letterWigram car race
Letter from 'Dishwater' complaining about stale tea at the Wigram meeting. Race organiser C. H. Croft replied that catering was contracted to a commercial firm whose tea urns had an accident and promised a better service next year.
letterMotor races
Letter from 'Dried Up' complaining about lukewarm tea and no hot water for babies' bottles at the Wigram races; the club said it would ensure catering improved.
advertMotor racing, Rakaia Domain, Saturday next 28th March
Advertisement for Motor Racing Club scratch and handicap races at Rakaia Domain on Saturday 28 March 1953 from 11am; adults 2/-, cars 1/-, children free; hot water available.
advertMotor racing, Saturday March 28th, Rakaia Domain
Second advertisement for the Rakaia Domain races on 28 March 1953.
advertMotor racing, Saturday next April 11, Rakaia Domain
Advertisement for Motor Racing Club scratch and handicap races at Rakaia Domain on 11 April 1953.
advertMotor racing, Rakaia Domain, Saturday October 17
Advertisement for motor racing at Rakaia Domain on 17 October 1953 at 11am; adults 2s, cars 1s.
race reportMotor-racing surprises
The first car racing meeting of the 1953-54 season (Rakaia Domain, 17 October 1953) drew a large entry for nineteen short races on a circuit of little more than half a mile. A. Stuart's Chevrolet Special lapped in 32.05sec (over 60mph), beating Frank Shuter's V8 Special (32.35sec), and won the Wild Challenge Trophy. T. Shadbolt's 500cc special was almost as fast as Hec McLean's Cooper 500.
Lap times
- A. Stuart (Chevrolet Special): 32.05 other
- Frank Shuter (V8 Special): 32.35 other
- Pat Hoare (R.A. Vauxhall (supercharged)): 33.95 other
- A. Kennard (Chevrolet Special): 35.9 other
Facts
- A. Stuart's Chevrolet Special, formerly H. O'Neill's, won its first major outright victory at Rakaia on 17 October 1953 and earned the Wild Challenge Trophy.
- Rakaia Domain meeting of 17 October 1953 comprised nineteen short races on a circuit of just over half a mile.
advertMotor racing, Rakaia Domain, Saturday December 5
Advertisement for Motor Racing Club meeting at Rakaia Domain on 5 December 1953, first race 11am.
advertAshburton Motor-Cycle Club motor racing, Rakaia Domain, December 5
Second advertisement for the 5 December 1953 Rakaia Domain meeting.
race reportCar racing held at Rakaia
D. H. Rutherford won the D. W. Wild Challenge Trophy at the Motor Racing Club's Rakaia Domain meeting with a lap of 32.2sec (61.49mph) in his supercharged Willys Special, after A. Stuart won it the previous month with 32.05sec (61.78mph). The trophy is awarded at each circuit meeting other than Wigram for the fastest flying lap in a solo attempt. Dusty track and strong nor'-wester. Results of ten short races are given.
First Race
| 1 | B. J. Brown | Ford V8 | 2min 13sec |
| 2 | M. Stewart | Citroen | 2min 15sec |
| 3 | A. F. Moffatt | Riley | |
| 4 | Kennard | Riley | 2min 27sec |
Second Race
| 2 | G. A. Roud | Austin A40 Special | |
| 3 | D. H. Rutherford | Willys Special S/C | |
Third Race
| 1 | B. E. Briggs | Ford 10 Special | |
| 2 | W. J. Mauger | Austin 7 Special | 2min 13sec |
| 3 | P. Wormersley | Austin 7 Special | 2min 22sec |
| 4 | M. Winterbourn | M.G. Saloon | 2min 22.5sec |
Fourth Race
| 1 | D. H. Rutherford | Willys Special S/C | 1min 46sec |
| 2 | T. A. Shadbolt | Shadbolt Special | |
| 3 | A. Stuart | Chevrolet Special | |
| 4 | D. Drewery | Singer Special S/C | 2min 6sec |
Fifth Race
| 1 | Miss N. Blackburn | Ford V8 | |
| 2 | Crozier | Austin Healey | 2min 14sec |
| 3 | A. Kennard | Chevrolet Special | |
| 4 | R. Paterson | Singer Special S/C | 2min 23sec |
Sixth Race
| 1 | W. J. Mauger | Austin 7 Special | 2min 13sec |
| 2 | M. Stewart | Citroen | 2min 17sec |
| 3 | B. E. Briggs | Ford 10 Special | 2min 19sec |
Seventh Race
| 1 | A. Kennard | Riley | |
| 2 | B. J. Brown | Ford V8 | 2min 16sec |
| 3 | A. Moffatt | Riley | 2min 17sec |
| 4 | P. Wormersley | Austin Special | 2min 33sec |
Eighth Race
| 1 | G. A. Roud | Austin A40 Special | 1min 59sec |
| 2 | D. Crozier | Austin Healey | 2min 5sec |
| 3 | B. E. Briggs | Ford 10 Special | |
Ninth Race
| 1 | H. Rutherford | Willys Special S/C | 1min 42sec |
| 2 | A. Stuart | Chevrolet Special | 1min 50sec |
| 3 | T. A. Shadbolt | Shadbolt Special | 1min 57sec |
Tenth Race
| 1 | B. J. Brown | Ford V8 | 2min 17sec |
| 2 | A. F. Moffatt | Riley | 2min 20sec |
| 3 | W. J. Mauger | Austin 7 Special | 2min 27sec |
| 4 | M. Stewart | Citroen | 2min 33sec |
Lap times
- D. H. Rutherford (Willys Special (supercharged)): 32.2 other
- A. Stuart (Chevrolet Special): 32.05 other
Facts
- The D. W. Wild Challenge Trophy is awarded at each Motor Racing Club circuit meeting other than Wigram for the fastest flying lap in a special solo attempt.
