22-159 22-1-59 OVERSEAS DRIVERS DO NOT HAVE IT ALL THEIR WAY NOW Although international motor racing is comparatively young in this country, and until last season the international events were dominated by overseas drivers, to-day New Zealand has drivers who can give a good account of themselves in the best overseas company. With his friend Colin Bean- ROAD racing had its teenth birthday present was an! beginnings in Christ- with that sturdy little car tha ancient Ulster Austin 7. It was land raced all over Europe and as mechanic, Brace hurch and about 1950 a fresh-faced, smiling boy witt showed himself to be • slight limp made his start it a world-class driver. Christchurch and South motoring competition. Now he has a contract to drive Island drivers dominated during 1959 in the Cooper "works" team and although he national events. But in will be concentrating Forthe last two seasons to racing like a duck mula II cars during the Euro- pean summer, it is almost cerdrivers from the North haveater. never fain he will get a chance to drive Island have been domi- not far off-when he would" bei day- Grand Prix models in some feted as one of the world's fin- races. It could well be that within Bruce McLaren nating the seene Ross est Formula II Jensen, Merv Neil, and winning the junior section ef the next year or two d ranking well up in the world ranking Bruce McLaren. the German Grand Prix at the list occupying Nurburgring that are now held by drivers the positions McLaren's These three drivers, along , Eidel Mountains. That like Stirling Moss. with Syd Jensen, who has was on August 3, represented New Zealand in 1958. Not only did he win the Formula II race, but he Year the Isle of Man motor-cycle fnished place McLaren with his 1960 C.C. classics, have really put the the Grand Prix with Cooper will be on the Wigram the full record of| the world's top- starting grid and it would belBruce McLaren's European rac- Dominion on the map on flight drivers behind him. surprising if he was not well|ing overseas racing circuits. But that is recent history.| up with the leaders in the con- Formula Il races, and FI For- The 15-vear-old boy was soon cluding stages of the 150-mile I or Grand Prix They all raced in Europe last season. collecting trophies with his old race. Aintree 200, Austin with class wins in hill-! But whether he is or not, his F.II, 13th F.I. They have proved that climbs, sprints, beach races and short life Silverstone Interthey can hold their own in short circuit races. Sampie to every New Zealand national: 3rd Fil, 9th F.I. boy. For truly strong international fields. obvious that, given the chance, there are few who have worked ¡al: Ist F.II and and one of them, McLaren, he was so hard to achieve has shown that in Formula things. That chance came in 1956 such a sporting fashion, May 18: Brand's Hatch: at the cheerfully overcome a physical in tivo F.II races, equalled lap Il international racing he is whet he took over a new Aus. handicap., almost without peer. tin-Healey 100 It may be true that in no field 25: Crystal Palace: 3rd McLaren's is successful 1957 story one i see a the pot much it, set la Beands ratch: 5th to make New Zealanders proud. Climax sports car which I brought its reward in a Cooper- richer, but it is also true that the there are tew helds of sport F.II. At 12 he was stricken with a Audraced Brabham, that demand so much from the June 15: Prix de Paris, 3rd) bone disease which kept him in successfully during individual mentally as well as Zealand international physically. F.II, set lap record. the Wilson Home for Crippled July 6: French Grand Children, Auckland, for more Rheims. 6th F.II. than two years. That did not stop him from Brake Research Snetterton, 2nd studying the theoretical side of automotive engineering. Then came the main chance. Is Costly study gave him 90 per cent in Nurburgring, Ist FII, 5th F.I. mathematics the with the boy's ability that when squeal, but most August 4: Brand's examination the feld lined up for the 1958 of them seem to be silent be- 3rd FII. New Zealand Grand Prix Mc- cause sound waves created are August 30: Brand's Hatch, It also provided him with "works" 1500 c.c. Cooper. Gear- beyond the range of the human|6th F.II. ear, according to the experts. September 7: Snetterton, trouble delayed Huge amounts of money have 3rd FIT. sliced through