Wigram TrophyMotor racing at Wigram airfield · Christchurch · 1949–2000
Home › Archive › 1970 › Motor-cycle record
← 19 Jan 1970All 1970 pages19 Jan 1970 →
Scan of the clipping page, 19 January 1970
↗
Drag to move · scroll or pinch to zoom
race report

Motor-cycle record

American rider Ron Grant, an Englishman who emigrated nine years earlier, proved too fast for New Zealand's best in the national airfield motor-cycle championships at Wigram. On his Suzuki 500 he won the open and 500cc titles and was timed through the back-straight speed trap at 125 mph, the fastest motor-cycle speed at Wigram. Ray Mulqueen crashed in practice, skidding into the pit fencing. Neville Landrebe and Trevor Discombe won the 250cc and 350cc titles.

Motor-cycles, open race (11 laps)

1R. Grant (USA)Suzuki 50018:30.4
2D. Wylie (Christchurch)Lyster-Matchless 50018:55.2
3N. Landrebe (Dunedin)Yamaha

Motor-cycles, New Zealand open airfield championship (11 laps)

1R. Grant (USA)Suzuki 50018:31
2G. L. Perry (Auckland)Yamaha 350
3N. Landrebe (Dunedin)Yamaha
4D. Wylie (Christchurch)Lyster-Matchless 50019:18.2
5Dumpleton (Auckland)500

Lap times

  • Ron Grant (Suzuki 500): 125 mph top speed
  • G. L. Perry (Yamaha 350): 116.5 mph top speed
  • Dumpleton (500): 107.1 mph top speed
  • Wylie (Lyster-Matchless 500): 108 mph top speed
  • Hugh Anderson (Suzuki): 120 mph top speed

Facts

  • Ron Grant (Suzuki 500, USA) was timed at 125 mph through the speed trap on the back straight at Wigram in January 1970, the fastest motor-cycle speed recorded at the circuit; the previous best was 120 mph in 1966.
  • Grant won the open race in 18min 30.4sec for 11 laps.

Photos

  • Race winner: the Australian driver F. Matich receives an embrace from his nine-year-old daughter, Kim, after winning the Lady Wigram Trophy race on Saturday. Matich won the New Zealand Grand Prix at Pukekohe a week earlier.
results

Wigram results

Full results from the 1970 Lady Wigram Trophy meeting: preliminary race, Mercury saloon heats, Rothmans free formula saloon race, sports/GT/single-seater races, free formula invitation race and the Lady Wigram Trophy race itself.

Lady Wigram Trophy preliminary race (5 laps)

1G. McRae (New Zealand)McLaren M10A6:36.4
2D. Bell (UK)Brabham Ford6:47.2
3R. Grable (USA)McLaren M10A6:54.6
4U. Norinder (Sweden)Lola T1906:57.2
5G. Lawrence (New Zealand)Ferrari Dino V66:57.3

Mercury saloon series race (7 laps) - heat 1

1P. FaheyFord Escort T.C.11:26.1
2I. W. DawsonFord Mustang11:27
3R. CoppinsChevrolet Camaro11:27.2

Mercury saloon series race (7 laps) - heat 2

1P. FaheyFord Escort T.C.11:27.8
2R. CoppinsChevrolet Camaro11:40.6
3B. CrosbieFord Escort T.C.11:47.7

Rothmans free formula saloon race (6 laps)

1P. FaheyFord Escort9:58.3
2R. CoppinsChevrolet Camaro9:59.2
3CrosbieFord Escort T.C.10:06.9

Sports, GT and single-seater race (6 laps)

1G. HarveyElfin9:11.2
2R. ThomsonBegg 16009:12.7
3TaylorBrabham 15009:36.8

Free formula invitation race (6 laps)

1G. HarveyElfin9:02.0
2G. BakerBrabham 16000.2sec behind
3K. CameronBrabham9:12.8

Lady Wigram Trophy (44 laps, 101.2 miles)

1F. Matich (Australia)McLaren M10A59:54.2
2R. Grable (USA)McLaren M10A60:04.5
3M. Stewart (Australia)Mildren Waggott 2-litre60:07
4W. Simpson (USA)Eagle Chevrolet43 laps
5M. Goth (USA)Surtees TS543 laps
6M. Campbell (USA)Forsgrini Ford42 laps
7B. Falloon (New Zealand)Brabham Climax42 laps
8P. Phillips (USA)Begg Chevrolet41 laps

