22-1-73 McRae wins exciting race for Lady Wigram Trophy With a lot of expertise and a little bit of luck, G. McRae, fo but now based in Dorset, England, won his third successive interr Trophy race on the aerodrome circuit on Saturday afternoon. For regular Wigram patrons, the 17-lap, 100mile race was 52 minutes and 33.8 seconds of excitement, for the issue was very much in doubt for at least 35 of the 17 laps of the 2.13-mile circuit -Something that has been unusual in the South ISland's premier mofor-race for many fears. McRae, who set a recora average speed of 114.277 miles an hour in his selfi designed and built McRae GMI, used all the tricks he knew to stay with the husky former Australian champion. M. Stewart (Lola T330) and ward off a most determined challenge from the up-andcoming 22-year-old Sydney driver. W. Brown (Lola T300). Stewart, who was the sec. ond fastest qualifier for the rolling, start, hit the front from the drop of the starter's flag and remained there, seidom more than a car's length ahead of McRae, apart from! a matter of seconds during: which Brown led mid-race. Then. after 37 laps. Matich, whose twin-winged Luia T330 driver had io re-car never showed its real potire when a balance weight tential, was in trouble early 'came adrift from the crank-in the race, The wings at the shaft of his Lola's Chevrolet rear became displaced. and engine and punched a hole this affected the car's handin its sump. ling. After two spins at the Brown. handicapped by fast, sweeping entrance gear selection bothers, heid the back straight, Bomb Bay to 27. Sec in are see ad place Bend one ado it tele Thompson Zealand designed and built the hold off Oxton in the Englishman, (Chevron B24), was a further Begg FM5. McRae. who had gained 33.5sec back in third place. These were the only ones pole position, as the fastest of the 10 drivers, in what qualifier, had the hardest had begun as an 18-car field. winning race in his Tasman Cup career. Right from to go the full distance. The Australian Gold Star start Stewart dictated the champion, F. Matich (Repco terms and the former wel- Matich A50), and the New lingtontian in the early. stages Zealand Gold Star champion. had to hold off the American, D. Oxton (Begg FM5), were Evan Noyes (McRae GM1) fourth and fifth, a lap back, who filled his rear vision mir- :D. Dunlop (McRae GM1), a rors until his clutch burned Wellington driver, was sixth. out after 10 laps. Then Brown moved into having completed 45 laps. bidding and, by Lap record braking the two leaders. moved to second place and Brown, who made a masterly bid to take control of momentarily to first. But as the race ran into its final the race about quarter tance, set a 116.89 miles an stages it was McRae all the hour lap record and got by McRae and Stewart about the Points total twenty-first lap, but flicked The Tasman champion off his ignition switch on the 1971 and 1972, McRae is now! approach to the Hangar Bend well placed to add a Tasman! at the end of the start-finish Cup treble to his Wigram straight instead of changing one. With a Levin win the gears. Stewart and McRae previous Saturday and a New went ahead again. Zealand Grand Prix fourth Rae assumed the lead, with When Stewart retired. Mc- placing on January 6, he nas a total of 21 points already Brown less than 2sec behind. from the first three of the However, the gap lengtnened eight-round Zealandas Brown wrestled with the Australia motor-racing ser- Lola's gear lever and , Mc- ies. Rae pressed on at unabated Brown has 10 points and pace until two laps from the next in line with nine each end when, realising that he are the New Zealand Grand had the situation well within Prix winner. J. McCormack his control, he eased off to (Elfin Repco), and Matich. cross the finishing line in After the qualitying leisurely fashion. sions in broiling sunshine on Thompson, wno was never Friday, conditions could not further back than ninth. have been better for the drove a well calculated race Saturday races. A cloudy sky and profited as others fell by and a cool but light easterly the wayside. He passed Mat- breeze kept people away ich in the from the beaches and thirty-ninth lap and was weil them to Wigram where there clear of him at the finish. was one of the best crowds for a trophy race meeting for many years. Unofficial estimates placed the number between 15,000 and 20.000. but the real figure will not be known until final gate receipts have been tallied ormerly of