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2012 Summary

April 14 dawned misty calm. Casting a gaze over the Hampton Downs, North Waikato race track was reassuring; it was going to be a fine fine day! The lights of traffic on S.H.1 faded into the day. Owner/drivers were emerging, lifting covers off the cars that would soon be looking for ascendancy over something else on the track.

Registration and scrutineering were completed on schedule. Months of planning, proving itself worthwhile.

The Roycroft Trophy is a weekend of racing  for veteran, vintage, pre 45, pre 60 and Formula Junior cars as well as a grid for pre.63 Motorcycles, Organised by The Waitemata Branch, VCCNZ. in partnership with Hampton Downs, it gives owners of compliant vehicles a chance to push their machines to the limit on what is an exceptional  race track.

A strong field of Austin 7’s was spearheaded by the (mother)”Duck” Racer of 1931. Also known as the ‘record breaking car,’ it first arrived here in 1935, from Herbert Austin to Phil Seabrook with love. The arrival of this car was eagerly anticipated by all. It was fitting too that 2012 is the ninetieth year of The Seven and was celebrated by the arrival of a contingent of road driven cars that sat displayed and paraded the course during the lunch break.

M.G. was there in numbers too.  M.G. developer Cecil Kimber’s 124th Birthday was celebrated with a breakfast on Sunday. In came road cars to look fast while standing still.

Riley’s are very attractive vehicles with lovely parts! Adaptable too; one’s fitted with a 6litre Gypsy-Moth aero-engine. As handsome as it is fast, it leaves the ‘screaming minnows’ gasping as it flies past them on their idling revs.

Ford was there with a 1930 Model A, and Wolesley with a ‘Hornet’

Exotic Veterans, there are 2, a 14 litre 1906 Darracq G.P. and a 5 litre 1919 Lancia Kappa Sport. Light touch paper and stand clear! Consider the efficacy of their brakes and be amazed!

While you’re doing your damnedest out there, there’s a certain thrill at being ‘Blue flagged’. You know what monster is snapping at your heals as it’s taking up most of your rear vision – give them their line and suck up the un-burnt as a squirt of gas propels them into the fumy distance. To see hear and smell a ’32 Alfa Monza and a ’38 V12 Lagonda gallop past just adds to the determined pleasure of it all.

A Type 35A Bugatti and the aforementioned ‘Duck’ are ones significant class mates. Both were raced by Ron Roycroft, son of A.J. and father of Terry, who continues the family tradition, drives the Bug, and with sister Deanne awards the Roycroft Trophy at conclusion of the weekend’s festivities.

Pre. 60 classes include Lotus, Cooper, Buckler, Jaguar and other’s such as Volpini, Taraschi and Elva. These knock on the door of being modern. They boast having suspension and brakes!

Where the sit-ons are concerned, Norton dominates. But there’s a mix of AJS, BSA, Vincent, Triumph, Brough and Gilera.
About 90 machines were registered, some retired, and all are given ‘stick’.

Off course people swarmed and enjoyed good days. Jazz played, display cars displayed. Plenty of delightful surprises; an early steam car glides about, breathlessly gorgeous. A Charabanc, so heavily engineered it looked as though it might sink on the tar paraded, carrying the fortunate who got a seat.

Punters, many in dress their ancestors would have worn, took in the racing, the attractions and the atmosphere and pronounced it good.

The shared vision of ‘club’ and management is working well.  The event is growing, the venue maturing… Here’s to the future that has such an eye on the past and here’s to taking some pleasure from a resource that’s finite, by tapping into the excitement felt in earlier days: The need for speed that can be satisfied by the amateur who tweaks a machine that can be admired as a thing of beauty too.