20-1-75 McRae thrills crowd with superb driving By RUSSELL JONES) Graham MeRae in the third round of th series yesterday to sec Wigram Trophy race. turned the tab e Peter Stuyves bre a faultless MeRae. who the series last w after the promo cover some ot their faith in hir crowd with his • had to withdraw from ¡eek but agreed to start ters had guaranteed to his expenses, justified m by thrilling the large superh driving. Although McRae's G.l2 led from the start. Warwick Brown (Australia, Lola T332) passed him on the fifth lap, and. he said later. thought he had the race "in the bag." But Brown's Lola, which until then had been utter!! reliable. blew a head gasket half a lap later. Chris Amon (New Zealand) took over second place and pushed McRae hard for che next 12 laps, bui then the gap widened and on the nine. teenth lap Amor was out with a cracked cylinder head This left an Australian. Johnnie Walker (Lola) in second place, with two nther Australians, John McCormack (Elfin) and Max Stewart (Lola) in close company behind him. Graeme Lawrence, of Hamilton, and David Oxton,, or Auckland, had been driv.: ing very good races further down the field. Lawrence had blown up his engine in unofficial practice on Saturday and. with Max Stewart and Kevin Bartlett (Australia. Lola) had started from the back of the grid. TAME IN COMPARISON By the sixteenth lap of the 44-lap race. Lawrence had worked his way up to fifth ‹Oxton by this stage had dropped from fifth to seventh) and it was only a short pit stop on the eighteenth lap which robbed Lawrence of a higher place than fifth Lawrence and Brown now Jead the series with 15 points. When Amon withdrew. the gap between. McRae and Walker was 20sec. which Mckae gradually increased to more than 27sec, and the race developed into rather a procession * until the last lap. have had McCormack, who mist the measure Walker and was simply walting for the righr moment, swept past him on the last lap to take serond place. Last vear, he won. Bartloti. who lad worked his way up to fifth aiter frantically repairing suspen-. sion dainage suffered in practice, had to withdraw on the nineteenth lap when his: magnein drive sheared. Jim Murdoch. of Drummond, could not maich the pace of the leaders but drove his Begg into a creditable seventh. Two local drivers, Neil ! Doyle (Surtees TS9B) and Graham Baker (Begg FM5) had an interesting duel until Baker's engine blew up on the back straight. Exciting though it was. the Lady Wigram Trophy race was tame by comparison with the saloon-car races. Paul Fahey, of Auckiand, proved yet again that he is the hardest saloon driver in New Zealand to beat when he won the Radio Avon Saloon Car Classic for the fastest cars regardless of: category. bles on his rivals sant motor-racing win in the Lady Competition was severe. John McCormack, a cheque for $2700 in his pocket after his drive in the trophy race, had led all the way in the race for saloons over 4200 c.c. and was out to win the ciassic and $200 as well. His five-litre mid-engined Charger. which is nor eligible for championship saloon races in New Zealand. was obvinusly the fastest in the field. STAGE SET However, Allan Voffat had brought his Mustang from Australia especiall for the event and was determined • not not go home emptv-. handed. especiallt after beng beaten into fifth in the earher • race. Leo Leonard (Mustang)i wanted to win on his home track; and Jim Richards, of Auckiand. had his Mustang going extremely quickly. The stage was set for the! most exciting saloon ract seen in New Zealand for some time. McCormack last his chance when he went side on the first corner: Moffatt started badly: and Richards was out of the race on the sixth lap after leading for four. Leonard screamed away from the start and slewed past the control tower in the lead. He heid off Richards for two lans. Fahey (Cologne Capri), who was fourth behind Red Dawson (Camaro) for the first twn laps, forced his way into third and then took over second when Richards dropped nut. Moffatt had followed him, swerping wide at the hangar hend and elbowing : his way past Dawson as they braked heavily for the inop. Fahey. part of the left side of. his car missing after a brush with a rival. then took Lennard and although he was giving away more than three litres held him off for the rest of the race. Moffat was re-passed by both McCormack and Dawson before pulling out with a damaged engine. Fahey had earlier son the race for cars up to 4200 c.c. aiter a close duel with Don Halliday (Auckland) in a similar Capri. Grant Walker (Auckland) drove his Elfin to a fine win in the Formula Ford . гасе from Brett Riley (Auckland, Begg) and H. Wood (Cheetan). The fastest cars were handicapped out of contention in the Autoparts race for vintage and bistoric racing cars, but the spectacle of these beautifully maintained cars, some of them almost 50 years old, was memorableand something the visiting drivers watched with interest. DETAILED RESULTS Lad! Wigram Trophy Race 41 iaps approximatelv 100 milesi.- G 11cRae (wellington McRae G 112, Simin 29.7sec 1115.021 licCormack tralia) Walker (Austraia). 31min 3: 11. Stewart (Australial. Lola T400. 51:21.11. 4; G. Lawrence (Hamiltor.). Lola 1632, 13 laps 5; D. Oxton (Aucklandi, Lola 1330. 6; J. MuTdoch (Drummond). 43 lap Best 013. $3 laps Doyle (Ashburton), Surtees TS9B. laps. R. amit! • Aunklandı Lola 1332. 40 laps Miller (Auckland), "herron F2. 39 laps 10. Fastest lap: 3IcRae 1:5.65 11: 073 m.p.h.), Stustesant series points after three rounds: Browg, Lantence, : Walker 10; MeRae. Mur- McCormack. Bartlett, Smith 4: Stewart. 3; Oston, I. Sumercars-D. G. Allan Christ! churchi Camaro, A. licheє.: ramarn. 2: H. Holt. t: Camo, e Saloons up to 4200 c.c.-P Faher (Auckland). Capri 1; Hallıday Auckiand). Capri 2: R Formula Ford.-G. Walker : Auckland). Elfin, 1; Rile: • Aucklandi Begg- 2; H. Wood Cheetah 3. Saloons over 4200 c.c.y, Nic Cormack (Auckland). Charger. J. Richards (Auckland), Mustang, 2; L. Leonard (Timaru). Mustang 3, Vintage historic +handicap).-A. Asher (1934 :M.G. PA). I: J. Stewart (Stemart Special). 2; P. Leversedge (Ford V8 Special?, Oper saloon cars.-Fahey 1, Leonard 2, McCormack 3. On the starting PETER STUYVESANT 113 serles ALSTRALASLAS RICHEST MOTOR RACING SERIES LADY WIGRAM TROPHY 19th JANUARY, PHOTOGRAP RACE MEETING 1975 HER Motor Racing is Dangerous Persons attending the Meeting do so entirely at their own risk. FAILURE TO WEAR THIS PASS WILL RESULT IN YOU NOT BEING ADMITTED TO THE CIRCUIT OR BEING REMOVED FROM THE INFIELD. MOUNT COOK LANDLINES line of the Lady Wigram Trophy race. PETER STUYVESANT 113 fefies LADY WIGRAM, TROPHY, RACE MEETNG 1941 JANUARY- 1975 MEMBER FAILURE TO WEAR THIS PASS WILL RESULT L IN YOU NOT BEING ADMITED TO LE CIRCUM OR-BEING REMOVED, FROM THE INFIELD, MOUNT COOK LANDLINES