George Begg

In the clippings (29)

24 May 1969Brownlie sets a new speed mark of 177 mphDriving a 5.9 litre Begg sports car for the first time, 25-year-old Laurence Brownlie of Kelso, West Otago, set a…26 May 1969N.Z. speed record to Otago driverL. Brownlie of Kelso became the fastest man on four wheels in New Zealand on Saturday, breaking the national flying…25 Oct 1969Best N.Z.-built in Formula AGeorge Begg of Drummond, Southland, built the best New Zealand-made Formula A car, driven by Geoff Mardon and costing…27 Nov 1969South Island cars for Tasman seriesTwo South Island Formula A (5-litre) cars would compete in the 1969-70 Tasman series: Leo Leonard of Timaru in his own…19 Jan 1970Almost out of petrol, but Matich wins TrophyFrank Matich won the 1970 Lady Wigram Trophy with his 5-litre Chevrolet V8 McLaren M10A spluttering on the last of its…12 Jan 1971Great advancesFour of the 1971 Lady Wigram Trophy cars were designed and built by New Zealanders, including three by Southland…15 Jan 1972Lady Wigram race holds vital pointsAhead of the 18th Lady Wigram Trophy the 1972 Tasman points were led by Mike Hailwood (10) with Frank Gardner and…18 Jan 1972Lady Wigram Trophy race constitutes third round of 1972 Tasman championshipHistory of the Tasman series (begun 1964): from McLaren's first title and the dominance of Clark and Stewart, through…19 Jan 1973McRae close to last year's fastest time at WigramIn the preliminary practice session for the 19th Lady Wigram Trophy, Graham McRae was unofficially timed at 66.9sec in…16 Jan 1973Wheel has turned the full circleMotor Racing Club president J. A. Brewer says Wigram history shows the wheel has turned full circle: early fields were…17 Jan 1973Six nations represented in Wigram classicPreview of the 19th International Lady Wigram Trophy race (47 laps, 100 miles), with drivers from six nations: five…17 Jan 1973Local championProfile of 26-year-old David Oxton, the national Gold Star champion, who will drive the Begg FM5 in the 19th Lady…16 Jan 1975Murdoch: rising starProfile of Jim Murdoch, formerly of Auckland and now of Drummond, Southland, who finished second at Pukekohe in the…18 Jan 1975Living with uncertaintiesProfile of Clare Murdoch, wife of Jim Murdoch, the 28-year-old driver tipped to make it in motor racing after his…15 Jan 197622nd International Lady Wigram Trophy Race MeetingPreview of the 22nd Lady Wigram Trophy meeting on 18 January 1976.17 Jan 1977For Tom, a hot, hard hour of workRussell Jones spends the Teretonga race day with American driver Tom Gloy (Tui), who needed a win to keep his series…25 Jan 1979Thrilling action seen in first race at WigramRecalls the first Wigram race in 1949, a 105-mile NZ championship road race won by Morrie Proctor (Wellington) in a…25 Jan 1979Hailwood to ride A.J.S.Mike Hailwood was to ride a 7R A.J.S. in the historic motor-cycle race at Wigram in 1979, alongside Hugh Anderson, the…29 Jan 1979Wigram race in jeopardyThe future of the Lady Wigram Trophy was in the balance after poor support for the thirtieth race on 28 January 1979,…3 Mar 1979Motor sport will survive, says genial giantInterview with George Begg, who predicts motor sport will survive by getting back to basics with grass-roots club…3 Mar 1979Not a great fuel wasterGeorge Begg argues motor sport is no bigger a fuel waster than aimless Sunday driving or horse racing, and says the…23 Jan 1980Historic racing cars to contest six-lap race at WigramA preview of the historic racing car event at the 1980 Lady Wigram Trophy meeting, a six-lap race for old racing…23 Jan 1980Variety to please everyoneOrganisers of the 1980 Wigram meeting promised a wide variety of motor sport: Formula Pacific, Formula Ford, saloons,…23 Jan 1980Continuance of Wigram racing up to publicThe Stuyvesant series was officially dead and the 1980 series was the Aurora AFX Series, with the Lady Wigram Trophy…26 Jan 1980Continuation of Wigram racing is up to publicWith the Stuyvesant Series dead after the cigarette company withdrew, 1980 racing became the Aurora AFX Series (Aurora…26 Jan 1980Variety will please spectatorsOrganisers of the 1980 Wigram meeting promised a variety of motor sport, costing about $30,000 to promote, with…14 Sep 1980Wigram in new international car racing seriesChristchurch (Wigram) was expected to host one of two New Zealand rounds of a new FIA-recognised Pacific basin Formula…21 Jan 1982Oxton on defending titleProfile of 35-year-old David Oxton, New Zealand single-seater champion, defending his title with Pye sponsorship.27 Aug 1993Motorsport a passion for man of courageProfile of Chris Williamson, a quadriplegic since a 1971 diving accident, who is a familiar figure in the pits of the…

From the reports

• On 24 May 1969 Laurence Brownlie set a provisional New Zealand car land speed record of 177.9 mph (average 12.575sec) in a 5.9 litre Begg on the East Eyreton highway near Christchurch. (24 May 1969)
• The Begg was built by George Begg of Southland in January 1969 with a body similar to a McLaren of the 1967 Can-Am type, and preparation for the record run started on the Thursday night before. (24 May 1969)
• Laurence Brownlie set a provisional New Zealand car flying kilometre record of about 178 mph (174.4 mph and 181.6 mph runs) in a Begg-Chevrolet on 24 May 1969 on South Eyre Road, soon after 8 a.m. (26 May 1969)
• The Begg's 5.9 litre engine produced about 450 bhp, ran on wide Firestone Formula 1 tyres and was safe to 7000 rpm, turning 6500 rpm at 181 mph. (26 May 1969)
• A prototype Begg Formula A car was expected to be raced by Brownlie at Ruapuna the following month. (26 May 1969)
• Begg's Formula A car in 1969 used a Z28 Camaro Chevrolet engine and monocoque chassis with alloy body panels. (25 Oct 1969)
• Geoff Mardon's Begg Formula A finished fourth at Pukekohe and third at Bay Park in shakedown tests in late 1969. (25 Oct 1969)
• Leo Leonard's Chevrolet Begg produced about 400 bhp, using a Corvette engine and gearbox from the smashed sports car of the late Brent Hawes. (27 Nov 1969)
• Four cars in the 1971 Lady Wigram Trophy field were designed and built in New Zealand: three Beggs and the Matipo MJ70A. (12 Jan 1971)
• George Begg's Drummond business built Formula A-5000 cars after he returned from a year with McLaren Racing in Britain. (12 Jan 1971)
• The Begg FM4 made its debut at Wigram in 1971 driven by Geoff Mardon. (12 Jan 1971)
• Jim Murdoch's Begg 018 has a deformable structure, side-mounted radiators, inboard front suspension and a far-forward driving position. (16 Jan 1975)

Built automatically from OCR of the clippings, so a name printed two ways may still be split across two profiles, and some results may be missing. Spotted a mistake?