Lap times

  • Graham McRae (McLaren M10A): 1:18.6 lap record
  • Paul Fahey (Ford Escort T.C.): 1:35.4 fastest race lap
  • Paul Fahey (Ford Escort T.C.): 1:35.5 fastest race lap
  • Graham Harvey (Elfin): 1:28.4 fastest race lap
  • Graham McRae (McLaren M10A): 1:19.8 fastest race lap
  • Max Stewart (Mildren Waggott 2-litre): 1:19.8 fastest race lap
Read the OCR text
19-1-70 Motor-cycle Record An Englishman 148 miles an bout-the fastest the highlights of the day. Ibere come one of the leading motor- speed achieved by a motor-cycle were only inches between them cycle road racers in America, at wigram. at the finish, During the morning practice I Grant, proved toe fast for and his mechanic, Mr B. Cole- Losgiel road the best of New Zealand's man, of Wanganui, lowered the Mulqueen, featured in the most ratio of the Suzuki be- spectacular riders in the national airfield cause of the wind, and this championships at wigram on ever seen at Wigram. He hit the the photo-electric timer straw bales at the entrance to. saturday. caught Grant at 125 miles an the front straight with his 750 The previous fastest off-ic.c. Allas, emigrated motorcycle time recorded from the machine and skidded nine years ago, rode down the back straight was 120 along the tarmac for a considmiles an hour in 1966 when the erable distance. Japanese two- former 125 c.c. and 50 c.c. world! Ibe motor-cycle; after going stroke twin to a record break-champions pe Anderson down; win in the do mde race (suzuk) (Norton), its thrittle apparentiy counting for the New and N. J. Laudrebe (Matchless; open shot straight towards open and 500 c.c. airfeld titles. large group of officials in front Hig time for the l1 laps wasi the of the championships stake smashed into the 6ft-high mesh ¡and a splendid effort consider- open non-championship Classperazming fence round ine pita tng the which for machines. Although and a medium-sized car parked sprang up during the afternoon. poznts for tbe New Zealand roadjust inside was flung sideways However; in the morning race, racing championships were also more than foot by the im. pact and suffered considerable even faster. Without the exces- classes, Grant elected to use his superficial damage. sive wind problem he led from suzual. not beet there the motor. Start to finish to win in 18min Not unexpectedly, be led from cycle might burst right 30 4sec from the talented young start to finish with Wylie well through into the pit area. Mul up in second place. Main inter- queen received no more than a' Lyster Matchless cc. co. mach battle for third he cemendous ine was wrecked. was clocked at 18min 55.2 between Landrebe on a 250 c.c. ne, i second blace in this Yamata and Discombe or a race. He and Grant were the c.c, machine of the same mate. Motorcycle Race (11 miles in only two riders to cover the 25 than 19min in tions as they battled for suprem-. They constantly changed posi laps open: F either of the two races. acy and class honours but when In the first race, the official the chequered Dis- C.c. Lyster-Matchless, 18:55.2, 3, photo-electric timer was unable combe was ahead by to stop Grant as he few down than half a length. Yamaha, the back straight at more than the 350 c.c. championship 140 miles an hour, Later he Discombe and the 20 c.c. title 4: B. "'corion, 5 (Invercargill), said that he was reaching peak andrebe. (tevolutions McCleary; leading New Zealand 350 c.c. Airfield straight and that represented Christchurch contender for the Championship-Discombe 19:41, title had a run of bad 1; Landrede, 19:4.3, 2: 'Kawasaki D50 CHe was unable to get bisl running properly in Suzuki, 19:31.0, 3 (Auckland), 'the practice and used his Bul Zealand 250 c.c. Airfield for the lace. He was lying! Championship. - Landrebe his class when the Tapper (Dunedin), machine slipped gear 250 c.c. Suzuki, 3. and the motor over-revved Second Motor-cycle Race (11 to pieces. laps).