Wellington, national Lady Wigram With a realls competitive : feid. the feature event turned out to be the best so far in the Tasman series this rear. Noves and the former Austra- ¿lian Gold Star champion and winner of last year's rich Australian Repco 50th anniversary race series. K. Bartlett (Loia T300) kept the front-runners up to their work. Bartlett's bid lost its weight after seven laps when. holding sixth piace behind Brown. he was forced to stop to rectify a misfire in his engine, 1 welve laps had elapsed Delore he rejoined the contest, and he fought on gamely to take seventh place behind Dunlop, having completed 43 laps. The searing Wigram pace proved too much for the Surtees TSIIB of the American, S. Posey, who made a succession of pit stops before retirement. other who wilted because of the strength of the frontrunners. Handily running in seventh place, he was forced out with an over-heating engine after 11 laps. With the exception of Oxion. the New Zealand resident drivers were outclassed Dunlop's determination paid a sixth-place dividend. But F. Radisich (McLaren Repco) , and Ashburton's N. Doyle (Begg FM2),. who finished eighth and ninth behind bart- • lett, profited from the misfortunes of others. The same might be said of the sole Japanese entrant, N Yakahara (Brabham BT36).. who was classified tenth and ¡nal finisher with 42 laps behind him. The Auckland driver, G. • Pedersen (Begg FM4), who gained sixth place in the ver Lealand Grand Prix, looked good for at least seventh: . place when he had to pull our after 37 laps. Although the realignment! of Hangar Bend--the exit from the start-finish straight —made the course theoretically slower. the Tasman Formula cars have improved so much over the last 12 months that there was never any doubt that race and lap speeds would increase. McRae's winning time of 52min 33.8sec was inprovement of 37.8sec on his : winning time last year. Brown's lap record this time was bo. sec. Last rear McRae and Matich snared the honour with 66.6sec. Supporting events Rounds in the Bank of New South Wales. Castrol GTX and Ace-O.S.C.A. saloon-car championships constituted the balance of the programme. which was enlivened br iwo motorcycle events. The oniy overseas competitor in the saloon car events was the Australian champion. A. Notfat who. after pertorming indiffer. ently in iD his Ford Falcon GrO. the the car in which non the Australian Bathurst 300 production saloon race 117 1971. spreadeagled the feld in the final invitation race for the fastest saloons at the meeting. The reigning national champion. P. Faher (Ford Mustang): made the best of the start In this race, but came to an ignominious finish after three laps when the car spun on the oil it had dropped Irom its engine in the fast Bomb Bar bend. R. Coppins (Pontiac Fire-: birdt, who had earlier w'on the Bank of New South Wales race for the capacity cars. was! sioured by Dif here spin and this gave Moffat chance he t needed to clear away and win as: he liked from J. Armstrong (Ford Mustang) and R. Colling. wood (Ford Escort FVC). It was the Auckland driver, R. Dawson (Chevrolet Camaro), whois dictated all the terms in the opening Stages of the Bank of l New South Wales championship: race for the big cars. But at; half distance he retired cloud of smoke. and then it wast Coppins all the war. with Panes in very unhealthy-sounding Mustang grimiş hanging On to second place and just holding off! Collingwood and L. Nelson (Ford i ' Escort). "'ho had fought toothi and nail all the way. Early arrivals the circuit were entertained by R. Francevic! i Mazda, •and Cook (Ford who ran nose to tail in Cello Group 2 and 3 Castrol: production saloon race.; Francevic. in the Japanese rotary-engined car was reaching an amazing 118 miles an hour on the back straight. and it was the! superior straight-line periormance that paid the winning dividend. These outpacet the remainder ot the field that tas led home Carter iChrysler Chargeri P. Curin Ford Escort GT!, finished in eleventh place over-all to lead home the Group 3 class and he with 40 points. and Cook with 48 points. lead their sec- •tions. The Christchurch driver R Rutherford iChrysler Charger who also had the honour of the Lady Wigram Trophy pace car. had a popular win in the Group 1 section, tak. ing the lead after the Timaru driver. L. Leonard. Who was similar rehicie. mas forced to retire with a puncture. Coppins iChrisler Charger E191 tried al! he knew to take Rutherford. but the local driver retained command to win by the narrowest of margins. In the Ace.O.S.C.A. champion- Ship race. K. Haig iFord Justangi had things al. his ow11 way after the local Griter. C. Collins iCortina Mustangi. spun out shen in a clear lead after four laps. Jenner came home comfortable second in his Chevrolet Camaro, and in a hard. fought battle for the minor blac ings Armstrong Ford Slus- tang) headed off P. Kirk (Vauxhall Viva Buick), Crowe (Toyota Corolla Chevrolet). and Silvester (Holden Monaro). R. Detailed results of races were:- Lady Wigram Trophr race 47 , laps, 100 miles.