race; John Mansel was 2nd in a Cooper T51 Climax, and Tony Shelly 3rd in a Cooper T45 Climax. Although entered, Bill Gardiner did not start the race in the Tojeiro Jaguar.
The final race of the day was Event 5, a 10 lap Saloon Car race for over 2000c cars from a grid start. There were just 6 entrants, only 4 of whom raced, and #24 R. MacDonald won in his Ford Zephyr from #9 Ian Dow in his Jaguar Mk2 3.8, and #10 Ron Silvester in his Chev Coupe. On the back straight along Havelock Street on the second lap, Dow took to the escape route past Uxbridge Street and dropped to last place, but he fought back to claim 2nd place.
Levin 25 Nov 61 – For the first time in a number of years, there were no Jaguar, or Jaguar-powered, cars entered in the Autumn Levin meeting held on 15 Apr 61; but, by the 1961 Fred Zambucka Memorial meeting held on 25 Nov 61, Simon Taylor had purchased the ex-Gibbons/Hyslop #8 Jaguar D-Type, and he entered it to race at this meeting. W. J. Crighton of Eastbourne, Lower Hutt, entered his #24 XK120, Brian Watson of Johnsonville his #70 Bagnall Jaguar sports racing car, and Alistair McBeath of Otaki his #42 ex-Simon Taylor/Ian Green Jaguar Mk2 3.8 saloon. Brian Watson tells in his book ‘Racing Jaguar in NZ’, page 239, he failed scrutineering with his ‘Bag-Jag’, “due to the bodywork, lack of brakes, suspension breakages and the age of the car.”
So, Brian Watson did not race, but McBeath in his Jaguar Mk2 3.8 finished 1st in the ‘over 2000cc class’ of Race 9 for Saloons held over 6 laps. Simon Taylor finished 2nd in the Jaguar D-Type in the ‘over 1500cc class’ of Race 18 for Sports cars, behind Forest Cardon in the ex-Ralph Watson/Gibbons/Gill Lycoming Special. Simon Taylor in the D-Type was also 4th in Race 19 Handicap for Sports and Racing Cars, behind Tony Shelly and Bill Thomasen in their Cooper Climaxes, and Peter Elford in his Cooper T20 Bristol Mk1.
1962 – the Tojeiro, D-Type, Maserati 6CM-Jag, Mk2 3.8, ‘Bag-Jag’, and XK120s
Ardmore 6 Jan 62 – The 1962 NZIGP meeting at Ardmore on 6 Jan 62 included Event 3, the ‘Bardhal Ardmore Championship for NZ drivers only’. Bill Gardiner entered his #29 Tojeiro Jaguar 3781cc, Simon Taylor his #33 ex-Hyslop Jaguar D-Type 3442cc, and Ivan Cranch his #39 Maserati 6CM Jaguar 3442cc. Raced over 15 laps from a grid start, Angus Hyslop won in his #5 Cooper T53 Climax, from Pat Hoare in his Ferrari 256 Dino V12, with Johnny Mansel 3rd in the Centro-Sud Cooper T51-Maserati.
Event 4 for the Ardmore Sports Car trophy Race was held over 12 laps with a Le Mans start. Simon Taylor entered his #33 Jaguar D-Type, Bill Gardiner his #29 Tojeiro Jaguar, as did Brian Watson his #78 Bagnall Jaguar 3442cc. Brian said in his book ‘Racing Jaguar in NZ’, page 239, that he drove the car to Auckland, ‘got past scrutineering and had a go in practice. I found Ardmore to be very fast, being an aerodrome circuit. 115mph along the back straight, 105mph past the pits, 90 plus through the corner, with the tail out a little, this corner just before the pit straight. But I had very bad brake fade – in fact no brakes to speak of – and had a hard job slowing down…..I did a lap time of 1min 50.8 seconds in practice and spun the car once so was told by the Stewards I was not experienced enough to race so there was no race on the Saturday. All very demoralizing for a young fellow who wanted to race. But the Stewards were quite right as the car was far too fast for its handling and brakes.’
