23 - 9-61 23-9-61 MOSS'S CAR DAMAGE Fine Driving In Difficulty If spectators at Wigram on Saturday were disappointed in the driving of Stirling Moss, they could not have appreciated the difficult conditions under which he was operating. His Lotus was heavily shunted at the start in a collision with McClaren's Cooper, and the • damage to his car prevented him from providing the type of driving expected of him. One of the Lotus's front wheels had been pushed out of alignment and a rear radius was badly bent. This meant that Moss had to drive the whole race with his car behaving in a most unpredictable and sometimes dangerous manner-a task of driving which tew but he would undertake. In the collison, Moss's engine also suffered damage. The carburettor throats were dented and later came loose ¡from the engine, and by the time the race had finished, Moss's car was sounding very rough. In spite of all these difficulties, Moss finished in second place. Under the circumstances, his driving was probably the most determined yet seen on the circuit. Crowd Of 22,000 In spite of the atrocions conditions under which the races at Wigram were held on Saturday, about 22,000 persons attended. According to the controller of admission (Mr C. G. Mciver), the gate takings were the largest since the first race meeting at Wigram in 1949 and were £3000 more than last year, as & result or the increased prices of admission. The cost of this year's meeting at Wigram is understood to be £12,000, and of this, about £2000 was taken up in grandstand and concession tiekets sold before the day of the race. The cost of bringing the seven overseas drivers to the city is understood to € 500. Mr Melver said yesterday that after consaltation with the treasurer of the meeting (Mr P. M. MacShane) it had been assessed that the Motor Racing Club would not suffer a major loss. PARKING AREAS OF MUD Accidents In Car Park Thousands shivered in damp overcoats and crouched under tarpaulias at Wigram on Saturday as they watched the motor races through a veil of heavy rain. Many • who hadi bought grandstand tickets preferred to sit in their cars to watch the race, if they were parked close to the circuit, but thousands of others had; no option but to get thoroughly wet if they wished to see the events. The airfield at Wigram was! almost a quagmire by the time all the cars had left the parking areas on Saturday evening. Cars had churned up the grass, and the gateways were full of thick mud. Several collisions occurred in the car parks when motorists failed to realise that brakes were useless on the slippery grass. The only way to keep! a vehicle moving was to travel slowy in a high gear to prevent the wheels from spin-! ning. Stalls selling soft drinks and worst! chocolates had their custom for years. 23-1-61 24-1-61 ADMISSION CHARGE Spectators Not "Rooked" A mistake in the programme for the motor racing at Wigram on Saturday caused husdreds of complaints from spectators who thought they were overcharged for admission The programme said the entrance fee for adults was 7s 6d, but the price asked at the gates was 10s. Mr C. Melver, who was in charge of the 70 Papanui Returned Services Association members who sold the tickets, said yesterday:- "I wish to advise all these people they were not Tooked.' It was purely a mistake in the programme. "The mistake caused no end of bother." said Mr Melver. "Hundreds of angry spectators came back to the gates with tbe programmes and demanded 2s 6d back. Today the telephone has been going nonstop with angry callers. Public Thanked For Its Support At Wigram Race Public support for the. Lady wigram topay • race which was run in bad weather on Saturday was a source of gratification to the Motor-racing Club which promoted the event, according to the president of the club (Mr J. A. Brewer). "On behalf of the club I wish to thank the thousands of people who braved the elements to go to Wigratiat was most encouraging. said Mr Brewer yes terday. and gratifying and the attendance was beyond our wildest dreams in view of the weather the publie wish to assure that the club will stage the eighth International Lady Wigram trophy next year. I'bere is absolutely no doubt about that. "It has been the policy of the club over the years to set aside reserves for such a contingency as that of last Saturday. It is true that the engagement of overseas drivers who, along with the New Zealanders, put up such a won- derful show in the most trying conditions, has drained tbe club's reserves. At the same time we are in a position to continue and we will certainly do so. " said Mr Brewer. Over the week-end a number of people had been in touch withi members of the club and offered financial assistance. said Mr Brewer, It was obviots there was a much greater interest in the sport than had generaly been realised and he wished. to thank the donors for theit. generous gesture. -*. "On behalf of the club I wish to thank the competitors although conditions were • most! unpleasant and made the racing hazardous, carried Ou without complaiat to provide us with an excellent day's sport." 24-1-61 Support for Trophy Race Pleases Club Public support fOI the Lady, Wigram • Trophy race, which was run under appalling weather on Saturday, has pleased the Motor Racing Club which promoted ine event, according to the president (Mr d. A. Brewer). ' "It is most encouraging and gratifying. that the attendance was wildest dreams in view the weather, " said Mr Brewer to-day. He assured the public that the club will stage the eighth trophy race next year despite depleted reserves. During the week-end a number of people bad been in touch with him and other members of the club's executive and offered. donations to he aiso thaneed the c competitors who carried on without complaint in hazardous conditions to provide "an excellent day's sport 27-1-61 One of the most unlucky competitors in the Lady Wigram Trophy race was the young Auckland student, Gill. He hau the misfortune to run over two marker drums on the hairpin bend and breas two spark plugs on the inverted engine of his New Zealand-built Lycoming. Gill had made a brilliant start in the race and for the first half-dozen laps before fourth position his accident was lying of ahead Stirling : Moss, Bruce Vic- Laren, Roy Salvadori and John Surtees. He rejoined the race after replacing the plugs but had lost bis chance of a major placing. at of fi. At the national confer- "ence of the New Zealand Racing Drivers' Club. held in Christchurch last weekend, the following officers were elected:Patron, Mir J. Mathison, M.P.; president, Mr McLaren (Auckland); vice-president, Mr I. E. O. Mckellar (Ashburton; executive, Messrs L. R. Gilbert (Hamilton), D. H. Lawrence (Wangaruí), A. F. Moffatt (Ashburton), W. Darrell (Christchurch). It was a source of great! joy for the Lotus team driver Innes Ireland, that he should have shot three deer in Canterbury Mast week: Together with the B.R.M. driver, Graham BAL, Ireland visited the farm of a well-known Canterbury racing driver, D. H. sutherford, at Culverden. Ire land revelled in the sport of deer-shooting, but Hill decided the Canterbury mountains are a bit too steep. I've never been so exhausted.? afe The Swedish champion, Joachim Bonnier, is very reticent about his chances In the coming European motor racing season, but at! the wheel of a Porsche; he is one of the favourites for the new Formula I world drivers' title "The Porsche is probably the most reliable 1500 c.c. machine in the world, and I am really looking forward to driving it," said Bonnier last week. "The German thoroughness has to be admired. They go to fantastic lengths to prepare their cars, and nothing Is left to chance. It wil take a _good car to beat them this season."