Year first started volunteering:

1966.

How long have you been involved with Rally NZ / in the motorsport scene? And what was it that you started off doing? 

I have been involved with rally New Zealand for over forty years and motorsport generally for more than 60 years. I got interested in loose surface driving as a 14-year-old when we lived at Bethel Beach and the Road to Bethel Beach was a loose surface and some 14 kilometres long. At that time, I did not know but the residents on the road using the “party line” (phone system) to warn each other that the lunatic David was practising his racing on the road and to stay clear until he got home, It was all done in good humour and there were never any near missus.

As soon as I was legally allowed to drive, the day I turned 15, From that time onwards I would travel to Pukekohe for circuit racing. Early in my apprenticeship I was able to purchase a write off mark one Zephyr and that commenced local grass track type events.

Murray and I have undertaken the OO zero car responsibility, this will be our 37th year together. Prior to that I navigated for Bryce in the zero car for several years.

What was it that made you first get involved in Rally? 

I met Bryce Platt at an Auckland Car Club event when I was taking photographs for the club magazine. Bryce lost control on a corner and as the story goes, he tried to run me over as I was in the ditch taking ground level photos of the cars. The car sustained some damage and after the event when walking back through the pits I met Bryce and offered my services as an automotive repairer. At first, I think Bryce was somewhat taken back by a stranger offering to fix his damaged car, however after more than 55 years we are still good mates so it must have turned out for the best.

Bryce then campaigned the shell sport series and I was one of the team members. As this was a predominantly summer sporting event, I always thought it would be advantageous for the driver to compete off season to sharpen their skills. With a little bit of coaching Bryce accepted my suggestion we have a go at rallying and one of our mates was generous enough to offer their rally car so we could compete in the MG Car Club Woodhill rally. After that I was convinced, rallying was the sport for me and built our own rally cars sometime later. In the meantime, however, there was a televised rally Sprint series. Bryce was agreeable to drive a car in the events if we could obtain one. I am not quite sure how or why but I was able to convince people who owned competitive cars to let us borrow or lease the valuable cars so we could compete. We did very well at it.

What is your favourite memory/what has been the highlight moment from your years in the sport? 

There have been several memorable highlights but the one that sticks most is the International Rally and seeing the Audi Quattro for the first time.

Out of all the things you love about rallying, what is it that keeps you coming back for more? 

For me personally the feeling of the rally car dancing on the loose surface under complete control is an exhilarating and unexplainable excitement. At an event level it is the good people that are so generous with their time to allow competitors to participate.

If you could drive in any rally in the world, what one would it be, and what car would you drive – and why?

I’ve always had a soft spot for Mitsubishi although I always support Ford, it would be an Evo 6.5 in one of The Scandinavian events.

If you could spectate any rally in the world, what one would it be and why?

Having been involved in the zero-car team I have not had the opportunity of spectating rally NZ. It may sound a bit tripe but we have got the best roads in the world for rallying and viewing rally New Zealand at AWRC level would be as good as it gets.

Any other highlights to note/stories to tell? 

I have always preferred long special stages and so when we had the opportunity to provide a zero car for the Marathon Rally, I enjoyed the Molesworth station section as it just went on forever. Another stage I enjoy is Motu.

Any other note-worthy comments?

In the most recent WRC rally we held the comments made by the FIA safety observer and my words not hers we’re the best she has ever seen from a zero car perspective suggests the organisation for all on stage activities from stage controllers safety marshals and the zero car team are undertaking their responsibilities to a world class standard.