23-2-52 23-2-52 Lap Record at Wigram Car Race To-day Bob Gibbons. of Wellington. driv ing a Cooper 1000cc, easily won the first 25-mile heat the Lady Wigram Trophy race from the Australian racing driver, Tom Sulman, at the R.N.Z.A.F. Station, Wigram, to-day. The race was not spectacular, but a crowd of about 12,000 saw Gibbons create a new lap record for the Wigram circuit. He covered the 2.1 miles in imin 38sec, an average speed of 77.6 miles an hour. The previous record was that of Gars Coglan. of Australia imin 40sec in who in 1950 returned a time of his supercharged M.G. Gibbons took the lead on the third time round from Sulman and was never seriously challenged again. With eight of the twelve laps gone he was 26sec ahead of Sulman, who was followed by Ronnie Moore and Jack Tutton (120 jaguar). He ished the race about 40sec ahead of Sulman. First surprise was the retirement of Les Moore, whose Grand Prix Alfa Romeo appeared to develop steering trouble a quarter of a mile the start. The Christchurch driver, Frank Shuter, ran steadily in third place for about six laps, when he also retired. Some very fast times were registered in practice this morning, but, some cars were in trouble with overheating and the indications that the final of the trophy race would probably see many casualties Driving a Ford V8 saloon in prac tice this morning, J. Jacobsen slid off the circuit at the corner where in two previous years competitors have come to grief. Jacobsen was lucky to escape injury when the car crashed into a deep irrigation diter but landed on its wheels and was comparatively undamaged In 1949 George Parker turned over his car at this corner, and in 1950 Reg Smith also came to grief at the same He was fortunate to walk out with only facial injuries. An exciting duel developed be! tween George Smith and Hec Me.: Lean (Cooper 1000) in the second heat which Smith won. Following: his usual tactics Smith took the lead from Green at the first corner and then McLean, first time round, was in front of Green. From then on he first two places changed betweer Smith and McLear until McLean retired in the last lap. It was thrilling racing. but Smith apneared to have something in hand and alwars had the edge on McLean. Results:- First Heat-R. Gibbons Wel. lington). 20min 14sec, 11: Cooper. Sulman (Maserati. Australia) 2: R. Moore (Kieft, Christchurch), 3. Second Heat-George Smith ,open Gee Cee Ess. Auckland). 20miл 20 4-5sec. Green (R.A. Vanguard, Christchurch), Christenurse Ransie a 23 Here Alla Romeo Les Moor Motor Win Les Moore, in his Grand Prix Alfa Romeo, to-day won the Lady Wigram Trophy race at the Royal New Zealand Air Force Station, Wigram, at an average speed of 78.04 miles an hour for the fifty miles. He was followed home a long way back by the only Australian competitor, Tom Sulman, im his 1f-litre Maserati. Halsey Logan, of Nelson (Logan Special), was third from Frank Shuter, of Christchurch (V8 Special). The crowd of between 14,000 and 15,000 people got more than their fair share of thrils at this, the fastest, most gruelling, and exciting car race ever to be held on Wigram. In the tenth lap, Don Ransley's big Alfa Romeo tourer spun on the bend beneath the control tower and the young speedway star, Ronnie Moore, who was closely following him in his 1000 c.c. Kieft, collided with the tourer. Moore's car leapt into the air and crashed down, pinning the driver. beneath. Ransley quickly dragged him from the tangled wreckage, while the screaming pack of cars coming up behind' weaved through the wreckage and ambulance men, who had rushed to the scene. Out Of Contest After medical attention, Moore was able to walk away. Next thrill came when the Christchurch star, Hee Green, who had taken things easy in his quallying beat earlier, whilst leading the race comfortably in the thirteenth lap, came past the control tower with the rear left-hand wheel of his RA Yanguard wobbling violently. Green eased back his throttle, and was out of the contest, leaving the Auckland driver, George Smith (Gee Cee Ess Special to take over the lead from Les Moore's Alfa Romeo. The contest then developed into a struggle for mastery between these two men, just as the race in the rain had done last year. Then, as last year, smın was out of the contest. He had been passed by Moore, but was well within striking distance when a tyre blew out. EXCITING RACING SEEN TO-DAY re Has Second Big IN TROPHY EVENT H. GREEN, NO. 12 (R.A. Vanguard) leading the field round the first turn in the final fifty miles twenty-four laps of the Lady Wigram Trophy race. R. Moore, extreme left (Kieft), slewed round, but slight advantage, but the heat and regained his place. Later in the race he collided with C. Ransley the pace were taking their toll. The (Alfa Romeo). breaker strip on one of Smith's rear tyres could be seen and the twenty-second lap, with Moore in the lead, the tyre flew to shreds and left an easy victory for Moore. Green Takes Lead From the drop of the starter's flag, Green took the lead from Smith, who had the pole position on the grid, with Sulman. the other front-marker, and Les Moore next. Green completed the standing lap in 1min 40sec s'an average speed of 16 miles an nour-ana had established a sec lead on Smith, who had opened up a sap on Sulman, who was being drawn in by the Alfa Romeo. Next çame the little blue Cooper of Bob Gibbons, who had broken the lap ecord in his heat earlier in the day.' The rest of the field was well bunched, a long way back. In the tenth lap, Green was 10sec in front of Smith, from Les Moore,, Giobons, and suman. A lap later, freen turned in an average of 80 miles an hour, and next time round was the melee when Ronnie Moore crashed into Ransley. Green was out in the thirteenth lap, and from then on the race was a struggle between smith and Moore,! îrst one, then the other, having à Conserving Their Cars With the exception of Bob Gib: bons, who broke the Wigram lap record in his heat, drivers dia not appear to be trying particulariy hard, although the first race wasi interesting. The same could not be said of the second heat. George Smith and Hee McLean raced for twenty-four of the twenty-five miles and at the end Mclean was out with gear-box trouble. Drivers were obviously conserving their cars for the final, in which eighteen started. and thirteen finished. Results (subject to official confirmation): First Heat—R. Gibbons (Cooper, Wel lington), 20min 14sec. Sulman (Maserati, Australia) 2; R. Moore (Kieft,| Christchurch), 3. Cee Ess, Auckland), 20min 20 4-5sec, H. Green (R.A. Vanguard, Christchurch). 2: D. Ransley (2.3 litre Alfa Romeo, Christchurch) 3. Lady Wigram Trophy Race L Moore (2.9 litre Alfa Romeo, Christchurch) T. Sulman (Maserati. Australia) Shuter (V8 Special. Christchurch) H. Logan (Logan Special, Jelson) .. A. Tutatord Coopera so, upper Stafford (Cooper Upper Hutt) Time-39min 2 4-5sec. Saloon and Sports Car Handicap-B Hay (Singer. Dunedin), I; H. Macdonald 2; K. Ransley- Cheviot), : Ransley car, (Morris Minor Christehurch), 3. Time- 26min 26sec.