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Proposal to close roads to vehicular traffic

Public notice from the Christchurch City Council and Heathcote County Council of a proposal to close Sumner Main Road (McCormacks Bay road) and the causeway between 2pm and 5pm on Saturday 17 January 1953 for motor racing in aid of the International Air Race fund. The programme was to be five races of not more than 10 minutes each and one longer race, with traffic permitted between races. Objections had to be lodged by 6 January 1953.

Facts

  • A benefit motor race meeting on the McCormacks Bay circuit was planned for the afternoon of 17 January 1953, sponsored by the Motor Racing Club (Inc.), in aid of the air race fund.
advert

Motor-car racing, McCormacks Bay circuit

Advertisement for a benefit motor-car racing meeting on the McCormacks Bay circuit on the afternoon of Saturday 17 January 1953, in aid of air race funds and sponsored by the Motor Racing Club (Inc.).

race report

Hec Green not hard pressed to win South Island beach car title

Hec Green averaged under 60mph in his R.A. Vanguard to win the South Island beach championship at South Brighton, but the pace eliminated all but four of the twelve starters. Jack Tutton's Jaguar XK120 was second, with Duncan Rutherford (Willys Special) and Wally Darrell (Vauxhall Special) cruising home third and fourth. Frank Shuter's new V8 Special and Hec McLean's 1100cc Cooper were the main challengers before retiring.

South Island beach racing championship

1Hec GreenR.A. Vanguard
2Jack TuttonJaguar XK120
3Duncan RutherfordWillys Special
4Wally DarrellVauxhall Special

Lap times

  • Hec Green (R.A. Vanguard): 105 to 110 mph top speed

Facts

  • Green said he reached only 105 to 110mph on the half-mile straights of the South Brighton beach course in the December 1952 championship.
  • Jack Tutton's Jaguar XK120 was the only sports car in the 1952 South Island beach championship, prompting the article's suggestion that sports cars were on the way out of Christchurch competition.
  • The article looked ahead to the 150-mile New Zealand road racing championship at Ardmore (Mairehau circuit) and the 50-mile Lady Wigram Trophy race in January/February 1953.
Read the OCR text
26-12-52 27-12-52 CHRISTCHURCH CITY COUNCIL AND HEATHCOTE COUNTY COUNCIL PROPOSAL TO CLOSE ROADS TO VEHICULAR TRAFFIC. Pursuant to the Transport (Vehicular Traffic Road Closure Regulations, 2949, joint notice is hereby given that the Christchurch City Council and the Heathcote County Council for the purpose of rate tund for the maternatonal At Race. to hold motor racing events to propose subject to the approval of the Minister of Transport, to close the foliowing roads to ordinary vehicular trafic for the periods indicated hereunder. The racing programme will be spaced to provide five races of not more than 10 minutes duration each, and one race of the closure shall be enforced. traffic will be permitted between races, and the events shall be controlled in such manner that in an emergency any event could be stopped immediately and access permitted. Any person objecting to the proposal is called upon to lodge notice of his objection and grounds thereof in writing. before January 6, 1953, at the office Christchurch City Council, 194 Manchester street, Christchurca. Roads proposed to be closed to ordinary Vehicular Irafic: Sumner Main road (commonly known as McCormack's Bay road), trom Mount Pleasant road to the eastera extremity of and the road across the the Causewa the point of commencement causeway at Mount Pleasant road.. Period of Proposed Closure:- Between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m, on Saturday, January 17, 1953, in the manner indicated above. Town Clerk. Caristchurch, December 23, 1957. 2712-52 OUTDOOR ENTERTANMENT MOTOR-CAR RACING MCCORNICKS BAY CIRCOIT. SATURDAY AFTERNOON, JANUARY 17, 1963. BENEFIT MEETING AIR RACE FONDS. Sponsored by Motor Racing Club (Inc.). C4478X Hec Green Not Hard Pressed To Win South Island Beach Car Title ALTHOUGH Hec Green averaged less than sixty miles an bour in his R. A. Vanguard to win the South Island beach racing championship at South Brighton last Saturday, the pace ended the chance of all but four of the twelve starters. And of those who did finish only Green and Jack Tutton, with his race finishers, for and Wally Darrell round with tired XK 120 Jaguar, could be considered Duncan Rutherford (Willys Special) (Vauxhall Special) were only cruising motors at the end to take third and fourth places respectively. After the race, Green said that he was getting no more than 105 to 110 miles an hour when he was really pushing the RA Vanguard on the haif-mile straights. Green could robably nave gone faster if he lad considered it necessary, but inis speed was not outside the capabilities of quite a few of the other cars. The new V8 Special of Frank Shuter appeared to have better acceleration in the lower speed range than the RA Vanguard, and Shuter would have made more of a race of it if he bad not been troubled with water on the sparking plugs. This slowed him down considerably after the first eleven laps, but it is questionable if the V8 Special would have stood up to the sustained ace for, with only two laps left, Shuter went out with transmission trouble. Good Judgment When Shuter slackened off, Hec MeLean, who drove a well-judged race and who had worked his way up from sixth to third place in i his 1100 с.c. Cooper, came through second place and started to give Green a run for his money. McLean was motoring very quickly and gradually bridged the gap to Green until he was only 1 4-5sec behind him at the thirty-fifth of the fifty laps. However, at that stage, the Cooper's gearbox gave up the unequal struggle and McLean was out. The Green-Melean tussie was interesting and sonie of the spectators might have been excused for wondering if Green really had much of an edge on McLean. Green was probably loitering little and did not realise that McLean had come within easy striking distance of him. Green was changing up early and generally nursing his car until MeLean moved up really close to him. Of the others, some motored fast. but not for long enough. John Jacobson's new V8 Special appears to be faster than most cars running in competition in Christchurch today. It seemed to handle better than Sports Cars on Way Out? If the South Island beach racing champlonship is any indication, the sports car is on its way i competition in Christchurch. The only sports model competing last Saturday was Jack Tutton's M 120 jaguar. Tutton drove a steady, fast race to take second place after a lot faster cars had retired with assorted troubles. On the strength of the results, one or two of the sports cars that up to now have been racing im most events, might have filled third and fourth places in the championships. Duncan Rutherford (Willys Special) and Wally Darrell (Vauxhall Special) were motoring very slowly when they were flagged off after Hee Green (RA Vanguard) was followed home by Tutton. Shuter's new car, but once again the water took its toll and Jacobson did not last long. Neat Job H. O'Neill has made a neat conversion job on the RA Fiat. Ine car is now fitted with a high-performance Chevrolet engine O'Neill to It went fairly quickly and took victory in one of the four-lap scratch races, but in the championship l went out with overheating troubles. O'Neill will probably have to modify. the cooling arrange ments before he brings the car to the 150 mile New Zealand road racing championship on the Mairehan circuit and the somile Lady Wigram Trophy race. On Saturday's showing, it appears that quite a few other competitors Will have to put in a lot of work on their cars before the end of January in preparation for the two big races which will be run at a much faster pace than the beach race.

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