This Should be the Most Keenly Contested Battle THE Lady Wigram Trophy, one of New Zealand's the last eleven years but, judging by the calibre of tionally fast circuit this Saturday, motor-racing patrons far. elnssic motor races, has produced some forrid battles over the entry for the twelfth international race on the excepcan look forward to the most keenly contested battle so Although Wigram is/success 1s more vital than I such as the B.R.M. are few thousands of miles away has ever been before. Teant and far between. from Europe, the centre Lotus, for which Clark Is the of Grand Prix racing. No. I driver, announced the POTENTIAL the result of the trophy other day that it had con. race could prove to be altracted to run all its cars this That Attwood has tremenvital one for the majoriyear in more than one hun- dous potential la evident from contenders for premier dred international events on the fact that he has been honours. American-made Firestone given a place in the team. Wigram, coming as it does tyres. It was a switeh that But his future will very much at the beginning of the year, rocked the motor racing depend on the results he can immediately assumes consid- world more than somewhat. produce at Wigram and the erable importance in the in-for the chief of Team Lotus, |races that follow, ternationa sphere. Colin Chapman, has always, The visitors from Eur- There are several rea- with the exception of Indiana. ope are not the only ones 80N5 why that is so and polis, raced his cars on Bri- who regard Wigram partieularly this year. tish Dunlop tyres. vital. The Australlans, Take, for example, the case Frank Gardner and Spenof Jim Clark. Last year he BATTLE cer Martin, al80 have won the trophy race and then much at stake. So, immediately, thei went on to win the 500-mile: Gardner, who finished eight-race Tasman Cham- Indianapolis race and roun- fourth at Wigram last year, pionship series, in which Wigded off the Northern Hemis- lis already making ram constitutes one of the phere season by winming the very important rounds, takes tion for himself in the interworld racing drivers' cham- ¡national sphere and is regarpionship. jon a new significance because it becomes part of a tyrel ded as one of the most pro battle for supremacy between mising drivers in the busi- AT TOP Britain and the United States ness. Martin, on the other hand, To-day Clark is right at. thei →a battle in which the results is having his will be reflected first "away. top of the tree and, of course, he wants to remain there. He throughout the world to the from-home" tour and is regarwill do so just as long as he ordinary motoring public. ded as potential high-calibre internationai material. If he can keep on winning. Therefore. for Clark, Team Lotus, can head off Gardner So, unlike some of those and the 8 Saturday, as well as some of down the ladder "who do United States there ia a the visitors from Europe, he not have so much at stake, great deal at stake. will have his feet planted he enters every race with Now consider Clark's major firrly on the rungs of the ladthe single purpose. the fellow Scot, der to international success. adversary, But for Clark this time, Jackie Stewart, who will be Jackie Slewart, Scotland's newest racing star and the man .:leading the two-car B.R.M. N.Z.-BRED most experts believe is most likely to wrest the world team on Saturday. crown from fellow Scot Jim Clark. Highly favoured as Stewart finished second New Zealand has already B.R.M. leam leader for a Lady Wigram. Trophy win on -just 1.5sec in arrears--to his bred a small crop of top-class Salurday, Stewart, perhaps more than any other starter, team-mate Graham Hill in international racing motor- has more to gain from. success. the New Zéaland Grand Prix ists-Bruce McLaren, Chris the other day. He is tipped Amon, and Denis Hulme. man Formula car, the Ecurie the Wigram money in an by the experts as the driver! McLaren and Amon will Rothmans Cooper. effort to establish his reputamost likely to take the crown contest the world, title series tion. Marwood drove an exfrom Clark and his record this year in McLaren cars In most big-time races there ceptionally good first shows that he has the ability built by the young Aucklan- is always someone who makes to du it. der, while Hulme will be! International race in a strong attempt to upset the Last wear in his first full driving as No. 2 to none the Grand Prix at Puke- apple cart. At Wigram season in world champion. other than the man who has kohe to finish fourth. Saturday this driver could be ship racing, he finished third|twice been world champion, the former national champion, on the ladder just behind Hill. Jack Brabham, the Austral-l This was a beady and res-Syd Jensen, who, after set- He has gone on record as say-ian who builds and races the !trained effort, for Marwood eral years retirement from ding that this year he regards! Repco-Brabhams. was deeply conscious of his open-wheel racing, will drive Clark his major adver- A number of New Zea- inexperience. But it did show his recently acquired 2.5isary. landers are trying desper- that here are all the makings litre Repco - Brabham - Cliof a first-class Grand Prix max, if parts being air freighately hard to reap the re- SPECIAL driver, and he could give ted from Italy arrive in time wards that have already come the way of the in- Palmer a very good run for|to make the car raceworthy. But Stewart, too, has morel ternational trio and the at, stake than his own reputa- major contender must tion. The B.R.M.s represent! be the well - established Britain in the tyre battle Jim Palmer, nations with their very special Dun- hampion for the last tw |lop all-weather tyres. seasons and the resident So, as far as the, two driver who most closely Scolsmen are concerned, approaches the profes not only are their reputa- sional. tions at stake but also those of two of the world's Over the last two seasons leading tyre manulac- Palmer has been well out in front of the other resident turers, with very • big drivers. He has probably money involved. stage in his art 1s Driving in support of Stew- career where he could make the young Londoner a mark in world champion Richard Attwood. He also has ship fields with some a great deal to gain out of and concentrated international doing well at Wigram, for in experience. this international series ' hel This year, however, for the has; with internationally fam- first time since he hit the big; ous B,R.M., one of the most time, Palmer could find othhighly prized berths among ers' nibbling away athis the Grand Prix drivers. monopoly. If he can make his mark. at Wigram and follow up in NEW STAR the remainder of the races in the Tasman series,, the lead- The rising stat. ls ing team managers. wil knocking at his door and way- has already made a reputa ng contracts in his face, the tion for himaelf in New Zea point being that the drivers land saloon car racing and is with the ability to get tbehaving his Arst- season in best out of Grand Prix racers|international racing in a Tas LADY WIGRAM 1966 IRA AMAMMA