17-1-69 Wigram Record Set By Rindt Zealanders, but the fast time went to G. Lawrence, Lap records were shattered at Wigram yesterday Imin 24.6sec. He started with: out an aerofoil on when practice for the Lady Wigram Trophy Race was Laren Ford 1600, and record- ed in the 1min 26sec bracket held on the 2.3-mile airfield circuit. The race will be He fitted an aerofoll, (could do no better than 1min today. 26.5sec. He then removed the "wing" and set his fastest The young, Austrian driver, J. first to better 1min 20sec. L. time. Geognegan, The young Kelso driver, L Rindt, had people doubting their stop- (Repco Brabham 2.5) record- Brownlie (Brabham Ford 1.6), watches as he took his Lotus-Ford 2.5. ed Imin 23sec, but soon after replied with several his engine started running times, eventually litre car round late in the afternoon in roughly.* Courage got down to imin down to 1min 25.4sec, and the 1min 18.5sec, breaking the lap record by veteran R. Levis Isec and averaging about 105 m.ph. 20.2sec and then Imin 20sec. Ford 16) recorded 1min 25.6 record sec. The previous fastest Die of min lie, and test recorded a ¡neat lmin Imin 20.2sec, then a very tast, The Wellington driver, 19.7sec. He fol-P. MeRae, was the fastest of time recorded at the lowed this with two laps in the 1.5 litre cars, and took circuit was 1:19.6 set Australian, F. Gardner, Imin 19.5sec, and Courage the MicRae-Ford he designed unoficially timed about then returned imin 19.6sec. last year, during the during the morning, and built himself round in al when he was one of the fast- As expected, these fast laps very creditable imin 26.5sec. race, by both the late The times suggest that tod. Clark, and C. Amon. est. But after a few laps a brought Rindt out again. He began with a Imin 19.7sec, gasket between the sump and day's race will include both al the crankcase of his Mildren then a 1min 192sec, record- close battle for the front posi- Rinit said that, given simi- Alfa-Romeo failed, and ing two more laps in the mid-tion, and a good race within lar weather today, he mişht car was out for the jest of nineteens before returning toja race among the New Zeacut yet another second off his the day. the pits. Bell got down from landers. time. This was because yester- Imin 23sec to 1min 22sec, but day his Lotus was fitted with Hill, with his engine off tune, Two Heats a fixed aerofoil, causing drag Rapid Gains could not better 1min 20sec. on the circuit's long straights. The two heats for the main Practice held plenty of ex- brought race will be held this morn- Today the car will be fitted citement for those with stop Amon out again, and those with ing. The front row of the frst which can be levelled on the watehes. One of the top driv- with stop-watches whistled as heat will be MeRae, R D. straights to reduce aerody- ers would set a fast time, and he roared round in Imin 19.8 Oxton (Brabham namic drag to a minimum. within minutes, predictably, sec, then Imin 19.4sec. ran his bearings in practice • He was also sure the sus his competitors would try to after setting 1min 27.5sec* pension could be set up more no driver Masterly Display and K. J. Smith (Lotus). to his liking. in the mornins 2ösec, and This encouraged Rindt tol The front row for the got below 1min ond heat will be Rindt, Amon most made many visits to the try again, and in a masterly Very Near (display of driving he notched and fill, with Courage and suspension settings and tyre Bell on the second row, _and trian was not finished, and on Gardner, Geoghegan and Lawdrivers augur well for a close several changed gear ratios. The times of the next three pressures. After the session, the nest lap he did 1min 18.9 rence on the third. today: two-tenths of a A late entry, that of the There was sec, then his 1min 18.5sec, second covered C. Amon (Fer- dent, when A. McCully (Brab- although several English driver, far Dino 6), i (Lots bam 15) had brake troubie watches recorded him on this red an be will reen the Ford 2.5 litre) and P. Courage at the hairpin and hit the rear lap at lmin 18.4sec. (Brabham Ford 2.5 litre). of B. Hawthorne's Brabham! Both Hill and Amon tried Preliminaries. Amon set a fastest time of 15. Hawthorne's car was un again but could not improve The photograph Imin 194sec, and Hill and damaged, but McCully was out their times. Rindt adjusting the aero- Courage were both credited There was a similar battle dynamic fins on his Lotus. with Imin 19.6sec. for the day with a damaged Hill was not happy with his front end and split radiator. of tacties among the New "car, which was misfiring and Most drivers were happy down on power after his first with the track, but the brisk few practice laps. A change wind upset the Ferraris on of coils produced no improve. some corners. Rindt had oil the Lotus me- pressure probiems, and Bell chanics faced another had á puncture. night They worked all Thurs- i It was different in the afteri noon, and lap times were reday night before practice to duced rapidly. Rindt got down prepare Rindt's car. to 1min 20sec before calling The second Ferrari driver. at the pits, then Hill got down to 1min 19.6sec, Saloons' Speed In the saloon practice the big surprise was the speed of the Mini Cooper S of the Australian driver, B. Foley. In the morning, when I W. Dawson (Ford Mustang) and S. Black (Chevrolet Camaro) were setting about 1:41, Foley was achieving a remarkable 1:43.4. P. Fahey. (Mustang) did only two laps before going to the pits with mechanical problems. Fast times were also set by two of the Ford Escorts, those of D. Simpson and J. Richards; and C. Collins and R. Stewart, in their Minis also put in good times. Many of the Minis were close in their times, and close racing is certain. All-comers saloons also practiced, G. Sprague (Anglia) and N. Doyle (Anglia Corvette) being among the faster ones. Best times among the sports cars were set by G. Harvey (Elfin Corvette) and B. Hawes.