BEST FIELD EVER AT WIGRAM ONE OF THE EXCITING FIRST LAPS IN THE N.Z. GRAND PRIX LAST_WEEK: MCRAE LEADS NARROWLY FROM ALLEN, THE EVENTUAL WINNER, AND MATICH AND EXERLY, LOST THE HEAT-HAZE BEHIND EYERLY IS THE NEW ZEALANDER CHRIS AMON. This is the eighth consecutive year the Tarman Series of international races has been held. At Wigram on- Saturday spectators will see what is undoubtedly the most evenly mateled field driving the highest standard of racing cars that has ever been assembled during that time. Drivers and cars from overseas will number 14 including four from America, one from Canada; two from England, one from Belgium and six from Aus tralia. The • resident drivers will be led by Graham McRae, recently returned from Europe where he notched up a fair share of wins in the Formula 5000 series there, and Graeme Lawsence recently returned CANNON from the United States where he performed well enough in the Can-Am Sports Car series to be invited back for the 1971 season and to be offered con* siderable sponsor support The surprise late entry of Chris Amon into the Tas: man Series with the massively - backed S.T.P. car has brought a whole fresh and exciting element into the racing. Chris Amon, still only is rated as the finest driver who has not as yet won one of the world's championship events. The March he or his team-mate David Oxton drive will be one of the 1970 PILETTE - 1-71 13 team cars, similar to those Mike Eyerly flew over in which Amon and Jackie to England in November to Stewart gave the • marque test out the new Surtees successful debut in its TS8 before shipping it to first season of racing, and New Zealand. Surtees telewith sufficient spares to phoned New Zealand to say that Eyerly was very gifted driver and that he had got within 0.4 of the lap record at Brands Hatch driving the TS8 in its very first run. Teddy Pilette of Brussels, Belgium, is sponsored by the wealthy Baron Van der Straten. Pilette has had tremendous experience racing in Europe, for several years concentrating on classic sports car events ALLEN won the last series and probably missed only because he opted not to race at Teretonga for business reasons. Backed fnancially by. Rothmans and Repco and dependent in much of MATICH his business activities on build up a complete new retaining his present image car if necessary. And it in Australia as number one may be necessary, with the in the single-seater world, pressure on the way he is keen to do well. from the start from men like North American For- Niel Allen, the winner of mula A champion John the N.Z. Grand Prix is an- Cannon-now a member of other Australian in a hurry the STP team-or their 10 go places. Reputedly Formula B champion Mike investing $250,000 on this Eyerly in the brand new year's series: equipped with works Surtees TS&. latest and best pos- Other top runners will alble McLaren 5000 c.c. that be the redoubtable Frank MCRAE Gardner (works Lola T190), & leading driver in the like the Le Mans 24 hours European Formula 5000 last and the Nurburgring 1000km. year, fellow • Australians He has brought a new Frank_Matich, Kevin Bart- McLaren MIOB and three lett, Leo Geoghegan and spare engines. Matich and Bob Brown and "Rich" Niel Allen. Cannon, have Allen, like Galloway also are from the McLaren MIOBs, Bartlett States. the Gardner-designed Mil- both professionals, T, having Bartlett and been on the racing. scene Matich's for several seasons, new Repco V8 motor with ning regional champion- Matich one kind and Australian Grand Prix with another. Gardner, who with Mal- Frank Matich from Austcolm Guthrie will be driv- ralia has a huge stake in ing a works-supported Lola the series. He should have GALLOWAY GRAEME LAWRENCE THE PRESENT HOLDER OF THE TASMAN TITLE, WILL RACE AT WIGRAM IN HIS DINO FERRARI, HOPING THE CAR'S OUTSTANDING ROAD-HOLDING WILL MAKE UP FOR THE LACK OF POWER 5 litre car, is among the favourites. He is currently the United Kingdom saloon car champion in a Ford Mustang, and is a gifted engineer. Malcolm Guthrie, under whose banner Gardner is racing, is a competent and experienced driver, well used to racing in the company of the likes of the late Jim Clark and • Jochin Rindt; Stewart, Fittipaldi and Beltolse. Guthrie is the son of Sir Miles ' Guthrie, the chairman of B.O.A.C. John Cannon comes from Montreal, and is a very fast and courageous driver. He will drive his United States championship winning car McLaren Chevrolet 5000 c.c. Bob Brown is also a drlver to be reckoned with. He will race a Lola T190 Chevrolet 5000c.c. car on Saturday. money can buy, this gifted miles behind them in our the Levin and Pukekohe young man will be out to winter months; they have races, Oxton startied everymake as much a success at had no "off" period. one with his magnificently Wigram on Saturday as he Other top New Zealand competitive driving. has done with his business drivers will be Frank Ken Smith has a new enterprises — a resounding Radisich driving McRae's Lotus 69 with an F.V.C. one. 1970 Tasman race-winning 1850 Cosworth Ford engine. The Mildren team from car, and David Oxton who The inimitable Bryan Australia are professionals. has just returned from the • Faloon will drive the Ror- Backed by the money of United States where he stan car fitted with successful businessman finished fourth at Sebring Porsche racing engine. Alec Mildren-once a rac- in his very first drive in Geoff Mardon and Neil ing driver himself-and a Formula A car--and in Doyle will drive the New benefitting from his limit- top American company. In Zealand-built Bege cars. ONE, OF THE TOP DRIVERS AT WIGRAM SEEN HERE AT PUKEONE IN HIS WORKS SURTES TRY, less experience both on the track and in the workshop, this team is a strong challenger. Gardner designed and helped in the construction and development testing of the Mildren car that Kevin Bartlett drove so successfully last season. It is small wonder then that when Gardner. designed, built and tested his ow1l 5000 c.c. car that Mildren negotiated to buy one. Because of this, Gardner sold • his car named the Franklin) to Mildren. The car will be raced on Salurday by the brilliant Kevin Bartlett, and has a Repco 5000 c.c. fuel-injected engine fitted. Leo Geoghegan is the last of the Australian entries and he is go well known that little need be said of his prowess. Recently he won the 1970 Australian Gold Star Championship in 4 Lotus 69 Waggot-engined car. Of the New Zealanders, McRae and Lawrence must be the most serious contenders. Both have put many thousands of racing