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Leadfoot returns in 2015

29 October, 2014

Leadfoot Festival is one of the country’s most anticipated motorsport events, and it only happens every second year. Hosted at Rod Millen’s iconic ranch in Hahei, the event is like no other. Rod’s driveway was designed with one purpose in mind only — driving as fast as is humanly possible.

It is this driveway that plays the part of racetrack for the event, winding its way through a section of the 60.7-hectare estate. If you’re not in the driver’s seat, it doesn’t particularly matter where you choose to view the racing from, as every spot has its own unique view.

As far as the driving talent is concerned, Rod personally selects each driver for the three-day competition, ensuring only the best get to compete and entertain. Leadfoot 2015 will see the launch of new areas and exciting activities. The newly built open-air amphitheatre will host a live concert on both Friday and Saturday nights.

Leadfoot Festival is a one-of-a-kind experience for all, featuring unparalleled access to the competitors, pits, and race cars. This is one event that we at NZPC look forward to every year, and with some of the most exciting cars and racing action on display, you don’t want to miss out.

Where else in New Zealand can you see this much motorsport history and prestige in one place, over one weekend? Tickets are now on sale, and you can find more info on leadfootfestival.com.

ROTARY CHIC

6 September, 2024

Kerry Bowman readily describes himself as a dyed-in-the-wool Citroën fan and a keen Citroën Car Club member. His Auckland home holds some of the chic French cars and many parts. He has also owned a number of examples of the marque as daily drivers, but he now drives a Birotor GS. They are rare, even in France, and this is a car which was not supposed to see the light of day outside France’s borders, yet somehow this one escaped the buyback to be one of the few survivors out in the world.
It’s a special car Kerry first saw while overseas in the ’70s, indulging an interest sparked early on by his father’s keenness for Citroëns back home in Tauranga. He was keen to see one ‘in the flesh’.
“I got interested in this Birotor when I bought a GS in Paris in 1972. I got in contact with Citroën Cars in Slough, and they got me an invitation to the Earls Court Motor Show where they had the first Birotor prototype on display. I said to a guy on the stand, ‘I’d like one of these,’ and he said I wouldn’t be allowed to get one. Citroën were building them for their own market to test them, and they were only left-hand drive.”

Tradie’s Choice

30 August, 2024

Clint Wheeler purchased this 1962 Holden FJ Panelvan as an unfinished project, or as he says “a complete basket case”. Collected as nothing more than a bare shell, the rotisserie-mounted and primed shell travelled the length of the country from the Rangiora garage where it had sat dormant for six years to Clint’s Ruakaka workshop. “Mike, the previous owner, was awesome. He stacked the van and parts nicely. I was pretty excited to get the van up north. We cut the locks and got her out to enjoy the northland sun,” says Clint. “The panelvan also came with boxes of assorted parts, some good, some not so good, but they all helped.”