Simon Taylor took 1st place on Event 4 in his Jaguar D-Type, with a race time of 19m 49.7s, from Ron Roycroft driving Eric Avery’s HWM-Cadillac 7850cc (20m 23.5s), and Ian Young was 3rd in the ex-Len Gilbert Cooper T23-Bristol sports (21m 20.8s). Bill Gardiner in the Tojeiro Jaguar had a great race, holding second place and bringing Taylor’s first lap lead of 29 seconds down to four seconds, but on lap 10 a piston con rod went through the side of the Tojeiro’s Jaguar engine block causing his immediate retirement.
Event 7 was the ‘Ultimate Ekco Race Car Feature’, a handicap race over 12 laps, and it was won by Ian Green in a Cooper T39 ‘Bobtail’ Climax, from Barry Cottle’s Lola Mk1 Climax, and John Scurrah’s Lotus-Consul. Bill Gardiner had entered the Tojeiro Jaguar, as had Ivan Cranch his Maserati 6CM-Jaguar, but both subsequently scratched – so the only Jaguar that raced was Simon Taylor in his #33 D-Type, but he spun.
Event 8 was the Saloon Car Race for cars over 1600cc, and of the 19 cars entered, there were two Jaguars – #148 J. Mackintosh in his Jaguar ‘Mk1’ 2442cc, and, Alister McLeod Jaguar ‘Mk1’ 3442cc. Bryan Innes won the race in his Motordrome Racing Team Ford Zephyr Mk2 in a time of 15m 10.4s, from John Riley’s Chevrolet on 15m 16.5s, and Alister McLeod was 3rd in his Jaguar in 15m 36.5s
The days of the big New Zealand-based Jaguar sports racing cars entering the NZIGP were now long over. The rain-shortened 1962 NZIGP was won by Stirling Moss in the Rob Walker Lotus 21 Climax 2.5, from John Surtees in the Yeoman Credit Cooper T53 Climax 2.7, and Bruce McLaren in the Tommy Atkins Cooper T53 Climax 2.7.
Levin 13 Jan 62 – In the very wet international 1962 Vic Hudson Memorial Meeting held at Levin on 13 Jan 62, Simon Taylor entered his #8 Jaguar D-Type 3800cc, W. Crighton his #24 XK120 3442cc, Alistair McBeath his #42 Mk2 3.8 3781c, and Brian Watson his #70 Bagnall Jaguar 3442cc sports car. As Brian Watson made no mention of the Levin race in his book, it could be assumed he withdrew his entry after the problems at Ardmore the previous weekend. Alistair McBeath in his Mk2 3.8 won the ‘over 1500cc class’ of Race 5 for Saloon cars held over 6 laps, ahead of D. Simmons’ Ford Zephyr. In heavy rain, Race 15, the main race, was flagged off early with Jack Brabham the winner and the meeting was abandoned.
Wigram 20 Jan 62 – The first race on the programme at the Lady Wigram Trophy Race meeting held on 20 Jan 62 was the 15 lap ‘Motor Racing Club Championships’ ‘for open cars not entered for, or not qualifying, for the Trophy race’. The race was run in three classes – up to 1500cc, 1501 to 3000cc, and 3001cc and over. In 1st place was Morrie Stanton in his #17 Stanton-Corvette in a time of 22m 44s, from Arthur Moffat in his #41 Lotus 15 Climax 1960cc in 2nd, with Barry Cottle 3rd in his #57 Lola Mk1 Climax 1220cc, and Rod Coppins 4th in the #16 Tec Mec Chev V8 sports. Unplaced Jaguar entries were #5 Simon Taylor in the D-Type 3.8, and #29 Bill Gardiner in the Tojeiro Jaguar now fitted with a 3.4 engine (Gardiner may well have scratched his entry after his engine blew up at Ardmore).
In the 10 lap Saloon Car race from a handicap start, Ray Archibald in his #2 Jaguar Mk2 3.8, starting from the back of the grid, won the ‘3001cc and over’ class in a time of 18m 54.6s “with a fine display of spirited driving.” Also in the race was Alistair McBeath in his #4 Mk2 3.8, and Ian Dow in his #18 Mk2 3.8; both Bruce McLaren and Ron Flockhart had been ‘protested’, so withdrew their Mini-Coopers from the field of 23 entries.
