26-1-78 STUY TUTA Experience at Hamilton-born Dave McWillan started this year's series well with fine performances in the heats for grid positions at the Grand Prix meeting inis year. Mechanical trouble forced him out however. He has been closely involved with motor racing since he left school, as a mechanic, team manager, instructor, and driver. Assisting Graeme Lawrence in the mid-1960s, be mon a reputation for thoroughness and consistency. and it was no surprise when in 1969 be became head engineer with the Fred Opert team in the United States. Two years later he mored to driving. and finished sixth in the New Zealand cham- Dionship in a Titan Formula Ford, beiore rejoining the Opert team/ i South-east Asia. Then in 1972 be won the New Zealand Formula Ford title. was named New Zealand Driver of the Year, and won the Westover Endeavour Trophy. The following year saw him, with the Opert team, win the U.S. Formula Ford championship. McMillan won the New Zealand Formula Ford championship again in 1975- 76, and last year, in a Rait helm acquired in the U.S. finished sixth overall 'and with Steve Millen, equal-first ew Zealander› in the Struyvesant series. He also won the Gold Star title. As well, McMillan last year set new Formula Pacife lap records at Bay Park and Pukekobe. Single, and 32, McMillan's Rait races Team McMillan Ford JESAN SER ADY WIGRA Millen shows potentia Steve Filen (right, in car, left) shot to instant prominence in the first round of last year's Stuyvesant series rhich he drove briliantly to win against the odds at Bay Park. Later in the series Millen was dogged by mechanical problems, finishing only once in the final four rounds (eighth at Teretonga). But that race, and the win in the first round, showed Millen's potential as a driver in international company. Since last year's series, Zi-year-old Millen, single, from Auckland, has competed with distinction South-east Asia. He brings to New Zealand the world's first Chevron B42 (left) the latest car from the British, factory, with chassis number 01. His appearance in this rar, racing under Martini colours. is considered the coup of this year's series. Once Chevron's new derelopmeat car bad showed its potential, the Schollum brothers managed to talk the factory into selling them the first production model. The new car features narrow tub with internal pick-ups to give the slim, air-cutting body along with the wide wishbones which produce the precise handling of the B35 Millen raced last summer. It is basically a Formula Two car, and although marginally heavier than many of the other cars in the series this year, Millen says this is because heavier components are used to promote reliabil. ity. Toe Martini team has three Brian Hart BDA Ford engines for the Chevron. "The new car is 100mm narrower than the B35 and that will make it faster in a straight line," said Millen. Circuit Ken Smith, the 36 year-old Auckland Feteran motorracer who is one of the real characters &i the racing scene in New Zealand, first captured the National Formula Championship in 1971, and followed it up with a fine string of victories in South-East Asia. In 1974, driving an earier model March than the 76B he is using this gear, Smith went close to taking the Levin race against the bigger Formula 5000 cars. years later his triumph reached a peak veteran when he won the New Zealand Grand Prix at Pukekohe, the first resident New Zealander to do so. He also won at Wigram and came second at Teretonga. These fine performances were enough to give him the Peter Stuyvesant series for that year. Last year Smith was piagued with mechanical problems and ar unfortunate mishap at Teretonga which finally killed his hopes of the title. Smith. single, represents high placing on the points the La Valise Travel team. =S 7 M FINAL Thirty-two year old David Oxion was recognised as one of the top Formula Ford drivers in the world before he turned to the i bigger F5000 and Formula Pacific cars. • He first gained prominence in 1968 when he ras runner-up in the National Formula championship, 3 leat he repealed the following rear. After his international successes in Formula Ford and F5000 cars, he decided against the obvious move to Formula One, choosing instead a business career. Then last fear he re* entered the racing scene, driving the es-Brian Redman Chevron in the Stuyve. sant series. Oxten showed he retained plenty of his old driving skill, though he had more than his share of bad luck on his may to tenth place overall. Driving a Chevron B39 for the Vacation Hotels tearn, Oston remains a driver lo be • respected in Formula Pacific. OUND Speed h Bobby Rahai, Fred Opert -team-male of Kese Resberg, is a member of a renowned American motor-racing lamily, who at 12 rears of age was crewing for his father, Mike, OD circuits United States. When be was 17, Rabal's father took him to Canada, and a year later he had his first race near London, Ontario,. leading in his Elva Porsche belore spinning and having to retire. The next year, at 19, arying his father's car, Bobby Rahal won his first race, followed, when he was 20, by enough wins in his Lotus 47 to earn him the title of "Rookie of the Year" back in the U.S. Rahal graduated with a bachelor's degree in history from Denison University. Granville, Ohio, the same year took the tile "Driver of the Year" for the Chicago region. Now Ranal has his sights set on Formula One. "There are many young drivers who continually feel they are going to make it. younger maybe braver. Now is the time to is motto show speed. Experience will come, he says. He regards the Stusvesant Series as an important stepping stone to his ambition. 24 year-old 'Rahal, married, who lives in Wheaton, Ohio, and enjoys running in his spare time, sums his racing philosophy: "You know what the consequences of this nestyle are, but the thrill of racing and winning makes up for it "Life should be lived with an eiement of danger."