1-8-53 Wigram Car Race Next Year Over 100 to be Miles NEW ZEALAND'S classic motor-racing fixture, the Lady Wigram Trophy, will be held on February 20, 195t and will be run over a distance of 100 miles. Originally the race was of 100 miles, but in 1952 and this year it was reduced to 50 miles with two qualifying heats each of 25 miles. The heats caused considerable controversy among drivers, because failure to finish in them or a poor place position dia not preclude any driver from start- •ing in the final. The Motor Racing Club made its decision to increase the distance to 100 miles after much discussion among members this week. The event is usually held on the last Saturday of February. but it has been put forward next year order to bring it cioser to the New Zealand Grand Prix which will be held on the air strips of Ardmore aerodreme near Auckiand. It is hoped to attract number of overscas drivers to the Ardmore race and it is expected that some of • them will come south to compete in the trophy race. First Race 1949 The first major motor race to be held in New Zealand, the Lady Wigram Trophy was inaugurated in 1949. It is also the only straight scratch event in the country, although prize money is awarded to winneis of the various capacity classes. Held on the taxi strips of the Roval New Zealand Air Force Station. Wigram. the circuit is 2.1 miles long and since 1949 lap speeds have crept up from about 65 miles an hour to almest S0 miles an hour. A new lap record of 81.9 miles an hour was established this year by thẻ Wellington driver. Bob Gibbons, with an 1100c.c. Cooper. The first race wras wron by the Tellington driver, Proctor who drore a Brooklande Riley. In 1950, Hee Green, of Christchurch, driving his Wolseley Special, won the race. The speedwa racing star. Les Moore. driving a 2.9 litre Grand Prix Alfa Romeo had a comparaeast win in torrential rain. He was followed home by the Aucklander R. J. Poveroft, who drove an Xl 120 Jaguar. In 1952. the race was reruced in distance to 50 miles and once again driving • the Alfa Romeo. Mure had an ears win. H'= race arerage being 79.79 milles an hour. Roscroft bought the Alta Romeo from Moore at the beginning of the 1932-1933 racing stason and had easy win in this rear's event. This season Roycroft has won the three major road races-at Mairehau. Wigram and Dunedin. Among New Zealand drivers interest at Wigram next year is likely to centre around Royeroft and Moore, who recently visited Italy and has bought another Alfa Romeo. • As well as the Lady Wigram Trophy, the motor Racing Club will run events for stock and sports cars next February. 29-8-53 24-12-53 Lap Speed Of 80 m.p.h. At Ardmore! New Zealand's top-flight racing motorists should lap the 2.1mile Ardmore circuit, venue for the 210 mile International Grand Prix on January 9, next year at about 80 miies an hour, in the opinion of Jack Brewer, one of the city's local racing stars. Recently Brewer and Harold! Bandy, . executive members of the Motor Racing Club, which sponsors the annual Lady Wigram Trophy race, travelled to Auckland to advise the sponsors of the Ardmore event on major race organisation. The Motor Racing Club has been invited by Auckland Grand Prix Incorporated to assist in the running of the Ardmore, race, and overseas drivers who have been engaged to race at Auckland will come to Christ-l church to compete in the Lady Wigram Trophy. •Ideal Set-up' "The Ardmore set-up is ideal from all points of view. There will be no worries about spectator control and everything is laid on in that respect," said Brewer. "As far as the circuit is concerned, - would say New Zealand drivers should lap it round about the 80 miles an hour mark. There are two exceptionally fast straights, but on the other hand there are four slow bends equivalent to Wigram's slowest bend. I would not like to attempt to forecast lap speeds for the overseas drivers. Brewer says the Ardmore cir-i cuit is extremely well-surfaced,| but will be hard on tyres. MOTOR RACE AT WIGRAM INTERNATIONAL PERMIT OBTAINED The Motor Racing Club has received advice from London that the Royal Automobile Club has issued an international permit for the motor club's Lady Wigram Trophy race, which is to be held at the Royal New Zealand Air Force station, Wigram, on February 6. This permit is in addition to the usual permit which has been sought from the Association of New Zealand Car Clubs. The Motor Racing Club found it necessary to secure a permit from the Royal Automobile Club since drivers from the United Kingdom and Australia will be competing this year. They will be driving under an international licence as well as the New Zealand competition licence. The secretary of the racing club (Mir P. M. MacShane) has just returned from Australia, where he interviewed several of Australia's foremost drivers. who have expressed their interest in the race, and in coming to Christchurch to compete. 