The 17 lap Bardahl Sports Cars race, from a Le Mans start, was next on the programme. Jaguar entries were from Simon Taylor in the #5 D-Type, and Bill Gardiner in the #29 Tojeiro Jaguar (but he was scratched). Cottle led initially in his #57 Lola Mk1 Climax 1216cc, but was soon overtaken by Arthur Moffat in his #41 Lotus 15 Climax. On lap 2 an accident involved Forest Cardon in the #15 Lycoming Special, Moffatt’s Lotus 15, and Rod Coppins in the #16 Tec Mec, so both Cardon and Moffat were side-lined. Coppins carried to win on a time of 26m 41.2s from Cottle who was only 0.8s behind Coppins. Simon Taylor was 3rd in the Jaguar D-Type, some 35 seconds back on 27m 57.4s, followed by Howden Ganley in his #42 Lotus 11 Climax 1098cc who had completed 16 laps. Coppins won the ‘1501cc and over’ class from Taylor’s D-type; Cottle won the ‘under 1500cc class’ from Ganley.
Following the Lady Wigram Trophy race, won by Stirling Moss in a Lotus 21 Climax, from Jack Brabham and John Surtees in their respective Cooper T53 Climaxes, came the Allcomers Saloon Car race over 10 laps. With a race time of 17m 58.8 s, Ray Archibald in his #2 Jaguar Mk2 3.8 took the overall race win, as well as the over 1500cc class win. In 2nd place was G.B. Miles in his Austin Mini 850cc, from #19 Ron Flockhart and #14 Bruce McLaren in their Mini-Cooper 997cc cars. Ian Dow was unplaced in his #18 Jaguar Mk2 3.8.
Teretonga 26 Jan 62 – At the 1962 Teretonga international meeting held on 26 Jan 62, in a 9 mile/14.48km Sports Car handicap race, Simon Taylor was 3rd in his Jaguar D-Type, behind M. Hammond from Hunterville in a Buckler (whose race time was 8m 41.4s), and Don McDonald from Gore, also in a Buckler.
In the 12 mile/19.31km Sports Car race with a Le Mans start, Simon Taylor crashed the D-Type. A newspaper report covered the crash as follows: “In Race 7, a sports car race, a Jaguar D Type of S. Taylor of Te Awamutu, spun off on the bend at the end of the straight while trying to pass I.D. Young, of Wanganui, in a Cooper Bristol, and overturned in the ditch, pinning the driver underneath. Wrecking cranes were soon on the job but it was some time before Taylor could be brought out. He suffered five broken ribs, shock and abrasions and was admitted to Kew Hospital. His condition last night was satisfactory.”
In a Saloon Car race, Ray Archibald in his Jaguar Mk2 3.8 was 1st in the ‘over 3000cc class’, with a time of 8m 37.8s, from Ron Silvester in his Chev Coupe, and A.L. Milligan in his Chevrolet.
Dunedin 4 Feb 62 – The 30-lap Dunedin Road Race held on 4 Feb 62 was won by Pat Hoare in his Ferrari 256 Dino V12 in a time of 48m 35.8s, from Jim Palmer’s Lotus 20-Ford, and Barry Cottle’s Lola T1 Climax sports. Simon Taylor had entered the meeting with his Jaguar D-Type, but given he had crashed badly at Teretonga previous weekend, he did not race. In Scott Thomson’s booklet ‘Racing Round the Houses’, the 1962 Saloon Car race at Dunedin is listed as ‘Race Cancelled”. Ted Sweetman entered his Jaguar XK140 Roadster in the race for Sports cars, but his results are unknown.
Waimate 10 Feb 62 – In the ‘3001cc and over class’ of the 10 lap Saloon Car race at Waimate on 10 Feb 62, Ray Archibald was 1st in his #2 Jaguar Mk2 3.8, and Ian Dow was 2nd in his #19 Jaguar Mk2 3.8. Archibald’s race time was 14m 39.4s, being 27.3s ahead of Dow. Alistair McBeath in his #4 Jaguar Mk2 3.8 retired during the race.
In both the 10 lap ‘NZ Specials and Racing Car race’, and the 15 lap ‘Sports Car race’, Simon Taylor had entered his #5 Jaguar D-Type 3871cc, but given his recent accident at Teretonga on 27 Jan 62, and having sustained broken ribs, his entry was scratched.
