31- 12-53 15-1-54 15-1-54 GRAND PRIX AT ARDMORE ONE CHRISTCHURCH CAR WITHDRAWN A Christchurch entrant in the frst international car race in New, Zealand, the 210-mile Grand Prix to be held at Ardmore on January g, has scratched from the event. He is Ron Symonds, who had entered his new S.H. car with Hee McLean, also of Christchurch, as driver. The car will, however, race in the Lady Wigram Trophy contest on February 6. Illness during the Christmas holidays prevented Mr Symonds from comhe said rester yay that it was pod sible to make up the lost time in order to have it fully prepared for the Grand Prix. The number of Christchurch entrants in the race is now reduced to five, of whom Hec Green (RA) and Maurice Stanton (Stanton Special) appear to have the best prospects. The other Christchurch entrants are R. J. Archibald (XK 120 Jaguar),. David Crozier (Austin-Healey) and Les Moore (supercharged Kieft). For the Lady Wigram Trophy, it is hoped to have grandstands erected at Wigram. A construction firm has already peen approachea, ana is interested in the proposal. Details will be completed after the holidays. MOTOR RACE AT WIGRAM WORLD'S LEADING CARS ENTERED B.R.N., FERRARI, AND H.W.M. TO COMPETE Three of the world's leading racing cars driven by internationally-famous drivers will compete in the Lady Wigram Trophy race in Christchurch on February 6. The B.R.M., England's, bia for international grand prix honours and one of the most controversial cars ever built wil be driven or Ken wharton, twice British hill climb champion and known throughout Europe for nis performances with the B.R.M. An H. W.M., another British-built car making a name for iteself in international contests, will be driven by F. O. A. Gaze, of Australia, a formidable contestant in European races. A Ferrari, an Italian car and for many years a regular international grand prix winner, will be driven by Peter Whitéhead, one of the last of, the independent racing motorists the world and one of the four living Englishmen to have won a European grand prix New Zealanders to enter for the race cannot yet be announced. It is believed that R. Roycroft, of Auckland, with his Alfa Romeo, F. Zambucka, with a Maserati, and H. Green, of Christchurch, with a car of his own manufacture. will be certain to start. Another overseas competitor may also compete. Tom Hawkes. of Australia, with a Cadillac-Allard (Britishbuilt with an American engine). reputed to be one of the fastest of these cars in the world, is reported to be intending to take part-possibly to make up for his retirement from the Ardmore race with clutch trouble. The Maybach, the Australian racing car built up from the engine of a German scout car, is unlikely to start. Spare parts for the car cannot be bought in New Zealand and a great many of the pieces required will have to be made by Mr C. Dean. who first contrived the car, when he returns to Australia. B.R.M. to be Flown South The B.R.M. will be flown from Wellington and will arrive in Christchurch on February 3. It is not yet known whether the car will be taken by air from Paraparaumu to Woodbourne and from there by road to Christchurch, or br air from Paraparaumu to Christchurch airport. It is likely to be on show in the city for a short time before the race. The HW.M. and the Ferrari will both arrive by sea next week. Messrs Whitehead and Gaze have flown to Australia, where they will compete in the Australian 21-hour sports car race at Mount Druitt. near Sydnes. with Whitehead's C type Jaguar. They will both arrive by air in Christchurch on February 2. Wharton will arrive with nic car All ihree drivers have received reports on ine surface of the Wigram circuit and have seen sketch maps of the course. They expect it to be extremely fast : Whitehead estimated that he would be able to enter the pit straight at 90 to 95 miles an hour and to lap the circuit without dropping below 60 miles an hour). In many respects the course was similar to Silverstone. one of the major tracks in England. With race distance of only 100 miles. the drivers promised that no quarter would be expected and certainly none would given. Certain amendments to the course used for the five previcus races at Wigram were suggested and if these were carried out a very fast race could be expected. Performance of B.R.V. The performance of the B.R.M. has frequently been described as "fantas- "phenomenal." An official of tne Motor Racing Club said yesterday that no-one would believe that a car could move quite so quickly unless he saw it for himself. that at Ardmore. in the Auckland grand prix. could the car be heard at least miles away. As soon as it was started on the day of the race everyone. pre- Minusly seated calmly in the