History

Kiwi Kingmaker – Ron Frost… Hero or Villain?

Casey Annis
Historic occasion. East London 1966 : Hulme’s 2.7 liter Climax engined Brabham on the front row of the grid with Mike Spence (Lotus) and Jack Brabham’s Repco powered Brabham. This non-championship South African Grand Prix was the first ever event of the 3.0 liter formula.

New Zealand motor sport enjoyed a golden age during the 1960s and early 1970s when no less than three drivers from the tiny island nation—thousands of miles from the motor racing capitals— were front-runners and serious contenders for the World Drivers’ Championship crown.

However, one wonders if it had not been for the driving force of one visionary man, working behind the scenes, whether the international achievements of Bruce McLaren, Denis Hulme and Chris Amon, would ever have come about?

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