John Boote will be yıng at Wigram Fresh from his successes in the Marlboro international road racing series, the 20 yearold Christchurch motor-cycle rider, Jolun Boote (T7750 Levi's Yamaha), must be strongly favoured to win the New Zealand open airfield championship at Wigram on Sunday for the second successive season. The high-speed Wigram circuit is one which ideally suits Boote and his fourcylinder Yamaha. "I like it very much," he said yesterday. "It is very fast but it is as safe as houses with all those wide open spaces there is nothing to hit. "There are a lot of slower circuits in New Zealand which are siderably more dangerous.* Although obvlously the man to beat, he is not taking anything for granted. With a $500 first prize for the maln race - sponsored by McCleary Motors propate and total prize money of more than $2000, his rivals are going to be making a special effort to beat him. "On paper, It looks as if I might have a good chance of winning. But the silliest things can happen. if T lose a chain, tor exampie, that will be the end of it for me," Boote said. He is a little disappointed that both the race for the open championship and the other гасв tor the smaller capacity championships b have been reduced from Il to eight lapa. And - 1-75 16 the decision of the organisers to dispense • with the warm-up lap is also causing him some concern. •The Goodyear slicks need a lap to an using you have got to be very heat up. • careful when they are cold. I will have to watch things very Care* fully on that first lap," Boote said. Last season, Boote recorded the fastest tine by a motor-cycle in the history of road racing at Wigram - 150 miles an hour down the long , back straight. On Sunday, he is certain that he can improve this, although . he intends to fit the normal exhaust system on the machine in place of the Spe Marloro ssed during Marlboro series. The special system allowed the engine to rev more freely but, in the interests of reliability, he has decided to revert to the standard set-up. Boote will be very disappolnted it he cannot better last season's maximum speed and is hopeful of reaching 157. miles an hour. Now that the Mariboro series has ended, Boote is looking to the future. He made firm cleçislons yet but, depend. ing on sponsorship and the time factor, he hopes to race the Australian classic at. Bathurst at the end of Marchi. Then he wants to fly to South-East ASia defend Malaysian grand prix title he won last year. This is scheduled for Aprll 4 and He has decided against competing at Daytona in (By ROD DEW) John Botea pra fark. He wm derend fil aie Zeel Rd open aicurd rat ig cd am phn Mip at Vintam on sul maeting March. "It costs so much money and effort and you fighting agalnst the factory teams. This is the one American race the factories are all trying to win, The only way I could win it is by chance. Instead, he is considering racing at the Ontario (California) classic fater in the year. On Sunday, Boote's chief rivals will Include the New Zealand 350 c.c. champion, Stewart Avant (Christchurch), Who won both the 250 and 350 airfield titles last season on the same 250 c.c. Yamaha: For the main race. Avant will be riding his Whitessponsored IZ750 Yamaha and certainly has the ability to keep Boote in his sights. He finished sixth in the Marlboro series, fine effort for his first season of racing in the open class. Other leading contenders, all on TZ750 Yamahas, include Paul McLachlan (Wellington), Trevor Discombe (Hamilton) and Gary Boote (Christchurch). Discombe, one of New Zealand's most experienced and consistent performers, was geverely shaken up in a supporting race during last Sunday's Marlboro meeting at Ruapuna Park, Whether he lines up on the grid on Sunday will depend, largely, on now he reacts physically to the severe thumping he received. tremendous progress during the Marlboro series and is now starting to realise the potential he showed earlier. The first race at Wigram, which will also be • sponsored by McCleary Motors, will be for the 250, 350 and 500 New Zealand air- field championships. The race will diso carry polnts towards the New Zealand road racing champlonships in the same classes. Murray de Lacy (Hamil is the favourite for the 250 C.c. Class. Dale Wylle (Christchurch) still leads the 250 c.c. series on Joints but the broken wrist he received in crash while practising for the Timaru round has ended hi chances of gaining any more points. Avant will be very hard to beat on his smaller TZ350 Yamaha in the 350 c.c. class and might aiso be a leading conten for the 500 c.c. title. man to beat in the 500 class will be Steve Dunc (Wellington), who will riding TR500 Suz Mark II. He at pres leads the 500 c.c. champi ship series by a comf able margin. Gary Boote, , a younger brother of John, severely sprained an ankle when he crashed on the first lap of the final Mariboro race last Sunday. He is still on crutches but is hopeful of being fit enough for the meeting. His only worry is the push start. Gary made