26-2-49 26-2-49 Thrilling 05-M Wi ram is won By M. Proctor FIRST winner of the New Zealand road racing championship is Il. Proeter, of Wellington. In a gruelling 105-mile contest at the R.N.Z.A.F. Station, Wigram, to-dar, he drove his veteran Brooklands Riler tu rietory, completing the long journer, fifty times around the perimeter of the aerodrome, in 1hr 35min 56see. Procter's effort was remarkable for his consistent driving. Never spectacular, be held on to an earlt adrantage, and wore the otber competitors down, as the miles were eaten up. His 1098c.e. car has mon races on the world-famous track at Brooklands. A Christehurch entrant, F. B. Bennett, was second in the largest car entered. a 4500c.e. Invieta. Many thousands of people i A deafening roar accompanied the Chronged the bitumen track around drop of the flag. and as one body the field flew away to a pertect the perimeter of the aerodrome.| Roycroft (Austin 7). in Towards midday, streams of motor- smallest car, amazed the spectators cars and cyclists began converging as he weaved through to the front on the three entrances. and an hour from the middle of the field to take before the event was due to • start. the first bend with Bennett. C. A. C. the greater part of the circuit was Ransley. of Christchurch (Riley). H. packed five and six deep with spec- Green. of Christchurch (Wolseles tators. Near the starting-line. where Special). and Proctor. the pits were situated, the crowd superiorits of these drivers more dense, and it was here over the remainder of the field soon that most thrills were seen as the became evident. At the end of the cars attained their maximum speers fourth circuit Green had lapped the before entering a wide curve which field. which was being tailed by k opened up into the run leading past Mav. Christchurch (F.N.) the control tower. whose car was not running smoothl!. At 2.20 p.m., ten minutes before For the spectators packed tighti the start, the cars wøre taken near the bends: thrills came aplent! their places on the lage grid which as the cars cornered at speed. often had been marked out. Following a slipping off bitumen with a time trial last evening, the large. scream of tortured rubber to comblack Invicta was given pride plete two. and sometimes three turns place on the inside of the front line before they regained the track. Ro!of fours cars. Behind them. drawn croft. Proctor, Bennett, and Ransle! up in rows of three and four alter- assumed complete charge of the connately were the rest of the field of test. and as the race wore on the trenty-two. intensity of their battle for superior- Five minutes before the start the ity grew. Green and Roycroft began air was filled with the roar of rev- a duel which lasted almost until the ving motors. The atmosphere was end. and which provided the main tense. but the tension grew as the interest. Green was the first of the starter mounted his platform with pair to pull into the pits. but time a New Zealand Ensign, and drivers he lost through this and other stops gunned their motors, adjusted crash was made up by his terrific speed helmets, and settled into their cock- on the straights and acceleration on • leaving the bends. ile Car Race at AFTER THE RACE THE 105-MILE in the top photogr ing at the reverse ROAD RICE held at Wi aph climbing out of his c bend out of the straight. (the winner), H. R. 1оg gram today went to M. Proc al after his victory. Below is Lett to right they are: R.). an (Nel-on), and F. Sharman tor, of Wellington, who is shown a shot of four competitors corner- Royeroft (Auckland), M. Proctor (Christchurch). Cars Touch on Bend The performance of Roycroft was P. Hoare (Singer Special truly remarkable: The eagerness experienced engine trouble, and his with which he hung on to Green and visits to the pits were more frequent Bennett soon earned him the admir- than most. May and R. Hutcheon ation of the spectators, and be (Ford Special) tailed the field for the greater part of the race. - = Driving consistently if unspectacu- • Driver Escapes in lariy. Bennett took the lead at the thirtieth lap, followed closely by Proctor and Ransiey, with Green Sole Crash near at hand burning up the course with exceptional bursts and showing G. J. Parker, of Christ- rare judgment on the bends. church, escaped death when The only woman contestant, Mrs ze was thrown from his car Sibil Lupp, of Dunedin, in new at the wide south-western JL.G., drove with remarkable steadiness. and when the end came in corner of the two-mile racing sight she emerged in a handy posi i circuit at the Royal New Zea- tion to the leaders. land Air Force station, Proctor hung on. and over the last! few laps, captured toe lead. which Wigram, in the New Zealand had been retained for some considerload racing championship this able distance by Bennett. He was afternoon. the first to receive the chequered flag. the signal denoting the forty- Taking the bend in his i ninth lap. Bennett was next. and twenty-first lap, he found his was followed to the finish by M.G. failing to respond to the Ransley, Green, Mrs Lupp, and Roycroft. wheel. It ran off the track, Places and times will be confirmed hit several bales of straw when the racing committee of the which had been provided for Canterbury Car Club meets this protection, turned over several evening before the prize giving cere-! mony. times, and came to rest upside Results: down in an open ditch. From .Z. Road Hacing Championship the track, only the wheels of 1L. Proctor. Wellington (Riles), Ihr his small car could be seen. 35min 36ser 1 Although badly shaken, F. B. Bennett. Christchurch (ntieta) - z Ihr 36min 22sec Parker was uninjured except C. A. C. Ransley, Christchurch (Riley), 1hr 36min 34sec 3 for a cut thumb. This was the H. Green. Christchurch (Wolseley), 1hr 37min 4sec only accident of the race. Mrs S. Lupp, Dunedin (M.G.) | R. J. Roycroft, Auckland (Austin) became more popular still as he drew level and passed these larger cars. only to lose his lead again. His challengers were numerous. but aiways he was beatal back. A gasp went up on one occasion as touched one of the cars in the bend at the top of the: straight when travelling near t0 miles an hour. Handicap R. J. Rovcroft. Au seven laps M. Arortor, freilingte làps 4 . ... H. P. Logan, Nelson five laps C. A. C. Ransley, Chri two laps Mrs S. Lupp. Duned laps Section ekland (Austin), on (Riles), five (Logan Special), stchurch (Riley), lin (SLG.), three