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Post by administrator on May 12, 2009 15:39:13 GMT 1
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Post by thirdturn on May 25, 2009 14:35:53 GMT 1
There was a Japanese driver in this era who raced overseas, but I only know that his nickname was 'Happy'.
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Post by leadfoot on Jul 7, 2009 11:43:44 GMT 1
You are right, thirdturn. His name was Hideyuki Hirano. We called him Hideyuki 'Happy' Hirano because he always had a smile on his face. He came out here to Australia during the 60's and raced at our Sydney Showground and Westmead speedways and interstate. He came here with a solo rider by the name of Jimmy Ogislo. We even had a Japanese lady solo rider appear here at the Sydney Showground, and rode pretty well considering her machine was very much underpowered to ours. Her name was Nanae Okomoto. I will see if I can post a photo of Hideyuki Hirano on here for all to see. He drove an Australian Repco Holden midget.
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Post by leadfoot on Jul 7, 2009 11:58:55 GMT 1
Hideyuki sitting in the Repco Holden in Sydney.
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old75
New Member
Posts: 17
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Post by old75 on Sept 5, 2009 9:05:38 GMT 1
Happy Hirano drove the famous Kurtis Kraft 76 with a V8-60 engine back in 1966 in NZ, painted red with a 'rising sun' on the tail. This was the car Bob Tattersall also drove along with several champion NZ drivers. Sadly he passed away a few years ago. He also drove a TQ midget in a match race against the then NZ champ, Les Nixon on the same tour.
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Post by administrator on Sept 5, 2009 9:44:17 GMT 1
Hideyuki sitting in the Repco Holden in Sydney. That's a really great photo. How did you get this Posted? A different method by the look of it to the recommended proboards system?
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Post by kiwikid34 on Jan 15, 2012 12:23:02 GMT 1
This link seems to have been taken down since it was last posted. Does any member have a new contact in regard to the old days of Japanese midget car racing around the 1950s and 1960s?
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