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Team History
by Roger Nees (Flash)

If you were to ask me "How or what made you get into car racing?" I would be unsure of any defining moment that comes to mind that says "yeah that's what I want to do". What I guess I'm saying is: "there's no easy answer - it just evolved". With the revamp of this website in 2009 I went hunting for some more pictures and discovered some info that may help to explain that evolution into cars and racing.

The first picture (which also became a newspaper article) suggests that I obviously didn't want to be just a passenger at the fairgrounds but I wanted to be the driver! and at the princely age of only 7 years old.
From there I went through the stages of self built go karts (like most every young boy probably) with the typical pilfered pram wheels and single pivot/baling twine steering and apple crate seat I was ready to go. However getting pushed around the flat footpaths of Bishopdale by a mate who couldn't go quicker than 2 mph for 10 seconds just wasn't "cutting it". I needed to look further afield to get my kicks. Nobody had motors on their go-karts at that stage and I would have to wait a considerable number of years before I could attempt any such lawn-mower engine powered contraption so I decided a downhill dirt track would provide the speed I was wanting to experience and from there my intentions were obviously VERY different from every other young boys in the street.

Now to rattle down a dirt hill track with a wooden kart I had nailed together with the baling twine steering and NO brakes was one thing but I wanted to take it further. I grabbed mum's wind-up super 8 movie camera and decided to film the whole thing. I decided filming from the outside would be boring so with one hand grasping the prized possesion camera and the other the baling twine I shot off down the hill and instantly single handidly invented "race-cam". I probably should have run off to the patent shop right there and then because many years later some TV crowd in Australia laid claim to it by sticking a camera inside a V8 touring car.

Anyhow I digress so lets get back to the dirt and speedway. After doing the usual teenager things like being a lunatic on my Yamaha I decided two wheels just wasn't my scene so got my first experiences of Speedway when I spectated and then began pit crewing for John Beauchamp (Beachy) when he raced a stock car.

I first began racing in the early 1980's when I decided to purchase a 332ci V8 powered Ford Falcon. This car was initially raced at Oxford Speedway before advancing to the 6 & 8 cyl saloon grade at Woodford Glen Speedway. I always remember having success with race wins at Oxford, but W/Glen proved to be a lot more difficult to master. It was quite a few years before I won a single race at W/Glen. Back then I was racing against the likes of Lofty Johnson, Steven Ware and Les Scarlet. These men were much respected rivals along with Peter Edmonds (Marmite), Neil Baldwin and Kevin Huddlestone.

The idea of building a Spaceframed Falcon appealed but after many hours of work by yours truly and only one race with the new car I decided I didn't have what it takes to build or drive race cars so I sold it. It really was a piece of junk too when I think back so I hereby appologise to Brent Adams for selling it to him.

After assisting Alan Dingwall to build a new 400ci Torana and pit crewing for a while I started to get itchy feet. I decided to buy a car and improve on it rather than try to build it from scratch myself so I purchased a Spaceframed Victor from Wayne Shral. I raced this for a short time with limited success before deciding that a change of grade was perhaps a good idea.

I made the switch from Saloons to Streetstocks. It was here that I first got the taste of championship victories. I started with a self built Victor before progressing to the ever popular Valiant which I built from the remains of a saloon car purchased from Fraser Laing. This car was probably one of the most illegal cars ever produced but I sure had a lot of fun. During this period a lot of the cars being raced were built without careful consideration to the rule book but I guess mine pushed the limits a bit too far.

It was during these streetstock days that Pam had a couple of drives in ladies races at various tracks such as Oxford, Ashburton and Kaikoura. After having enjoyed these races so much we decided that she should have her own race car so I built up a Mini. Pam wrote this one off at Kaikoura while leading the Northern Zone Champs. The second Mini proved to be alot better and it was probably with this car that the two of us started to perfect our front wheel drive racing skills and I started to learn the art of producing competitive well presented race cars. I quickly built a third Mini which I entered in the first ever Canterbury Production Saloon Championships alongside Pam with her car. It was here in this Championship that Pam became the "First woman to ever win a local championship."

