race report · Russell JonesKen Smith wins the 'bad luck' Lady Wigram
Auckland driver Ken Smith won the 1976 Lady Wigram Trophy from start to finish after Graeme Lawrence blew up in warm-up and Stewart and Bartlett both retired with the same oil pump drive belt failure. Jim Murdoch took second in the Begg 018, with Bernasconi and Allison next, after Allison had a tyre blow-out at Bombay Bend and Redman's BMW engine failed. Ian Tulloch's Camaro won the Union Travel Super Saloon race, and Kevin Haig (Dunedin) won the OSCA and Shellsport event.
Lady Wigram Trophy (100 miles)
| 1 | Ken Smith (Auckland) | Lola T332 | |
| 2 | Jim Murdoch (Southland) | Begg 018 | |
| 3 | Paul Bernasconi (Australia) | Lola T400 | |
| 4 | Bruce Allison (Australia) | Lola T332 | |
| 5 | John Edmonds (Australia) | Elfin MR5 | |
| 6 | Baron Robertson (Hastings) | Elfin MR5 | |
| 7 | Gary Love (Christchurch) | Begg FM4 | |
| DNF | Brian Redman (England) | Chevron B29 | |
| DNF | Max Stewart (Australia) | Lola T400 | |
| DNF | Kevin Bartlett (Australia) | Lola T400 | |
| DNF | Graham Baker (Christchurch) | Begg FM5 | |
Union Travel Super Saloon race (GTX-type cars)
| 1 | Ian Tulloch | Camaro | |
| 2 | Art McKee | | |
| 3 | Rod McElrea | Mustang | |
| 4 | Rod Coppins (Auckland) | Torana SLR 5000 | |
| 5 | Doug Allan | Camaro | |
| DNF | Bruce Jenner | Camaro | |
OSCA and Shellsport cars (8 laps)
Historic cars (6 laps)
| 3 | L. J. G. Witte | 1953 Aston Martin DB3S | |
| 4 | Gavin Bain | 1953 Ferrari 375MM | |
Lap times
- Ken Smith (Lola T332): 1:09 other
- Gary Love (Begg FM4): 1:22.3 practice
Facts
- Ken Smith won the January 1976 Lady Wigram Trophy end to end and with a good chance of winning the four-race Stuyvesant series.
- No motorcycle races were held at the 1976 Lady Wigram meeting; go-karts gave a five-lap exhibition.
- Bruce Allison's right front tyre blew out at about 130 mph into Bombay Bend, and his crew changed it in about 45 seconds.