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Scan of the clipping page, 7 April 1951
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Les Moore sits at the wheel of his Grand Prix Alfa Romeo as attendants push it into the pits after winning the 100-mile Wigram race.

Photos

  • Les Moore, winner of the 100 mile car race at Wigram last Saturday, sitting at the wheel of his Grand Prix Alfa Romeo while attendants push it into the pits after Moore's success.
race report

Rain did not keep drivers' speeds down in car race

Despite the rain, drivers at the 1951 Wigram race were nearly as fast as in the 1950 conditions: Moore's winning average of 68 mph was only fractionally different from Hec Green's in 1950. Unofficial timing showed George Smith lapping consistently around 1min 54sec for thirty-six laps, with Moore reported to have done a 1min 42sec lap late in the race; Smith retired with overheating after leading from the start. Roycroft's Jaguar spun twice, Shuter lost thirty seconds after stalling at the hangar bend, and Halsey Logan's Logan Special showed remarkable acceleration before colliding with Ken Tubman. The Australians never had a look-in.

Lap times

  • George Smith (Gee Cee Ess Special): 1:54 other
  • Les Moore (Alfa Romeo): 1:42 fastest race lap

Facts

  • Les Moore's 68 mph average in the wet at Wigram in 1951 was almost identical to Hec Green's 1950 winning speed in near-perfect conditions.
Read the OCR text
7-4-51 7-4-51 LES VOORE, winner of the 100 mile car race at Wigram last Satarday, sitting at the wheel of his Grand Prix Alfa Romeo while attendants push it into the pits after Moore's success. Rain Did Drivers Down Not Keep Speeds 1 Car Race the 100-mile Wigram car race last Saturdas proved nothing else, it proved that drivers, for the most part were as fast in the rain as they were in the almost perfect conditions of 1950. Les Moore brought home the winning Grand Prix Alfa Moreo at du arerage speed of 68 miles an hour, a figure only fractionally different from that set by Hee Green with his Wolseley Special in 1950. INOFFICIAL timing showed that at no stage of the thirty-six laps V George Smith lapped consistently during which he hung grimly on tr about Imin 4sec, with some laps the tail of Smith's Gee Cee Ess fractionally faster. " Moore was not quite so consistent, although he is Special, did he look as though he bad reported to have put in one lap atisomething in reserve. Amin 42see late in the race after Moore was trying all he knew, and Smith's retirement: Smith, who was perfectly at home in Some drivers found the blinding arizzie saying spray, and ice smooth the wet did not concede an inch until he was forced out with overheating uriace not at aü - 10 their liking. gore found it mincuit to hold the trouble after having led from the cedingle fast Alfa Romeo into and start tithe corners Sunder power, and Spun Twice Always fast and steady, Ron Ro croft, of Auckland, with his X* 12 Jaguar did not appear to be unde married by the conditions, attac at one stage he spun round a coupl lof times, and clouted the Jaguar o some straw bales. Frank Shut seemed to revel in the going als and he must be reckoned most y lucky to have stalled his car, thereb losing thirty seconds, after spinnin on the hangar bend • Most impressive features of: race were the terrine acceleration o Halsey Logan's Logan Special and ILS speed on the long back straight FiS unfortunate collision with Ken 47z0 man, which ended his race foL. Maine there val be mane s which Des wild was able to Been ahead of. Pat Hoare's superchärger RA. II. Wild's RA. IT with 1100cc unstancharge and tor ga and Wild gav a good exhibition unel his retire ment late in the race. As expected John Mcmillan gave a McMillan an armchair ride, which s more than can be said of some of the otners. Del _ Drewery, with this Singer Special, was steady, but bot fast enough, and much the same may be said of the rest, some of - whom were hampered by minor troubles which necessitated pit stops e Most unfortunate of all were Australians.: They never had a lo in.

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