Message posted by Paul Aitchison on 07 August 2006 at 12:42am - IP Logged
This site brings back many memories. I first started attending Harewood acres as a spectator in my High School years in the late 1950's. Watching Ludwig Heimrath beat the bezeeses out of big American cars (Corvettes etc.) with the little 1600cc RS60 Porsche. What a rush. Hell, I had a 54 Volkswagen and we all knew that was just like a Porsche.
Later on, I mechaniced a car for crazy Geisseppe (Joe) Tangi. Joe campaigned an old Morris 1000 and afterward a Huron Formula Vee, both at Mosport and Harewood Acres. I remember a picture taken at Harewood of my son about age 8 at the time, sitting in Joes' Formula Vee complete with helmut and a smile from ear to ear. He now has a son of his own about that age.
We were usually also runs, however, we had a few LASC club races 2nd and 3rds (I still have a plaque hanging on my wall). The only first we ever got was at the Cayuga stock car track. We had Goodyear blue line race tires that were normally too big for the horsepower we had. But, that day, we put the large rear tires on the right hand side and it worked. I was scared sh*tless, through out the race, afraid that Joe would loose control and go under the ARMCO railings that were there then, I could never have forgiven myself. It would have ment instant decapitation. After that race at Cayuga, Joe told me he put his foot to the floor for the whole race never letting up at all. That took guts, in my opinion. A couple of our regulate racing compatriates came over and eye balled the car looking for irregulatities. Joe had wanted to put a 1500cc VW engine in for that day, as it was obivously not a CASC santioned event. I wouldn't let him. We were as legal as could be. I was elated then and still am, all these years later.
Not big stuff, but real great memories, just the same
Message posted by jamie@studioeight.co.uk on 03 September 2006 at 4:22pm - IP Logged
The 904 was there a few times. But I don't think anyone ever ran a 906 at Harewood. I'll see if I have some pix of the 904. It was silver.
Jamie Brown
London England
Quote: Originally posted by Guest on 10�February�2006
Would anyone have photos of a Porsche 904 or 906 at Harewood? In 1967/8 Jean-Paul Ostiguy ran a 906 & Rainer Brezkinka ran a 904 & then a 906. I've written a book on Porsche 904, 906 & 910 racing in America and I'd like to include a few photos from Harewood if possible.
Thanks,
Jerry Pantis
Montreal
Message posted by Jamie@studioeight.co.uk on 03 September 2006 at 4:24pm - IP Logged
You certainly could lap all day for $5. I did it many times with my racing motorcycle. Just paid farmer Hare and away I went!
Jamie Brown
London England
Quote: Originally posted by Administrator on 02�February�2005
Robert,
Thanks for sharing your memories of Harewood. I had never heard about the open lapping for $5.
Message posted by jamie@studioeight.co.uk on 03 September 2006 at 4:29pm - IP Logged
We sports car guys were quite worried before the start of the race as we dodn't want to be humiliated. It was a slaughter. At the end of lap one, all of the stockers were trailing around at the back of the pack. And they stayed there.
Lee Petty was there, but to be fair, the rest of the stocker field looked a little weak, while our guys brought out the best we'd got.
Jamie Brown
London England
Quote: Originally posted by Guest on 17�March�2006
Who out there rembers the match race between the stock cars and the sports cars that Bobby Anderson promoted in about 1961?I recently spoke to Doug Syer and he reminded me of it.Ted Hogan,Norm Mackereth,Jimmy Howard,Gary Witter,Harvey Lennox Jack McCutcheon Doug Syer are some of the names I remember from the stock car crowd. Were Bill Sadler and George Makins there representing the sporty car boys?Does anyone from my era use the internet?
Message posted by jamie@studioeight.co.uk on 03 September 2006 at 4:59pm - IP Logged
John Fitch who was a member of the factory Mercedes team in Europe raced here.
Lee Petty raced here.
Ted Duff, Canada's best-ever motorcycle racer ran here.
Yvon DuHamel, another top rider, ran here often
Stirling Moss drove demo laps here (not too many people know this: it was some years before Mosport became a reality)
Belgian racer and multiple LeMans winner Olivier Gendebien raced here
Roger Penske made a name for himself here, as did:
Ludwig Heimrath, who made his debut in a real racing car here (before this, he ran a Porsche Carrera - number 13 - also at Harewood)
And young Peter Ryan who later raced Formla One in the U.S. G.P. and was killed racing in Europe.
