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Touch of history to Stewart's practice

In the first qualifying trial for the 100-mile 1976 Lady Wigram Trophy race, nobody came near the lap record of 67.65sec. Australian Max Stewart (Lola T400) was fastest at 68.6sec, ahead of NZ Grand Prix winner Ken Smith (69sec). Former NZ gold star champion and Hastings sheepfarmer Angus Hyslop will drive a 1953 Cooper-Bristol in the six-lap historic race, his first single-seater drive since the early 1960s.

Lap times

  • Max Stewart (Lola T400): 1:08.6 qualifying
  • Ken Smith (Lola T332): 1:09.0 qualifying
  • Jim Murdoch (Begg 018): 1:10.8 qualifying
  • Kevin Bartlett (Lola T400): 1:11.0 qualifying
  • Bruce Allison (Lola T332): 1:11.2 qualifying
  • Brian Redman (Chevron BMW): 1:11.2 qualifying
  • Graham McRae (McRae GM2): 1:07.65 lap record

Facts

  • The pits for the 1976 Wigram meeting were moved to the apex of the hairpin bend, leading out of the long back straight where cars would hit about 175 mph.
  • Weather for the first 1976 qualifying session at Wigram was very warm with a strong north-west wind.

Photos

  • Englishman Brian Redman signals his pit crew as he finishes his practice at the Wigram circuit today.
Read the OCR text
JENSE N.Z.FREIGHTERS Englishman Brian Redman signals his pil crew as he finishes his praclice at the Wigram circuit today. Fastest lap Touch of history to Stewart No one came within striking distance of the lap recore of 67.65sec in the first qualifying trial today for tomorrow's 100-mile international Lady Wigrant Trophy race. Fastest qualifier in the first session was the lanky 17-9- for Wigram race lap mph). Australlan (Lola Second-fastest in the first was T400) ill 68.6sec Max who's tastest Stewart (11.452 By PETER GREENSLADE session loday was New Zealand Grand Prix whilet A former New Zealand gold star single-seater racing champion, Hastings sheepfarmer Angus Hyslop, will be Ken Smith (Lola T332) among the starters at tomorrow's Lady Wigram Trophy race meeting. with 69sec and then came Hamilton's Graeme Lawllowever, he will not bel. But Hyslop's racing gear will champion rence 1332) competing In the Lady Next was Jim Murdoch ram Trophy race itself, but boots. „He is wearing his old race. Il was very warm at Wigram who crashed and severely in the historic car race of six boating shoes. damaged his Begg 018, laps, in which he will be lav- The traditional lay-out of with a strong north-west wind qualilying at Mauleild last From the driver's but has obviously ing his frst single-seater drive Wigram has been changed for blowing Monday, •since the early 1960s, tomorrow's meeting, and the point of view this could cause made good the damage, for problems if the wind Plucked from the Queens- pits he turned in 70.8sec lown motor museum, Hyslop's the apex of the hairpin bend, changes tomorrow lo an east- Then came the Austradrive is a 1953 Cooper-Bristol|leading out of the long back|erly, which would slow lians Kevin Bartlett (Lola which is a lar cry from the straight where the Stuyvesant cars to some degree on the back straight. 1400) and Bruce Allison with cars will hit about 175mph. (Lola 1332) with 71 and white low-lined Cooper The new design led to con- 71.2sec respectively. which he won his title, and an among the ability lorecast Brian Redinan, the Eng. eiderabl confusion ive Vireneined Tasman the 5- officials, and weather will be serreat help lishman who is billed the competitors, easterly ¡Those spectators who came to because giant-killer, because he is ula cars which will be contest- the circuit today to see quali- mean a head-wind on the bark matching his 2-litre Cheving the Trophy Race. • straight. This would mean that ron BMW against the big Lying trials. ratios used tousy The main race cars went the gear 5-litre V88, also returned RALLES out on the 2.2 mile track this could be too high for tomor- 71.2sec. mornine but no official times row: driven I were laken. The session was give the drivers all saloons since opportunity 10 familiarise single-seater with the circuit, and occasionally taken part!! themselves and sort ouf suitable lyres major rallies, is bringing a bit and gear ratios of New Zealand molor racing The figure the trophy l'ace hists banet scruly ni are auning to beller is a 67.65sec lap 1117.073mphł the triple Tasman racing driver Demy Hulme. who recently returned to New Zealand lo seitle.

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