Wigram TrophyMotor racing at Wigram airfield · Christchurch · 1949–2000
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feature · Colin Bryant

Racers of yesteryear

Colin Bryant talks to Hec Green, winner of the 1950 Wigram race, about early Wigram racing. Green recalls skinny tyres, tricky handling, and vibration so bad he once pulled out, and describes racing a Wolseley special and later his RA Vanguard, including seventh in the 1961 race against Brabham, Moss and Salvadori.

Facts

  • Hec Green won the 1950 Wigram race, worth about $400 in prize money, and was seventh in the 1961 race.
  • In the early Wigram races drivers wore body belts and fuel was alcohol-based.

Photos

  • A familiar circuit, but very unfamiliar cars: a Cooper is being chased by an Alfa Romeo at Wigram in 1951.
  • Hec Green was seventh in the 1961 Wigram race.
  • The potent, and interestingly-suspensioned RA Vanguard.
Read the OCR text
When you walk Wigram airfield will reverberate with the screams of high. the drive of Her Green's pitched moror racing engines next weekend. Weinoni house, walk slap into a lost It was a very different scene when cars of 30 years ago motor racing ere were dicing against each other on this fost circuit. His carly racing RA This week, reporter COLIN BRYANT spoke to the winner of standing there, just the second Wigram race. waiting to he But 1h10 natly hillle carr hasn't been raced for years. partientarly comfortable Tugged sport. Inets. the dreidedly tricky ordinary clothing, and hans was a very flying handl- hel- Racers of ing of their cars did nothing To Droner The drivers from "Skinny' tyres, bonnet arous and emale bandine weir all part of me molor racing you wonkt just keep srene got into a spin, until the spinning early you yesteryear scrubbed off speed and stop sant Mr (reen. need 40 . ma vvolseley. would SO quickly. couldn't do about it. Frank Bennett doing a terfront the bangar at Wigram." Considering their unpredictable handling, the car were very fast around zmikosh along the straights. ruli control,' Haild Mr firen. "I was more of a battle to win a race then? there fireioni inany hod acculents, according to Hee Circen. VIBRATIONS But the suspensions were far the drivers suffered from the poundings of the track. bad ur hard to wear. body belts, Mr fireen explained. At the first race ever beld al Wigram (1919) Mr Green Roverolt wan. In the early days of motor LWO rounds for the championship Ohakea all wiselec Green won the A race like this early one could be repeated next weekend. 1950 Wikram race and came -- He won about $400. race. matic Green. ecalled Mr In 1961, he seventh was impossible to see at. Wigram. against such out of the mirrors, and even daunting opposition as Jack the body belt did rOL Brabhai, Stirling Mosg. the Vibrations from giving Salvadori, and the late me a bad shaking.' Bruce MeLaren and Jim The shaking so bad, Clark. that Hec Green had to pull Her Green raced a Wolse- out of the race. which rosit him $80. and Tyres were large diameter, but could still be his racing When road lesting one of worn out t thy 80km racing at full bore. over the screen. Fuel was alcohol-based, From then on, he always put for cooling. but the straps, which drivers had to bring their were mandatory for racing own in cans 'There large, Ste, impared it super compared wheel-balancing facilities wneels loday. as a11he tracks then. substantial leverage was re- "One of my wheels was so quired the cars out of balance, that the car around the track. ABOVE: A familiar circuit, but very unfamiliar cars: A Cooper. is being chased by an Alfa Romeo at Wigram in 1951, LEFT: Hec Green was seventh in the 1861 Wigram race. BELOW: The potent, and interestingly-suspensioned RA Vanguard.

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