18-1-75 MC Rae and Amon toss a coin By. PETER GREEN Pole position for the Wigram Trophy Race tomor by the toss of a coin. ISLADE twenty-first Lady row was decided International star Chris, late in the final practice ses- Amon and the 1971, 1972 and sion when he had a big spin 1973 Tasman champion, Gra- control tower bend and ham MeRae, both lapped the sent officials running as the 2.2 mile circuit in 67.isec to car slid out of control to the average 118.033mph. in-field. As they have both covered It was a very puzzled Amon the same number laps who then drove into the pits neither could exercise a pri- to have four tyres changed ority for the key starting posi- on the Talon. tion. By the time he was able toi Botta said they were happy resume. the sessiones resume. the session was over.; to have the probem resolved However, even less fortunby the toss of the coin. How- ate were the Australian Lola ever, Amon commented that T100 drivers. Max Stewart and: it had never happened to him Kevin Bartlett, who had troubin 15 years of racing. les in the untimed trials this MeRae, who has had dismai morning. luck since the beginning of the Bartlett hit a course marker 1974 Peter Stuyvesant series, and damaged his car suspen- has the No. 1 place for tomorrow's 100-miler - the third sion. round in this year's series. "Stewart's engine dropped a valve. Both drivers are New Zea- Both should be on deck to landers. though Amon lives in England and McRae divides morrow, though they may his time between Britain and have to start from the back of the grid. the United States. Allan Moffatt was fastest Amon is driving a Palon saloon car qualifier in his Ford MR1, an American replica of Mustang. McRae's GM2. The Melbourne-based Cana- The Australians, Warwick dian put in a 1min 21.7sec lap. Brown and Johnnie Walker, equivalent to 96.94 mph. driving Lola T332s, will share Only one tenth of a second the second row on the grid slower was Australian John with 67.3sec and 68.4sec re-| McCormack in his mid engined spectively. Repeo Charger. The 1973 Australian cham- Auckland saloon car ace Jim pion. John McCormack (Ansett Richards was declared third Elin MR6), will share_third | fastest qualifier in his Mustang row with Aucklander David with a lmin 23sec lap. and Oxton (Lola T30), their times Red Dawson Camaro was being 69sec and 70.2sec. 0.4sec slower. Ken Smith (Lola T332) and However. it is likely there Jim Murdoch (Begg 018) made will be an upset in the group: 70.9sec and 72.9sec to share Manurewa's Paul Fahey was fourth row. given a qualifving time of Next in line were Graham Imin 32. 2see but had been Baker (Begg • FM5) 73. Isec, actually timed at 1min 22sec Neil Doyle I Surtees IS 9B) in his Cologne Capri. 73.8sec, Steve Millen (Chev-! Fahey was hitting 165 mph ron B20) 76.Asec, Baron Rob- down the long Wigram back ertson (Elfin MR5) 76.8sec. straizht. Murray Baker (Brabham) and Keith Laney (McLaren M10B). Amon had one big moment SOUVENANT New Zealand's Chris Amon claps on the pace during practice for tomorrow's Lady Wigram trophy race today.