grandjerked feet and through the race people on the course were left gasping at the ear-shattering din the car produced. Each time Wharton changed gear an even more tremendous crack of sound was produced from the already incredibly noisy car and jets fiame shot exhausts. The machinery which produces the noise is a huge piece of metal as large as the motor of a Spitfre or Mustang. it has a capacity of only 1500 c.c. about the same small family saloon). From its 16 cylinders it pro- duces more than 400 brake horsepower. is the first car equipped with disc brakes to come to New Zealand. brakes are used exten- Sively on jet aircraft. but are recent additions to car design. Originally built at a cost of more than £ 200.000 as a concerted effort oy the British motor industry. the car 15 now owned by Mr A. G. B. Owen of England Ken Wharton is well known British motor racing circles. In 1953, for the second year in succession. won the British hill climb championship and. since the B.R.M.'s sale to Mr Owen. has competed notably with in a number of European road race championships. Wharton began driving war Winning trials and then by having a consideramount of success with Cooper motor-cycle engined cars. First Private Ferrari The Ferrari is known throughout the world as probably the most successful racing car ever built. Peter Whitehead was the first man allowed by the designer. Enzo Ferrari. Modena. Italy. to buy one of the cars. Mr Whitehead drove the Ferrari into first place the Czechoslov road race 1950. his first race with his Driving for the official Mans shared the winning car in 1951 and was third last year. 15-9-54 At Ardmore he was forced to withdraw from the race when a universal coupling shatiered and the bell housing between his knees flew to pieces. Mr Whitehead escaped with few scratches and cuts about the legs and on one arm. Repairs to the Ferrari will be made in New Zealand by Mr Stanley Elsworth. i4r Whitehead's travelling mechanic. After the mishap at Auckland Mr Whitehead telephoned the Ferrari factory in Italy and ordered all the spares required to put car back into racing condition. Another call to his private racing garage in England sent a mechanic off by air to Italy Where the_parts Will be put on the direct Rome- Sydney air service. Whitehead will bring them to New Zealand himsell. Tony Gaze. an Australian. first made a name for himself competing in that country with British Alta racing cars. In England he slowly rose to fame until last season when established himself with an Italian Maserati car orginally built for Mr Whitney Straight. With his H.W.M. Mr Gaze was unfortunate at Ardmore to begin the гасе with insufficient racing fuel. Some critics say • this cost him the race. GRAND PRIX AT ARDMORE MAYBACH CONFIRMED AS WINNER (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, January 14. The Australian. Stan Jones, has been confirmed as winner of the International Grand Prix motor. race at Ardmore on Saturday. The official placing by the race stewards was released today. Horace Gould. of Britain. who claimed after the provisional results had placed him fourth that he did 101 laps and won the race, has been placed second. The official placings released by the president of the organisation {MI Phillip Seabrook) are: Stan Jones. Australia (Maybach Special), 1; Horace Gould, Britain I Cooper-Bristol). 2: Ken Wharton, England (B.R.M.). 3: Tony Gaze, Australian-born English driver (H.W.M.), 4: Ron Roycroft. New Zealand (Alfa Romeo!. 5: Jack Brabham, Australia ‹Cooper-Bristol), 6: Ross Jensen. New Zealand (Austin Healey 100), 7. Onlv the winner's time 2hr 45min 20sec for the 200-mile course has been confirmed. "The letter received from Mr H. Gould was given as careful consideration as would have been accorded a correctly-lodged protest. but his submissions were found to be incorrect," savs a statement issued by Mr Seabrook with the resulls. "Photostat copies of all lap-scoring documents are i being prepared for immedate air-mail dispatch to the Royal Automobile Club. London. 15-1-54 A DATE TO REMEMBER! SAT oth FEB INTERNATIONAL RACE LADY WIGRAM TROPHY 100 MILES See NZ's Best, and P. N. WHITEHEAD FERRARI (England) AND B.R.M. DRIVE a l F. O. A. GAZE, H.W.M. (Australia and England) THE INCREDIBLE N BY KEN WHARTON ENGLAND) See them for yourself WIG RAM PROMOTED BY MOTOR RACING CLUB 20-1-54 B.R.M. to Start at Wigram The E.R.M. racing car is now a certain starter in the Lady Wigram trophy race which is to be held at Wigram aerodrome on February 6. Ken Wharton, driver of the car, confirmed this last night. After the protests over the official placings given in the Ardmore grand prix, it was thought that the B.R.M. might not be taken south.- (P.S.S.)