- D. H. Rutherford lapped Rakaia Domain in 32.2sec (61.49mph) on 5 December 1953 in a supercharged Willys Special.
Read the OCR text
17-3-53
WIGRAM CAR RACE
Sir,-It is high time that the Notor
Racing Club pulled its socks up and
made provision for the supply and purchase of hot water so that their thousands of patrons could enjoy a decent
cup of tea. At the Wigram meeting all
that was ofiered the public was a
vile brew of tea that had been kept
Sukerday morning or pernaps te might since early
before; and at what a price! It is the
beach 1or the family next year.-
Yours, etc.,
DISHWATER.
March 10, 1953.
["The catering for the meeting was
let out by contract to a commercial
frm, and the club had no control over
the service on the day, '" said the race
organiser of the Motor Racing Club
(Mr C. H. Croft) when this letter was
referred to him. "The firm suffered an
accident to their tea urns, and have
apologised for the inconvenience
their patrons. The club will at its
meeting next year have a much improved catering service."]
24-3-53
Correspondence
Motor Races
Sir,- What is wrong with the
Motor Racing Club? Along
ve were offered lukewarm, brownish
liquid which must have brewed at
least six hours. This bilge was sold
at, I should say, an excellent profit.
No provision was made for hot water
to heat babies' bottles, yet the
Motor Club exhorted all and sundry
to bring the children and make a
day it. Never again.—DRIED
UP.
"The Motor Racing Club entrusted
the catering to a commercial firm.
The club will make sure that a similar situation does not arise again,
stated the race (Mr H.
coed Le race arganiser
24-3-53
MOTOR RACING.
SATURDAY NEXT, 28th MARCH.
RAKAIA DOMAIN.
Programme: Scratch and Handicap Races.
Commencing 11 a.m.
Admission: Adults 2/-. Cars 1/-, Children
Free.
Hot Water Available.
Promoted by Motor Racing Club (Inc.).
2801
26-3-53
MOTOR
RACING
SATURDAY
MARCH 28th
RAKAIA
DOMAIN
PROGRAMME:
Scratch and Handicap Races
COMMENCING 11
Admission: Adults 2/, Cars 1/, Children Free.
HOT WATER AVAILABLE
PROMOTED BY MOTOR RACING CLUB (INC.)
7-4-53
MOTOR RACING
SATURDAY NEXT, APRIL 11
RAKAIA DOMAIN
Programme: Scratch and Handicap Races
Commencing 11 a.m.
admission: Adults 2/-, Cars 1/-, Childrer
Free.
Hot Water Available
Promoted by Motor Racing Club (Inc.).
9849
12-10-53
MOTOR RACING. MOTOR RACING.
RAKAIA DOMAIN.
SATURDAX. OCTOBER 17,
11 A.N.
Light Refreshments Available.
• Admission: Adults 25, children free; 1g
for cars.
(Promoted by Motor Racing Club, Inc.).
9869
24-10-53
Motor-racing
Surprises
The large muster of competitors for the first car racing meeting of the 1953-54 season almost
embarrassed the organisers, the
Notor Racing Club, last • Saturday, but the performance of
some of the lesser lights in the
sport must have embarrassed
some of the stars.
In the course of a programme
of nineteen short races on a circuit of little more than haif
mile number of record
attempts were made and the best
lap was that of A. stuart, drif
ing the Chevrolet Special seen
last season in the hands of H.
O'Neill:
Stuart averaged more than 60
miles an hour to put in one la?
in 32.05sec, and thus vanquisher
the firm favourite, Frank Shuter
(V8 Special), whose best time,
vras 32.35sec.
