28-1-57 28-1-57 P. Whitehead's Third Win In Wigram Motor Classic In the most gruelling race since the throttle on his first lap on! Whitehead already lapped he first Wigram event was held Saturday, and not expecting the Gibbons's Jaguar, which was then One veteran bump to be very serious, was lying seventh. specials ' English driver, Peter Whitehead, almost jolted from his seat. Watson On the twenty-sixth lap the race won the Lady Wigram Trophy on low-slung Maserati was still very close, with White- race. Saturday for the third time ingrounded when its rear wheels hit head having only a slender 13- Lycomin succession. In very warm condi- the track again, and this occur- second lead over Brabham. been fit tions which took a heavy toil of rence each time Gould took the croit was 22 seconds behind the the car arivers and cars alike, Whitehead corner made his lap times con- leader and Gould 70 seconds. Another crossed the line in 1hr 50min 8sec siderably slower than those of his that of -two minutes slower than his fellow Englishmen. On one occa- Cement Spread on Track not at it winning time last year. sion when he attempted to find At the S-bend officials began to eration The battle for major placings. out whether taking spread cement over the surface of ventiora especially early in the race, could faster would stop the corner the track in an attempt to prevent Earlier not have been more exciting, with grounding. Gould had to fight hard ing into the hay bales. his car from the cars from spinning and suther- won the Whitehead, Jack Brabham in a Coo tralia), Horace Gould (Britain), Around (Aus- with the wheel not to lose control all the drivers treated the corner only thr rest of the course. and New Zealander Ron Roycroft with respect; the few who did not but the Gould's driving was faultless, and learnt their lesson early. all setting a pace which left the nis car was running sweetly. bons kep Whitehead lapped was nex rest of the field well behind. Sheer physical exhaustion more competitors, but Gould, still Whitehead's win makes him the handling his car in the followed only driver to have won the race heat after having no sleep through lying fourth, kept his fellow Eng- Climax). lishman at bay. To keep ahead, with im three times in succession. Previ- working on his car the night be- however, Gould had to work furi- in one ously he shared the record of two fore. lost Gould all chances of ously at the wheel of the Mase. about th wins with I. Moore, of Christ-success. When he brought his car rati. On ine fortieth lap, A. I the lap church. who was the winner in into the pits after 51 laps, he was rreeman (Lago-Talbot), who had An in 1951 and 1952. almost overcome by the heat, and Brabham's race for second place was forced to withdraw. been driving his heavy car very saloon was one of the most polished yet Roycroft Takes Lead steadily, spun at the hangar bend, tween F least spectacular ever Roycroft surged into the lead to his accessories. and all büt added a hangar door Pimkney. He continued Wigram. Driving a tiny English the inside position at undeterred. Although Cooper works car, he was the grid start, with the New Zealand Brabham, like Gould, was also 6min, the only competitor whom Whitehead [Grand Prix winner, Reg Parnell. feeling the effects of the heat, and way thr could not lap before the end of Gould, Brabnam and White- ¡after 48 laps pulled into the pils and took the race. Brabham received the head close behind in that order for oil and a drink. respectivi Just as the cars entered the brek passed him while he was at the, handicap! Whitehead, and had the latter straight on the first lap, Parnell's pits, and on the fiftieth lap had changed made one mistake, Brabham car faltered and fell back through a four-second lead over Brabham! last lap. ready to capitalise on it and take the field. He pulled into the pits Whitehead, still driving at a fast the trophy. and a fault with the carburettor rate, was now 8lsec in front of The New Zealand drivers were of his car was remedied. The very next lap. we"' aware of their bright chances ever, after seven laps the Super Brabham exchanged places with of success after the retirement of Squalo Ferrari again called at the and later Gould, and in pits, and this time it was pushed For the remainder of the race spite of losing speed during the from the track, and lay idle while the positions remained the same, of the race. Roycroft the race went on. Whitehead finishing 