Petrol bloods: Evolution Motorsport Classic Speedfest

2 April, 2018

Iconic classics and crowd-pleasing battles — the annual Speedfest returned to the south February 17–18, 2018

Smooth runner: Russ Haines (Ashburton) in the Frangapelli Holden

You know you’ve just watched a great race when on the cool-down lap all the flag marshals leave their posts to applaud the two leading contenders — what a battle! Invercargill’s Brendon Mason gave it his all in the last race for the Classic saloons over 2501cc class on Sunday, and provided a real crowd-thriller finish. Bearing in mind that the PDL Mustang was a purpose-built race car that was hugely successful in its day and Mason’s Camaro was a highly modified road car, the epic battle which ensued at this meeting was classic racing at its best.

Sidelined on Saturday with gearbox problems, the PDL Mustang crew worked hard to get this iconic race car back on the track for two wins on Sunday. Mason really threw the big Camaro around the tight back curves of Teretonga Raceway, putting heavy pressure on Stewart, who held on to the win — the standing ovation around the track was well deserved.

Hot pace: Todd Stewart in the PDL Mustang is chased hard by Brendon Mason (Invercargill) in his Camaro for one of the best races of the weekend

Mason won the first race on Saturday for this group over Ross Graham (New Plymouth) in his Holden Torana, followed by Bradley Dawson (Invercargill) in his Camaro, while the PDL Mustang was out with gearbox troubles. Le Roy Stevenson also returned to the pits with a blown differential in his Freeth Starlet before he was able to race. In the second race (handicap) Graham Fraser (Queenstown) led home in his BMW with Stuart Black (Dunedin) in his Porsche 944 second.

Bradley Dawson (Invercargill) enjoying the pace in the late Colin Dawson’s Camaro

Classic Saloons 0–2501cc was dominated by Darren Clark (Queenstown) in his Toyota Starlet with two good wins, while Scott O’Donnell (Invercargill) had a win in his Alfa Romeo GTV2000, and Sandra Eden (Queenstown) took the other win in her BMW in the handicap race on Sunday. Formula Ford honours went to Jordan Michels in his Mygale FF with fellow Invercargill driver Steve Heffernan second in his Formula Ford in all their weekend races.

Different mount: Scott O’Donnell (Invercargill) enjoying a win in his classic Alfa Romeo GTV2000

Historic Touring Cars provided another highlight when two-time World Touring Car Champion Paul Radisich arrived down for the weekend of racing and also for the special Ford Motorsport celebration at Bill Richardson Transport World on Friday evening before the race meeting. When Radisich was reunited with his old Ford Mondeo Supertourer, he showed he has not lost his touch, finishing second to Phil Mauger in his Nissan Primera. Radisich had to leave early and did not take part in the second race, again won by Mauger, with Bruce Miles (Christchurch) in a BMW in second. Miles won twice on Sunday.

BTCC winners: The epic BTCC championship winning Ford Mondeo of Paul Radisich who drove #31 on Saturday and his former Ford Telstar

Vintage Racing Cars had two races on Saturday with Paul Coory (Mosgiel) the winner in his Chevrolet Sprinter in both. On Sunday, Graeme Hamilton (Lyttelton) won both of Sunday’s races in his ACE III. Formula Libre was dominated by Gary Cooper (Mosgiel) in his Reynard with three wins and twice breaking the lap record. In the last race he copped a 10-second penalty, and Brendon Leitch took the win his Ralt.

Cooling off: Paul Coghill’s (Dunedin) lovely Jaguar Special with Graeme Hamilton’s (Lyttelton) ACEIII in the background

Sports Cars were dominated by Jack Ondrack (Canada) in TVR Tuscan V8 winning all four races. Trevor Lines (Auckland) in his beautifully prepared Redline Special, Jason Crosbie (Invercargill) in his Beck Special, and Dave Robertson (Invercargill) in his ACE — Buckler shared the other placings.

A great weekend was had in pre-65s racing for Paul Clarke (Dunedin) in his Ford Mustang with three wins from four races. In the handicap race, John Mackley (Wallacetown) took a win in his Ford Anglia, while down the order some great battles entertained the crowd.

Noel McIntyre Drainage Clubmans Saloons showed Liam MacDonald (Invercargill) to be too tough to beat with the orange Ford Falcon flying home well ahead of the field for wins in all four events. Liam also took the honours in the Flying Farewell.

