Fogg lifts to fulfil dual driving gigs
Experienced racing driver Angus Fogg will literally make a flying visit to compete in the Taupo¯ Historic GP before returning to Hampton Downs this weekend.
Fogg will compete in the first Central Muscle Cars race this morning at the New Zealand Grand Prix and will then be helicoptered south to the race at the Taupo¯ Historic GP at Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park.
Then he’ll fly back north in time for the second Central Muscle Cars race later in the afternoon, spending approximately an hour each way in the air.
‘‘It’ll be a bit of a push but I’ve done three races in a day before – but not at different tracks!,’’ Fogg said.
The flying visit was made possible with help from the Historic GP organisers and some of his friends in the burgeoning Historic Sports Sedan and Allcomers (HSS&A) Association.
Fogg has more than 30 years’ experience racing everything from Minis to Australian V8 Supercars.
These days he divides his racing between his own JA Russell Ltdbacked 1970 Ford Mustang Fastback in the CMC series and driving one of the most famous sports sedans in the long history of the category, the Gordon Burr-entered ex-Ian Algie 1979 Alfetta GTV V8.
‘‘I feel a bit like Stirling Moss or
Jackie Stewart who used to do these sorts of things regularly I believe, when they raced Formula One, saloon cars and sports cars at different circuits on the same weekend,’’ he said.
‘‘I really enjoy driving the Alfetta and was disappointed when I heard about the date clash.
‘‘At the time, I joked about entering both meetings with the help of a helicopter and sure enough, it’s happening. I can’t wait!’’.
The helicopter would bring a bit of excitement to Taupo¯ , said Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park chairman Chris Abbott.
‘‘It’s certainly something novel,’’
he laughed.
‘‘It’s a problem that has never cropped up before, but Angus is resourceful, and he said he could do both [events] ... he was able to arrange it, so that’s great.’’
The Taupo¯ Historic GP organisers are also willing to be flexible to allow Fogg to race.
‘‘We worked out the timing, and we’ve got a good idea within five minutes when he’s free of his race at Hampton Downs and when he needs to be here. We reckon he’s got about an hour to spare. [Then] it’s an easy ride back to Hampton Downs,’’ Abbott said.
The Taupo¯ Historic GP runs over today and tomorrow.
As well as races for historic muscle and saloon cars, the event features demonstrations of many historic Ford racing and rally cars, races for Formula 5000, Formula Junior, Historic Sports Racing and other Invited Historic Cars, Historic Formula Fords, Historic Sports Sedans & Allcomers and Tranzams, plus displays of Ford models spanning 60 years of motoring in New Zealand assembled by members of multiple Ford owner clubs from around the country.
At Hampton Downs, practice racing started yesterday for the 66th New Zealand Grand Prix, culminating with the big race tomorrow.
It pits Supercars star Shane van Gisbergen and former world karting champion and sports car racer Chris van der Drift against Greg Murphy, who came out of retirement to support the event.
The four-time Bathurst winner took the chequered flag at the Grand Prix 27 years ago as a 21-year-old before going on to a successful Supercars career.
‘‘It will be a massive challenge,’’ Murphy said in December when he announced his return.
‘‘I think perspective needs to be applied – I’m 48 and haven’t done anything serious in a car, competing for such a big trophy since 2014 really. I have done a bit of GT racing but that was just fun.
‘‘The competitive element will kick in – none of us wants to be there making up the numbers – but I will not have it easy.’’