Ohakea 24 Feb 62 – The first of two events staged at Ohakea in 1962 was held on the airfield at RNZAF Station Ohakea on 24 Feb 62. Event 4 was ‘Saloon Car Scratch for cars 2001cc and over’. Only 12 cars were entered including A. F. (Alister) McLeod from Martinborough in his #42 Jaguar Mk2 3.4, Alistair McBeath from Otaki in his #50 Jaguar Mk2 3.8, and Ray Archibald from Christchurch in his #52 Jaguar Mk2 3.8 – other cars included seven Zephyrs, a Holden and an Alvis. McBeath was 2nd in this race.
The next race at Ohakea that included Jaguar cars was Event 7 ‘Racing & Sports Racing Cars Scratch’ over 3 laps, and the twelve entries included Simon Taylor in the #29 Jaguar D-Type, Bob Eade in the ex-Moss/Jensen/Mansel Maserati 250F, Pat Hoare in his Ferrari 256 Dino V12, and Rod Coppins in the Tec Mec V8 fitted with ex-Louis Rosier Ferrari 375 sports racing body. Chris Amon’s Maserati 250F was enroute from Hunterville with mechanic Bruce Wilson, so Chris drove Bob Smith’s modified Ferrari Super Squalo. Hoare won from Amon, but results for Taylor’s D-Type are unknown, if indeed he did race after his big accident at Teretonga only 4 weeks ago.
Event 9 over 3 laps was for ‘Production Sports and Sports Racing cars over 1600cc’. There were 12 entries including Colin Giltrap from Hamilton in a #39 Porsche 1587cc, W.J. Crichton from Wellington in his #46 Jaguar XK120, and Simon Taylor in the #29 D-Type – but race results are unknown.
Event 11 was the ‘Ohakea Saloon Car Race’ raced over 15 laps with 3 classes, and as with 1961, the winner received the Molesworth Trophy. There were 40 entries in three race classes and, in the ‘2001cc and over’ class were Alister McLeod’s #42 Jaguar Mk2 and Alistair McBeath’s #50 Mk2 3.8, with a further six Ford Zephyrs, a Holden and an Alvis. Alister McLeod was 2nd in his Mk2 3.8.
Event 13, the ‘NZ Driver’s Championship’ over 25 laps had three classes. The overall winner was Pat Hoare in his Ferrari 256 V12, from Rod Coppins’ Tec Mec sports, with Bob Eade 4th. Chris Amon retired his Maserati 250F, while the results for #29 Simon Taylor’s D-Type are unknown, although, as said, it is doubtful he raced.
Event 15 was for Production Sports and Sports Racing cars in three classes over 15 laps comprising 22 cars and Simon Taylor’s D-Type was entered but, again, although no results are to hand, it is doubtful Taylor actually raced.
Levin 24 Mar 62 – At the 1962 Levin Championship meeting held on 24 Mar 62, Alistair McBeath’s #37 Jaguar Mk2 3.8 saloon and Brian Watson’s #17 ‘Bag-Jag’ sports were entered. As there was no mention of the Levin race in his book, it may be assumed that Brian Watson did not arrive with the Bag Jag.
Alistair McBeath in his Jaguar Mk2 3.8 recorded 3rd places in Race 3 for Saloon Cars (behind Dennis Marwood’s Humber 80, and Kerry Grant’s Austin A40), and Race 6 (behind Grant and Marwood). McBeath also won the 4-lap Race 10 Invitation for the 4 fastest saloon cars, beating Kerry Grant’s rapid A40 by 0.10s, and Napier’s Dr. R.B. ‘Doc’ Langley in his Humber 80.
Houghton Bay 7 Apr 62 – Brian Watson records in his book (page 240) that he competed the Bagnall Jaguar in the Houghton Bay Gold Star hillclimb (Wellington) on 7 Apr 62; he recorded 50.40 seconds to be 7th fastest time of the day, and 2nd in the ‘3,000cc and over’ class, before breaking a rear De-Dion tube hub axle and losing a rear wheel. He said, “Over the next fourteen months I rebuilt the car”….. and the next event he mentions in his book is a Levin Sprint on 27 Jul 63.
