DARTS AND DAUPHINES DRAGGING OF THE FAST KIND

Thanks to the magnanimity of a couple living in Cape Town at the time (TT and WT), I have in my possession a prized and splendid 398-page copy of the magnificently-illustrated book Killarney 50 Golden Racing Years 1960 to 2010. The couple had been aware of this columnist’s keen interest in motor sport since the age of 14 and the frequent visits he made to the Killarney racing circuit near Milnerton in Cape Town in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

What a pleasure it has been to read about and view the photographs depicting saloon car racing of that period, as well as single-seaters and motorbikes.

Who remembers these cars from the 1950s and 1960s that used to roar around SA race tracks?

GSM Dart; DKW; Volvo PV544 and Volvo 122S; Renault Dauphine; Borgward Isabella; Peugeot 203; Simca; SAAB; Morris Minor and Morris Mini; Alfa Romeo Giulietta and Alfa Spyder; Triumph TR2; and Fiat Abarth 750.

Then, of course, there were the oldtime motorbikes that raced at Killarney AJS, Velocette, Triumph, Norton, Matchless, BMW, Vincent, BSA Gold Star and later Honda.

Back in those days the early 1960s teenagers would scoot around Cape Town suburbs on their Santa Maria 50cc buzz bikes!

The mere mention of racing saloons and motorbikes must surely bring back fond memories to many readers!

Some months back this column carried a story dealing with the activities of the Grahamstown Car Club (GCC) about five decades ago, and which included three drag race meetings held in 1971, 1972 and 1973, before fuel restrictions were introduced.

The racing was held on the strip of tarred road between the entrance to the aerodrome and the military base.

According to the official programme, the 1973 event was organised by the Grahamstown Car Club, assisted by Round Table of Grahamstown.

Clerk of the course was Vic Banks, chief crowd marshal was Charles Clymer, chief pit marshal Eric Tasmer, and scrutineer Lyndsay Dickinson.

Banks lives in Gqeberha these days and Clymer in Canada, while Tasmer and Dickinson passed away some years ago.