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National car road race event to be held at Wigram

The 1949-50 national road race championship, allocated to the Canterbury Car Club, will be run on the bitumen landing strips at Wigram on 25 February 1950, organised with the RNZAF station and the Papanui RSA, with proceeds also to the Air Force Service Institute Fund. Chairman H. G. Bandy said prize money would be 650 pounds plus challenge trophies, the distance again just over 100 miles, and lap speeds were expected to rise by at least 10 mph; the faster cars were timed at about 110 mph on the back straight in 1949.

Facts

  • The 1950 NZ road racing championship at Wigram was set for 25 February 1950 with prize money of 650 pounds plus challenge trophies.
  • The faster cars were timed at about 110 mph on the back straight at Wigram in 1949.
  • The 1950 race clashed with the Australian Grand Prix in late January, and was seen as a rehearsal for the Canterbury Centennial race planned for February 1951.
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Tenders for catering at national road race championship

Canterbury Car Club notice calling tenders for catering at the Wigram national road race on 25 February 1950, expecting 30,000 to 40,000 people.

feature

New racing car will make debut in 100-mile contest

D. W. Wild of Christchurch is finishing a new racer built from a 940cc, 11 hp Fiat and modelled on the Cisitalia, to be known as the R.A. III, for the 1950 championship at Wigram. On its first road test it reached 95 mph and covered a flying quarter-mile in a little over 10 seconds; it has wishbone front suspension, hydraulic dampers, a 2ft 9in body height and an aluminium body to be painted purple. It will be teamed with H. Green's Wolseley Special and P. M. Hoare's entry.

Lap times

  • D. W. Wild (R.A. III (Fiat special)): 95 mph top speed

Facts

  • The R.A. III was a Christchurch-built special modelled on the Cisitalia, built on a 940cc Fiat for the 1950 Wigram race.

Photos

  • This new car, built by D. W. Wild of Christchurch, is modelled on the lines of the Cisitalia, an Italian racer capable of 120 miles an hour.
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National car road race: Australian entries

Entries from Australia include Gary Coglan of Sydney with a supercharged TC MG and P. J. R. Steele with a 2.3 Grand Prix Alfa Romeo that reached about 130 mph under previous owner A. Barratt. Auckland entries include the overhauled supercharged Austin and F. Zambucker's De Soto special, W. J. Cope's Austin Ulster, and Mrs Sybil Lupp's MG with a Shorrock supercharger. Three Christchurch-built cars (Green, Hoare, Wild) are entered and a production car speed trial will run with the championship.

Lap times

  • A. Barratt (Alfa Romeo 2.3): 130 mph top speed
  • H. Green (Wolseley Special): 110 mph top speed

Facts

  • A production car speed trial for standard post-war saloons was to run with the February 1950 Wigram road race.
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National car road race: six Christchurch entries

Fourteen final acceptances were received for the 25 February 1950 national road race at Wigram, with two Australian entries unconfirmed; all cars were capable of about 100 mph. The New Zealand entry list gives Roycroft or Chatteris (Austin), Cope, Farland, McMillan, Tutton, Ransley, Hoare, Logan, Mrs Lupp, McLean, Wild, Zambucker, Green and Proctor.

