1949 Hamilton 100: First North Island road race! (Manx Norton)

Описание: Where it all began: A film showing the 1949 'Hamilton 100', the first closed-roads motorcycle race held on New Zealand's North Island.

The event got its name as it was run over a distance of 100 miles and attracted 100 entries.

Waikato County Council loaned a road grader and driver for a week to smooth the unsealed parts of the circuit. Some riders reached speeds of 100mph on the tar-sealed sections.

A Beauty Queen was selected to help persuade the Council to agree to the road closures!

The Hamilton Motor Cycle Club purchased two miles of rope to create special spectator areas, but there is little else to prevent the public from walking onto the course.

The Start/Finish area was held in Clarkin Road, Fairfield, Hamilton and the course continued through Hukanui Road, Comries Road and Bankwood Road. It looks somewhat different today!

Featured in this film:
Alan McLaren, (Race Secretary/Organiser)
Ralph Dixon, (Supplied Sound System around the course)
George Palmer, (Father of NZ F1 car champion Jim Palmer of Hamilton) microphone announcer.

Results:
Mick Holland, (Christchurch, South Island) won the event.
Jim Strawbridge, (Christchurch, riding a Manx Norton) was 2nd.
Paul Clarkson, (Auckland) was 3rd and brother 4th.

McLarenArchive: Over 50 films and rising!
Click 'SUBSCRIBE' below (or 'like' Facebook.com/McLarenArchive) to know when the next film is published!

Subscribe ►   / @mclarenarchive