28-2-49 WELLINGTON MAN WINS BIG CAR RACE M. Proctor' of Wellington, crossing the finishing line in his Brooklands Riley in Saturday's big car race. The only accident occurred when the M.G. driven by G. J. Parker (Christchurch) left track as it took the bend in the twenty-first lap, turned ever several times, and came to rest in an open ditch. Parker chimbed out of the wrecked car (right), shaken but unhurt except for a cut thumb. Thousands See Big Car Race At Wigram Between 20.000 and 30.000 people were at the R.N.Z.A.F. station, Wigram. on Saturday to see M. Proctor, of Wellington, win the first New •Zealand motor road racing cham- "pionship. In a veteran Riley, built specially for the famous Brooklands track, on which it has met with considerable success, Proctor covered the gruelling 105-mile Jour-, ney, fifty times around the bitumen perimeter of the flying field. in 1hr 35min 56sec, averaging 65.67 miles an hour for the full distance. Second place was taken by the largest car entered, a 4500 c.e. Invicta driven by F. B. Bennett, of Christchurch. C. A. C. Ransley, of Christchurch, was third in a Riley which had had its saloon cab replaced by a racing body. Packed tightly near the bends and along the straight to the finishing line the huge crowd was thrilled continually by the spectacular cornering at high speeds and the flashing acceleration of the cars as they emerged from the turns, one of which, a tricky S-bend, necessitated extremely careful handling at a comparatively slow speed. The pertormances of H. Green (Wolseley) R. J. Roycroft (Austin), R. Christie (M.G.), Ransley, F. Shanman (M.G.), and the only woman driver, Mrs S. Lupp, of Dunedin (M.G.), will be long rememherer. . 28-2-49 Proctor Did Not Visit Pits Proctor was one of the few drivers who did not visit the pits. His driving was unspectacular but planned with extreme care. Most excitement came from the tussles between Roy.l croft and Green, two experienced contestants who provided an abundance of thrills from start to finish. They fought numerous duels while travelling at high speeds. Green met engine trouble after he had led the field for the early part of the race, and was prevented from giving of his best. Nevertheless his car was one of the fastest and his displays of cornering were second to none. The pair brought frequent gasps from the crowd as they entered bends together jockeying for positions while racing wheel to wheel. There was only one smash. While taking a corner in his twenty-first lap G. J. Parker (M.G.), ran off the "track, hit several bales of straw, and was thrown clear of his car before it turned over several times to come to rest upside down in a wide ditch. The following are the official results: ChampionshipM. Proctor, Wellington (Riley) Ihr 35min 56sec, 1; F. Bennett, Christchurch (Invicta), 1hr 36min 22sec, 2; D. Ransley, Christchurch (Riley) 1hr 36min 36sec, 3; H. Green, Christehurch (Wolseley) Ihr 37min sec, %; Mrs S. Lupp, Dunedin (M.G.) R. Roycroft Auckland (Austin), T; R. Christie, Christ. 6; H. H. Logan, Nelson Logan special), спитсл (м.G.), Handicap —R. Auckland "(Riley), (Austin) 2: IL R. Logan, Nelson (Logan Special), 3; Dirs S. Lupp, Dunedin (M.G.), 4; C. A. C. Ransley, Christchurch (Riley), 5; R Christie, Christchurch (M.G.), 6. Lap leaders were paid fl a lap. The •following were the leaders: M. Proctor 23 laps, H. Greén 11 laps, F. Bennett 10 ps, R. Roycroft 6 laps. The other starters were: K. N. may, ch (F.N.); R. Hutcheon, Christ- Ford • Special); P. Mora, rh. (Singer Special); H. J. Ma rhurch (M.G.): D. S. Drew. 'B. Shand, vI.G.); G.); J. Tutton, Rangiora •Sherratt, Christchurch dges, Invercargill (M.G.); aristenurch (M.G.); J. G. irch (V& Bentley Special); Christchurch (м.G.); •istchurch (M.G.); and stchurch (M.G) -