1961/62 Summer Championship Results – For the 1961/62 summer season, Ray Archibald won the National Saloon Car Championship in his Jaguar Mk2 3.8, from Bruce McLaren in his Mini-Cooper and R. Macdonald’s Ford Zephyr.
Renwick 10 Nov 62 – The third different street-track layout in three years was prepared for the 1962 Renwick Road races held on 10 Nov 62, this time the circuit being of 1.5 miles/2.42km in length.
Race 2 over 10 laps was for Sports cars from a grid start and cars raced in two classes – Class A up to 1500cc, and Class B over 1500cc. In Class B, A. T. Mackle of Kaikoura entered a Jaguar XK120 3442cc. Overall winner in a race time of 16m 44s, was Alf Bell of Palmerston in his #26 Porsche Super 90 1588cc, from R.J. Stewart of Christchurch in his #42 Sunbeam Alpine 1592cc. In 3rd place was a Class A car – B.J. Cottle of Dunedin in his #57 Lola Mk1 Climax 1098cc, and in 4th was another Class A car, P.R. Preston in his #32 Buckler 90 1172cc. Mackle’s XK120 was 5th, and in 6th was G.J McKay of Tai Tapu in his #36 M.G.A twin-cam 1588cc. Mackle’s XK120 was also 2nd in the Class B class.
Race 3 was an 8 lap Saloon Car race with two classes – 1201 to 2000cc, and, over 2000cc. There were four Jaguar Mk2 3.8 cars in Class B – #8 Ray Archibald, #14 Alistair McBeath, #22 A. O. (Tim) Beetham, and, #44 Ian Dow. Overall race winner was #44 Ian Dow, from #8 Ray Archibald, with #10 Doc Langley in his Humber 80 in 3rd, and N.A. (Norm) Masters in his Ford Zephyr Mk2. Dow won Class B from Archibald, with Masters in 3rd. McBeath retired his Jaguar Mk2 3.8 from the race.
Race 4 was over 10 laps for ‘NZ Specials and Racing Cars’ with only three cars in Class A up to 2000cc, and four in Class B. R. Rutherford won the race in his 260M Zephyr, from Robert Stewart in his Sunbeam Alpine, with P. R. Preston 3rd in his Buckler 90 in 3rd, and T. Mackle 4th in his Jaguar XK120. Mackle was 3rd in Class B behind Rutherford and Stewart.
Race 5 was for ‘All-Comers’ Saloon cars’ over 8 laps, and again there were two classes. All four Jaguar Mk2 3.8s were entered, as per race 3. The overall race winner was #8 Ray Archibald in his Mk2 3.8, from G.H. Tait in a Chev Coupe, and G. R. Thomson in a Ford Zephyr. Ian Dow retired his #44 Jaguar Mk2 3.8 during the race.
Race 6, the ‘Renwick 50’ was held over 33 laps, but no Jaguar or Jaguar powered cars were entered. Only eight of the eleven entrants faced the starter in a race won by former Jaguar D-Type driver, Angus Hyslop in his Cooper T53 Climax, from Chris Amon in his Maserati 250F (chassis 2504/2509), and John Histed in his Lola Mk2-Ford.
Levin 24 Nov 62 – Alistair McBeath was back at Levin with his #66 Jaguar Mk2 3.8 for the 1962 Fred Zambucka Memorial meeting held on 24 Nov 62, recording a win in Race 6 ahead of Kerry Grant’s rapid Austin A40, and Dennis Marwood’s equally quick Humber 80. McBeath won again in Race 9, beating Grant and John Riley’s Chev-Coupe, and he took another win in Race 20, the Allcomers Scratch, beating Grant and Red Dawson’s Chev-Corvette.
Ohakea 15 Dec 62 – The final race national meeting to be held at Ohakea was staged on Saturday 15th December 1962. Three Jaguars were entered in Event 2 ‘Production Sports Cars Scratch Race’ over 5 laps in two classes:- in the ‘over 1600cc class’ with 17 cars, #25 P.T. (Phillip) Galpin drove his ex-Sybil Lupp Jaguar XK 150S 3.8, #33 G.F. Osborne from Rotowaro his Jaguar XK120 3540cc, and #40 R.J. Read from Wellington his Jaguar XK120 3442cc. The same three Jaguars were entered in Event 8 for Production Sports Cars over 15 laps.