88 seconds able to take third place and the After four Roycroft was Kennett trophy for the first New still leading Whitehead, who was! ahead of Brabham, and Roycroft lap behind Zealander home. visibly concerned at the New Zea- Perhaps realising the ordeal of Jensen. driving White- lander's position, and was driving driving for so long under such head's Monza Ferrari sports car. quite forcefully. Brabham arduous conditions, the spectators mained close behind Whitehead. gave Whitehead a really encour- (Cooper-Climax) fifth. R. Gibbons the tiny Cooper gaining on aging Teception when he was re- (D-type Jaguar) drove a steady corners what it lost to the Ferrari vived enough to travel round the race for sixth. on the straights. Gould was close course in an open car. Sweating Of the 26 cars which faced the on the tail of Brabham, with the starters, only 12 completed thei rest of the field already weil profusely and still deaf from tae thundering exhausts of his car. still running Spread out : Whitehead photographed when the race Snished. On the eighth lap, Whitehead countless times by amateurs and took over the lead from Roycroit commercial men for the whole Gould Withdraws wh la spe ds ere falling distance of the two-mile track. Horace Gould's failure to prac- sli DD y. Brabham then began a Minor Races tise over the course on Friday el with Roycroft for second evening may have cost him a place, and until the twenty-first B. J. Kilkelly, of Invercargill. major placing. Shortly after the|lap the pair was in constant com- his M.G. into irst place control tower corner, the track at pany. in the open sports car race. The The Cooper's Wigram crosses a drain which re-lability and the apparent ease with pace was marked os the number who spun out at quires practice for a driver to which Brabham handled it gavel the S-hend. while R. Hyde (V8) learn how to take his car over him the advantage, and he finally! hid his exploits behind a smuke the bump. Gould did not sparel passed Roycroft. Meanwhile screen as his car roared the track leaving a trail of dense blue smoke. of the finest home-l in New Zealand, special. was seen in Powered by an inve ng aero engine which tted with fuel injec performed very aero-engined spe D. H. Rutherford. ts best, although in ac it left many of the al cars far behind. r in the day, Brab: e Redex sports car oper Climax. It took ree laps to take the 1 D-type Jaguar of ( pt close behind. R. Jer xt in the Monza Feri i by R. Moore iCoc Brabham was dri maculate style, and lap at Imin 30sec-c bree seconds later t record. nteresting tussle in car race developed . D. Cantwell and P. 1. both driving Jagu h off a handicap of aln le two cars worked ti rough the field toget • first and second placı rely. So good was ping that the three times during Provisional results are:— Lady Wigram Trophy Race (150.236 miles) -P. Whitehead. England (Ferraril, 1hr 50min 8sec, i: J. Brabham. Australia (Cooper Climax), Ihr Simin 36sec. 2: R. J. Roycroit. Auckland (Ferrari), 70 laps completed, 3: R. Jensen. ..Auckland (Monza Ferrari). 68 laps. 4: S. H. Jensen, Feilding (Cooper Climax). 67 laps. 5; R. Gibbons. Wellington ‹D-type Jaguar), 67 laps. 6. D W. Wild Challenge Trophy, up to 1500 c.c.—J. Brabham 1, S. H. Jensen 2. R. W. A. Frost. Levin (Cooper- -built Norton), 65 laps completed, 3; the Moore, Christchurch ( Cooper Climax), 63 laps, A. McKay. Australia erted ‹ Cooper Climax). 63 laps, 5. Over 1500 c.c.: P. N. Whitehead 1. R. J. i hasi Roycrolt 2, Jensen 3. R. Gibbons Shuter, Christchurch well. rati), 66 lamps completed, ecial. Kennett Challenge (ffst was Zealander home).—R. Roy- { croft 1, R. Jensen 2, S. H. Jensen 3. iccel- Brooklands Challenge Trophy con- (member of Motor Racing Club).—F Shuter. bham Motor Assemblies' Challenge Cur first New Zealand-built car)._W. B race Crosbie, Dunedin/ (Sapphire Special). him 59 laps completed. Other Car Events Gib- Open Car Race Handicap (25.392 insen miles).—B. J. rari. SCr, l: Kitkelly: marri Blackburn, Christchurch (Mistral), 2min, 2; D. oper f Edmiston. Dunedin (Morgan Plus 4). ving i 4min, B. J. Brown, Christchurch puri (A40 Special), 3min 35sec, 4: Blackburn. Christchurch ‹ Citroeon only Special), 5min 5. Time, 24min 34sec. than (D. Edmision was penalised imin for anticipating the the Saloon Car Race Handicap |25.392 miles).