the high- been spent on research into the September 13: Tourist Iro class held only to meet with problem of noisy brakes, disappointment when the hast- phy, Goodwood. retired. raced in Europe under the the research continues. September 21: West German| gearbox collapsed new test vehicle recently Grand Prix, Avus, retired after twenty laps. put into service by a Sydney 19: Casablanca, 2nd But after that he never looked firm even has tape recorders to F.II, 10th F.I. Racing the same car he pick up the sounds put out by finished second to Ross Jensen brake drums under test. in the drivers' championship. Other equipment includes in- Jack Brabham in and Rugby, Bruce struments to determine and re-world earned for the youngster a pedal mula IȚ racing year's racing in Surope, and the 1959 Cooper: that, was a great help. His fif-i what a year it proved to be. MEET THE TOP TROPHY DRIVERS likelv to for example. can most of the drive and the Lady Wis be found among m" in motor racin be upset-a slight put a world champi rs mentioned here gram Trophy winne them. ng is all too often mechanical fault, ion out of a race-will be prominent, er is most likels to Ron Flockhart (above) Scot and the B.R.Ni. he will bel driving could easily be the fastest car at Wigram. Flockhart is best known for sharing the winning drive twice at Le lans with Ecurie Ecosse Jaguars. serious accident put him! out of racing for many months. but he has driven the B.R.W. into a number of placings in major European events. But major victor! has, so far, elud ed him Merr Neil graduated from speedway racing to moior racing and in the last few seasons ihis Auckiander has shown himself TO be a master with Coopers. He is an excep- Itionaliy steady driver and is deceptively fast as many a driver • has found out to his amazement when he has tried to tuck in behind a leil car. Merv won the Teretonga Park national race in 1957 and Hooked as though he had it in his pocket in 1958 when a peti rol pump failure forced his retirement a lap from the finish. acidition he has performed well in national events all over NOS Jack Brabham is an Australian and the No. I driver in the !Cooper works team. He won the Bruce McLaren is the Auck- Formula II drivers' champion- land youngster who put New ship last vear and has raced Zealand on the international racin Europe for severa seasons. li ing map in Europe in 1958 when Aged 30, he won the New Zea-l he won the Formula II section land Grand Prix at Ardmore last year with a Coover Climar and of the German Grand Pris and second to finished fifth overall with Cooper he will drive at Wigram. the Whitehead in the Lady Wigram He also had numerous other i Trophy in 1957. successes wiile overseas and as up in second place after hi In last year's trophy race has been given a contract to drive for the Cooper Car Comwhen had pany in Europe this year. tire through a gearbor failure? Ron Roycroft could truly bet Pat Hoare is a well - known . described as one of New Zea- Christchurch driver who began ¡land's reieran racing motorists. jhis racing on the Wigram circuit This diminutive Aucklander back in 1949. He has raced speraced a Brooklands Austin 7 in cials, a 4CL1 Maserati and the first race at Wigram and has his present 3-litre Ferrari at Wigram. He has not had a vicnot missed a race since types ofitory in any of the major events, cars ranging driven all from a l Jaguar/but in last XK120 sports model to his pre-year's race and also in the 1958 N.Z. Grand Prix. sent 4}-litre Ferrari. He won With his Ferrari he holds the race in 1953 with an Alfa number of car sprint records in Romeo and has had tnis country, and he shouid be long string of successes. up among the majos piace get- Last year he finished fourth ters on Saturday. 1 in the New Zealand Grand Prix with the Ferrari. He is an exceedingly fast driver and on his day is a force to contend with. Ross Jensen, the 33-year-old Aucklander, was New Zealand champion last season and became the first New Zealander to win an international event in his own country with victories in the Dunedin and Invercargill races. He also finished second in the New Zealand Grand Prix and the trophy race. On each occasion he crore his ex-Stirling Noss 250F Maserati. This season he is driving a lightweight Maserati specially commissioned for him by the Santa Ana Automobile Club of El Salvador.