Event 5 was a ‘Saloon Car Scratch Race’ over 5 laps for cars ‘2001cc and over’, and it saw four Jaguars amongst the field of 11 cars. From Masterton came #38 H.W.J. (Hamish) Buchanan in a Jaguar Mk 2 3.8, #39 Alistair McBeath from Otaki in his Mk2 3.8, #40 Ray Archibald of Christchurch his Mk2 3.8, and #44 Tim Beetham from Masterton his Mk2 3.8. Four Zephyrs, Jack Nazer’s Chev 3.7 and a Ford V8 completed the field. Archibald was 1st from McBeath.
Event 7 was for ‘Racing & Sports Racing Scratch Race’ over 7 laps and it was won by Angus Hyslop in his Cooper T53 Climax 2.5, from Tony Shelly’s Lotus 18/21 Climax 2.5, Chris Amon’s Cooper T53 Climax 2.5, Jim Palmer’s Lotus 20B Ford 1.5, and Roly Levis in his Cooper T52 Ford 1.5. #25 Simon Taylor’s Jaguar D-Type was unplaced.
Event 10 saw the ‘Ohakea Saloon Race’ in three classes over 15 laps where Ray Archibald took the winner’s flag, and the Jenkins Trophy, in his Jaguar Mk2 3.8. Alistair (sometimes called Athol) McBeath was 2nd in his Jaguar Mk2 3.8, and #28 Dr Dick Langley was 3rd in his potent Humber 80 1592 cc.
The Ohakea Trophy race, being the NZ Gold Star Championship race of the meeting, was Event 12 on the programme and was raced over 35 laps. Both Hyslop and Amon retired leaving Tony Shelly to win in his Lotus 18/21 Climax 2.5 in a time of 51min 29sec, from Jim Palmer’s Lotus 20B-Ford, and #29 Bill Thomason’s Cooper T51 Climax in 3rd. Simon Taylor’s D-Type did not start the race.
Mount Manganui 29 Dec 62 – Billed as the ‘first motor racing fixture to be held at Mount Maunganui’, the rectangular track of 1.8mile/2.89km was held on streets near the wharf of Tauranga Harbour. Simon Taylor of Te Awamutu entered his #33 Jaguar D-Type 3.8, G.F. Osbourne from Rotowaro entered his #11 Jaguar XK120 3.4, as did Alistair McBeath of Otaki his #66 Jaguar Mk2 3.8. McBeath won Event 3, a Saloon Car Scratch over 6 laps, from Denis Marwood’s Humber 80, ‘Doc’ Langley’s Humber 80, and D.L. Rouse in a Ford Zephyr. Event 8, a Saloon Car Handicap over 6 laps, saw McBeath racing again, this time to take 2nd place behind Rouse, and ahead of Langley and Marwood. The final race of the day for McBeath in his Mk2 3.8 was Event 11, for ‘Invitation Saloon All Comers’, where there were nine Chev V8 Coupes and ‘a further five saloons from races 2 and 3’. It appears that Garth Souness won the race in his V8 Coupe, from John Riley’s Chev Coupe, with Alistair McBeath 3rd in his Mk2 3.8, and Doc Langley’s Humber 80 in 4th.
G.F. Osbourne raced his Jaguar XK120, and Simon Taylor his Jaguar D-Type, in Event 5, a Sports Car Scratch race over 8 laps. Simon ran near the front together with Barry Cottle’s #57 Lola Mk1 Climax 1220cc, John Riley’s Ferrari Monza Chev V8 4500cc, and A.L. Hurley’s Cooper T23 Bristol Mk2 sports 2190cc. The two Jaguars were racing again, this time in Event 10 Sports Car Handicap over 12 laps – Forest Cardon won in the #22 Lycoming Special, from John Riley’s #10 Ferrari 750 Monza Chev V8, with Barry Cottle’s Lola Mk1 Climax in 3rd, and Graeme Lawrence 4th in the #44 Lola Mk1 Ford 1500cc. Event 14, a Sports Car Handicap over 6 laps, concluded the racing for the day, but no results are to hand for Jaguar drivers Osbourne, or Taylor.
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