15-1-64 Nomen's Neurs & Views Mrs Bruce MeLaren Has Also Had Race-track Successes Mrs Patricia McLaren, Christcharch-born wife of New Zealand's foremost racing driver, Bruce McLaren, who won the New Zealand Grand Prix at Pukekohe on Saturday, has also had some race-track successes overseas —in go-karts. She has raced and won at a go-kart club to which both she and her husband belonged, near their flat in Surrey. "I love driving go-karts. Unfortunately the club changed its day to Sunday, when there are usually motor races on as well, and we've had to home in Blighs road yesterday, after her arrival from Auckland. Though the club had bad Bome mixed races for men and women, she bad not tried racing against her husband, Mrs McLaren said. The gokart he had built for them had now been sold Another international racing duver, timmy Mayer, of the United States, also arrived in Christchurch yesterday, with his wife Garril. The two couples are the vanguard racing "invasion" for next Saturday's Lady Wigram Trophy race meeting. Though their lives revolve round racing cars almost as closely as do their husbands', meither Mrs McLaren nor Mrs Mayer has ever driven even e practice lap in one. "They're very • difficult to much, drive, and they're worth so said Mrs McLaren. "But I do love driving, , " she said. "People had said I'd die when I saw London's traffic, but now I'm used to it I prefer driving there to here. English drivers were very courteous," she said. On long trips by car, the Mclarens share the driving. "My husband is a very good passenger-he usually goes to sleep," she said Mrs Mayer also enjoys diving, away from the race Tack, but ID: any long trips she would rather fly, she said. Fot, home is in Connecti- 23-year-old •Garril Mayer, cut. But the couple are seldom there, though for the first time for several years they were able to spend last Christmas with their families. After leaving this country they will go to Australia for the season there, will return to the United States, and then travel to London and the Continent for races in France, Italy, Hungary, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, and Hol- Land. It is as well Mrs McLaren ¡ also loves travelling, because about two-thirds couple's time is spent "living out of suitcases." She feels she has little left to learn of the art of packing. A sports car the couple bought which had only suficient boot room for one suitcase was the final test. "By the time I had packed Bruce's racing gear and clothes, there was only about one-sixth of the case left for me," she said When she is in her Surrey hat, Mrs Mclaren thoroughly ing. and his friends are such wonderful eaters, it is a pleasure to cook for them," she said. This summer she has been unable to join her husband in a favourite: water ski-in& she has still sport of both. not recovered full use of the foot that was broken when a power boat she was in overturned and struck her in Australia last summer. For Mrs Mayer, music and painting are particular interests, though she fnds she has little time to pursue them. Time Dot spent in racing seemed to be fully: taken up with getting the laundry done and then moving on to the next place, she said Both women like to watch their husbands race. They attend every practice and race they can, and in the pits keep lap times and lap charts. Mrs McLaren summed up for perhaps all Wives of racing drivers. "What is his! life Is my i would! hardly ever see him" see if Il didn't go too, she said. MRS MAYER (LEFT) AND MRS MCLAREN. N.Z. Grand Prix at Wigram? New Zealand's world "most interesting" would Wigram circuit for this "There are many' ranking racing motorist be an ideal venue. year by including a , loop drivers racing here on Sat- "I am certain that tize which won the Control Bend Bruce Melaren would Christchurch Motor Racing not only pro matched as far as abily. vide an added and machinery are _ convery much like to com-ciub, which makes such divers but in also cered at ar "It Jooks pete in a New Zealand good job of running • thei vide new excellent vantage like being excellent Grand Prix run in Christ-Lady Wigram Trophy each points for spectators. 24G3 church on year, would make an equally - "I do not think the cir- McLaren has been racing the new good job of running a Grand cuit will be quite as fast as Wigram circuit next year. Prix in Christchurch," since he was 15, but he has said this morning. It was previously, but Tifeel that it will be a much more no Intention of retiring Since its inception in i think I Have got a few 1954, Auckland nas been "For my part I would be interesting and better cir- years in me yet," he said the home of the Grand Prix, happy to help the club cult for everybody, sald with a grin But when the but this morning the 26 any way possible and I'm McLaren.• time does come to give up year-old McLaren, himself an sure I'm speaking for the McLaren, who won the driving I'd like to either Aucklander, said that there other overseas drivers who Grand Prix at? Pukekore run my own team, be a was no reason why the have raced at Wigram in last Saturday at his eighth racing: car. constructor Grand Prix should not be the past. But, he added, attempt, hopes to make it a work on the development run on a different circuit "the club would want to "double" on Saturday with side" each year, as was the case start organising the event a Lady Wigram 1" Гторду, in Britain, and he believed early in the year." Motor win, but he feels that the that the new Wigram cir- The Motor Racing Club i competition will be tougher cuit, which he described asihas made changes to theithan ever before.