During the 'Mini' period of our racing careers we also raced a Holden and yet another Mini in streetcar/novelty type races. I even built a couple of Mini Convertibles which went down real well in the summer. I won the first ever Caravan Derby in Canterbury and also entered a PB Vauxhall in a local derby but these sort of events haven't particularly appealed to us since. I even did a couple of test stints in a Formula Atlantic open wheel race car at Ruapuna's seal track.

Having gained a lot of experience in racing front wheel drive cars the plan to build a new japanese car eventuated in choosing a mk3 Mirage. Pam and I raced this car for over 4 years and it was with this car that we both became well known for winning numerous titles and championships while beating a lot of bigger more powerful race cars along the way. Casey also got her first taste of motorsport with the purchase of a midget kart but some out of control moments meant she was more scared of the thing than she was of racing it.

An oppurtunity to party with the corporate elite came to chance when my employer Air NZ decided to enter the Variety Club Bash. On their behalf I purchased a 1966 Mustang Notchback V8 in Auckland and drove it to Christchurch. A bunch of us aircraft engineers set about installing lights, water cannons, PA systems etc plus a huge model Boeing and then drove the set-up round the lower half of the south island for a week raising half a million dollars for the childrens charity. A once in a lifetime experience which probably helped lead us into collecting for Koru Care along with our racing.

Around 1991 I purchased a spaceframed Tredia and fitted a turbo engine which made wins a lot more frequent. I won the first 2 championships I entered with this car and also began to make my mark in the A Grade Saloon class at Woodford Glen Speedway. The opportunity to race the ex Rod McLaren Honda started a partnership which enabled me to firmly stamp my presence on most of the tracks around the south island during the 97/98 season. It also allowed me to make a clean sweep of the trophies at the annual prize giving as well as winning all local titles entered at Woodford Glen. Robert Bedford became a noted rig at many speedway tracks. This partnership with Rod McLaren Racing enabled us all to combine our individual talents to astonishing effect. It did however take a few attempts before I could get my name on the "Rod McLaren Memorial" trophy. I have now got to the stage where I guess I strive to excel at everything I do with racing, from the level of preparation and presentation to the skills of mechanical aptitude and driving. These qualities have not gone unnoticed and we were all rewarded for our efforts with the highest accolade in speedway in the 1998 season. We received the award for "The Best Speedway Racing Operation in New Zealand". Not bad at all considering the humble beginnings.

The last Production Saloon we built for Pam was the Cordia which also went extremely well and I had a taste of racing in the Super Saloon class with yet another Honda although unsuccessfully.

I had a race in the Corvette of Paul Williams which had awesome amounts of horsepower on tap which in comparison is something the front wheel drive cars just dont have. While having a break from racing I built a road going "toy" which was most definately eye catching. I dont know if Dick Johnson would have approved though.

We purchased 'Jane Honda' and bought her back to Kaiapoi in 2001. The upgrades went very well resulting in winning the Canterbury championships at Woodford Glen again during the 2003/04 season. We continued to campaign this Honda right through to 2007 when she was sold and headed back down south where she was originally built.

Casey has taken on driving duties on the odd occasion and although still driving cautiously (probably since having the daylights scared out of her in the kart) she has managed to win Kaikoura's Ladies Championship 3 years straight - Good effort Casey!

Over the years I've never turned down the opportunity for a drive of various circuit cars from SS2000 to Osca/TransAm but one memorable drive in particular was the Team Kiwi Holden at the V8 Supercar School in Oz.
I also had a brief foray into SuperStock racing (which I would have liked to carry on with). Mind you the Jazz we developed is arguably one of the best looking SuperStocks in the country.

Towards the end of the 2008/2009 race season we leased a Corvette Super Saloon from the Boulton Racing Team. This led to discussions between both teams and resulted in us purchasing the ex 891 Corvette from Josh Boulton. This also provided other benefits such as full use of the BRT workshops. We now have a new engine in this car plus we re-imaged the car in white with the new flame graphics. Pam suggested a number change to become the 811 Corvette. This is to coincide with BRT plus it's a combination of the #8 & #11 which Pam & I ran for numerous seasons.

We enjoy the annual Northern Zone Championships at Kaikoura so much that another Prelude was built just for the 2010 event. This car started (and finished) eleven races for the weekend and resulted in a 2nd overall in the A Grade Champs.

