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Massive Murphy auction at Hampton Downs

16 June, 2014

 


Greg Murphy is supporting the Spinal Cord Society NZ and its research into finding a cure for Type 1 diabetes by donating the proceeds of a massive memorabilia auction. The event is to be held on Sunday, June 1, at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park, and entry is free.

The items for sale on the day will range from highly covetable items donated by Greg from the highlights of his career to date, to fun and very reasonably priced items, making this an exciting event for bidders of all levels.

There are also chances to win apparel and even a hot lap with the man himself, with spot prizes on the day for all those who register on arrival.

For information on all the family activities planned, as well as the full inventory of items to be auctioned and registrations of expressions of interest, visit murphhotlaps.com. To bid on one of the 20 charity hot laps also available, visit trademe.co.nz and use the search term ‘Murph Hot Laps’.


Public and guest event timetable:

8.30am: Pre-booked track experiences commence
9.30am: Free entry general admission gates open to public: Holden Barina Skid Pan experience, kids bouncy castle, Formula Challenge V8 drive sessions
10am: Silent auction, Trademe Charity Auction winners’ hot laps commence
12.30pm: Special track demonstrations including drift demonstration by Drew Donovan
1.30pm: Silent auction closes
2.30pm: Greg Murphy live auction begins
3pm: Formula Challenge single-seater drive experiences
4pm: Event activities conclude

The actual Formula One

18 September, 2026

Seeing, in a shed in Hamilton, New Zealand, the Darracq 120 racer that Louis Wagner, also a pioneer aviator, drove to victory in the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup race felt a little like finding a Rembrandt at a garage sale.
For historical significance, I’d say this car ranks with Ray Harroun’s Marmon Wasp, the first Indianapolis 500 winner. Unlike Harroun’s Wasp, which has been lovingly cared for at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum over the years, this historically pivotal machine wound up half a world away from its home in France and, to most of the motoring world, largely forgotten. Sadly, so is the story of how the car got to Aotearoa in the first place.
More often than not, a racing car that is a few years old is regarded as obsolete and relegated to a shed somewhere. As far as racing drivers and team owners at the cutting edge of the sport are concerned, the cars are virtually worthless at that point. They can’t be driven on the street; at best they can be reconfigured for lower levels of the sport, so few people care about them until their historical significance becomes more apparent.

Dad will love this!

29 August, 2026

Subscribe or gift a subscription to NZ Classic Car magazine for one year this Father’s Day, and go into the draw to win one of two luxury car care packages worth $570 from Lovecars.
The prize: Adam’s Foam Cannon Kit includes a complete pressure-washer foam cannon setup; Michelle’s Car Wash Kit takes care of everything after the foam. It includes Autostolz Premium Auto Wash, Enhanced Ceramic Spray Wax, and loads more.
Together, you’ve got the setup to foam, wash, protect and dry your car properly – using some of NZ’s top-selling car detailing products.
A seriously good prize for anyone who loves keeping their car looking its best.