23-9-58 THE Lady Wigram Trophy won by the late Archie Scott-Brown last January will be returned to New Zealand and competed for annually at Wigram. This is the wish of Scott-Brown's mother. Mrs Scott-Brown is most anxious that the trophy should be kept in competition at Christchurch, according to a letter the secretary of the Motor Racing Club (Mr Brewer) has received from the Auckland driver, Ross Jensen. After Scott-Brown was killed in the sports car race at Spa, Belgium, Jensen was invited by Brian Lister to join the Lister-Jaguar team • in his place, and during his time in Britain he and his wife have come to know Mrs Scott-Brown. Jensen will bring the tropay back to New Zealand with him in a month or so. At present, plans for the future of the trophy are uncertain. Ine Motor Racing Club executive has yet to discuss the matter. But it will probably become known as the Archie Scott-Brown Memorial Trophy. It would be a. fine gesture if the trophy was awarded annually to the driver of the first sports car to finish in the trophy race. Appropriate This would be most appro priate for on only two occasions has a sports car driver won the race. Morrie Proctor did so with a Brooklands. Riley in the first race in 1949, and, oi course, Scott-Brown won this year in the ¡ Lister-Jaguar, setting a new lap record and race record in the effort. The winner of the Lady Wigram Trophy normally keeps it. The Motor Racing Club has a new one made each year. The club also awards the Motor Racing Club Challenge irophy each vear. Ihis goes to the first New Zealand driver to finish and he only retains it for the year. * AND talking of Wigram: The • latest inquiry is from the Australian, Arnold, Glass, who raced a Super Squalo Ferrari in the international series last season. He would like to bring over the Super Squalo, which has now been fitted with a new engine, and a Monza Ferrari sports-racer, according to advice the Motor Racing Club has received from his racing mana- *Whether his entries will be John McMillan. accepted will depend upon tne results of the negotiations which are held by all international promoters before fixing entry lists for the events. = * THERE are plenty of Buroin wear dealers antid to race season, according to reports reaching Auckland from the secretary of the International Grand Prix Organisation (Mr Frank Perkins). But the trouble is that very ¡few of them have the cars to These bring out. days most drivers handle " works" cars in Europe and few actually_own Grand Prix and Formula Libre machiners. As well as engaging drivers, Mr Perkins has also been • try: ing to get cars for them. When last heard of he was in Itaiy, no doubt trying to get some Maseratis and : Ferraris. * * RUSSIAN drivers and cars will probably make their first international appearance next May at Silverstone, according to the vice-president of the Soviet Automobile Club (Mr L. Atanasiev) who was quoted re cently in the Nilan weekly, "Tempo. He said Russian sport authorities also planned to organise in Russia circuit and road races which would figure in the international racing calender. * BRUCE MCLAREN will drive a Formula I Cooper in the Morocean Grana Prix at Casablanca on October 19. The young Aucklander is Jeader in the Formula II world championship and is leading for the trophy awarded for the most reliable racing car in Britain. His Cooper-Climax is prepared entirely by himself and mechanic Colin Beanland, also from Auckland. Racing Circuits Of Europe Fine Pictorial Study The acknowledged master of motor racing photography, Louis Klementaski, ably assisted by Michael Frostick, has produced a pictorial review of the major motor-racing venues of Europe in a handsomely produced book, "Motor Racing Circuits." This book should have a wide appeal for enthusiasts in this country who will never have the opportunity of witnessing racing in Europe, but who follow the fortunes of the top drivers of the world each season. Fine Examples Some of Klemantaski's pietures give driver's eye views of sections of the many picturesque circuits, and all the pictures are fine examples of tne best photographic art. Thus the book should be of considerable interest to amateur photographers as well as motoring enthusiasts. Although this book is essentially one of photographs, Fros tick has written a lively and outspoken commentars to accompany_ them.-B. I. Batsford, •Ltd., London, through Fisher's.) 24-9-58 3-10-58 14-10-58 Car Drivers From Overseas To Visit No. A truly international field is assured for the series of major international motor races which will be held in New Zealand starting with the Grand Prix at Ardmore early in January. The secretary of the Christchurch Motor Racing Club (Mr Jack Brewer) had been informed br the secretary of the Auckiand International Grand Prix Organisation (Mr Frank Perkins) that he has engaged five of the world's top flight drivers to appear at Auckland. Subject to negotiations be tween all the promoters-those at Christchurch. Invercargill and possibly Dunedin-some of the five will appear in all the international races. Those Engaged Those engaged by Mr Perkins while he was in Europe recently are Stirling Moss, of England, Jack Brabham, of Australia, Jean Behra, of France, Joachim Bonnier. of Sweden, and Carroll Shelby, of the United states. Moss is at present runner-up in the world championship and he and Brabham wildrive Cooper Climaxes but Moss will not appear anywhere but in Auckland. Bennier usually drives a 250F Maserati