28 replies to this topic

[CobraV8]

Hi there,

 

Outside of my Mini obsession, I also have a Cobra Replica that I have raced for quite a few years.  Thought you may be interested in seeing some photos from an event I recently attended.

 

The event is called the Leadfoot Festival held in The Coromandel in New Zealand, which happens to be located in Rod Millens back garden!  Rod Millen is famous for International Rallying in the 60s and 70s, Pikes Peak champion in America for many years, as well as instrumental in Toyota and Mazda motorsport in the US for many years.  The Leadfoot Festival is modelled upon the Goodwood Festival of Speed, which Rod Millen attends in a Tundra race truck (I think).  Rod invites drivers/cars of a huge variety, including race, rally cars, offroaders, motorbikes, stadium trucks, dragsters, hot rods, an enormous variety of cool cars, all raced up his back garden.

 

My Cobra is a replica built in New Zealand, has a steel box chassis, Kevlar body (car weighs around 1060kgs), Chevrolet LS7 454 cuin (7400cc) with around 650hp, 5 speed straight cut dog race gearbox, 9 inch ford diff, big AP Racing brakes, Koni shocks, etc etc, perfomance is amazing, top speed achieved just under 200mph.   

 

This one is of my Cobra along the straight, the event is based on a hillclimb, with an early section that is on the flat, but still quite twisty, and not horrendously high speed (unfortunately)

 

This one is passing one of the barns that Rod Millen keeps his toys in.

 

Half way up the hill there is a good straight up a steep section, and then a tight hairpin, definatelt the corner of most incidents

 

The event is timed uphill, and then you cruise back downhill in groups (no helmet)

 

Another Hairpin shot or 2

 

Bottom section is flat, and lined will hay bales

 

The Leadfoot Ranch (aka Rods Back Garden) has all sorts of things on display, such as his old fashioned garage

Edited by CobraV8, 19 August 2013 - 09:02 AM.

[CobraV8]

This is Rod Millens Celica Pikes Peak car.  Rod although now in his sixties, has not lost any of his pace, and still had the fastest time of the event in this 1000hp 4wd aerodynamic awesome machine

 

A huge variety of cars, this one a beautiful local replica of a Zakspeed Escort Race Car

[CobraV8]

Rod Millens 4WD RX7 Rally Car

 

Another RX7, this time a replica of a Group C Race car as raced at Bathurst in Australia

 

Variety - not many events you would see an old motorbike with a basket sidecar

[CobraV8]

Escorts were well represented, this one a replica (I think) of Ari Vatanens Rothmans Escort Tarmac Rally Car

 

Alan Mann Replica Escort

 

Max Irwin, friend of Rod Millens, used to rally in 70s, I think moved on to Nascar

 

This one a very fast twin turbo Nissan V6 driven by Clark Proctor, who raced this and his Formula 5000 (below)

[sonikk4]

Your Cobra is beautiful, just a tad jealous and those Escorts has made me dribble alarmingly.  

[CobraV8]

More Variety:

 

BMW M3 British/European Touring Car that finished its 'official' career with Jim Richards in Australia racing in the Australian Touring Cars

 

Immaculate BRM Single Seater Race car

 

Anglia Breadvan

 

Bukler - like a tiny version of the Cobra (older too)

[CobraV8]

If you are a motorbike fan, you were well catered for as well:

[sonikk4]

Those old boys look like they are having yards of sport.

[CobraV8]

Just the chance to meet some of the famous race and rally car drivers, and look at their cool cars was worth the trip!

 

Here I got to chat with Rod Millen:

 

Emma Gilmour (second fastest lady rally driver in the world) was racing Possum Bournes old race car:

 

Rod Millens friend from ZZ Top - Billy Gibbons popped over, played some music and brought his hotrods:

 

And a local race driver Ray Williams who holds the NZ Landspeed Record in a production Porsche 930 Turbo was racing a cool car with two motorbike engines made into a V8:

[CobraV8]

Your Cobra is beautiful, just a tad jealous and those Escorts has made me dribble alarmingly.  

Thanks mate, I was proud to have my car there.

 

Here are some more for you, one not so nice (driver was OK, Escort toast):

 

 

 

 

 

and a very cool genuine Cologne Capri Race car:

[sonikk4]

That Escort    totalled beyond repair there i think. Love the Capri.

[CobraV8]

It was hard to race, eat lovely food, watch the cars and meet all the cool people, there was just so much to see!

 

Rod and his son Reece Millen (famous stunt driver and Pikes Peak Racer) both had goes in Rods Tundra off roader:

 

Ex Klaus Ladwitz Touring Car (now lives in Australia I think)

 

Everything just fit in, including Alfa Romeo:

 

Tractors as objects of curiosity:

 

Local Special:

[CobraV8]

A few cars came from America (Rods other home):

 

Nascar:

 

Baja Offroaders (they had an offroad section next to the track):

 

Outlaw (owned and driven by crewchief of Geoff Gordon Nascar driver:

 

American Saloon (wife of Outlaw Driver):

 

Almost missed some of my favourites:

 

F40 having a moment:

 

Drifter Falcon:

 

A 1906 Daraq F1 Car driven by an 86 year old Lady:

 

Audi Quatrro Rally Car:

 

Model T Ford:

Edited by CobraV8, 19 August 2013 - 11:10 AM.

[CobraV8]

Of course no Motorsport event is complete without Minis:

 

This one was very rapid old race car, driven really fast, but crashed or spun on every go (but was spectacular):

 

and of course a Clubman:

[CobraV8]

Some more variety:

 

McLaren F5000:

 

Yardley McLaren Cosworth F1:

 

Mercedes Sports Sedan:

 

Current International Rally Car:

 

Another of Rods toys, his old Rally Car:

 

A friends Rally Car, alsoi used to Rally against Rod: