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Scott Dixon to pilot Darracq at 2016 Leadfoot Festival

25 November, 2015

 

Leadfoot Festival is, without a doubt, one of New Zealand’s most highly regarded motorsport events. The reason why is simple, and it all began a few years ago — 2011, to be exact — when Rod Millen celebrated his 60th birthday. Rod is a legend in Kiwi motorsport, and, as such, the driveway to his sprawling Hahei property — aptly named Leadfoot Ranch — is a winding, mile-long stretch of tarmac-driving perfection. Rod and his wife, Shelly, organized the inaugural Leadfoot Festival as a private event to celebrate Rod’s 60th, and, after giving it a bit of thought, opened further events to the public. 

The event itself is a three-day festival of automotive culture, and the 150-acre Leadfoot Ranch houses a number of large, American-themed barns and buildings overflowing with mechanical goodness, as well as a huge number of car clubs, stalls, and live entertainment to keep all spectators entertained.

However, the real attraction is what’s on that driveway. A huge variety of vehicles from throughout the ages — from vintage race cars, to muscle cars, to drift cars — are driven hard up the course. 

For the 2016 Leadfoot Festival, there’s an extra special guest, too — Kiwi-born, four-time IndyCar Champion Scott Dixon will be there, driving pedal-to-the-metal up the Leadfoot driveway. “Scott visited Leadfoot Ranch early this year when he was home and was blown away with the property and expressed a desire to compete,” says Rod Millen. “We have been working with Scott to make this happen and it gives us the opportunity to celebrate Scott’s incredible success in motorsports. I am very excited to have Scott Dixon attend the February event.”  

Scott will be driving a 1906 Darracq, one of the first Grand Prix cars, and it’s a far cry from what he’s normally seen behind the wheel of. The Darracq was built in 1906 for the first Grand Prix held at Le Mans, and over a century later, is still being raced — albeit in a more laid-back manner. 

With a 14.25-litre four-cylinder, it’s a slow-revving brute of a thing, but it’s by no means a slow vehicle — especially with someone like Scott Dixon behind the wheel. Though it won’t rev to 12,000rpm like an IndyCar, its plentiful torque should make it a treat to watch over the 2016 Leadfoot Festival. We’re looking forward to seeing it in action!

The motor car as an art form

12 March, 2026

We have certainly come a long way since the exhibition entitled 8 Automobiles, shown at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in the autumn of 1951, the first exhibition concerned with the aesthetics of motor car design.
It was here that the often-used term ‘rolling sculpture’ was coined by curator Philip C Johnson, director of the department of architecture and design, when he said, “An automobile is a familiar 20th century artefact, and is no less worthy of being judged for its visual appeal than a building or a chair. Automobiles are hollow, rolling sculptures, and their design refinements are fascinating. We have selected cars whose details and basic design suggest that automobiles, besides being America’s most useful objects, could be a source of visual experience more enjoyable than they now are.”

More to the point

6 March, 2026

This Daimler SP252 is so rare, few people know it exists. It’s one of a kind. It’s the only surviving, in fact the only SP252 ever completed; the would-be successor to the SP250 Daimler Dart. It is also the last sports car to have been designed by Jaguar’s legendary founder, Sir William Lyons.
Perhaps one of the original Dart’s biggest problems was it’s somewhat-divisive looks. It certainly went well enough to win fans, although Sir William wasn’t among them. It crushed the opposition in the Bathurst six-hour race, finishing five laps ahead of anyone else, and it was snapped up by police forces in Britain, Australia, and New Zealand, as it was the fastest thing on the road.
So you’d think a stunning new body with the magic Lyons touch would have been a surefire success. Why this car never made it into production is still something of a mystery, as the official explanations barely stack up.