20-1-65 MINTERI CHAMPAGNE FOR THE VICTOR.—Last year's winner, Bruce McLaren, after his victory. Winner of the Wigram event two years running, and last year's Tasman Cup winner, Bruce will have to finish very well at Wigram if he is to build up points towards another trophy win. MAIN RACE N Friday the healthy roar of finely-tuned engines will shatter the air at the Royal New Zealand Air Force station, Wigram. This fanfare will herald the start of practice for the 1965 South Island motor racing event of the year, the Lady Wigram Trophy Race. The next day the event itself, Canterbury's annual international motor race, will be held. It seems almost certain to be hard-fought and exciting, and will be supported by an excellent programme of shorter events for sports cars, specials, and the ever-popular saloons. The first place in the Lady Wigram Trophy Race on Saturday is as open as it has ever been, with four overseas drivers and some very fast locals likely. to compete for the major placings. The overseas drivers are Bruce Mclaren, last Jeat's winner of both the Lady Wigram race and the Tasman championship, Jim Clark, former world champion and probably the best driver on the circuits anywhere today, Phil Hill, & steady but fast driver who is often underestimated, but who has also been a world champion, end F. Gardiner, an Australian who is noted in that country for his polished and rapid performances. Probable leader of the New Zealand challenge is the former Dominion champion, Jim Palmer, with Kerry Grant, new to singie seaters but a promising driver, not far bebind. These two can be expected to provide a good tussle. Also well up should be North Islander B. Abernethy, who will be driving a 1964 Cooper formerly driven in G.P. events by Phil Hill. It has since been fitted with a 2.5 litre motor, and the entry is being sponsored by Rothmans, Lid. I. W. Dawson will race a 2.5 litre Cooper, and his potential at Wigram will be able to be judged better on practice day. W. Thomasen, a very experienced driver, will race a 2.5 litre Brabham very similar to that of Palmer. PROSPECTS The Cooper which Dawson will be racing is one which has already won the New Zealand championship twice: once in the hands of Angus Hyslop, and once in the hands of Jim Palmer. J. Riley, last year co-winner of the sports car championship, will be racing a 2500 c.c. Lotus, and can be expected to beep the pressure on all the way. Last but certainly not least in the 2.5 litre feld is R. J. Flowers, this year racing the Lola which won the 1963 New Zealand Grand Prix. Flowers has put up many formances in the past in 1500 c.c. cars, and bis performances in the more powerful car should be well worth watching. in some ways there will be a race within a race on Saturday: the 2.5 litre cars will probably fight out the major placings, and the 1.5 litre cars will have their own spirited battle fuzther down the field. There will be some really first-class drivers in the smaller cars, the entry included the fast and neat A A. Buchanan, in a Brabham; B. Thomas in a Lotus; G. Lawrence in a Brabham, *. Sager in a Brabham; the Timaru driver D. Young in a Cooper and R. Levis in a Brabbam. This is an entry of good quality, and it is difficult to pick any favourites, but Buchanan, Sager and Young seem likely to be in the first few, mechanical faults excepted. Buchanan showed the neat, unflurried driving he is capable of when he won the Wainate 50 in very poor conditions last season; Sager also showed his worth at this meeting, when he took a good third; and Levis has usually finished in the top half of the field. David Young has been racing for about seven years. Wigram is one of his favourite cireuits, and he has already done well with the 1500 c.c. Cooper. G. Lawrence comes from a family with a history of many motor racing successes, and has a formidable car in the 1500 c.c. Brabham. He can be expected to give the other competitors a run for their money. As in previous years there is again a prize offering for the first driver to lap at an average of 100 miles an hour during the race itself: this year the prize, offered by Manchester Car Sales, stands at £300. With the circuit as it now is, including the loop which was introduced last year, it does not seem likely the 100 m.p.h. lap will be seen this year, but until the practice period has been held it will be unwise to make any firm predictions. DUNE JAI CLARK PHIL HILL • 4 WHILE JACK BRABHAM, seen racing at Wigram last year in a Repeo-Brabham-Climax, will not be racing here this year, his cars will be well represented. About eight Brabhams, four 2.5 litre cars and four 1.5 litre cars, are expected to start on Saturday, and these cars have already shown their worth in meetings here, At Pukekohe, Brabhams took the first three places.