18-1-56 18-1-56 Delay In Shipment Of Cars For Wigram Race Delay in the shipment of Englisn motor racing cars to Lyttelton from Auckland has greatly reduced the time Erailable for mechanics to prepare them for the Lady Wigram international trophy race on Saturday. The Navua. which has the cars on board, rias to have arrived at Lyttelton on Sunday. The time of arrival changed twice before the vessel arrived at 12.30 p.m. yesterday. Mr S. Elsworth, who travels to all parts of the world as chief mechanic for Peter Whitehead and lony Gaze. said yesterday he was very • disappointed at the shipping delays. were expected to be unloaded between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. yesterday, but they were not. hoping that the vehicles will be unloaded early this morning. Four cars are below decks and one lashed on the deck. Similar shipping difficulties were experienced by the organisers of the New Zealand Grand Prix at Ardmore two weeks ago. Because of delays in unloading, Leslie Marr was forced to charter an aircratt to fly his Con- Laught to Auckland. Unfortunately, South Island motor racing enthusiasts will not have the opportunity to see Peter Whitehead's Cooper-Jaguar sports car in action. This car proved itself capable of staywith the leading racing cars at Ardmore. and was a likely contender ior the Redex sports car race at Wigram. The car has been sold in Auckland to Stan Jones. of Australia. During the practice laps for the New Zealand Grand Prix, Tony Gaze's three-litre Ferrari developed a spot in the engine performance which afiected the speed of the car greatly. Since the race the carburettors Gaze's and Whitehead's Ferraris have been interchanged. and trouble eliminated. Mr Elsworth said yesterday he hoped to get the two cars on the Wigram circuit for practice as soon as possible. It would require some time to get the cars at top performance and the gear ratios correct for the circuit. Permission has been granted for overseas drivers to practice at Wigram later this week. Loner Axle Ratios Both Ferraris will be fitted with lower axle ratios than they used at Ardmore. The cars will be geared for a maximum speed of 128 miles hour. Although the Wigram circuit is faster over-all than Ardmore, straights are not as long, necessitating fast acceleration in each gear. In 1954 the two Ferraris were raced et Wigram by Gaze and Whitehead with petrol engines. but this year they have been adapted for burning alcohol. Whitehead's car has also been fitted with a five-speed gearbox. Reg. Parnell's experimental Grand Prix Aston Martin will make its first appearance in world motor racing at Wigram. The car broke down before the start of the New Zealand Grand Prix, but has since been fitted with e brand new 2.6-litre engine which Farnell had brought to this country as a spare. Parnell is the most ex-. perienced of the overseas arivers, having first raced at Donnington in 1931 New British Hope Supplied to Leslie Marr at the befinning of last year, the Connaugnt 15 Britain's new Grand Prix hope. After sufiering early engine difficulties, a similar Connaught won the Syracuse Grand Prix—the first win by a British entry for many years-and broke the lap record three times. Marr's Connaught was originally fitted with •an Alfa Romeo engine, but for racing in New Zealand the manufacturers fitted the more reliable D-type Jaguar engine. Marr had no time for practice with the car at Ardmore because of delay in unloading his car at Wellington. The H.W.M.-Jaguar of Tony Gaze must now be considered the most Ikely contender for the Redex sports car race since Whitehead's Cooper- Jaguar has been sold. The car is far from handsome. but it has a potent C-type Jaguar engine with a D-type cylinder head. The chassis is a Formula 1 H.W.M. R. Palmer, of Auckland, purchased the Cooper-Bristol sports car from J Brabham. of Australia, after the Ardmore race. The Motor Racing Club the car to Wigram if he can has been told that Palm te can ring transport for it across Cook Strait. According to Mr Elsworth, there is much speculation among the overseas drivers as to whether the New Zealund champion. Ron Roycroft, will race his newly-acquired 4.6-litre Ferrari. The car was bought from Louis Rosier, cne of France's top drivers. If Roycroft does not have the car properly tuned in time. he will probably bring his Bugatti-Jaguar. ENGLISH RACING DRIVERS ARRIVAL FROM AUCKLAND Refreshed after a week's holiday in the North Island. the international motor racing car drivers, Reg ParnelL, Tony Gaze, and Peter Whitehead. arrived by from Auckland last evening. Leslie Marr is fishing at Lake Taupo. and will come to Christchurch later this week. Mr Hume D. Christie welcomed the drivers at the airport on bchalf of the Motor Racing Club in Christchurch. "I am certainly looking forward to racing at Wigram. but I rather think that Gaze and Whitehead will be the ones to fight it out for first place, said Mr Parnell. "Although a new engine has been fitted to my Grand Prix Aston Martin, dubious whether it can match the speeds of the Ferraris of Gaze and Whitehead." Parnell is the most experienced of the overseas drivers to race at Wig- He first raced at Donningtor Park in 1934 in a 2-litre Bugatti, and in 1947 and 1948 he won gold stars issued by the British Racing Drivers' Club for the most successful British driver of the year. He drove a Lagonda in last year's Le Mans race, but was forced to retire about half way through. He is a member of the Aston Martin works team. According to Parnell. P. Hoare, of Christchurch, may be one oi the most successful New Zealand drivers in the race. Hoare will be driving a Maserati, which Parnell raced in England with much success. The winner of the last Lady Wigram trophy race, Peter Whitehead. said last evening that he fancied Leslie Marr's Connaught to be among the leaders. "Wigram is a better course than Ardmore for the Connaught. and the Fetraris driven by myself and Tony Gaze may be hard-pressed." Whitehead has been racing seriousty since 1936, when he was given an E.R.A., which he raced until he sold it four years ago. During his 17 years of racing he has had a considerable number of successes in both England and Europe. During World War Il he served with a tank regiment. . first in England and then in North Africa and Italy. Although he began as a tank commander he was transferred to the servicing and maintenance department. Now he divides his time among his farm at Reading. the family wool business at Bradford, and his motor racing. Tony Gaze was busy contemplating last evening whether the tyres on his Ferrari would last the 150 miles of the race without blowing out. In the last Lady Wigram race, in which he was placed second, he managed to complete the 100 miles without changing tyres. "It will be touch and go this year with an extra 50 miles." he said Gaze was born in Australia. but he has lately driven races. Before the Alta and an H.R.C went to England to Force during the fires and Meteor je Gaze is another lives on a farm. F Wye, not far from Peter Walker. anot racing driver. in many European war he raced an C. in Australia. He • join the Royal Air war and flew Spitote racing driver who He lives in Ross-onthe farm owned by ther famous English 19-9-56 OVERSEAS DRIVERS FOR WIGRAM CAR RACE.—TOP: Three drivers from Britain who will take Wigram, on Saturday. From left part in the Lady Wigram Trophy race at the R.V.Z.A.F. station, are Reg Parnell. Peter Whitehead (winner of the last Trophy race), and Tony Gaze. BOTTOM: David Wekar, of Australia. with his Aston Martin' ear in a Christehurch garage.