It is interesting taking this look back but I am ever more looking forward to what the future will bring. I hope you have enjoyed this nostalgia trip as much as I have enjoyed writing it ............ Roger Nees (Flash)

  7 years old Beachy's Stockcar  
  XR Falcon V8 - first race car XY Falcon V8 - second race car  
  Alan Dingwalls - 400ci A9X Torana Vauxhall Victor - race car #3  
  Vauxhall Victor - race car #4 VE Valiant - race car #5  
  Mini 1 - race car #6 Mini 2 - race car #7  
  Mini 3 - race car #8 First Woman to Win Championship  
  Mini - Novelty Races Mini Convertible  
  Caravan Derby PB Vauxhall - Demolition Derby  
  Formula Atlantic Mirage - race car #9  
  Mirage - race car #9 Mirage - race car #9  
  Tredia - race car #10 Mirage & Tredia  
  Mirage & Tredia Casey - go karting  
  Tredia - race car #10 1966 Mustang - Variety Club Bash  
  Introducing - Jane Honda Robert Bedford & Jane Honda  
  Cordia - race car #11 Cordia - race car #11  
  Twin Hondas - Jane & Rhonda Corvette - Super Saloon  
  Dick Johnson - Falcon Jane Honda - race car #12  
  Jane Honda - race car #12 Jane Honda - race car #12  
  Jane Honda - race car #12 Jane Honda - race car #12  
  Jane Honda - race car #12 V8 Supercar - Super School Oz  
  8c Honda Jazz Superstock 851 SuperSaloon  
  811 Corvette - race car #13 Honda Prelude - race car #14  

Achievements
The early times proved to be a shakey start toward a life of speedway racing. It took a few years before championship placings were achieved but the "fun factor" was always paramount and to have Pam driving too meant it was always a family thing to go racing most weekends.
Juggling the demands of two young children between races never seemed to be a problem so to win something at the end of the day ways always a bonus. I suppose this also kept us returning back to the track for more.
Here's a list of those "bonuses" some of them gained relatively easily, some of them with heartache and a damned lot of work and the odd destroyed race car.

blue = Roger / pink = Pam / orange = Casey / green = Roger & Pam combined

Year Placing Grade Event Venue
1988 2nd
1st
1st
Streetstocks
Novelty Race
Streetstocks
14th Northern Zone Champs
Caravan Demolition
North Canterbury Champs
Kaikoura
Ashburton
Oxford
1989 3rd
3rd
3rd
Ladies Champs
C Saloons
C Saloons
15th Northern Zone Champs
North Canterbury Champs
South Island Champs
Kaikoura
Oxford
Oxford
1990 3rd
5th
3rd
1st
3rd
C Saloons
B Saloons
C Saloons
Productions
Productions
Mid Canterbury Champs
Trophy Challenge 1990/1991
North Canterbury Champs
Canterbury Champs
Canterbury Champs
Ashburton
Woodford Glen
Oxford
Woodford Glen
Woodford Glen
1991 3rd
2nd

2nd
1st
Productions
Productions

C Saloons
Best
Sportsman
Easter Champs
Highest Points 1990/91

17th Northern Zone Champs
North Canterbury Champs
Woodford Glen
Woodford Glen

Kaikoura
Oxford
1992 3rd
2nd

2nd
2nd
5th
3rd
C Saloons
C Saloons

Ladies Champs
C Saloons
Productions
B Saloons
Canterbury Champs
Mid Canterbury Champs

South Island Champs
Ellesmere Champs
Trophy Challenge 1992/1993
North Canterbury Champs
Ellesmere
Ashburton

Ellesmere
Ellesmere
Woodford Glen
Oxford
1993 1st
1st

2nd
3rd
1st
2nd
Productions
Ladies Champs

B Saloons
C Saloons
B Saloons
B Saloons
Most Improved Driver 1992/93
South Island Champs

19th Northern Zone Champs
Ellesmere Champs
Grant Fuller Memorial Champs
North Canterbury Champs
Woodford Glen
Kaikoura

Kaikoura
Ellesmere
Oxford
Oxford
1994 3rd
1st
1st
1st

3rd
1st
4th

4th
1st
1st
4th
3rd
B Saloons
Ladies Champs
C Saloons
B Saloons

C Saloons
B Saloons
A Saloons

Productions
B Saloons
Productions
B Saloons
A Saloons
South Island Champs
South Island Champs
Canterbury Champs
20th Northern Zone Champs

