18-12-56 18-12-56 22-12-56 Four English Drivers In Lady Wigram Trophy Race Zealand motor races the position of racing manager for proving a treasure chest and providing Aston Martin when he returns to Engoverseas drivers with competition dur- A driver for more than 20 years, European off-season, the 1957 Parnell drove in mapy of the famous! circuit of international events at Auck- duels at Brooklands before the last Christchurch, and he undoubtedly Invercargill has attracted several well- experience than compat-i known English and Australian drivers. riots racing today. Parnel! has The Motor Racing Club in Christ- nounced he will retire after the race: church has announced that the Lady at Invercargill on February 16. Wigram trophy race on January 26 1s Few of the famous marques of racassured of having the entries of Peter ing cars are new to Parnell. In 1950, Whitenead, Gould and Reg Parnell, all from Great! Grand Prix, Parnell was third Australian, J. Brabham, team position behind Farina and Fagmay also tañe part. In the same won the The New Zealand entries for the Richmond Trophy with a Maserati and will be announced later this Goodwood Trophy with a B.R.M. During his leadership of the Aston Mar- • Most interest in the race will centre! tin sports car team as number one! in the performance of the two oid Italian rivals-Maserati and Ferrari. British Empire Trophy and Goodwood Gould and Wharton will drive Mase- Nine Hours in 1953, the International ratis, while Parnell and Whitehead Trophy at Oulton Park in 1955, will endeavour to uphold the proud perhaps his best drive was fifth place tradition of Maranello. in the Mille Miglia in 1953 still the Memberin, the seces to bots highest place achieved by a British driver with a British car in this event. Prince Bira and Stirling Moss in their Holder of the lap record at Wigram in the last two New Zealand in the fabulous but ill-fated 16-cylin-: grands prix and are anxious to con- supercharged B.R.M. the English tinue their record. But Ferraris have Ken Wharton had two wins at Wigram in two staris in the Wigram race for the second and the tussel for the Lady Wigram timeon this occasion •latest trophy should be keen. model factory Maserati. Although The Motor Racing Club has made no ¡Wharton will be one of the favourpretence that it is providing world ites for the event, he will have tough champion drivers at Wigram, but it opposition from his two compatriotsendeavoured to select interna- Parnell and Whitehead-both of whom tonally-renowned drivers, who can drove at Wigram last year. be relied upon to be of a fairly even From 195l to 1954 Wharton was an standard. As a result, the race should oficial works driver for B.R.M. throughout, and it in 1955 he drove a Vanwall at Sillikely that any one car will leave the verstone and was badly burned when rest of the field far behind. the car crashed off the circuit. Parnell to Retire Holder of Wigram Trophy For Reg Parnell, Wigram will be Peter Whitehead, the holder of the one of the last events of his motor Lady Wigram challenge trophy, is no racing career, for he will take over newcomer to Wigram, having won the event twice before. A farmer at Reading, he began motor racing in the came kand as terrible two be- and, with Peter be-! cause of their slides on corners. During the last war he was a member of an armoured unit in North Africa and later Italy. Parnell has been placed second twice in the French Grand Prix, and his duel with the French champion, Louis Chiron, in 1948. is still talked of. Together with Peter Walker, he won Le Mans in 1951 in a C-type originally entered for the events in New Zealand in a 1956 Maserati, but recently he was badly injured in an accident at the Montlhery circuit, near Paris. As a result of this withdrawal, Horace Gould was invited to compete. Gould could not get a boat from an English port for his Maserati, so he took the car to Rotterdam and put it on a ship there. He then few back to England Just as he arrived back in he was forced to return to Rotterdam because the ship was not leaving in time to get te the a car the car 2s now I'he car is now expected on the Ceramic early in the Although the Super Squalo Ferrari was the product of several years research at the Maranello factory, it has shown itself up as a car better suited to high-speed circuits than shorter courses such as Wigram. Top European drivers, Farina, Castellotti, Trintignant and Frere, have all driven these cars, but its-only real success was at the hands of the Englishman. Mike Hawthorn, in the Spanish Grand Prix. In general, the fat side-tank Ferrari proved to be underpowered and was dropped by Enzo Ferrari last year. In spite of its shortcomings and radical design, the car could be a potential winner at Wigram if Parnell and | Whitehead can handle its tricky habits on the corners. The Maserati which Wharton will bring to New Zealand is similar to that which Prince Bira, of Siam, won the New Zealand Grand Prix at Ardmore in 1954. The car has been fitted with a 1956 engine and should be one of the fastest. taking part. These models have proved particularly successful, and are sitll being raced by the factory with minor modifications. they are internationally renowned foi their supreme handling qualities. 21-12-56 LADY WIGRAM TROPHY RACE "ROYAL TOUR" GRANDSTANDS • RED GRANDSTAND, opposite Pits and Start and Finish. • GREEN GRANDSTAND, opp. Hairpin Bend of Finish of Back Straight. Seats 20/- eo. (includes entry) FAMILY CONCESSION TICKETS Admits Cor and Occupants, 30/- each. Concession Rates, Single Tickets: Adults 7/-, Children 2/-, Cars 2/-: Grondstand Plans, Adyance ond Mail Order Bookings for Stand Seats ond Concession Tickets Now on Sale at D.I.C. BOOKING OFFICE, CHRISTCHURCH. 1-414A4 THIRD INTERNATIONAL ® 150 MILES LADY WIGRAM TROPHY RACE OVERSEAS ENTRANTS include: KEN WHARTON — 1956 Grand Prix Maserafi — Great Britain. HORACE GOULD — 1956 Grand Prix Maserati — Great Britair. PETER WHITEHEAD — Ferrari "Super Squalo" — Great Britain. REG PARNELL — Ferrari "Super Squalo" - Great Britain. JACK BRABHAM — 1956 Grand Prix Maserati — Australia. © PROGRAMME: GATES OPEN 9 A.M. 10 A.M.: 350. c.c. * MOTOR-CYCLE RACE. 10.30 A.M.: OPEN CAR HANDICAP. 11.05 A.M.: 500 c.c. MOTOR-CYCLE RACE. 11.30 A.M.: REDEX SPORTS CAR RACE. 12.45 P.M.: OPEN HANDICAP MOTOR-CYCLE RACE.. LUNCH. 1.40 P.M.: LADY WIGRAM TROPHY RACE. 3.55 P.M.: SALOON CAR RACE. ADMISSION ADULTS = 7/6 CHILDREN .. 2/6 CARS .. 2/6 Pre-booked .. 7/- 2/- 2/- ROYAL TOUR GRANDSTANDS • 20/• PER SEAT (includes Admistonce) " "RED" GRANDSTAND, Opposite Pits and Start and Finish. "GREEN" GRANDSTAND, Opposite Hairpin Bend at End of Back Straight. FAMILY CONCESSION TICKET, admits Car and Oceupants, 30/- ADVANCE BOOKINGS AND CONCESSION TICKETS NOW ON SALE. RESERVATION AND MAIL ORDER BOOKINGS, GRANDSTAND PLANS AT D.I.C. BOOKING OFFICE, CHRISTCHURCH CATERING • PACKAGE LUNCHEONS • TEA • HOT WATER • PIES • ICE CREAM SOFT DRINKS. R.N.Z.A.F STATION SATURDAY, WIGRAM JAN. 26, 1957