and so does Shelby. Behra is number one driver in the B.R.M. team and it is uncertain whether he will bring one of these cars to New Zea land. Mr Brewer said that his club and representatives of the Southiand Sports Car Club would be meeting the International Grana Frix organisation representatives in Auckland next month when the question of engaging some or all of these drivers for the Lady Wig ram trophy and the Teretonga Park • International race at Itvercargill would be discussed. Other Inquiries In addition the local club has received inquiries from Team Lotus in England. This organisation anxious to race Lotu Formula I and Formula II and sports cars here this sea- SOn. Reventlow Automobiles, of California, have also inquired about the prospect of entering two cars at Wigram. In addition the club has received several other inquiries from Australia and Britain. However, the question of engaging these inquirers will also decided at the Auckland meeting. Top Drivers For Grand Prix Attracting entries from five of the world's top drivers and pos-! sibly Juan Fangio himself, the New Zealand Grand Prix to be held at Ardmore on January 10 promises to have a starting list worthy of any European grand prix. Stirling Moss, Jean Behra, Carroll Sheiby, Joachim Bonnier, and Jack Brabham have entered, and negotiations are still being made with Fangio, Who is anxious to bring a powerful 5.7-litre Ferrari sports to New Zealand. Stirling : Moss will bring a 2.2litre Cooper similar to that in which he won the Argentine Grand Prix early this year, and the top B.R.M. driver and French! champion, Behra, will bring an uitra-lightweight 2}-litre "Piccolo" Maserati. It is also likely that Brabham, a famous exponent with Coopers, will have an even more powerful car by fitting a 250 f Maserati engine into a Cooper. body. Shelby will also drive a. Maserati. Wealthy Amateur Bonnier, the champion of Sweden and Germany, is wealthy amateur in motor-racing who has competed in grand prix events in different parts of the world for several years. At Ardmore he will drive a Maserati which was specially built for Fangio before he withdrew from serious racing. Besides these overseas drivers, Bruce McLaren, the young Auckland driver who has competed so well in Europe this season, and Ross Jensen. have the greatest chances among New Zealanders to gain a major placing. Much interest will centre on McLaren's performance. since motor racing writers Europe have offered nothing but praise for his efforts in beating several world-ranked drivers. He is the first New Zealander to make a large mark in international grand prix racing. The position regarding the Lady Wigram Trophy race in Christchurch on January 2t is not yet clear. The Motor Racing Club is negotiating with the New Zealand International Grand Prix, and apart from Moss, who has to leave New Zealand after the Ardmore race. the other drivers may be free to come south. SPORTING NOTEBOOK THE European motor-racing season is drawing to a close. Next Sunday will see the last race in the world championship series decided-the Moroccan Grand Prix at Casablanca-and then the spotlight will swing briefly to New Zealand and Australia. In Europe, motor sport will mean rallies and trials. And the premier event will be, of course, the Monte Carlo Rally. Casablanca drivers championship will be de|year could he a real threat next cided. It must be won by an Then Maserati, which has not Englishman. Mike Hawthorn, sponsored cars al- Ferrari's No. 1 man, holds the though a number have this seasot been lead at present from Stirling driven by independents, is re oss, tne Vanwall driver. Moss ported to have received United has the hardest job to do to wrest States backing and will enter the the laurels. To be sure of the fray once more. championship he will have to In the sports car field the win . the race and make fastest Jaguar Car Company will be lap. That is no easy task. back once again with "works" And while the champion- drivers. Jaguars have been workship remains undecided, ing on a new 3-litre E-type durplans are well in hand for ing the last year and it is ready next season. Already it has for racing. been decided by the Interna- For the Grand Touring tional Automobile Federa- classboth in racing and tion that the current Grand rallying-David Brown must Prix formula will remain have a strong contender in until 1960. That means that the new DB4 Aston Martin, this year's 2500 c.c. unsuper- details of which are ancharged cars will be used nounced in these columns. for the drivers' and manufac. Taken by and large there is turers' championships again most interesting year ahead. next year. Locally, arrangements have The new formula will be an- not been . completed for the ennounced about mid-December, gagement of the overseas drivers and it seems almost certain that for the Lady Wigram Trophy there will be a place in it for and the Teretonga Park meeting. gas turbine cars. But the drivers coming south Next season should be full of should be announced by the interest. Coventry Climax has an- Motor Racing Club within the nounced that it will build six next week or two. 2500 c.c. motors to power Cooper It is possible that others and Lotus racers. Three will apart from Jean Behra, Joakim go to each firm. In view of the Bonnier, Jack Brabham, and Carsuccess of the Coopers with TOlL Sheiby, Will be 2200 c.c. motors, in the Formula Christchurch, but nothing ine has I category this season, these new been concluded so tar.