17-9-73 Old-timers SALOONS SHOULD PROVIDE car which took the grid for the first Wigram race in 1975 will be seen s i the frack again belore & MUCH EXCITMENT ¿ Race on Saturday. the Lady Wigram Trophy The 40-year-oid type M.G. will be one of a For many enthusi. Castrol events have at- The Bank of New South • number of timber-framed. asts at Wigram on Sat- tracted entries. Group one Wales championship event wire-wheeled M.G.'s, now Will see a tussie between has drawn impressive owned by members of the urday, the highlight of L. Leonard in his Chrysler field of 18. the day may not come Although the M.G. "T" Register of the Charger (4350 c.c.). and R. capacity of the cars in the V.G. Car Club, which will in the main event, but Coppins in his Charger 10 lap event varies from the (4400 chaufleur the trophy race in the high-class saloon c.c.). Two other smaller cars under 1000 c.c. drivers around Chargers driven the track car racing. by R. in the "big bangers." some before the main race. Rutherford of Christchurch exciting duels seem certain. The "J" type M.G. still On several occasions the and N. Neilson will also provide exciting racing in The Aucklander, R. Cook races today. It is owned saloon car racing has stoien this group. should be in command in by Mr G. Owen and will the thunder from the trophy the up to lead the old cars around race at Wigram and over Leonard had a good win 1000 C.C. class at Pukekohe with his Austin Mini (996 the circuit. the past few years saloon night ago and his powerful c.c.). This car has scored A number of M.G. "TC's" popular end one car, combined with his driv- some impressive wins on will also take the grid. proved to be more keenly ing skills, should make him the New Zealand saloon car It was in this model contested than ever. almost unbeatable. scene with Cook at the that Sybil Lupp became a Enthusiastic sponsors, good The group two and three wheel throughout New legend prize money and better Castrol G.T.X. event should Zealand in the early circuits have contributed to be dominated by R. Cook Entries in the up to 4200 She brought c.c. Class are very even with 1950's.. her he increase in popularity. in his Ford Escort (1601 two Aucklanders. P. Sund- "TC" home well-placed in The Bank of New South c.c.) and I. Richards driving the first Wigram race and berg and A. Boyle in their Wales sponsorship saw Ford Capri (2994 c.c.). Ford Escort T.C. and Vauxsaloon car racing receive a Both these cars are in the hall Viva respectively, cer- a pere arged 105 toer super-charged "TC" necessary boost in New tain to delight the second place honours in Zealand. crowd However, there with some close racing. D. the trophy race. Lapping was criticism among motor- together. Halliday of Wellington with the 2.116 mile course in sportsmen that unless a big The four entries in group his Ford Escort (1599 c.c.) 1.47 minutes her blown sponsor was found many three include a Ford Escort and G. Mcintyre, Fiat 124 midget chalked up a speed enthusiasts were priced out G.T., a Hillman Avenger (1608 C.C.). should also of 71.19 m.p.h. of the series. T.C., an Austin To overcome this the Cooper S figure prominently in the Open Saloon Car Associa- and a Fiat 125. competition. tion promoted a series for the average South Island enthusiast, who for a small outlay, could enter into top class competition. The association's idea proved successful and the series hrs now spread to both Islands. As a result, both the drivers. their crews. and the spectators have benefited and all grades of motorsport are new served. Castrol G.T.X.. Bank of New South Wales and 55 O.S.C.A. events will all be heid at Wigram on Saturcay and the top saloon cars and their drivers have been attracted to the meeting. However, unlike Pukekohe there will be no overseas saloon car drivers competing. but this is not expected! to dull the excitement and! fierce competition. All three groups in the This popular saloon car driver, Red Dawson, in his the Bank of New South Wales powerful 5700 c.c. Cher Camaro, which is entered in Championship event on Wigram on Saturdas. Max Stewart, of Australia. sits in his fast Lola T330 at Pukekohe, while an experienced driver and Lola test-man. Frank Gardner, offers some words of advice. Stewart was the fastest qualifier for the Wigram race last year, but met mechanical trouble on race day. Warwick Brown's Team Target Lola T300 ear is checked by engineers. Peter Molloy (rear) and Graham Adams. during test trials for the Tasman series. The combination has performed exceptionallr well in the series so far. Thompson to start Another driver who will be a • serous contender for Tasman series honours is the 21-year-old English driver, Stere Thompson. Thompson finished third in the New Zealand Grand Prix in a Chevron B24 and providing nothing goes wrong with the car the young Englishman could find himself up among the leaders at the end of the series. Thompson, from Walsali in Staffordshire, first made a name for himself in 1964, when at the age of 16 he took up go-kart racing and won the 1964 R.A.C. British Kart Championship. He steadily worked his way to better things and in 1968 he fitted 1600 twin cam engine to his Lola T60 and this powered him. to first place in Formula Libre Championship that year. A feat he repeated in 1969. the a971 he was fourth at Formula 3 race Monaco, first in the Paris Grand Prix at Montihery and second at the British Empire Trophy meeting at Ouiton Park. During the Tasman series, Thompson will drive the ex- Brian Redman Chevron B24 recently purchased by Alan Brodie.