i Stuyvesant DECCA ALLEN Tom Gloy in action and before the race. For Tom, a hour By RUSSELL JONES Driving a racing car for living is a glamorous life, or so most people seem think. But although the rewards can be great the pressures are inlense, even in a relatively minor series like the New Zealand one. Drivers spend much of their time at the track sitting around waiting for practice or the race, often nervous, apprehensive or worried. And once thes are in the car there nothing but hard physical work and intense concentration. I spent some time with Tom Gloy last Sunday as he walted for the Teretonga race to begin. He knew he had to win to have a , chance of winning the series and he was not happy with his practice cimes. He was on the thirc row of the grid. It was a hot, muggy day and the prospect of driva ing for 160 km at an aver- 1 age of almost 160 km/h in the close cockpit of a rac- N ing car was not very pleasant one. But Tom is a determined, professional driver, and he was out to win. This is how he spent the day. 2 a.lll. To bed, the team having rectified some auits in the tul, ano Tom having drunk "too many" rum and cokes. GRAHAM BAKER is the only South Işland driver in the series, and one of the few New Zealanders to have raced in the United States. Baker made & name for himself in the P.D.L. Mustang before switching to a Begg FM5 for last year's Stuyvesant series. But apart from a good fifth st Manfelld in the rain he was dogged by mechanical problems. Although he began this season well in his Bl rana the problems continue. He crashed spectacularly at Manfelid when a suspension arm broke but rebullt the car in time for Teretonga and is determined to do well at Wigram. of hot, 8 aul. Breakfast of bacon, much coffee and too eggs, juice 8.00 Arrival at.circuit. 11.15 Team polish wheels, check the gear linkage and other small jobs while Tom watches or lends a hand. 11.30 Tom talks to the Auckland saloon car driver, Jack Nazer. 11.40 He tapes up left hand to avoid blisters from the steering wheel, pulls on flameproot underwear and racing overalls. 11.45 Face mask and helmet on. 11.05 In car, Start up and drive on to grid. 11.56 Cars flagged away warm-up. Tom does 9 laps to get the feel of the Tui with full tanks, but does only two really hard laps. He concentrates on improving his line through the sweeper at the end of the straight. 12.05 Back in pits. Sweat beads his face as he pulls of helmet and lace mask. He says he BENG SASWANTO, of Indonesla, is better known as a racing motor-cyclist in New Zealand and rode competitively here two years ago. He is somewhat of a novice In four-wheelers but is driving the quickest Lola T460 raced in Rritain during 1976 - that of Ted Wenz, who won, the British Formula Atlantic championship. race is an hard thinks it is going better through the sweeper but, he doesn't look very happy and knows it is going to be a hard race. 1.10 Sitling bare-chested under the fly of the pit lent talking to Fred Opert about the European Formula Two championship, which Tom hopes to compete in -m but he says there is only a slim chance. 1.35 Signs autograph for small boy. 1.40 Discusses race tactics. The important thing, he says, is to pass Richard Melville soon as possible and then put as much pressure as possible o n Kozarowitzky, McMillan and Rosberg: "There's not much you can do from three rows back trying, "Brid, but r'll be on the 1.45 Walks to side of track with George Begg to watch the HOWARD WOOD, of New Zealand, has been racing in Britain for • the last two seasons. Before that he built up a reputation as an exciting driver with some spectacular performances in Formula Ford in New Zealand. He is driving a March 76B. work final laps of the saloon challenge race. 1.65 Sits cross-legged in his tent making small adjustments his helmet. 2.20 Walks through pits to lavatory. 2.35 Mechanics start car and warm it up. 2,40 The Tui is wheeled on lo the grid while Tom and the other drivers are presented 1o the crowd and then driven around the track on the back of a truck, 2.50 Face mask and helmet on. Ready to get into car. Most of the drivers look a little nervous, particularly Dave McMillan on the front row. 2.59 Cars do one lap to warm up. 3.01 Pace car leads off the cars for one lap. 3.03 Start. 3.04 Tom passes Melville on the straight to take fourth place. 3.25 Tom passes McMillan and takes third place. McMillan is slowing because of motor problems. 3.55 Lying third, with Rosberg not too far behind but unlikely to lap him. 4.05 Crosses line for third 4.07 lace and car,, Out of car, helmet off. "That sure was hard work," he says. 4.10 The only mistakes he made during the race, he says, were to put the car sideways few times. But spins and no incidents. A good, clean hard-fought race. 5.10 Sitting in Stuyvesant caravan having a beer and lodging telephone call to his wife in California. 6.05 Leaves track for hotel. ENNO BUESSELMAN, of WOn the Penfolds Australle Driver of the Future award in Australia several years ago. The German-born driver is a regular competitor the Australian Formula Two championship and is driving an Australian-built Birrana. Stood. : Where to watch Main straight High speed is the big thrill here. Some of the saloons will reach speeds of nearly 270 km/h and the pacitic cars Wilt do 230 km/h OT more. Bombay Bend, at the entrance to the straight, is taken flat out and the inevitable spins (particularly by Formula Ford cars) can be most spectacular. But there is a wide expanse of grass and rarely does driver endanger himself by spinning here. Hairpin Drivers negotiate the hairpin at about 50 km/h, and as it is at the end of the main straight they have to brake theit cars from as much as 270 km/h to this speed without spinning, sliding running into another car. Obviously they leave the braking as late as possible, ana if they leave it too late there is an escape road. This is a grand place to watch the drivers daring one another to brake later and later. The deceleration forces acting on the driver and call under heavy braking are immense - both have to be tough to suffer it lap after lap. Spectators should see plenty of jockeying for position on the back straight, particularly during the Stuyvesant race. Start-finish Spectators here, particularly if they are in the stand, get a good view of the two fast corners into the main straight, and the bumpy and difficult lefthander out of it. There is always plenty action here and plenty of opportunity to see how the drivers deal with the fast and difficult corners. The Loop The stand here offers a good, close view of the slow and tricky loop with the bonus of seeing the cars burst into view around the control tower bend at high speed. Plenty spins, bumps and chance to get a good view of the drivers, most of them working very hard. Most of the cars Jeave the ground for moment when they hit the bump by the hangar, and as the bump is in the middle of a corner this can be most spectacular.