Behind Shuter was Pat Hoare,
who registered 33.95sec with his
supercharged RA-Fauxhall, with
33.95sec. and next in line w9o
the Chevrolet Special with
35.9sec, this time in the hands
of A. Kennard.
Although the Chevrolet Special
has filled minor placings before,
this was its first major outright
victory, and it earned for Stuart the Wild Challenge
Trophy.
Another surprise was the performance of T. Shadbolt'e 500 c.c
Shadbolt Special, which proved
to be almost as fast as Hec
McLean's Cooper 500, an English
production racing car.
2-12-53
MOTOR RACING.
RAKAIA DOMAIN.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5.
First Rac
Hot Water, Ice Crea
Avail
Admission:
Cars
Promoted by Motor
e 11 a.m.
n. Light Refreshments
lable.
Adults 2s.
's 1s.
• Racing Club (Inc.).
4540
4-12-53
ASHBURTON MOTOR-CYCLE CLUB
MOTOR RACING.
RAKAIA DOMAIN.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5.
First Race 11 a.m.
Hot Water, Ice Cream. Light Refreshments
Available.
Admission: Aduits 2s.
Cars 1S.
Promoted by Motor Racing Club (Inc.)
4540
7 - 12-53
CAR RACING
HELD AT
RAKAIA
The D. W. Wild Challenge Trophy
as won by D. H. Rutheriord at :
neeting held by the motor Racins
Club at the Rakaia Domain on Saturday.
The trophy, presented to the club
for competition in circuit racing,
awarded each circuit meeting
(other than Wigram) for the fastest
flying lap by a competitor in
special solo attempt. The trophy
was won for the first time by A.
Stuart in the Flatrolet last month
with a time of 32.05sec (61.78 miles
per hour) at the Rakaia Domain. his
On Saturday Rutherford in
• supercharged Willys Special, put. up
a lap time of 32.2sec, which stuart
failed Rutherford's time
average lap speed of
gives an
61.49 miles per
The track was dusty, and a strong
north-west wind made driving conditions unpleasant.
Results: (Ford
First RaceB. J. TOW Stewart
V8), 2min 13sec,
(Citroen), 2min 15sec, 2: A. F. Mof-i
• fatt (Rilel 20sec.
Kennard (Riley 2 mir 27sec,,4.
Healey), 1min 58sec, 1; G. A. Roud
(Austin A40 Special), 15sec.
2; D. H. Rutherford (Willys Special
S/C), 2min 20sec,
Third RaceB. E. Briggs (Ford 3sec, W.
10 Special), 2min
Vauger (Austin 7 Special), 2min
13sec, 2; P. Wormersley. (Austin 7
Special). 2min 22sec, 3; M. Winterbourn (M.G. Saloon), 2min 22.5sec
4. H. Rutherford
Fourth RaceD.
(Willys Special S/C), 1min 46sec,
Shadbolt (Shadbolt Special),
3 min 58sec, 2; A. Stuart (Flatrolet).
2min, 3; D. Drewery (Singer Special
S/C). 2min 6ser.
Fifth Race-Miss X. Blackburn
(Ford V8), J.;
Crozier YAustin Healey: 2min 14sec,
2: A. Kennard (Piatroiet) •
19sec, 3; R. Paterson (Singer Special •
S/C). 2min 23sec,
Sixth Race—W. J. Mauger (Ausun
7 Special), 2min 13sec. 1: M. Stewart (Citroen), 2min 17sec, 2: B.E.
Briggs (Ford 10 Special), 2min 19sec,
3.
Seventh Race-A. Kennard (Riley
27). 2min Isec. 1; B. J. Brown (Ford
VR). 2min 16sec, 2: A. Moffatt
‹ Riley 23), 2min 17sec. 3: P. Wormersley (Austin Special). 2min 33sec,
4
Eighth Race G. A. Roud (Austin 1: D.
A40 Special). Imin 59sec.
Crozier (Austin Healey). 2min 5sec,
* B. E. Briggs (Ford 10 Special),
Ninth H. Rutherford
(Willys Special S/C), 1min 42sec, 1;
A. Stuart (Flatrolet), Imin 50sec, 2;
T. A. Shadbolt (Shadbolt Special).
1min 57sec, 3.
Tenth Race-B. J. Brown (Ford
V8), 2min 17sec, 1: A. F. Moffatt
(Riley 23). 2min 20sec. 2: W. J.
(Austin 7 Special). Zmin
Mauger
: 27sec, 3: M. Stewart (Citroen), 2min
33sec.
Summaries and tables are machine-read from the scan and may contain errors: the scan is the record.