29-9-61 Motor Racing Rain Stop Wigram Practice At After Fast Laps Heavy rain which blinded the drivers and covered the track with several inches of water made it impossible for the official practice for the Lady Wigram international trophy race to be completed yesterday. Most of the entrants managed to put in a few laps at high speed in the morning to familiarise themselves with the circuit, but the rain became so heavy in the afternoon that drivers considered it too dangerous to continue. Although he had not driven on the circuit before, Sürling Moss soon settled down some fast laps on the wet track. Before it was decided to abandon the practice he had achieved a lap in 1min 26.1sec, which is about 88 miles an hour, and several other laps were timed at under 1min 27sec. Moss was therefore only 5.3sec slower than Jack Brabham's record for the circuit, set up in last year's race on a dry track. His little blue Lotus did not offer much protection from the rain, however, and Moss had accumulated two inches of water in the cockpit when he finished his laps. The Lotus team drivers John Surtees and Jim Clark dia not take any chances on the circult, and were happy to spend their iew laps at relatively slow speeds. Roy Salvadori, ai the wheel of a Lotus racing for Yeoman Credit, was also content to learn the circuit and not worry about fast lapping. Power in Reserve The two Cooper works drivers, Jack Brabham and Bruce McLaren, were soon in their element on the circuit they know well. Without any fuss or bother, Brabham managed a lap at about 85 miles an hour average, and gave the impression that he had plenty more power at his disposal. Brabham does not believe in working his engine hard unless he has to, and there was obviously no point to seeking a lap record under yesterday's conditions. Melaren was not ar fast as Brabham, but this was because car was slightly over-geared and he was not able to raise his engine speed above 5000 r.p.m. on the back straight. Joachim Bonnier, driving for Yeoman Credit, was one of the most impressive drivers, and handled the wet particularly well. His times were similar to Brabham's. Of the New Zealand drivers. P. M. Hoare (Ferrari) and W. M. Gill (Lycoming) were the most impressive. Hoare's car began slowly, but towards the end of the merning was circulating very rapidly. As the faster cars roared out on to the back straignt tney were trailing huge plumes oi spray behind them. Many of the drivers were holding their hands over their goggles and they were all thoroughly doused as they splashed through the three-inch water lying in the chicane near the hangars. A spectacular slide occurred in the pit straight when R. G. Stewar's M.G.TF. go: out of control. It spun slowly lin a circle and then skidded off the track and stopped close to some metal scaffolding. The fastest sports car at the circuit yesterday was the D-type Jaguar of A. Hyslop, of Hastings, and the saloon car practice laps were full of interest. R. J. N. Archibald, driving a Citroen ID 19 did one lap in 2min 3.2sec. and H. J. Heasley (Humber), the present saloon car champion, was only sec behind him. In the larger capacity class. R. Jensen (Jaguar 3.8) and F. Sprague (Ford Zephyr) found themselves fairly evenly matched. Driver's Complaint When the loudspeaker called for all main race drivers to go out on the track for pracice, Moss complained about the conditions and asked the president of the Motor Racing Club (Mr J. A. Brewer) to postpone the practice until this morning. Moss said he had the support of Bonnier and Salvadori, the two Yeoman Credit team drivers, who also felt that it was dangerous to race under the conditions. "If it is still raining in the morning, then there is nothing else for it." said Moss. Officials of the club were looking glumly at the sky last evening, hoping that the rain would clear for today's race. ¡A great deal of money has been spent in bringing the seven overseas drivers to Wigram, and the club could be in serious financial difficulty if rain has a serious effect on the attendance. 25 PRACTICE FOR LADI WIC caused the official practice for till early this morning. These during unofficial practice runs. ham) prepares for a practice Bonnier, of Sweden, swings GRAM TROPHY RACE-Heavy rain yesterday the Lady Wigram Trophy Race to be postponed photographs were taken at the circuit yesterday TOP: The present world champion (J. Brabrun in his works Cooper. BOTTOM: Joachim his Yeoman-Credit Cooper through the S-bend. EXITS FROM WIGRAM Arrangements For Traffic Exits from Wigram after thei Lady Wigram Trophy race today were announced by the chief traffic officer of the Transport Department (Mr B.) Wilson) yesterday. Traffic may turn left or righti out of the Lincoln road exit,! but if a left turn is taken! there is no left turn at Hayton road. Traffic wishing to travel! south should turn right and proceed via Awatea road to Springs road. A second alternative is for traffic to go down Washbourne and and Vickerys road, but traffic using Washbourne road niust travel straight to Hayton. road. Trafic using Vickerys road must travel straight to Mayton road and there turn left or right. The third exit is from the, main gates, where traffic may turn either left or rigt. There will be no parking in Vickerys road or Symes road. Sumes road is to be used by buses. taxis. cyclists, and pedestrians only.