23-1-80 TAI ELEC RONICS / LADY WIGRAM Motor Racing Big changes in motor racing over 30 years A Thirty years ago, motor the handling was decidedly racing was dangerous. unpredictable still is, but there have been Drivers were very exmany enormous changes in posed to outside influences, the sport. with little or no cockpit sur- PAN AM In 1949, drivers wore on- rounding their arms and shoulders. ly rudimentary "pudding basin" crash hats, and gog- Today, the drivers wear gies. They did not have seat full-face helmets and visors. belts, nor did they have the They have full safety harspecial fireproof suits ness, and roll-over bars. Today's lineup available today. And they ever wear antiflame socks and face the compounds "sticky" Drivers are cocooned in • The cars were shod on . masks. and the treads nil. Handling their cockpits, with legs very thin profile tyres, and Car tyres are very wide, Is rail-like. outstretched. Racing Team F Huub Rothengatter is from racing Team Holland. The start of the first motor race at Wigram, in 1949. From left to right: Morrie Proctor (Brooklands Riley), Bob Christie (MG), Hec Green (RA), and Frank Bennett (Invicta). Tolland has one driver in NZ Racing Team Holland has been revived The team - successiul in the 60s - helps Dutch drivers to make their way "up the motor racing ladder. This year, the Aurora AFX series has Huub Rothengatter from that team. as racing aroun 1978, but has now moved up a class to Formula 2. Before joining the team, the driver has spent three years in F3 and Formula Ford, plus two seasons of karting. The driver will have two Chevron, B48 cars, and three engmes for the series. The single-driver team for New Zealand is being managed by English-based Australian Alan Docking, who once built his own racing car. He went to England in 1973, where he worked on F3 cars, and helped Rupert Keegan and Stephen South to success.