Invercargill Street Races: Velocette 1, 2, 3

Pictured with their victorious cammy trio are Squaddie Swallow, Squadron Leader Price, Captain Craig-Smith, Tank Commander Thomson of the Royal Engineers and returning to active service, Brigadier Biber.

A gallery of the Classic Pre ‘63 Class (girder forks) winning Velocettes competing at the Honda Invercargill Street Races, Sunday 29 November 2015. Racing at the exciting new Invercargill street circuit included the same four riders, the trio of KTTs and the Big Velo in the Classic Pre ‘63 Girder class and the addition of a second ride for Chris Swallow aboard the Eldee Velocette in the Classic Pre ‘63 Class.

The VRNZ pits shared space with team Rudge’s Francie Winteringham and Rhys Wilson of Invercargill in pit lane who feature along with team VRNZ in the pit culture gallery below. In the feature image Chris Swallow aboard KTT 1041, leads Cloud Craig-Smith (KTT 1079) to a historic Velocette 1, 2, 3, class win in the Honda Invercargill Street Races for the VRNZ racing team.

I’d like to thank all the riders who put it all on the line, their support crews, the event marshalls, organisers, admin and sponsors that made the 10th Burt such a festive, thrilling spectacle. Finally kudos to Wellington Velo man Nic Thomson for the outstanding achievement of developing, race prepping and fettling the four Classic Girder Velos that achieved five historic wins at the 2015 Burt and acknowledge the remarkable fact also that all bar-one of these 80 year olds both started and finished every event entered over the four thunderous days in November 2015.

Velos at the Burt 2015: Megaphones on Bluff Hill
Teretonga Races—The KTT trio & Big Velo
Teretonga Pre ‘63 & Post Classic Pre ‘72
Velos Teretonga Practice Day
Invercargill Street Races Classic Pre ‘63

Cloud Craig-Smith aboard the KTT Hot Rod vies with Chris Swallow for position approaching Corner 2 on the new Invercargill Street circuit.

Rider 4 – Bill Biber – 1934 Velocette ‘Big Velo’ 500
Rider 32 – Chris Swallow – 1946 Velocette KTT MKVIII 350
Rider 197 – Phil Price – 1934 Velocette KTT MKIV 350
Rider 231 – Cloud Craig-Smith – 1949 Velocette KTT MKVIII 350

Classic Pre ‘63 with girder forks

Velocette Racing NZ and Team Rudge pit culture at the Invercargill Street races

Rider’s meeting and Pre ‘63 Velos on the dummy grid Invercargill Street Races

Technical inspections completed the mandatory riders’ meeting, chaired by Andy Underhay, President of the Southland Motorcycle Club, was held in Pit Lane just prior to the Honda Invercargill Street Races commencing.

CREDITS:

Words: Shaun Waugh Photography & Desktop publishing: Shaun Waugh MagentaDot Brands