-F. Cantwell, be- W church (Jaguar XK140 C), 5min 48sec, Po W. Pinckney, Waikaia (Jaguar uars. 2; I. E. mos! McKellar; Ashburton (Armstrong-Sidtheir 234), 3; Consul): Heasles, Rangiora ther 2min 12sec, Moore, Ings church (Simca), 2min 48sec, 5. Time. the 27min 1.2:ec. Lead Redex Sports Car Race (76.176 the miles) -J. Brabham (Cooper Gibbons (D-type Jaguar), 58min 17.2sec, 2: A. McKay (Cooper Climax), 60mir 26.2sec. 3: R. Jensen (Monza Ferrari). 6imin 15.6sec. 4. Class restilts, up to 1500 c.c.; Brabham 1, Mc- Kay 2, J. Boyd (Buckler) 3. 1501-3000 c.c.: R. Jensen 1, J. Naisbitt (Allard) Over 3000 c.c.: Gibbons I, 2. Avery (H.w.M.) 2, F. D. Cantwel] (Jaguar XK140 C) 3. Motor-cycle Races 250 c.c. Racing Class.—P. Phillips IB.S.A.) 1, G. Stuthridge (Ariel) 2, C. Fisk (Francis Barnett) 3. Time, 15min 53sec. 350 c.c. Racing Class.—J. Swar- ! brick 1A.J.S. 7R) 1, B Benke (Nortoni 2, A. G. Holland (Manx Norton) 3. Time. 13min Sisec. 500 c.c. Racing Class.-A. G. Holland (Manx Norton) 1, H. Newbrook (G45 Matchless) 2, Swarbrick (A.J.S. 7R) 3. Time, 13min 18.4sec. Pool Petrol Class.-M. Daniels 15 (B.S.A.) 1. O. Frew (Gold Star :B.S.A.) 7. A. Thomas (Velocette) 3. Time. 14min 5sec. 500 c.c. Pool Petrol Class.—R. Anderson 18.S.A. Gold Star) 1, L. Hauschild (Triumph) 2, E. Norris (B.S.A.) 3. Time, 14min 27cec. All Power Handicap.-B. McGibbon 1. R. Taggart 2. B. Stuthridge 3. Time. 18min 59sec. Peter Whitehead Wins La Trophy dy Wigram Race Again PETER WHITEHEAD, driving his 3t-litre Super Squalo Ferrari, had his third successive Lady Wigram Trophy win on Saturday. Averaging better than 81 m.p.h., he made easy work of the 150 miles and looked a winner when he took the lead after eight laps. His time was 110min 8sec—2min 5sec slower than he was last year. At no stage was there anyone really to push him along harder. Also oil on the course made the going treacherous. The Englishman's victory was popular. The crowd variously estimated between 25,000 and 35,000, gave him a tremendous ovation. Driving brilliantly, the Australian, Jack Brabham, in a works 13-litre Formula I cooper, filled second place, ünishing Imin 28sec behind Whitehead. Brabham was driving a much smaller car and he also made a pit stop to take on oil in the latter stages, whereas Whitehead was able to go through non-stop. The Aucklander, Ron Royeroft, drove his 4i-litre Ferrari into third place. He led for the first seven laps, but then gradually slipped back. He did not display the form that he has previously at Wigram. It was a Ferrari festival. Ross Jensen, of Auckland, drove well-judged, unspectacular race in Whitehead's Monza Herrari sports car to finish fourth. Thus Ferraris took three of the first four places. Bob Gibbons finished sixth in a Dtype Jaguar sports car. The Jaguar proved to be a little high-geared for Wigram, the straights not being long enough for it to "wind up " to speeds that could possibly have made it a race-winner. On the other hand, Whitehead looked as though he had plenty. in hand and 1f the need had arisen he could have gone harder. He was rock steady in the corners, seldom if ever sliding. Whitehead was nearly a lap ahead of Brabham when he received the chequered fag and he won at tour. ing speed Brabham completed his Roycroft off, having completed seventy laps. Provisional results: Lady Wigram Trophy Race (150.236 miles) -P. N. Whitehead, england (terrari), Inr 50min 8sec, 1; J. Australla (Cooper Roycroft, Auckland (Ferrari), seventy Climax), 1hr Brable 51min 368ec, 2i sen laps completed, 3; R. Jensen, Auckland (Alonza Ferrari), sixty-eight laps, 4; H. Jensen, Fellding (Cooper Climax), sixty-seven laps, 5; R. Gibbons, Wellington (D-type Jag- (uar) sixty-seven laps, 6. Impressive Std Jensen in a Formula II Cooper similar to that of Brahham came in before Gibbons. This Feilding driver impressed in his first big outing in a really fast car. The rest were well and truly outclassed.. Iwenty-six cars faced the starter and about half were still running at the end of the race. Among the absentees were Reg Parnell, the New Zealand Grand Prix winner a fort-' night ago, who was Whitehead's team-mate, and Horace Gould, the, other Englishman. The sizzling heat proved too much for Gould. After spending most of the night working on his 250F Maseratl, he retired after covering fifty-. one laps. He came into the pits exhausted and had to be helped from. his car. The hefty Gould had not looked! happy at any stage of the Journey.. His lines on the bends varied from: lap to lap and he held fourth place for most of the race only because af the flashing acceleration of thel Maserati.