Wigram TrophyMotor racing at Wigram airfield · Christchurch · 1949–2000
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race report

Amon, Bell fastest in early training

A gusty southerly wind and oil on the track prevented really fast times in the preliminary training session for the 1969 Lady Wigram Trophy. Ferrari drivers Chris Amon and Derek Bell were fastest, lapping at about 102 mph, while the Gold Leaf Lotus drivers Graham Hill and Jochen Rindt failed to reach 100 mph. The Trophy race grid would be decided on aggregate times in two heats.

Lap times

  • Chris Amon (Ferrari): 102 mph practice
  • Derek Bell (Ferrari): 102 mph practice
  • Chris Amon (Lotus Cosworth Ford V8): 1:19.6 lap record
  • Jim Clark (Lotus Cosworth Ford V8): 1:19.6 lap record

Facts

  • The 1969 Lady Wigram Trophy race grid was to be determined by the aggregate elapsed times of each driver in two heats run on race day.
  • The Wigram circuit in 1969 was 2.3 miles; volunteers erected a timekeepers' stand, spectator stands and thousands of straw bales.
  • Some drivers reported that the tail wind on the back straight appeared to lift the aerofoil cars.

Photos

  • Piers Courage tries out the circuit at Wigram to-day in readiness for to-morrow's Lady Wigram Trophy race. Courage has twin stabilisers on his Brabham-Ford car.
Read the OCR text
17-9-69 Amon, The Fa Bell Lap stest in Early Training A GusTy southerly wind and oil on the track militated against: really fast times at the preliminary training session for to-morrow's Lady Wigram Trophy race this morning. Ferrari drivers Chris Amon|cars were taking the sweeping and Derek Bell were fastest in left-hander into the long back lapping around 102 miles an straight at considerably higher hour-that was about 2 miles speeds than last year. The Gold Leaf Team Lotus record established in the race drivers Graham Hill and Joclast year by Amon and the late hen Rindt failed to make the Jim Clark 12.5 Cosworth Ford 100 mile an hour mark this V8). morning, and Hill's car seem- However, this morning's ed to be rather twitchy under braking for the hair-pin. The serious business of qualilying for preliminary race trophy race contenders. grid positions was not due to Adjustments were made to! start until about 2.30 this after- The trophy race field positions are determined on the elapsed • race times of each nanaged around 100 miles a driver in the two heats which our with his twin-winged will be run to-morrow. While drivers were getting to know the 2.3-mile circuit and generally sorting out their cars, motor racing . clab Lifting Cars i be members and what. seemed to almost an army Some of the drivers reported volunteer helpers were busily that the tail wind on lengaged in converting the the operational aerodrome into a back straight appeared to be motor racing circuit. liting the cars-probably a combination resulting from the A large timekeepers' use of the aerofoils. stand was erected as were Nevertheless the aerofoiled! spectator stands, and thousands of straw • bales were set up round the circuit as protective barriers. Apart trom the wina, conditions were ideal at Wigram, and the job of preparing the circuit went smoothly. lunchtime Just about everything was in readiness for the qualifying trials this afternoon. Piers Courage tries out the cireuit at Wigram to-day in readiness for to-morrow's Lady Wigram Trophy race. Courage has twin stabilisers on his Brabham-Ford car.

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