14-1-69 The Fastest Circui A RACE-WINNING average speed of 105 miles an hour in the International Lady Wigram Trophy on Saturday would make the 2.3-mile Christcharch aerodrome circuit New Zealand's fastest. This was the speed achieved V6, was only fractionally| While it is improbable that by the ace New Zealand Fer- slower at 103.24 miles an hour. such a speed will be achieved rari driver Chris Amon when Generally speaking, drivers this year, speeds in the Imin he won the New Zealand Grand lap faster during the training 16sec-1min I7sec bracket Prix at Pubekohe on January and qualifying sessions than 108.95-107.53 miles an hour they do on race-day when, may not be out of reach of Last year Amon won at Puk- more often than not, the track I some of the overseas visitors. ezahe at fractionally less than is slippery due to the rubber 103 miles an hour and the late and oil droppings left on its Figures Jim Clark won at Wigram, at surface by cars in earlier 102.5 miles an hour. events. The manner in which speeds So as things stand at pres- have climbed at Wigram over However, the 1968 trophy sent, the: 1.75-mile Pukekohe race was an exception, . for the last two decades is shown circuit is New Zealand's fast- Clark and Amon set a lap est. However, the general opin- record of 104.02 miles an hour. M. Proctor, Riley 9 (Brooklands), Twenty years ago the first m.p.h. ion of competent observers and Fastest lap: F. Bennett, Invicta, race run at Wigram was won| lmin 52sec; 68 m.p.h. a number of the leading driv by Morrie Proctor in a Brook- Gee, 6, 79 mie.. 1950 (Distance 105.8 miles): ers is that Wigram is potenti- lands Riley 9 at an average Wolseley Spl., 1hr 30min 57 Fastest Lap: G. ally faster. Cogland, Australia, MG TC Superspeed of 66.17 m.p.h. and chigged Istan Imin 40sec. 76.2 mn.p.h. 1951 101.57 miles): L First the fastest lap was recorded Moore, Alla Romeo P3, Ihr 27min by Frank Bennett at 68 miles 4lsec: 69.5 m.p.h. Fastest Lap: L. The first man to lap Wigram Alfa Romeo P3: G. Smith, an hour in a 4.5-litre Invicta. Gee Cee Ess., 1min 42sec. 74.6 than 100 miles These days m.p.h. an hour was Australian Frank Minis are faster and, as far sec: 76.3 7852 Ristance 50-78 matte t Alla Romeo 39min Gardner, who returned 101.22 as the trophy race is concer- Moore, Ia.p.h. Fastest Lap: L. Alfa Romeo P3, 1min 34 miles an hour in the Alec ned, the Motor Racing Club i sec. 81.04 m.p.h. 1953 (Distance 50.78 miles): R. the 1968 trophy race. is taking no chances. Roycroft. Alfa Romeo P3, 38m/n But before the trials ended, 40sec; 78.8 m.p.h. I954 (Distance 99.5 miles): P. the late Jim Clark in his Lotus- published in his year's pro- Whitehead, England, Ferrari, Int 9min 51.3sec; 85.46 m.p.h. Fastest lated at 103.5 miles an hour. Cosworth-Ford V8, had circ-gramme reads from min 15 Lain Wec. 89.57 m.p.., B.R.M., sec, the equivalent of 110.4 min Chris Amon, in his Ferraril miles an hour. P.N. In 1954 the hairpin at end. of back straight was not used making lap distance 2.073 miles. meeting owing to Drivers' 1956 (Distance 150.236 miles): P. Points for Whitehead, England, Ferrari, P. Whitehead, Ferrari, Imin 85.11 m.p.h. : Last Season • Whitehead, 1957 (Distance 150.236 miles): P. England, Lap: P. Ferrari, Imin 30.6sec: 1958 (Distance 150.238 miles): A. Scott-Brown, England, Lister- S. Africa Germany Jaguar, 1hr 47mln 33.Asec. 83.80 Spain Monaco Belgium Holland France Britain Italy Canada U.S.A. Mexico Polnts 87.06 Brown, Lister-Jaguar, Imin 27.5sec. ma.p.h. Fastest Lap: Scott- Driver Country m.p.n. Car 1959 G. Hill U.K. Lotus 6 9 (Distance 150.236 miles): 3 6 45 R. Flockhart, England, B.R.M., 1; J. Stewart U.K. Matra 9 D. Hulme NiA 9 36 Fast- N.Z.. McLaren 9 33 est Lap: