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New Zealand open airfield championships entry list

Entry list for the motor-cycle events at the 1966 Wigram meeting (NZ 250cc, 350cc, 500cc and open airfield championships) with riders and machines from around NZ, including Hugh Anderson (Suzuki 125), Ginger Molloy (Bultaco 250), Neville Landreth (Matchless 499), Tommy McCleary jun. (Manx Norton 500) and Miss D. E. Foote (BSA 500).

Facts

  • Rider entries for the 1966 Wigram airfield championships covered classes 250cc, 350cc, 500cc and open.

Photos

  • Works rider: the New Zealand rider W. Molloy, on his way to victory in the seventh annual international for the Prachorske Skal prize in Northern Bohemia.
feature

Enthusiasts get race circuit ready

Describes the work of Motor Racing Club members and helpers preparing the 2.3-mile Wigram circuit for the Lady Wigram Trophy: placing thousands of straw bales, erecting timekeepers', lap-scorers' and grandstand structures, and the importance of practice for setup, gearing and fuel loads. Neither BRM driver nor Spencer Martin had raced at Wigram; the back straight allows more than 150 mph.

Facts

  • Wigram's back straight allowed speeds of more than 150 mph in 1966 and the circuit was 2.3 miles long.
  • The Lady Wigram Trophy was about 70 miles longer than Levin and 16 miles longer than the NZ Grand Prix at Pukekohe in the 1966 series.
  • After each meeting club members remove all facilities and litter from the Wigram aerodrome the following day.
  • Starting grid positions for the trophy race were determined by qualifying trials with the fastest laps taking front row places.
Read the OCR text
20-1-66 ipir Zeland 330 c.r Open Airheld Championships. -R. 6 Miram (insercargih), Greenes 2al: AlcClears *(hristchurch!. Greeves 240 K. 1. Turner : Taracale). Nor. trtl 497: IT. A. MeCleary •(hristchurch. Wans Torton 350: P. C. Schultz (Tokeroa), Tamaha 250: C. Marsden •Dunedın). Mans Torten 500: l. (Gregor (Otematata), A.LS 7R ,45: D. 11. King • Dunedin), Janx Norton 330: h. R. Anderson (Oninewal). Suzuki 123: F. Brown *Christchurch). Manx Torion 500: T. Kirby ‹ Christchurch). Honda 012: R Algie "hanerau) A.J.S. TR 350: A. Matkins •prin ston). Norton 340. J. Wales Putone): D. G. Damiano "(hristchureh). A.J.S. TR 030: B. T. Cowan « Christchurchs, 4.I.s. TR 348: D. Bowie « Christchurch), B.S.A. 350: J. Hubbard "Springston), B.S.A 330: D.A. G. Bishell « Blenheim). B.S.A. 350: 31155 E. R. Fonte (Dunedin), B.S A 500: J. Landrebe i Dunedin). Matchless 499: R Hanham « Christchurch), Mant Vorton 300: R 1. Harris • (hristchurch). relocelte 250: E. R. Jordan • Dunedin) B.S.A. 304: G. Ji. Spooner (Napier). Bultaco 196: R. Gillard • (hristchurch). Greeves 250: Clarke (Christchurch), Manı Norton 350: 1. G. Begbie (Tinwaid), Triumph 630: W. R. Mitchell (Dunedin). Triumph 509: T. R. NcCleary. juD. 1 Christchurch), Mans Norton 500: A. Dobbs « lapier). Bultaco 244: G. Mollos •Hunuys. Bulaco 250. Tem Zealand 250 c.c. and 350 C.L Championships.—R. P. Myram (nvercargill), Greeves, 250: MeClears ‹Christchurch). Greeves. 245: R. A. AcCleary +Christchurch), Mars Norton. 330: P. C. Shultz 1 Toko- Tua); Yamaha, 248: €: warsden (Dunedin). want worton, 500: D. Adair (Otematata). A.J.S. TR, 348: D. 31. King + Dunedin). Mans Norton. 330: H. R. Anderson Ohinewai). Suzuki, 125: E. Browa slanx Vorton, •Christchurch'* ( Christehurch), T. Kirby Honda, 312: B. R. Algie ihamerau). A.J.S. TP. 350: J. Watkins (Springston). Norton, 345: J. Wales : Petone): D. G Damiano •Christchurch)._ A.J.S. TR. 530: B. Cowan i Christchurch). A.J.S. FR, 348: D. S. Bowie (Christchurch), B.S.A.. 350: J. F. Hubbard sion), B.S.A., 350; D. : Spring. Bishell (Blenheim), B.S.A., 350; Miss D. E. R. Foote (Dunedin). B.S.A., 500: N. Landrebe ( Dunedin). Matchless. 499: A. R. Hanham ( Christchurch), Mans Vorton, 500: R. J. Har- Ils ‹Christchurchs «Dunedin). Velocette, 230: K. B. Jordan B.S.A.. 500: G. Spooner ‹ Napier), Bultaco. 196: A. Gillanders (Christchurch), Greeves, 250: S. Clarke i Christchurch), Mans Norton. G50; W. R. Mitchell (Dunedin), Triumph 500 ; R. McCleary. Jun. (Christchurch), Mans Torton, 500; A. Dobbs (Napier), Bultaco. 