Canada's first sports car racing fatality happened here - a televsion producer called Ted Pope
Canada's first motorcycle racing fatality happened here
Among the rare early cars, Ray Carter's Jaguar XKSS, a Maserati 300s, a couple of Ferrari 212mm's, a Marcos GT, a Simca-Abarth, several Fiat Abarth Bialbero's, and a Grand Prix Connaught!
Jamie Brown
London England
Message posted by Leighton Irwin on 05 September 2006 at 1:38pm - IP Logged
I think you mean Mike (Michelle) Duff not Ted. The Connaught was driven (?) by Peter Murdock who also founded Canada's 1st pay Race Drivers School. He could teach but drive ?? I and at least 4 or 5 other members including Gary Magwood were far faster. Eppie Wietzes, Mo Carter, Horst Kroll and Bill Brack were other regulars at Harewood as was Al Pease. Bobby Rahal's 1st race was at Harewood. and who could forget the 'Craiger' Craig Hill.
Message posted by Jamie Brown on 06 September 2006 at 5:52am - IP Logged
You're right about Mike (Michelle) Duff. - Sorry about the mix-up. I knew Mike at the time, but went to college with his brother (at least I THINK he was his brother) - Ted Duff - Ted ran a Formula V, drove a pre-war Bentley touring car to college and sailed a Chinese Junk!
The "Toothpaste Tube" Connaught is still around - racing back here in England, and you're right again: it certainly goes much faster here than it ever did at Harewood!
Jamie Brown
London, England
Message posted by Leighton Irwin on 06 September 2006 at 4:44pm - IP Logged
I was involved in the sale back to England. I had a 1/3 interest in the car in theory and when Tom Hand aquired Redex we sold the "carbunkle" as we called it.Never did drive it darn it.
Message posted by Paul Aitchison on 05 October 2006 at 10:24pm - IP Logged
Hey Jamie, Long time since you and I attended BCI and GVCC. I heard you produced some movies. _ Paul
Message posted by jamie@studioeight.co.uk on 17 October 2006 at 6:16am - IP Logged
Quote: Originally posted by Guest on 05 October 2006
Hey Jamie, Long time since you and I attended BCI and GVCC. I heard you produced some movies. _ Paul
Hi Paul:
Send me an email on jamie@studioeight.co.uk and we'll catch up.
Jamie
Message posted by Colin King on 03 November 2006 at 1:48pm - IP Logged
Names from the past, stories from the past and lots of great memories. What more could you ask. Hi Leighton, Terry etc.
I stumbled across this site quite by accident while doing a search on Google for Chinook cars. Reading it brought back many great memories of races watched and races competed. The first motor race I attended in Canada was 1955 at Edenvale but Harewood will always stand out as the premier track until Mosport came along. Even then, Harewood still held a certain mystique for club racing that Mosport never matched. I guess because I did my drivers school at Harewood and also my first race. My driving instructor was 1967 Champion Bud Tucker and also of great help was Ron Evans. I met with Ron and Sylvia at Mosport in (I think) 2003. Was really good to see him again.
Message posted by Vicsr on 18 January 2007 at 4:45pm - IP Logged
I remember Peter Murdoch bringing the Connaught out to Mosport & got a chance to sit in my first GP car. What a thrill! Wish it was still in Canada because it could come out for VARAC's Festival in June celebrating the 40th anniversary of the first World Championship GP of Canada.
Message posted by Don Leslie on 31 January 2007 at 12:04am - IP Logged
Leighton, I think one of Peter's problems was that he kept forgetting that the RCSCC was to be a club and not a venture to simply facilitate racing for him. That is why I bailed out as the first treasurer - it was too darn difficult to control him and I had my CA program to worry about.
Jamie, would you by some chance know Simon Phillips? Simon was a partner of mine in Arthur Young (now Ernst & Young) and an avid racer (vintage and Le Mans). I haven't seen him for many years. His racing ended as a result of a serious accident - on skis. One of the last occasions we chatted was when he'd called me from London as I had mentioned the Connaught to him. He was anxious to buy it as there was one being run in vintage races in the UK. I tracked down Peter and he informed me that it was lost in the insolvency of Redex and was back in the UK. Ironically, I had to call Simon and tell him the one he wanted to race against happened to be the same Connaught I had mentioned to him.
Leighton, your name came up on another forum today and it sure brought back memories. I figure I haven't seen you since we chatted on Yonge Street back in the late 60s or early 70s. I seem to recall you were with National Trust at the time. Is my memory still working?