—New Zealand Open Air-| second race it was the field Championship: outstanding Auckland (United States), 500 c.c. Suzuki, , rider, G. L. Perry, 18:31, I; G. L. Perry (Auckland), с.c. 350 c.c. Yamaha, He led for nearly|J three laps before he was caught aman 19004t 191% 500 c.P. LYSee be visitor several tap to shake wateres it tooki Christchurch), 19:18.2, at the finish Perry Dumpletor (Auckland), 500 c.c. was sun within challenzins dif porto zealand 500 co, Airdeld on his incredible little Third place went to Landrebe Championship.-Grant 150 C.C..2, Landrebe 3, Wylie 4; Dumpleanother great ton struggle, this time with Wylie. Fastest Times Through Speed Wylie could not quite match his Trap.-Grant, 125 m.p.n.; perry: morning 116.5 (race but bis clash with Land-|m.p.h.; Dumpleton, I07.1 m.p.b.z was undoubtedly one of Wylie; 108 m.p.h Wigram Results ...my Preliminary race for Lady (United States), Forsgrini Ford, Wigram Trophy Race : (5 laps): 42 laps. 6; B. Falloon (New Zea. G. Michae (New Zealand); Mc. land), Brabham Climax, 42 laps; Laren MI0A, 6:36.4, I; D. Bell 7: Phillips (United States), (U.AJ; Brabham Fed, states, 6:47.2, Begg Chevrolet, 41 laps. 8. Fast- 2; R. Grable (United McRae (New Zead McLaren M10A,: 6:546; (land) Mclaren MIDA, and Stew-) Norinder (Sweden), -Lola T190, 1: 19.8. 16:57.2, 4; G. Lawrence Rothmans Free Formula saloon Ferrari Dino V6, race (6): P. Fahey (Ford Escort) Zealand: Fastest lap: G. MSTA fNew 657-3, Zealand), McLaren M10A, (T.C.); 9:58.3. R. Coppins (Chev- Iolet Camaro), 9:59.2, 11:18.6. Crosbie (Ford Escort T.C.); beat, Mercury 10:06.9, 3. Fastest lap: Coppins, saloon series race (7 laps): P 11:36,8. Faney (Ford Escort T.C.); Free formula invitation race 11:26.1, I'11:27, 2; B. I. Dawson (Ford (6): G. Harvey (Elfa), 9:02.0, In Mustang; (Chevrolet Camaro), 11:27.2, 3. 2: R. Cameron (BrabiFastest laR: Fabey, 1:35.4. 8:12.8, 8. Fastest Sports, G.T. and single-seater race (6): G. Harvey . (Elin); 9:11.2, I; R. Thomson - (Begg 1600). 9:12.7, 2: Taylor (Brabham 1500), 9:36.8; 3. Fast- est lap: Harvey, 1:28.4. Sports And Mercury saloon ¡series race (7): P. Fahey (Ford метает Сор. Escort T.C.), 11:27.8, 1; R. Cop. pins (Chevrolet camaro). CT Races 11:40.6; 2: B. Crosbie Ford Escort T.C.) 11:47.7, 3. Fastest lap: Fahey, 1:35.S. The two events for sports and Lady Wigram Trophy Race (44 GT cars and single-seaters not laps, 101.2 miles): F. Matich in the main event were not par- (Australia) F.. McLaren M104, ticularly closely-fought, although 159:54.2, Grable (United in the last event G. Harvey| States), 6-litre) and G. Baker 2;. M. Stewart (Australia), (Brabham 1600) made a close aren •Waggott 2-litre, 60:07,. 3; race of it. Simpson la the frst event; R. Thomson for the first: Goth. (United from Harvey, then 155, 43. laps, si M. shot into ther and sept about _ 1.7sec lahead, although Thomson drove particularly well in his efforts to keep the Elin in sight. The only real battle In the feld was between S. Wisemar (Jaguar E-type) and 1. W. Bisman (Begg 1600), Wiseman just) managing to keep ahead ¡retain eighth place. C. Taylor (Brabham 1500) was a good third. the free formula race, which was mainly for the sports and GT cars, Harvey led almost all the way, while Baker chal- : lenged time and time again, fn-l ¡ally passing on the last lap only ito bè repassed and beaten by 0.2sec.—about half a length-1 right on the line. Thomson was I third for the first two laps, then! "ham). Rave way to E. Cameron iBrab. RACE WINNER. - The Australian driver, F. Matich, receives a well-earned embrace from his nine-yearold daughter, Kim, after winning the Lady Wigraro Trophy race on Saturday. Matich won the New Zealand Grand Prix at Pukebohe a week earlier.

Summaries and tables are machine-read from the scan and may contain errors: the scan is the record.