18-12-53 MOTOR RACE AT WIGRAM EFFORTS TO BRING BRITISH DRIVERS A.A.C. PROMISES SUPPORT The Motor Racing Club has asked the Automobile Association (Canterbury) for financial and moral support the club's endeavour to bring British racing drivers who are to compete in the Auckland Grand Prix on January 9, to Christchurch for a race at Wigram on February 20. a letter to the council of the association, received at yesterday's meeting, club said it had been able to obtain the entry of British drivers for the race at Wigram, but that they required the support of the association and the motor trade to meet the cost. "It is one of our objects to support competitions and we would be quite said the in order to give it u party ir president (Mr W. R.. Since the race was on a ciosed circuit at Wigram and not on public roads, the association's support could be given. The opportunity to bring such well known cars as the B.R.M., the Ferrari, and the Maserati to Christchurch was too good to lose, said Mr W. Scott. The drivers all had to be paid and a considerable amount of money would be required. The lessons of car-handling to be learned from the overseas Grand Prix drivers would help local drivers, many of whom "simply hurl into it with bulldog strength and ignorance, " Mr Scott said. The club needed to raise about £1600 to • make the venture a success, he said "They will get some money from the public, " said Mr Twyneham. On the motion of the president it was decided to give up to 100 guineas to the club for the race. 31-12-53 18-12-53 B.R.M. May Compete in Wigram Race Britain's £200,000 Grand Prix racing B.R.M.. may compete in the Lady Wigram Roval New Zea- Trophy at the land Air Force Station, Wigram, on February 20.- Entry of which will be driver by Ken en Wharton, dependent upon the sponsor the event, Motor Racing Club, being able to raise sufficteni money to bring the B.R.M. to Christchuren. Car Available The car will driven Wharton in the New Zealand Grand Prix Ardmore Saturday. anam on and ster Hampton Co., T. B. Haischurch firm, learned that it would be availto race Christchurch. The firm is the local agent for the subsidiaries of the Mr A. G with the B.R.M. and other overseas entries is conditional upon the club being able to raise sufficient money Christchurch." sairing them (Mr Harold Bandy, Presi. morning. Money Needed The club, he added, had raised a certain amount money through the motor trade and motoring organisations, but considerably more was required. At present it was by no means certain that the B.R.M. would be seen at Wigram. Regarded by New. Zealand's classic the Wigram Trophy was Lady initially run 100 miles, then was altered to two 25-mile heats and a 50-mile final. This: vear the race will be run over i 100 miles once more Chequered Career Built as a challenge to Italian supremacy in European Grand Prix racing. the B.R.M. has had a chequered career, and has not proved itself to be a long-distance race winner. It is, nowever, the fastest road racing car ever built. being capable of 200 miles an hour. As the Grand Prix formula for racing cars has been altered i for 1954 the B.R.M. will not be eligible for this type of event Europe. If the car comes to: in Wigram it will possibly be its last appearance in its present form. All round Driver Wharton is one of Britain'sl leading drivers. He has held the! British hill-climb championship! for three years in succession and has been associated with a number of reliability trials, the last one of which was a recordbreaking run from the Equator A.A.C. Guarantee Of £100 for City Motor Race •When the council of the Automobile Association (Canterbury) learned that three British racing drivers would probably compete in the Lady. Wigram • Trophy Race at the R.N.Z.A.F. station, wigram, on February 20, it decided to give the sponsors of the event, the Motor Racing Club, a guarantee of £100 to help defray expenses. An application for financial support was made by the club at the council meeting yesterday, and the president (Mr W. R. Carey) said that he considered that the council would be quite in order to give support as it was one of the aims of the association to give support to competition events. "We gave £100 to the air race," said Mr Carey. The club stated that it had been granted a permit by the Royal Automobile Association to hold the event and had been able to secure some of the British drivers who were coming to New Zealand to drive in the international race at. Ardmore on January 9. "I think we should give them some support," he said. The council decided to give the club a guarantee of £100, subject to the engagement of the British drivers, and it reserved the right to review its guarantee depending upon the financial success of the race.