Best regards
Don Leslie
Message posted by Leighton Irwin on 01 February 2007 at 10:59am - IP Logged
Don: You are right about NTL. Also about controlling Peter. Too bad he couldn't drive worth a darn, but he knew theory and the lines. I left Ntl. after 30 odd years. After Vic & Grey took over it was not the same. After serious heart problems I was more or less forced out. I now (with my ex wife) own Rift Valley Pond & Garden and Bait and Tackle in Waubaushene. They are for sale!!!
I still go to the odd race and see Gord Green quite often. Of the old school group Ron Poth is still active in organizing and I E mail Gary Magwood now and then. He is in Madoc.
Message posted by jamie@studioeight.co.uk on 16 February 2007 at 11:29am - IP Logged
Sorry: I don't know Simon Phillips. But I'll watch for his name over here.
- I have to tell all of you guys: it's great to see a number of Sadlers racing here in the U.K. - As well as a Chinook. They make me proud of my Canadian roots. Don't you think those Sadlers were often way ahead of their time?
Message posted by Robert Engberg on 16 February 2007 at 9:25pm - IP Logged
I believe I may own the Elva photographed in the "esses" picture on this site. Please let me know if you can identify the name of the driver. It looks like it is from a 1960 Harewood race. Thanks. Bobengberg@netscape.net
Message posted by gblawson on 17 February 2007 at 2:19pm - IP Logged
Remember going to watch our friend Bill Baago race his twin cam... blew up a couple of times and towed him to Simcoe... would get it rebuilt and go again.
Remember testing one weekend and taking my '60 MGA Coupe out for a run until we were 'asked' to leave... Great times!
Message posted by Gord Smith on 26 June 2007 at 10:33am - IP Logged
Robert Barg,
I'm glad to hear some one else hit those haybales.
In 1967, May 6th to be exact, I was in my first race in a modified " 64" B I had bought from Gary Magwood. Previously I was racing my "66" production car, to the track and racing it.
I was chasing a Healy and hoping to be able to pass in a corner, the chicanes I believe, before gunnery when I hit a haybale and rolled. Fortunately the "b " was not damaged and with some body work I was able to race it again that year .
Last year a friend gave some pictures of the event that he had saved from Wheelspin the May 10 edition.
Great times.
Gord Smith
Message posted by John Wright on 29 June 2007 at 11:52am - IP Logged
Hi Fellow Enthusiasts
I went to the old Harewood track a number years ago as I imagine some others have done, to see what it was like there today. Most of the track is still there and is used by the refinery people for communications purposes. The old concrete structure where " Gunnery Turn" was located is still there, it being too expensive a proposition to tear down I imagine. All the out buildings of course are gone, including the farm house of Russell Hare where we used to go to give him $10.00 so we could run on the track. There is a memorial to the old Jarvis field which pays tribute to the young men who died there while training in the old British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. However, there is no sign of any recognition that people raced and died there. How soon we forget.
Perhaps some people remember the movie Captains of the Clouds with Jimmie Cagney. Some of the movie was filmed there.
It's not too hard to find. If you drive into Jarvis from the west end, the Simcoe end, turn right at the first road heading south towards the lake after you leave the town. If you follow it down a few concession roads, turn left and do some scouting you will find it. It will not be as you remember it, I warn you. However, it's worth the search. Cheers,
John Wright
----------------- John R. Wright
Message posted by pest_entry on 02 October 2007 at 12:34pm - IP Logged
The 1957 and 1959 Harewood acres races programs are on eBay.com this week ending late sunday 7th. Listed by pest_entry.
Message posted by Linsey Levine on 11 October 2007 at 1:31pm - IP Logged
Webmaster-
I would like to purchase an image from your site. Please contact me at linsey@gstockco.com and let me know whether we can arrange for me to buy the image, as I know they are copyrights of Canadianracer.com/ Motorsports Central.ianRacer.com / Motorsports Central and may not be
Message posted by Philip Spedding on 03 April 2008 at 12:01pm - IP Logged
This is a message for Don Leslie.
Simon Phillips is my uncle. If you would like to contact him, by all means feel free to get in touch with me at philip.spedding(at)AandB.org.uk
Philip
Message posted by harrybladon on 06 October 2008 at 11:42am - IP Logged
Hi Does anybody know the whereabouts of the Merlyn Mk8 canam car driven by Paul Christianson in the Players's 200, St. Jovite, Mont Tremblant and entered by Ecurie Portland?
Message posted by Leighton Irwin on 06 October 2008 at 4:41pm - IP Logged
No, but Peter (not Paul) might be able to be contacted through Young Drivers of Canada head office.
Message posted by Leighton Irwin on 06 October 2008 at 10:30pm - IP Logged
Topic: Harewood Acres