J. Ickx Bel. Ferrari 3 Flockhart, B.R.M., 4 4 3 27 min 22.2sec. 92.67 m.p.h. B. McLaren N.Z. McLaren w t P. 22 1960 (Distance 150.236 miles): J. Rodriguez Mex. B.R.M. 6 18 J. Surtees U.K. Honda Brabham, Cooper Climax, Ihr 40 Siffert 4 12 min 42sec. Fastest Lap: J. Brab- J. Switz. Lotus 2 J. Beltoise France Matra 12 barn. Cooper Climax, Imin 20.8sec. C. Amon N.Z. 3 1I 94.28 mn.p.h. Ferrari 10 *J. Clark . U.K. Lotus 1961 (Distance reduced to 99.452 J. Rindt miles owning to rain): J. Brab- Austria Brabham R. Attwood U.K. B.R.M. ham, 2490 c.c. Cooper Climax 77 •L. Scarfiotti min 18.5sec. Fastest Lap: J. Brab- Italy Cooper J. Servoz-Gavin France ham. 1min 33sec. 81.9 m.p.h. Matra 1962 (Distance J. Oliver U.K. Lotus 150.236 miles): L. S. Moss, 2.5 Lotus, 96min. 38.7 Bianchi Bel. Cooper Elford U.K. sec. Fastest Lap: S. Moss and J. Cooper Imin B. Redman U.K. Cooper Surtees, (Distance 20.1sec. 95 mn.p.h. P. Courage 1963 150,236 miles): U.K. B.R.M. B. D Gurney U.S.A. McLaren McLaren, 2.7 Cooper, Ihr 36 3 min -U4sec, equals 83.832 m.p.h. Bonnier Sweden McLaren J. Brabham Moser Switz. Brabham NNI Fastest Lap: J. Brabham, 2.7 Brab- min -O4sec, equals 93.832 m.p.h. Aus. Brabham *Deceased 1964 (Distance I01.2 miles, 44 laps. Circult slightly altered to! t-Pukekohe Or Wigram? 2.3 miles per lap): B. McLaren, 1967 2.5 Cooper, (Distance 101.2 miles): J. Ibe Smata D.8sec; 92.47 Clark, 2 litre 1min 26.9sec 95.28 m.p.b. m.p.h.. Fastest Lap: B. BicLaren, 3min 34.1sec, 95.522 m.p.h. Lotus-Cumas Fast- 1965 Distance 101.2 miles): J. est Lap: J. Brabham 2.5, Brabham- Repco, Imin 25sec, 97.412 m.p.h. Clark, 2.5 Lotus,. 1hr 4mln 19.3 (J. Stewart recorded 1min 23.8sec sec, 94.22 mn.p.h. Fastest Lap: 3. fin preliminary event, 88.807 sec. 96.39 t.p.h. Clark and B. Mclaren, 1min 25.9 m.p.h.). 1968 (Distance 101.2 miles): J. 1966 (Distance 1012 miles): J. Clark, 2.5 Lotus-Cosworth-Ford 2.0 BRM Fastest Lap: 1hr 3 min V8, 44.1sec Fastest Lap: Clark and J. Stewart, Imin 25sec. 97.41 Атоп, 2.4 Ferrari, imin 19.6sec. m.p.h. 104.02 m.p.h. Can Amon Make It a Hat-trick This Season? With two Tasman Championship races run and won by No. 1 Ferrari team driver Chris Amon, thereby repeating 1968 history, the big question mark poised over the Lady Wigram Trophy race on Saturday is whether the 25-yearold New Zealander can improve on his 1968 New Zealand «double" and make it a hat-trick this; time. Last year Amon failed to win another race after the second round at Levin. A win at Wigram on Saturday would take his points total to 27 and, although that would not be unbeatable in the series! —for there will be four races; after Wigram—he would be in an extremely strong position. With points awarded on the basis of 9, 6, 4, 3, 2 and 1 for the first to sixth places, thei position at present is: Chris Amon (N.Z.), 2.4 Fer-! rari V6, 18. Piers Courage (U.K.), 2.5 Brabham-Cosworth-Ford 110. Jochen Rindt (Austria), 2.50 Lotus-Cosworth-Ford V8, 6. Leo Geoghegan (Aus.), 2.5 Lotus-Repco V8, 5. Frank Gardner (Aus.), 2.5! Mildren-Alfa Romeo V8, 4. Derek Bell (U.K.), 2.4 Fer-i rari V6, 3. Graeme Lawrence (N.Z.),: 1.6 MeLaren FVA, 3. Graham McRae (N.Z.), 1.5 McRae-Ford, 1. Roly Levis One of the resident leading lights. First resident driver home in the New Zealand Grand Prix, Graeme Lawrence looks like being the man to fill the same berth in the Lady Wigram Trophy race. However he might well have his work cut out by former national champion Roly Levis and up and coming Laurence Brownlie. ¡Lawrence will be driving his Formula 2 McLaren M4A, while Levis and Brownlie will be in Formula 2 Brabhams. All three cars are powered by the 1600 e.c. Cosworth-Ford FVA engine, the leading power unit in European Formula 2 racing.