Ellesmere Champs
Grand Prix
Trophy Challenge 1994/1995

Trophy Challenge 1994/1995
Grant Fuller Memorial Champs
Team Challenge
Club Points
Club Points
Oxford
Oxford
Ellesmere
Kaikoura

Ellesmere
Ellesmere
Woodford Glen

Woodford Glen
Oxford
Blenheim
Oxford
Oxford
1995 2nd
1st
3rd
2nd
2nd
1st
2nd
2nd

2nd
12th
A Saloons
B Saloons
A Saloons
C Saloons
Productions
A Saloons
Saloons
A Saloons

Productions
Saloons
Remembrance Champs
Grant Fuller Memorial Champs
Highest Feature Points 1994/95
Ellesmere Champs
Trophy Challenge 1995/1996
Trophy Challenge 1995/1996
4 Cylinder Champs
Canterbury Champs

Canterbury Champs
N.Z. Grand Prix
Woodford Glen
Oxford
Woodford Glen
Ellesmere
Woodford Glen
Woodford Glen
Woodford Glen
Woodford Glen

Woodford Glen
Nelson
1996 1st
2nd

1st
2nd
C Saloons
Productions

A Saloons
A Saloons
South Island Champs
Highest Season Points 1995/96

Highest Season Points 1995/96
Trophy Challenge1996/1997
Ellesmere
Woodford Glen

Woodford Glen
Woodford Glen
1997 1st
2nd
4th
2nd
A Saloons
Saloons
A Saloons
A Saloons
Canterbury Champs
4 Cylinder Champs
Trophy Challenge1997/1998
Rod McLaren Memorial
Woodford Glen
Woodford Glen
Woodford Glen
Invercargill
1998 1st
3rd
1st
1st
1st
1st
1st
1st
1st
A Saloons
Saloons
Saloons
A Saloons
A Saloons
A Saloons
A Saloons
Overall
Nationwide
Remembrance Champs
West Coast Open Champs
Team Challenge
Highest Feature Points 1997/98
Highest Season Points 1997/98
Best Mechanically Prepared Car
Best Presented Car
Best Presented Team view
N.Z.s Best Speedway Racing Operation view
Woodford Glen
Greymouth
Greymouth
Woodford Glen
Woodford Glen
Woodford Glen
Woodford Glen
Woodford Glen
Eden Park Auck
1999 Finalist
1st
1st
4th
3rd
Nationwide
Productions
B Saloons
B Saloons
B Saloons
N.Z.s Best Speedway Racing Operation
West Coast Open Champs
Team Challenge
North Canterbury Grand Prix
Highest Season Points
Eden Park Auck
Greymouth
Ruapuna
Oxford
Oxford
2000 1st
2nd

2nd
1st
2nd
1st
Productions
Productions

B Saloons
Overall
B Saloons
A Saloons
West Coast Open Champs
King of the Coast Champs

Grant Fuller Memorial Champs
Best Presented Car
North Canterbury Champs
Highest Season Points
Greymouth
Greymouth

Oxford
Oxford
Oxford
Oxford
2001 5th
2nd
A Saloons
A Saloons
Trophy Challenge 2001/2002
Canterbury Champs
Woodford Glen
Woodford Glen
2002 3rd
2nd
1st
5th
2nd
A Saloons
A Saloons
A Saloons
A Saloons
A Saloons
Highest Season Points 2001/2002
Highest Feature Points 2001/2002
Best Presented Car
Trophy Challenge 2002/2003
Blanchard Memorial Trophy
Woodford Glen
Woodford Glen
Woodford Glen
Woodford Glen
Woodford Glen
2003 2nd
3rd
2nd

1st
2nd
1st

Finalist
2nd
1st
A Saloons
A Saloons
A Saloons

A Saloons
A Saloons
A Saloons

Overall
A Saloons
A Saloons
Rod McLaren Memorial
Remembrance Champs
Highest Feature Points 2002/2003

Best Presented Car
29th Northern Zone Champs
Best Presented Car

N.Z. Speedway Awards Best Presented Team
Trophy Challenge 2003/2004
Canterbury Champs
Invercargill
Woodford Glen
Woodford Glen