Kartsport Southland members geared up for the big track in lunchtime displays on both days

Perennial classic: Citroen Special built by Doug Haig of Timaru and first raced in 1951

Roger Greaney’s (Napier) Lotus 20/22 (#67) with Russ Haines’ (Ashburton) Frangapelli Holden in the background

Rare beast: Michael Eden’s (Whanganui) Vauxhall Firenza with Chevrolet 5-litre power

Classic saloons with Duane Ingley’s (Queenstown) Dodge Challenger (#77) and Ross Graham’s (New Plymouth) Holden Torana (#777) and Rick van Swet’s (Auckland) Chevrolet Camaro (#67)

Contemplation: The Leitch Pits

Back on track: Sunday and the team has repaired the PDL Mustang of Todd Stewart

Invercargill drivers Jordan Michels in his Mygale FF battled Steve Heffernan in his Formula Ford all weekend with Michels the victor

The bunch led by Brent Findlay’s (Timaru) little Datsun files through Castrol corner

Wayne Tuffley (Invercargill) in his Ford Mustang charges hard to pull alongside Keith McDonald (Dunedin) in his Chevrolet Nova

Russell Byfield (Christchurch) leads the Ford Anglias through the loop in the Pre-65 race

Jack Ondrack

It was good to catch up with Jack Ondrack this year and talk motor racing. The former Canadian Ice Racing champion is still a formidable driver in his TVR Tuscan, capable of speeds in excess of 265kph down Teretonga’s main straight. I met Jack and his wife, Esther, and followed the progress of the car when it was built from a container load of bits that arrived in Riversdale just north of Gore from Canada some 20 years ago. The car is stored by and prepared each year by local car builder Greg Elder (Riversdale), joined in the pit crew by former Invercargill driver Frank Milligan, now residing in Christchurch.

Always fast: Jack Ondrack (Canada) returns every year to pilot his extremely quick TVR

Along with Esther, Jack enjoys the laid-back atmosphere of the Southern Classic series from Christchurch to Invercargill. “I’m still enjoying it, especially this great sunny weather and winning races, so that has to be good,” he laughed.

At 78, he still looks fit and sharp and let’s face it, not many of us would have the ability at that age to take the punishment and speed of a nimble-handling TVR with a 500bhp (370kW) V8 up front!

Chasing hard: Jack Ondrack in his TVR Tuscan was unbeatable although he was slowly reeled in by the tiny Ace Buckler of Dave Robertson

Celebration of Ford in Motorsport plus guest, Paul Radisich

The Friday evening before this year’s Evolution Motorsport Classic Speedfest saw a celebration of Ford Motorsport in the main display hall of Bill Richardson Transport World. Members of the Historic Touring Car New Zealand Association travelled to Invercargill for the final round of the inaugural Archibald Historic Touring Car series held at the Speedfest.

The official opening of this special exhibition on the Friday evening before the speedfest celebrated Ford’s involvement in motorsport with a lineup of cars either built or raced in New Zealand, or those with a New Zealand connection.

The 40-strong collection of cars and commercial vehicles included in the collection were both PDL Mustangs, a Mk I Ford Escort FVA, a Cologne Capri as raced by Paul Fahey, Phase 1 and 3 XY Ford Falcons GTs, and an XA Ford Falcon GT as raced by local Ian Tulloch, plus an Eggenburger-built Texaco Ford Sierra RS500 Group-A car.

Also present was the 1993 and 1994 World Touring Car Cup Champion, Paul Radisich, who was the special guest and speaker at the opening function. He was reunited with his Ford Mondeo BTCC car, which Richardson Transport World co-founder Scott O’Donnell now owns and races in the Archibald series.

Radisich drove the Mondeo to second place in the first race of the weekend at the Teretonga Classic Speedfest. The collection was just another great attraction enjoyed by the thousands who travelled to Invercargill for the recent Burt Munro Challenge motorcycle events.

Bronze treasure unearthed

20 August, 2026

The car was put away in favour of something more practical, and when his father was unable to drive any more, Matt’s friend asked him to come and take a look at his dad’s old Holden. It turned out this was one of those phone calls that leads to that feeling of pure joy in the classic car world — the ‘barn find’ that turns out to be even better than expected. The HT Monaro had been put to bed some years before and had not seen the light of day since. Layers of dust and boxes of junk littered her undercarriage and bodywork and access points all around.

NZ Classic Car magazine, September/October 2026 issue 407, on sale now

16 August, 2026

We love bugs!
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“The owner offered it to his grandchildren, and they didn’t want it, so he got the guy out at Mosgiel in the Mobil petrol station to sell it for him, and he put it on Trade Me for them. We never met the owner, and we were always dealing with the guy at the petrol station. We put a bid on it, and we were the only people that bid on it.”
Their bid was eventually successful, eight years ago. Not knowing much of the history, in situations like that, it’s always a risk buying a car, but they were in for a bit of a surprise.