Facts

  • Fourteen final acceptances were received for the 1950 Wigram national road race, none of the smaller low-speed cars of 1949 among them.
Read the OCR text
25-11-49 NATIONAL CAR ROAD RACE EVENT TO BE HELD AT WIGRAM The 1949-50 season's national o2d race championship, which has been allocated by the Association of New Zealand Car Clubs to the Canterbury Car Club, will be held on the bitumen landing strips at the Royal New Zealand Air Force Station, Wigram, on February 25, 1950. Advice that Wigram was available for the event was! received at a meeting of the national road race committee last evening. The event will be organised and run by the Canterbury Car Club. the Royal New Zealand Air Force Station, and the Papanui sub-branch of the Returned Services' Association. The pro-: ceeas wili go to those bodies and the i Air Force Service Institute Fund. "Inquiries from all over New Zea-| land have been coming in from prospective entrants." said the chairman (Mr H. G. Bandy). Three very worthy drivers from Nelson alone will probably start, giving some indication of the size of the entry. These three cars are all built in Neison. which speaks for the ability and sportsmanship of New Zealand drivers. who have not motor works' resources behind them. Australians have indicated their inter- The prize money this year would be € 650, plus challenge trophies. MI Bandy said. The distance would again be fractionally over 100 miles. With car modifications and better tuning, lap speeds were expected to rise by at! least 10 miles an hour. The faster cars were timed at speeds of about 110 miles an hour on the back straight last year. It is expected this year's race will provide experience for New Zealand drivers for the Canterbury Centennial raçe in february, 195l. when overseas drivers are expected to race at Christchurch. This season's event conflicts with the Australian Grand Prix. to be run late in January, but some Australians may enter this season to gain knowledge of New Zealand conditions. The organisers intend doing everything, possible to cater for the public and have the experience gained in ! handling the 25.000 to 30.000 specta-! tors last year to help them. 2-12-49 CANTSRBURY CAR CLUB (INC.). TENDERS FOR CATERING AT NATIONAL RCAD RACE CHAMPIONSHIP TO BE AT WIGRAN AERODROME ON FEBRUARY 25. 1550. TENDERS will be received at the Office of the Undersigned for Catering for the Public's Drinks, Requirements in Light Meais. Soft Ice Creams. etc.. au the abore event. It is estimated іДете will be an attendance of betteen 30.000 and 40,000 people. The Highest at any Tender is net necessarily! астерієй. Deposit of 10 per cent must be iocsed Fith each Tender. TENDERS SHOULD BE LODGED AS SOON Canter- AS POSSIBLE with the Secretary. burs Car Ciub (Inc.). Box 222, 1 Christchurch. M. MacSHANE, Secretary. E15429 2912-49 18-1-50 27-1-50 New Racing Car Will Make Debu 100-Mile Contest Built from a 1 Fiat. the entry Christchurch. for 100-mle roa to he held in pleted. 940 11 horse power of D. W. Wild. of the New Zealand cing championship uars is almost com The new car. wh the Cisitalia, an It has been timed at will be known teamed with tWO Green's Wolseler : Hoares entry. nich is modelled on talian racer which 120 miles an hour. S R.A. III, being • other cars. H Special. and P. M. Afte!' its first road test yesterday, Wild was enthusiastic about its performance. the machine having been clocked at 95 miles an hour, and having covered a flying quarter-mile in a little over iusec. He hopes that, when it is completed. the car will compare favourably with its Italian prototype. The final adjustments vet to be made include the fitting of a camshaft. twin carburettors, and the polishing of the ports. These are expected to improve the performance considerably. The low body height (2ft 9in) and the suspension svstem. particularly on the front whe the wishbone typ coil springs in each side. make t on the corners. this is given racer took a corn els; where it is of e coupled to three hydraulic fluid on he car very steady Some indication of the fact that the ler on its road test yesterday at mor an hour without This is due ir wheelbase and v and 4ft Okin resp ing circle, too, is two and a half being necessary ce than ninety miles a movement. part to the long vide track. ift Ilin bectively. The turnparticularly narrow, turns of the wheel to put the car on full lock. When the e "souped-up " the ing will be the aluminium bodyw purple. the paddi and the fitting engine has been only work remain- • painting of the ork with iridescent ing of the cockpit, an instrument panel. A demonstration of the car's accel eration was given this morning when a reporter was taken for a short ride. From a standing start. the car bounded away with a terrific burst of speed. mach This new car, built by D. M. Wild, of Christchurch, is modelled on the lines of the Cisitalia, an Italian racer capable of 120 miles an hour. When the final adjustments have been made it is hoped that it will compare favourably with the original. NATIONAL CAR ROAD RACE AUSTRALIAN ENTRIES EVENT TO BE HELD AT WIGRAM IN FEBRUARY A large number of entries, including been recome from Australia. have ceived for the national road race car championship which will be held on: bitumen landing strips at the Royal New Zealand Air Force station, Wigram, on February 25. Most of the faster cars which competed inte event last year will be starting again in an improved form Entries from Australia include two of the finest cars there. They are from Gary Costan, of Syaney, supercharged T.C. M.G., and t. s. Steele, of with a 2.3 Grand Prix Alfa Romeo. The M.G. is probably the fastest car of its type in the world and holds many New South Wales records. The Alfa Romeo reached speeds of about 130 miles an hour in the hands of its previous owner, Mir A. Barratt, of New South Wales. The supercharged Austin from Auckland. one of the smallest and fastest cars entered last year, has been completely overhauled. Special spark plugs have been obtained from Britain to avoid the plug troubie that the car had in last vear's race. The second Auckland entry is that of F. Zambucker. His car is a De Soto special with a 1949 engine. Another small car is that of W. J. who has recently arrived in New Cope Zealand from Britain. He has entered Austin "Ulster" model, which will be the smallest car race. Mrs Sybil Lupp, OI Dunedin. has acquired a Shorrock supercharger for her M.G. and recent performances at Nelson showedl a marked improvement in the running of this car. There has been considerable interest in the entry of three Christchurchconstructed cars. These are specially built for racing and are entered by H Green, P. Hoare and D. Wild. The cars are modern in design and should uphold Canterbury's reputation. Last year Green's car was the fastest in the opening laps and he was timed down the back straight at more than 110 miles an hour. With more power and a redesigned body he should have a good chance this year. The organisers intend running al production car speed trial in conJunction with the road race championship Entries are coming in from the motor trade for this event. which will be for standard production saloon sold to the public. It will be interesting to see how the post-war cars behave under racing conditions. Thei event will be run i to demonstrate the reliability at speed and the handling of the post-war car. The national road race championship, which has been allocated by the Association of New Zealand Car Clubsi to the Canterbury Car Club. will bel organised by the Canterbury Car Club, the Royal New •Zealand Air Force Station and the Papanui Returned Services rub-branch of Association. The proceeds will go to those bodies and the Air Force Service Institute Fund. NATIONAL CAR ROAD RACE SIX CHRISTCHURCH ENTRIES Fourteen final acceptances have been received for the national road race car championship which will be held oni the bitumen landing strips at the Royal New Zealand Air Force station, Wigam, on february 25. and two Auscralian entries have yet to be finally confirmed. Six of the entries are from Christchurch. capable of doing about 100 miles ani All the cars entered this year are hour, and this year there are none of! the smaller lower-speed cars which look part in the race last year The final New Lealand entries are: R. J Auckland Roycroft or C. H. Chatteris, of driving a super-charged Austin; W. J. Cope (Christchurch), Austin; A. S. Farland (Palmerston North), Singer special; J._ McMillan (Wellington), Jackson; J. Tutton (Rangiora), car unnamed; D. Ransley (Christchurch), Riley: f P. M. Hoare (Christchurch), R.A.: Logan (Nelson), Logan special; Mrs S. A Lupp (Dunedin), supercharged M.G. H. McLean (Christchurch). Invita; • D w. Wilu (Christchurch). R.A. III; F Lambucka (Auckland), De Soto special; 4. Green (Christchurch), Wolseley special; Proctor (Wellington), Brooklands Riley.

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