Woodford Glen
Kaikoura
Kaikoura

Bay Park Tauranga
Woodford Glen
Woodford Glen
2004 3rd
1st
1st

1st
Award

Finalist
A Saloons
A Saloons
A Saloons

A Saloons
History

Nationwide
Highest Season Points 2003/2004
Best Presented Car (3 years in a row)
Best Mechanically Prepared Car

Best Presented Car
Honorary Membership

N.Z. Speedway Awards Best Presented Team
Woodford Glen
Woodford Glen
Woodford Glen

Kaikoura
Kaikoura

Hamilton
2005 1st
1st
2nd
2nd
1st
4th
A Saloons
A Saloons
A Saloons
A Saloons
A Saloons
A Saloons
Rod McLaren Memorial view
Chch vs Dunedin Teams Challenge
Highest Season Points 2004/2005
Highest Feature Points 2004/2005
Best Presented Car
Trophy Challenge 2005/2006
Invercargill
Dunedin
& W Glen
Woodford Glen
Woodford Glen
Woodford Glen
Woodford Glen
2006 2nd
1st
1st
4th
A Saloons
A Saloons
Overall
A Saloons
32nd Northern Zone Champs
Hard Luck Award
Best Presented Team view
Trophy Challenge 2006/2007 view
Kaikoura
Woodford Glen
Woodford Glen
Woodford Glen
2007 2nd
1st

1st
A Saloons
Overall

Ladies Champs
Highest Feature Points 2006/2007
Best Presented Team
view
33rd Northern Zone Champs view
Woodford Glen
Woodford Glen

Kaikoura
2008 1st
1st
Ladies Champs
Superstocks
34th Northern Zone Champs
Hard Luck Award
Kaikoura
Woodford Glen
2009 1st Ladies Champs 35th Northern Zone Champs Kaikoura
2010 2nd
5th
A Saloons
Super Saloons
36th Northern Zone Champs
Trophy Challenge 2010/2011 view

Kaikoura
Woodford Glen
2012 1st
3rd
1st
1st
2nd
1st
4th
Super Saloons
Super Saloons

Super Saloons

Super Saloons

Super Saloons

Super Saloons

Super Saloons
2011/2012 N.Z. Champs - Best Presented Car
Lovelady Race Cars Easter Finale view
Captain Crunch Award - ELF Cup Prize Giving
Highest Season Points 2011/2012
Highest Feature Points 2011/2012
Most Improved Driver 2011/2012
Trophy Challenge 2012/2013 view
Nelson
Woodford Glen

Kaikoura
Woodford Glen

Woodford Glen

Woodford Glen

Woodford Glen
2013 Award Super Saloons North vs South Team Member view Wellington
2014 Award
1st
Finalist
1st
Super Saloons
Elf Super Cup
Nationwide

Nationwide
North vs South Team Member view
Award for Promotional Work
Best Presented Vehicle
SNZ Awards view
Best Speedway Track Website SNZ Awards
view
Woodford Glen
Nelson
TePapa Wellington

TePapa Wellington
2015 Award
3rd
Award
Award
Super Saloons
Super
Saloons
Elf Super Cup
Elf Super Cup
NZ Super Saloon Championship Qualifier
Central Motor Speedway Club Champs
Pole Shuffle Highest Mover 3rd Overall
Best Presented Team
Wellington
Cromwell
Christchurch
Christchurch
2016 Award
2nd
Vertex Super Cup
Saloons
Hard Luck Award
Taipa Speedway Saloon Showdown
Christchurch
Taipa
2017 3rd
5th
2nd

3rd
3rd
Super Saloons
Super Saloons
Super Saloons

Super Saloons

Super Saloons
Canterbury Championship
Trophy Challenge 2017/2018
Ron Spriggs Memorial
Vertex Super Cup Round 2
Remembrance Championships
Woodford Glen
Woodford Glen
Cromwell
Woodford Glen
Woodford Glen
2018 3rd Super Saloons Harvest Nationals Blenheim
2019 4th
3rd
2nd
Award
Award
Super Saloons
Super Saloons
Super Cup
Super Cup

Super Cup
Remembrance Championships
CTRA SI Champs
2nd Overall
Points view
Referees Choice view
Captain Crunch view
Woodford Glen
Ashburton

Hanmer

Hanmer
Hanmer

 

   
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