P 36—The Star Sports and Magazin Fiat 1, and by LYN RILEY Fiats powered over the oppos first five group two placings in Castrol GTX championship saloon ‹ Aucklander : Kev Namara. in Christe holiday and making ram debut. led home of Fial 12t coupes w rin Mc.| Aucklan hurch on finished H his Wig- the nine-l • the pack sixth spoi with o.asee Fials for to spare. before goi ardts Dal MeNamara lends the Norti Castrol Island section of the champion- (nine laps' ship in group lwo but is not 24 Auck eligible lor South Island (Fial 121, rington 1F points. A. C. A fille over 3sec separated Dunedin) the noxt four Fiats, The first (rial 124, non-Fiat driver home was Ti- 14:32.2. maru's Graeme Richardts in a Dalsun 1200 SSS Another Timaru driver, wayne Austin; provided the first real incident of the twoday. Peter Stuyvesant international meeting with a spectacular roll on lap seven. ne, Jan. 19, 1974 2, 5 ion to claim the this afternoon's vent at Wigram. ler Mark Petch, who oup three winner in ip race. held on lo • behind the flying hall the distance ing under lo Richchampionship 'K. MeNamara IFiat dand! 1: A. Farr Timaru) 2: R. Hatfial 124, Auckland) MeGaN ‹Fial 124, 4: d. W. Armstrong Dunedin/ 5. Tune- MC Aucklander David Oxion, PAE FAST EST the first New Zealander home at Pukekohe, mak. ing final adjustments to his Begg FM5 at Wigram this afternoon during practice for lomorrow's New Zealand Grand Prix. Crampled Austin overdid it at Clubi Curve and his • Toyota Corolla lipped in mid-air, coming to 1 rest upside down on a row of AGAIN IN TRIALS trackside marker drums. Austin chambered out unhurt, but the Toyota was crumpled. The Fiat supremacy was clear from the start as Mc- Namara and fellow Aucklander Roy Harrington went by PETER GREENSLADE into the first corner side by Headed by the triple Tasman champion, Graham McRae, five drivers broke the 120side in their 124 coupes. Har- mile-an-hour barrier in qualifying trials this afternoon for the third round of the Peter rington snatched the lead briefly but MeNamara took the Stuyvesant $100,000 series, the New Zealand Grand Prix, which will be run at Wigram icad in lap one and was never tomorrow. Timaru's Alan Farr moved The incredible Meltae, who The magic figure just elud- 62,6sec, Smith (March which has been resurfaced up into second spot with five has won the last three Wigram led the New Zealand champion 732) Graeme since last year's to races, put in a lap in 63sec driver, David Oxton (Begg Lawrence (Lola T332), 67.3sec, was obviously conhaki the runner-up position to dead, that represents i speed to be sixth fastest this aver Barry of 121.714mph who returned 64.1sec Reg Cook (Lola T330). Pederson (McLaren- tyres and will probubly have 67.6sec. cerned because he is short of faster than his pole-winning age speed was 119.625mph. Robbie to use a harder tread comqualifying time of last year. Next in line were the Aus- Booth (Bogg FM4) with 71.2 pound lyre tomorrow than he had planned to use. One of the major problems Much faster encountered by most drivers 64.6sec respectively. The grand prix cars were was tyre wear. Mellae had assisted to some degree by a The winner of the first Stuy- They made these times in two lyres blister badly and vesant round at Levin, Austra- the first session early others suffered similar prob- wind on the long back lian Johnnie Walker (Lola T330 but even Repeo), was next with 63,2sec appeared to be much faster among the tyre experts, in- than they were last year. (21.325mph) and then cluding Firestone's compeli- Englishman Neither Gethin and McCormack were lion chief. Bruce Harre, was checked through the speed trap (Chevron B24), the winner at second session. that tyres could well deter- Pukekohe last Thursday, with lup his engine after eight laps the outcome straight G3.3sec (121.137mph). in the first session and was 183.7mph, while MeRac did Gethin's Belgian team-mate, having a new engine atted morrow's Grand Prix. 179mph and Oxton 168.5. Pilette (Chevron B24) later in the afternoon. Last year's race was won by was fourth faslast wilh 63 Sapp had petrol pump circuit reusaid he had tyres at the McRae in an race ge speed of which would (120.566mph) and then came problems and decided not lo miles of racing on a Formula 114.277mph and Brown set the the current Australian cham- do anything more until the 1 grand prix car but they fastest lap at 116.89mph. MOn John MeCormack Eifn trouble had been rectificd. If the weather remains fine were cutting out in 20 laps- Repco), with 63.7sec The New Zealanders Alan die equivalent of about 40 these figures should go by the (1.36mph. McCully (Begg board tomorrow but the outwith|miles on the Wigram circuit, come of the race looks very problematical in the light the tyre problems that emerged today.