-G. McRae (New Zealand), Michae Guit, *8, -1; Brown (Australia), Lola 1300, - 32:38.4, 2; S. Thompson (Engiand), Chevron B24. 53:24.9. 3; F. Matich (Australia), Repco-Matich, 46 laps, 4; D. Oxton (New Zealand). Begg D. Dunlop (New Zea Tandi. BicRae, 45 LS. 300. K. Bartlett (Australia). Lola 43 laps, 7; F. Radisich (Auckland),i McLaren, 8; N. Doyle (New Zealand), Begg 312, 42 laps, 9; N. Takahara (Japan). Brabham BT36. Fastest lap: Brown, 1:5.7 (116.89 m.p.h.), record. Castrol GIX championship.- Groups 2 and 3, 15 laps. 32 miles: R. Francevic (Auckland), Mazda, R. Cook (Manurewa); 23:50.3. 23.52.8, 2, D. Cook (Wel Escort. Lington), 24:1.8. Group 1: R. Rutherford (Christchurch); Chrysler Charger. 22:17.9, I; R. Coppins Chrysler Charger. 22:18.5 (Auckland) N- Charger. Nelison Auckland), Chrysler E29. 22:19.9. -3. Ace-O.S.C.A champtonship, 8 laps. 18 miles.-F. K. Haig (Dunedin). Ford Mustang, 11:29.8, I; B. Jenner (Dunedin). Chev. Camaro. 11:36.1. 2; 3. W. Armstrong (Dunedin). Ford. Mustang, 11:39.0, 3. Bank of New South Wales championship, 10 laps. 22 miles.- R Coppins (Papakua). Pontiac, 13:54.3. P. Br Fahey. (Christchurch). Ford Mustang. 14:22.3, 2: Collingwood (Auckland), Amco-Escort FVC. 14:27.2 3. Invitation saloon race, 10 laps. 22 miles.-A. Moffat (Australia), 1; J. Armstrong, Frong, 14950. 2; R. Colingwood: 14:45.0. 3. Size dominates motor-cycling R. Grant (United States), who!Mans start. He had to kick his Is leading the motor-cycling Norton 750 c.c. four times before events in the Tasman series won, it started, while the rest of the his fourth national race at Wig field streaked away led by o. ram on Saturday, leading the. Galbraith (Christchuch) on the 250-750 c.c. esent nearly from biggest machine of the race. the the start. ¡ new 750 c c. Kawasaki three. Despite a poor start in the! Galbraith Was tailed early Grant took his 750 Boote early in the race, but J. Suzuki into the lead by the Boote passed his brother late beginning of the back straight'in the 'first lap to take second the first lap. Once in thelagain, this time on a 500 C.C. lead, he was never worried by| Suzuki his main opposition. J. A. Boote Wylie pulled out at the end of (Christchurch. : the second lap, with Gaibraith cran: Piroueto de the face, So ore inter and,. Letted or Bore, 1. wao lost very ittle ground on consistently picked up speed on manda. By the seventh lap Lett the corners, but was unable to had gained on Galbraith, match the top speed of the big-i Grant had taken over fourth ger machine. from Miles, who stayed on his Although on one of the small-! tail for the rest of the race, but est machines of the field, I. Dis-who was passed by G. Keats and combe took third early in the S. Burton on Honda 750s before race. and showed his skill by the finish. keeping up with the leaders. With three laps to go. Lett D. Wylie took over the third 50 yards behind Galplace in the third lap, and had braith, but was unable to gain the most furious struggle of the on the big Kawasaki, and had to day when J. Landrebe moved upibe content with a good second. into fourth, matching Wylie's 500 Results: cr. Suzuki with his 350 c.c. Famaha R. Grant (750 c.c. Suzuki) J.. A. Boote (350 c.c. Suzuki) 2. J. Discombe was only passed by R. Dumpleton (350 c.c. Yamaha) i D. Landrebe (350 c.c. Yamaha) 3, D. Wylie (500 r.c. Suzuki) 4. R. Dumpleton had been working his s Dumpletst na, tOee proced sixth P. Dumpieton (350 CZ. Yamaha) way through the field and had T. Discombe (250 c.c. Yamaha) hardly been noticed before he 16. overtook Discorobe. Second race.—o. Galbraith 750 c.c. Kawasaki) 1, J. Lett Norton hard to start a c.c. orton) 2, J. A. Boote After winning the first race, i (500 c.c. Suzuki) 3, R. Grant (750 Grant had the pole position for!e.c. Norten) 4, G. Keats (750 c.c. the race, for production motor. Norton) 5, S. F. Burton (750 c.c. cycles, but lost ground in the Lei Honda) 6.