17-1-66 18-9-66 WIGRAM COULD BE MOST VITAL RACE RICHARD ATTWO D'S Revin Gold win with the No. 2 B.R.M. last Sa the 100-mile Lady Wigram Trophy, to the most vital race in the New Zealand Championship. Leaf International Trophy race turday has automatically turned • be run here on Saturday, into section of this season's Tasman The reason is that with two races decided, the New Zealand Grand Prix and Saturday's Levin event. two drivers now share first place on the ladder and three are equal in second place. Graham Hill drove a B.R.M. to a good New Zealand Grand Prix win to score the maximum 9 points and on Saturday, Attwond. having his first! drive in the series, turned out to be the surprise winner and also score the maximum of 9 points. The current world champion Jim Clark (2.5 Lotus- Climax), Jackie Stewart, who now leads the B.R.M. team, and the current national champion, Jim Palmer, each have six points. Hill had only one New Zealand drive and will probablyi contest only one of the four races Australia-the Grand Prix. So his chances of carrying off the title this year look extremely remote. On the other hand. the Australian Frank Gardner. who! set a new Levin lap record of: 47.8sec and looked as though: he had the Gold Leaf sown up until a half-shaft went in his 2.5 Repco-Brabham-Climax ' just three laps from the finish. has yet to score. He was by far the fastest at Levin and given just iittle luck he could win at Wigram. Misfortunes not foast of which was insult int time for tyre testing and a chassis which flexed badly on 'the rough, twisting circuit. Palmer, third in the Grand : Prix, despite a severe bout of 'influenza and fifth at Levin while stili recovering from his illness. has vet to be seen at He was third at ¡his best last :Wigram year and In Clark's former 2.5 Lotus-Cli- I'max he has a race-winning car. Although Palmer will not reach Christchurch til Wednesday his car arrived in the city this morn ing and Mr George Palmer and the mechanics were hard at work giving it a thorough check early to-day. It is expected that the B.R.M. team will reach Christichurch to-morrow although the drivers Stewart and Attwood, along with Clark, are not expected to arrive until Wednes- . day afternoon. The young Australian Spenicer Martin 12.5 Repco-Brabham-Climax must also be Iconceded a reasonable chance i of success at Wigram. He was second fastest qualifier , for the Grand Prix and be finished third at Levin. He has 4 points. Disadvantage The current national 1.5-litre champion Roiy Levis drove a magnificent race for fourth ai Levin in his little 1.5 Brabham •Ford. With this car he might be at a slight disadvantage on the much faster Wigram circuit. The Motor Racing Club. which conducts the Wigram meeting. has indicated that if will do everything possible to ensure tnat trophy race drivers get as much training be restricted to friday only. Tasman Series Points Table With two races in this season's Tasman Championship decided, and the third, the 100-mile Lady Wigram Trophy. - coming up in Christchurch on Saturday, the points position in the series is: G. Hill (England) B.R.J. R. Attwood ‹ England B.R.N 9 J. Stewart (Scotland) BRiL J. Clark (Scotland: 2.5 Lotus- Climax J. Palmer (X.Z) 25 Lotus Climax S. Martin (Australia) 2.5 Brabham-Climax P. Levis (N.Z.) 1.5 Brabham- Ford 3 D. Marwood (1.Z.) 2.5 Cooper-Climax L. Geoghegan: (Australia) 1.5 Lotus-Fore! K. Sager (N.%) 1.% Brabham- Forri 1 I. Dawson 1x.Z.ı 2.5 Brabham-Climas Clark. winner at Wigram with lap and race records last ear. was hampered by mis- TOP: Members of the B.R.M. team pushing Jackie Stewart's car off the wharf after it was unloaded from the Hinemoa at Lyttelton this morning. From left: Rivers Fletcher (public relations officer for the Owens Group, owners of the B.R.M.), Jim Collins (mechanic), Owen Challis i mechanic), driving, and Tim Parnell (manager). The car will take part in Saturday's Lady Wigram Trophy event at the R.N.Z.A.F. Station, Wigram. ABOVE: Dickie Attwood's B.R.M. being lowered on to the wharf. Attwood was winner of last Saturday's international at Levin.