5-3-49 5-3-49 THE CHRISTCHURCH STAR-SUN. SATURDAY. MARCH 5. 1949 20 SOME OF THE COMPETITORS awar at the start. In front, left to in 1hr 33min 56spc. R. F. Christi Bennett's Invicta (Christchurch). in last Saturday's right, the cars art e: M1.G. (Christrhu Behind them at Ransles's Riles 10 105-mile road racing champion• N. Proctor'- Riles (Wellington reh! H. Green's Molseles (l Mrs s Lapp's M.G. (Dunerlin. hristchurch, No. 6). lip at Wigram getting which won the event istchurch), and F. B. N1. 9) and 6. A. C. Pit Staffs At Race Had Unspectacular But Necessary Job UNSUNG heroes of the New Zealand road racing champion- ship at the Royal New Zealand Air Force Station, Wigram, on Saturday were the mechanies and co-drivers who staffed the pits. Seen by only several hundreds of the 25,000 to 30,000 people who were thrilled for 95 minutes by the twenty-two contestants, they had a vital part to play in the preparation of the ears for the event and in servicing the cars which had to visit the pits during the race. Calls at the pits meant time lost on the course-something every driver was anxious to avoid. Al teams were carefully drilled, with the result that unnecessary delays were eliminated. The most frequent visitor to the pits was the Christchurch driver. P. M. Hoare, in the silver Singer Special. The water-cooling system of his car proved inadequate for the conditions, and his entry became a familiar sight those standing opposite the pits as the afternoon wore on. He pulled in for the first time after he had completed two laps. and as he repeated this at frequent intervals spectators began to look for him, and several began to time his mechanics as they unfastened the bonnet. unscrewed the radiwater. and reraced thee sands of net. At the eighteenth stop the evolution was completed in forty seconds. By this time the water supply had been exhausted and a call was made on the Wigram fire tender to replenish it. Then there was the performance recorded by C. A. C. Ransley's team when they changed a wheel in the time it took him to drink a glass of water. P. d. Roycroft in the tiny supercharged Austin 7 did not have to wait for his men to jack up his cal. They merely lifted it on to blocks, snapped a wheel off, and screwed another on. Each competitor had a bench 12ft long and 3ft wide. On it were laid out spark plugs. engine spares. tools and equipment for lap scoring. Pracucally all the contestants had to call in for a complete change of tyres. The only drivers who did not loose time at the pits MI. Proctor Riley, Brooklands Christchurch, in a S. Lupp. of Dur which was excell the race. were the winner, Wellington. in a F. B. Bennett, of in Invicta, and Mrs redin, in an M.G., ently prepared for Pit signals to d and varied. and thạt they were ur drivers and roke awar from ever, and display were for the who First on the co were the pit stew: ants. rivers were many were designed so nderstood only by stafis. One team convention, howred signals which le field to read. ourse and last off ! ard and his assist- Start was Perfectly Timed One of the most thrilling parts of | huge crowd. He had a staff of more the contest was the start. Arranged than two hundred. but he could have to conform to customs followed by done with many more. The spectaracing clubs in England and on the tors remained extremely orderly Continent, the , procedure went off 15555 without a hitch. Promptly at 2.15 p.m. the National Anthem , was played and then the race controller International Car and officials entered the official car and drove around the course twice. one circuit at a fairly slow speed Race Possible and the other at a faster rate. When this inspection had • been completed Now that the Canterbury the course was closed to people other than the contestants, the cars were Lar Club has had the experiwheeled on to their places on the ence of organising a major: grid and motors started. startine Three minutes before the road race, it is permitted by start of the race all mechanies left the rules of the Royal Autothe grid, a minute later the starter mounted his stand with a New Zea- mobile Club, to which it iss land Ensign, and dead on the tick of affiliated, to stage an inter- 2.30 the cars were sent away in one national race. body with a deafening roar. Next year's race may be on One of the cars on which most interest was centred was the red an international scale. Club 'Wolseley special driven by H. Green officials feel confident that anof Christchurch. He shot out into event of this magnitude could the lead at the start and held his advantage for several laps. After be staged in Canterbury durcovering many miles he found his ing the province's centenary merhanical petrol pump giving trouble and he had to make a stop Several well-known Austraat hir pit. costing him four minutes. lan racing motorists have FroM inen on he had to pump by advised the club that they hand, and later in the race the top would be certain starters if came of the hand pump. The fact thia he made up, three such an event was held. "fminutes is testinnily to his driving racehorses can be taken skill and the excellent i nottion in across the Tasman. why which he took his "ar t the start. His lap average of fuse over 72 milies sheild not the same be done hour was the best recorded. with racing cars, they ask? stage ot the race, his speedo- • rE i mes an hour. P52Q5 555555525L / hectic day for Mr C. e chairman throug. gut the race under rittee of he Christe murch watchful eve of Senior-Sergeans Services' Assoriation, who Kearns and a large detachment ged with wandlirig the i police.