14-1-64 EXCELLENT RACING LIKE HIs weekend the Lady Wigram 120ph. Race meeting will agam be held at the aerodrome circuit near Christchurch. It may well be one of the best meetings yet, for both the programme and the circuit have been changed to make for better, closer racing. Tie circuit changes-increasing the radius of the : Hanger Bend at the end of the pit straight, and replacing the chicane by a loop have increased the length of the circuit from 2.116 miles to 2.3 miles, , made one corner much faster and added three slow corners. be faster However, cars this year will than in previous years, and there is a possibility that the target of a 100 m.p.h. lap may be reached in spite of the changes, although at present such a possibility seems remote TO many followers of the sport. Practice on Friday will tell. The inclusion of the loop in the circuit will provide another excellent spot for speci tators. where they will be able to see the cars twice American each • lap. The first lap in• driving particular should be interest- Cooper, ar ing at this point. as most of shown hor the field will probably arrive the Nort at the slow corners at once. Another The trophy race itself will; Hulme, wi comprise two preliminary special BI races, each of 25 miles, and again is times in these events wil great abili i decide the grid positions for fast car. the 100-mile main event. J. Youl Competition in the heats, be drivir will undoubtedly be fierce: Cooper. ar I. Mayer will be he second special na he has already v well he can go in th Isiand races. New Zealander, D ll drive the second rabham. and here a driver of very ty and with a very of Australia, will anotner fast d may well upset FORNIULA TASMAN COOPER ¡tyre wear will not be a prob- ¡lem and full fuel tnaks will ¡ not be necessary. Who are the contenders for the top honours in the main event? As in previous years. would seem visiting drivers have the best chance. but motor racing can be full oI suprises. The two favourites are Brabham, driving his own specially-built Repco-Brabham-Climax, and New Zealand's own Bruce McLaren, driving a specially-built Cooper Climax. Last year VicLaren was firt. Brabham second; the previous year Brabham was second and McLaren fourth; in 1961 Brabham was first and Me- Laren was fourth. The team-mates of these two are also highly favoured. (calculations. Опе of Aust- •ralia's top drivers, he will certainly be a man to watch. The other entrants include i a large number of very able and skilled drivers in good cars, and some of tnese could Enish well up in the field. A. L. Shelly of Wellington, with a Lotus, is well-known both in New Zealand and overseas. As yet he has not had great success on the Wigram circuit, but this could be his year. Two very rapid young drivers who are just coming to the peak of their careers are J. Palmer of Hamilton ‹Cooper) and C. Amon, of Bulls (Lola.). Amon has competed with considerable suecess in Europe during the last year, and Palmer has time and again shown himself a cool, neat driver. Barring mechanical troubles neither of them will be far behind; пог will Timaru's David Young, whose beautifully prepared Lotus is always delight to watch. Young s car, of course, was damaged at Mount Maunganui, but it is expected to repaired in time for Wigram. R. A. Levis, of Putaruru, has new Lotus. and he is a driver who will bear watching. So far his performances have been fair, often because of mechanical troubles, but he has shown flashes of excellence. The new car may make all the difference. A. A. Buchanan of Masterton. entered with an FJ. Brabham; is a newcomer to the major events. and another driver who may • be on the way up. So far, he has not and the former hillclimb ched cars champion certairly nas thetof everts ability to turn in some good cessions. laps. All mn F. I. Turpie, of Wellington Wigram entered with a Lotus Ford, is like bein not expected to be very weil member. up, although he could surprise the oracles. R. J. of Lower Hutt, Flowers has shown he has (Lotus), considerable ability, and with this faster car than the Gernini he has previously raced, could go well. W. Thomasen, of Auckland. has entered a Cooper, and be is a driver who should finish well. If the car is properly prepared Thomasen has the ability to keep well up with the field. and should provide plenty of competition. may benefit from the mistakes of others and move well up. So it can be seen that the FORMULA JUNIOR LOTUS really had an opportunity to show South Island crowds what he can do. K. Sager, of Auckand. has; entered a Lotus, and could do well. Sagar's cars are always well prepared, an absolutely vital ingredient of success, field for the Lady Wigram Trophy Race this year is perhaps as eveniy matched, where ability concerned as any yet seen here. This must lead to close, competitive racing, and with shorter races and more evenly mat- s there is less chance developing into pro- Trophy Race Top by lace Tooks ng an event to re. PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE "IT is a matter of pride to Motor Racing Club that of the six overseas entries competing in this, the 10th International Lady Wigtain Trophy race meeting.! three are driven by New Zealanders, said the president of the Motor Racing Club (Mr J. A. Brewer) a special message. "Bruce Mclaren, Denis Hulme and Chris Amon have all made their mark on the ¡ international circuits and we are pleased to be able to give the public an oportunity to see these world-class drivers! racing in top-flight cars. "This year will also be the first occasion on which an American driver has raced at Wigram, and I have no doubt that with the recora 1im Mayer has built up fis performance will be a good one. "Our other two visitors are from across the Tasman, our old friend Jack Brabham and a newcomer to New Zealand, but not to racing, John Youl, "This year's meeting is being held under the Tasman Formula and with the restric-! tion on engine size we now see the time when several of our leading New Zealand i drivers have cars which i should be capable of staying with the visitors. "Saturday's race should be one of the closest and best ever staged by this ciub. There is no driver who dominates the field and with the ¡ shorter race distance the risk of mechanical failure is re-, 'duced."