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Highlands Festival of Speed: the perfect family festival

3 February, 2015

The Highlands Festival of Speed, which ran for three days over January 30–February 1, was every bit as good as it was hyped up to be. The event attracted close to 150 competitors in a diverse field of racing vehicles, and thousands of spectators flocked through the gates to check it all out.

The trans-Tasman trophy is safe in Kiwi hands, thanks to Dean Perkins winning three of the five combined TCM/CMC races, including the trophy race. On Friday, January 30, Perkins set the quickest qualifying time in his Ford Falcon, with fellow CMC competitors Paul Kelly (whose Firebird we’ve got a feature on in NZV8 Issue No. 118) and Tony Galbraith completing the top three. New South Wales’s Tony Karanfilovski was the fastest Aussie, placing fourth in his 1969 Ford Mustang Fastback. Mike Sentch, Highlands’ general manager, said two-time Australian Touring Car Champion Glenn Seton, who raced a ’64 Mustang over the weekend, told him that the Highlands Festival of Speed was one of the best race meetings he’d ever been to.

A feature well enjoyed by the crowds was the Highlands Classic Motor Show, which displayed over 100 vehicles, including a huge array of classic, retro, and vintage motor vehicles. The People’s Choice award went to Trevor and Davina Mitchell, whose stunning Excalibur Phaeton roadster stole the show.

Aussie Racing Cars round winner Craig Woods. Photo: Graeme Oliver

In another trans-Tasman racing endeavour, the Aussie Racing Cars started their seven-round 2015 season at Highlands — the first time an Australian motorsport category has done so.

The Quinn family tussle, with multiple Quinn family members racing over the weekend, was taken out by Tony Quinn, who finished eighth for the weekend ahead of son Kent, and son-in-law Kynan Yu. In the Formula Libre single-seater category, Cameran Freeman from Dunedin proved to be the dominant player, winning all three races.

The vintage and historic open wheelers attracted 22 entrants, with UK-based visitor Robin Longdon in a Lotus 20/22 taking the largest points haul for the weekend. Dunedin’s Paul Coghill also snagged a win in his 1952 Jaguar Special, as did Invercargill’s David Robertson, in his 1959 Ace Buckler, and Western Australia’s Neil McCrudden in another Lotus 20/22.

Arrowtown’s Buckingham Belles. Photo: Hannah Cameron

Of course, cars weren’t the only attractions at the Highlands Festival of Speed. Highlands’ events manager, Melanie Kees, says seeing so many people really getting into the spirit of the classic festival, dressing up in clothes from many eras was another highlight — the Fashion in the Field competition attracted many entrants, and the many family-friendly entertainment options were guaranteed to keep all happy.

“We’re absolutely thrilled with the turnout, especially with so many events going on in the district this weekend. While the weather has been a mixed bag, people braved the odd shower to enjoy some amazing racing.” said Ms Kees.

Following the great feedback and excellent racing action the Highlands Festival of Speed delivered this year, you can be assured that next year will be as good as ever.

“Gotcha!’’ The continuing tale of a Nissan/Datsun tragic – part two

8 May, 2026

In 1996, I was on a mission to buy a suitable pavement scorcher and visited the now-defunct Manukau City Car Fair. Unbelievably, among the sea of four-door utilitarian Japanese compacts was the absolute jewel in the crown, my automobile wet dream — a 1985 two-door R30 RS Nissan Skyline FJ20 Turbo five-speed manual in nice condition. The owner wanted $10,000 — a great deal.
But what did I do? I bailed out, paralysed by indecision. The money would have been a stretch, but it was the worst automotive choice I ever made. Instead, I went for a rusty Toyota Sprinter 8 Valve Twin Cam Coupé, which was pretty terminal from the get-go. I know. We’ve all done it, but there was really no excuse for passing up the Skyline, and I was haunted by that for years.

Last Tango in the Fast Lane

30 April, 2026

In the mid ’80s, I locked into a serious Nissan/Datsun performance obsession. It could have kicked off with my ’82 Datsun Sunny, though this would have been a bit of a stretch of the imagination, given its normally aspirated 1.2-litre motor — not the sort of thing to unleash radical road warrior dreams. But it did plant a seed, and it was a sweet little machine and surprisingly quick, in contrast to all the diabolical English offerings I had endured.
I was living in South Auckland at the time and was an unrepentant petrolhead. Motor racing was my drug of choice, and I followed the scene slavishly. Saloon car racing, with the arrival of the international Group A formula, was having a serious renaissance here and in Australia and Europe. There was suddenly an exotic air in local racing that had been absent for 15 years.
I was transfixed by this new frontier of motor racing that had hit our tracks in 1985–87 and the new array of machinery on display. In 1986, the Nissan Skyline RS DR30 made a blinding impression on me. The Australian Fred Gibson-run, Peter Jackson-sponsored team of George Fury and Glenn Seton were the fastest crew of the 1986 Australian Touring Car Championship. But Kiwi legend Robbie Francevic snuck through to win the Aussie Championship in his Volvo 240T after a strong start and consistent finishes.