24%: R. A. Anderson « Harton), Tamaha, 250; G. Mol• 10y (Hunt!"). WORKS RIDER-The New Zealand rider. W. Molloy, on his way to vietory in the seventh annual international for the Prachorske Skal prize in Northern Bohemia. Enthusiasts Get Race Circuit Ready AMONG the busiest people in Christchurch to-night are members of the Motor Racing Club and many helpers who are, at this moment, hard at work transforming the taxiways of the Royal New Zealand Air Force Station, Wigram, into an international motor racing circuit for the 100-mile Lady Wigram Trophy meeting on Saturday. Working into the small hours nf to-morrow morning. clubmen and an enthusiastic band of pepple. who turn out year aiter year. are placing thousands if straw hales in posilion to mark out the fast 2.3mile circuit: erecting timekeepers. ' lap-scorers' and spectator grandstands and doing a limitless number of other mundane chores so that spectators can enjoy all the thrills of bigtime motor racing on Saturday. This is an extremely complex operation, but one that is carried out amazingly smoothiy because the club has rears of experience behind it and every move is planned months ahead. But, for all that, it is inevitably a race against time because to-morrow. although all the spectator facilities may not he in place. the drivers must be given an opportunity "'carn" the circuit and undergu qualifying trials to determine their starting grid positions for Saturdar, the big da!. Practice plays a vital Part in motor racing. No two circuits are alike and. on top of that. such factors as the type of surface of the track. atmos- pheric conditions. the length of the straights and the severity of the bends and corners all play a very important part in the preparation of a car for a race. For example. at the Levin Gold Leaf International meeting last Saturday, race day was bright and sunny and slightly humid. The Levin track is short with tight corners and only one short straight. Moreover. the circuit has the unenviable reputation as being one of hte roughest in the world Wigram, on the other hand, has number of exceptionally fast stretches including the back straight where speeds of more than 150 miles an hour are possible. Overall, it is exceptionally smooth. although there are one or two very severe bumps. From the atmospheric point of view, humidity is not a very important factor there. Adjustments All these variations mean that adjustments to suspen- SIon systems and ture pressures are necessary to take advantage of the smoother sur- On top of that. as Wigram Cuten Zealand's fastest cir. alterations must made to gear ratios and finai drive ratios to take advantage of the fast sections. Depending® upon the likely weather conditions. carburettors must be adjusted to ensure the right fuel-air mixture in the drier atmospheric conditions. Also. as the Lady Wigram Trophy is the longest race in the New Zealand international series-about 70 miles longer than Levin and 16 miles more than the New Zealand Grand Prix at Pukekohe-fuel consumption tests are also essential. No driver wants to carry Exact Fuel more fuel than is absolutel! necessary because of weight considerations. On the other hand. in a comparatively short race of 100 miles re-fuelling stop will alnost inevitably spell the difference between a win and a loss, so it is absolutely essential that sufficient fuei is carried. The human element enters into the situation also. Neither of the B.R.11. drivers. Jackie Stewart or Richard Attwood. has raced at Wigram before. Nor has the Foung Australian Spencer Martin. This trio will want as much practice as they can possibly! get to "learn" the circuit. although the international races held so far this season indicate that all three learn very quickiv Jim Clark. Wigram winner last rear. and Australian Frank Gardner. who finished fourth. do have the advantage experience SO, course. do all the New Zealanders who have raced there before. the same, those lew brief spells of practice to morrow are of the greatimportance to everyone, including the drivers who will be contesting the supporting events. be determined Staring grid positions will • the final quallying trials, the drivers putting . the fastest lans getting the positions in the front row's. A good starting position is. of course. often of the greatest importance. So. in 1 nutshell. these are the reasons why many people are working flat-out at Wigram to-night. If everything ready-as it always has been in the past -there should be a good practice and this, in turn. should hold promise of good racing on the day itself. But as far as the club is concerned. race day does not spell finish to activities at Wigram. On Sunday, the clubmen and hteir hlpers will be out there again to remove all the facilities and clear up all the litter left behind by race patrons. And then, within a matter of weeks. the club will be to plan and improve the dai 'starting its series of meetings for 1967.

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