Legends of Speed: muscle and classic fans rejoice!

6 April, 2016

When you’ve got this many ‘legends of speed’ on your doorstep, an hour south of Auckland city, at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park, you’d be a sucker if you didn’t check it out. Legends of Speed, held April 3, was an action-packed day of racing, including the BMW Racing Series, Historic Muscle Cars, the quirky Alfa Trofeo Series, Historic Sports Sedans, and the Formula Fords of yesteryear. Despite the terrible weather, or should we say slippery weather, racing was exciting, with every class and series bringing their own unique element to the tarmac.

If you didn’t make it along, sit back, relax, and enjoy this gallery that the talented Matt Smith photographed.

Breakfast of champions – Brink

17 March, 2026

Some older readers may recall the amusing late 60s advertisement for a breakfast drink using World Champion racing driver Graham Hill which was made while he was out here competing in the Tasman Series.
“Drink Brink” was the phrase, subtly altered by Graham’s characteristic lisp into “Dwink Bwinkl” which drew a grin or two.
Southland Mini racing enthusiast Howard Kingsford-Smith has preserved a little bit of Mini racing history when he re-created the “Brink Mini” some 25 years ago.
“I bought what remained of the original car and made a replica I suppose or look-a-like of the original Brink Mini from Cathy Henderson about 25 years ago,” Howard explained.

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.”

Legends of Speed: muscle and classic fans rejoice!

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