1- 2-54 1-2-54 9-2-54 DRIVER OF B.R.N. ARRIVES KEN WHARTON IN CHRISTCHURCH LONG RECORD OF RACING SUCCESSES One of Britain's best racing drivers, who has contested international motor. races all over Europe, arrived in Christchurch on Saturday to compete in the Lady Wigram trophy race on February 6. He is Ken Wharton, driver of the 200 miles an hour B.R.M., the fastest moderp racing car in the world. Motor racing, and particularly motor racing with the B.R.M., was hard work he said, , but he would not change his place with anyone. Wharton has been driving racing cars even since 1935 and has had a place in the B.R.M. team for the last two years. • has held the British hill climb championship for three years and was the most; successful British driver in international contests last year. Wharton was able to examine the course at Wigram from the air and later he drove round it. "There is a great similarity between Wigram and Goodwood, where the British rac ing season opens." he said. "It is a good course. With the B.R.M. and without the hairpin bend I should be able to lap at 92 to 95 miles an hour. Along the back straight the B.R.M an hour probably touch 150 miles For the B.R.M. he was full of praise- have "It is the most wonderful car 1 ever driven. Fangio ‹Wharton called the Italian driver the "best in the world"), who drives as the team leader on some circuits, thinks so, too. With the car Wharton has had a considerable amount of success.. He set a new lap record in the opening race at Goodwood last year. won two races at Snetterton in Norfolk, two' races and a record at Charterhall in Scotland, fastest lap at Albi in France, and a new lap record at Castle Combe in Wiltshire. At Abli, after settingthe record, Wharton crashed in the B.R.M. "The car was completely! written off," he said. "And that's all! I got out of it-a scratch on the shin." The B.R.M. has not been the only car in Wharton's rise to fame. holds every hill climb record in Britain and has won the British hill climb championship for three vears in succession with a Cooper-J.A.P. 1000. Before joining the B.R.M. team he drover Frazer-Nash cars. and also noted for his performances with a Cooper-Bristol. But of all his awards Wharton is proudest of his most recent. Alter ne arrived in New Zealand he received word that he had been awarded the British Automobile Racing Club's prize and trophy for the British driver scoring with a British car the most points in international racing. "Grew Up With Cars" "I have been able to drive a motor-; car ever since I was seven." he said. "My father had a garage and I grew up with cars." After the war he began driving E.R.A. cars. thus beginning his association with the body of men who were responsible for the building of the B.R.M. Too much could not be said for the courage of these men--Raymond Mays, tion first of English Racing Auto-! who was responsible for the organisamobiles and then of British Racing Motors. There had been other English racing-car builders, but they were just playing with the subject until Mays, with Peter Berthon as his designer, began their courageous effort to place Britain at the head of the motor racing nations. "We are fed up with hearing the Italian National Anthem after every big motor race. We want to hear the British one, and when we do that! will be a great day." Wharton said. At present the B.R.M. team is owned by Sir Alfred Owen, a prominent English motor manufacturer, who was described by Wharton as the "fairy godmother" to British racing. Wharton was born at Smethwick, in Staffordshire, on March 21, 1916. worked with his fathe. in their gar age (during the war they made than $.000,000 bomb strikers more and gradually moved into international racing. He made his racing debut with two other now famous drivers. Reg Parnell and Prince Bira. They all competed in a race at Donington ParE in 1935. The Wigram race is of 100 miles, a good distance, in Wharton's opinion. International grands prix last three hours or for a distance of 500 kilomendred mies is on even the public to sort things out, but not so 'long • that they become bored." he said. "Besides, it's hard work. I changed gear 1500 times during the 210-mile Ardmore race. "At Wigram we are out to do ouri best. I am quite prepared to carry the car in if I can't finish any other way. £150,000 RACING CAR IN CITY STORE! The B.R.M. ...Britain's Greafest Racing Car WILL BE DISPLAYED FREE - AT HAY'S LTD. FROM 5.30 P.M. to 9 P.M. TO-MORROW (Tuesday) EVENING AND ALL DAY WEDNESDAY — to 9 P.M. ENTRANCE BOTH EVENINGS AFTER 5.30 ARMAGH ST. DOORS See this amazing neering and crat high endeavour. and controversial B.R.M ftsmanship, the product ACCOMPANIED BY ITS SKILFUL DRIVER KEN WHARTON... TUES. & WED. — a triumph of British engiof years of research and HAY'S Lid.