race report · Sunday News · Donn AndersonScot's record average at Christchurch
Jim Clark (2.5 Lotus-Ford V8) won the 1968 Lady Wigram Trophy at a record average of 102.6 mph after a race-long battle with Chris Amon's Ferrari, leading throughout and recording the first 100 mph lap on lap two to win a $1000 prize. Amon's second place gave him the Tasman Championship lead. Only Clark and Amon completed the distance; Hulme, Courage, McLaren and Rodriguez were a lap down and Palmer seventh. Gardner retired and Paul Bolton crashed into a hangar wall but was only bruised. Levis won the 1.5-litre heat, Hyslop the 1300cc saloons, Fahey the big saloons, Bryan the final and Buchanan the sports cars.
Lady Wigram Trophy
| 1 | Jim Clark (Scotland) | 2.5 Lotus-Ford V8 | |
| 2 | Chris Amon (New Zealand) | Ferrari | less than 8 seconds behind |
| 3 | Denny Hulme | 1.6 Brabham | 1 lap behind |
| 4 | Piers Courage | 1.6 McLaren | 1 lap behind |
| 5 | Bruce McLaren | BRM | 1 lap behind |
| 6 | Pedro Rodriguez | BRM | 1 lap behind |
| 7 | Jim Palmer | 1.6 McLaren | |
| DNF | Frank Gardner | 2.5 Brabham-Alfa | |
| DNF | Graeme Lawrence | 1.5 Brabham | |
| DNF | Paul Bolton (Australia) | 2.5 Brabham | |
1.5-litre preliminary
| 1 | Roly Levis | 1.5 Brabham | |
| 2 | Bill Stone | 1.5 Brabham | |
Saloon cars up to 1300cc
| 1 | Angus Hyslop (Hawke's Bay) | Mini-Cooper | |
| 2 | Robert Stewart (Christchurch) | Mini-Cooper | |
Saloon cars 1000cc
| 1 | Rodger Anderson (Auckland) | Mini-Cooper | |
Saloon cars, big capacity
| 1 | Paul Fahey (Manurewa) | Mustang | |
Saloon car final
| 1 | Frank Bryan (Auckland) | Mustang | |
Sports car feature
| 1 | Andrew Buchanan (Masterton) | Elfin 400 | |
Lap times
- Chris Amon (Ferrari): 1:19.6 lap record
- Jim Clark (Lotus-Ford V8): 1:19.6 lap record
Facts
- Jim Clark won the 1968 Lady Wigram Trophy at a record 102.6 mph average and recorded the first 100 mph average lap to win a $1000 jackpot.
- Chris Amon had won two of his three New Zealand starts in 1968 (NZ Grand Prix and Levin) before finishing second at Wigram, giving him the Tasman Championship lead.
- Australian Paul Bolton's 2.5 Brabham went through a hangar wall in the 1968 Lady Wigram Trophy; he escaped with minor bruising and shock.
- Rodger Anderson led the 1968 NZ saloon car championship by two points after winning the 1000cc race at Wigram.
Photos
- Chris Amon relaxes on a wheel of his Ferrari. He finished second to Jim Clark in the Lady Wigram Trophy race, extending his New Zealand record this season to two firsts and a second in three starts.
- Jim Palmer, again the first resident New Zealander home in a major motor race, seated in his 1.6 McLaren-Ford.