21-1-81 No more Three years ago Formula Pacific was considered cheap as far as motor racing was concerned. Today you could write out a cheque for $80.000 and not get much change for a top line car. That's big inflation. as you could have picked one up for a meagre $25.000 or so three years ago. Better investment than money in the bank! To take part in the series would requre around $10,000 if you didn't get through too many engines. And overseas drivers would need quite a lot more if they brought their cars with them. Ron Rutherford. an executive member of the Motor Racing Club, said it was disappointing that more overseas drivers had not taken the opportunity to race in New Zealand. "It is a long way from Europe. but we are hoping to get bigger entries each year in the future," be said. And as far as the club is concerned there will be a motor racing future at Wigram as long as the airfield circuit is there. 'cheapos' The reason goes back to the very early days of motor racing when Pat Hoare wanted to run a race along Memorial Ave. The application was apparently declined But he later got his race wish, when the land where the Wigram airfield now stands was sold. There was a gentleman's agreement that at least one race a year would be held on the circuit. And with only one break since 1949 (when the circuit was re-sealed) the agreement has been kept. Wigram is the fastest circuit in New Zealand and Australia. due to its topography. Drivers like it because of the wide run-offs and the minimum risk of bad injury should they career off the circuit. This year most of the races will be well supported in numbers, apart from the Escort Sport Race, which has only ive entries. Because of the small field. it will run in conjunction with the South Island Production Saloon Car Race, the Fords starting a few seconds after the main race. ROB WILSON: New Zealander living in Great Britain, where he races British F3. Used 1o race Formula Ford here before moving overseas three years ago. Driving a March, which has been prepared by factory mechanics. In 1976 raced FF Tiga in Uh. Badiy injured, but later won promising driver award. CHARLIE O'BRIEN: Australian driver, aged 25 Works as a transport man-! ager. Started racing at 14 in speedway. Moved to rally: ing, and later to touring cars. He won the Lakeside 500 when only 19 and came third in the Rothmans 300. f Has also taken part in the Southern Cross Rally. 22 - 9 - 81 Feature COLEMANS CHO Clear favourite in the motorcycle events at Wigram: Rodger Freeth of Auckland on the radical new, $25,000 Suzuki. New Suzuki is bike to watch • decision made in quiet boardroom at the Japanese Suzuki tactery late last year would have had a large effect on excitement offered in this weekend's motorcycle races at Wigram. The decision was to release the first bike from a new batch of radical racing machines to New Zealand Importers Colemans Wanganui duit passed the new Mark VI RG500 to top Auckland rider Rodger Freeth. national champion in 1976. 77 and 78. "Superfrog. as he known. has already crashed the bike iwice during his three-week campaign through the South Island. but it will still start a clear favourite at tigram. The wide open spaces and iong straights of OUr renowned airfield circuit will offer Freeth his first real chance to open out the square-four. rotary-valved. water-cooled engine. At inis stage he is not sure how at W gram much faster than 280kmh the bike will go. He rode the gleaming red and white Mark VI. with sponsorship from CRC chemicals. to ItS world winning debut at Wanganui's treacherous Cemetery Circuit on Boxing Day. Freeth's South Island tour opened at Timaru three weeks ago.. A week later he slid from the bike - reputed to be worth around $25.000 - but damage was fortunately slight. Last weekend. however. the tall Aucklander fell heavily at Ruapuna Park when the back wheel slid out as he left the esses heading for the hairpin. Rider and machine rolled down the track in a flurry ot arms. legs and flying fibreglass from the fairing. This time damage was more widespread. However. nothing serious is smashed and the bike is again in top form for the Lady Wigram outing. The Mark VI - the latest in a string of highly successful models from the sport-orientated Japanese factory was built expressly for use in the world championships next northern summer. Freeth's machine may be used as a back-up bike by national production class champion Dave Hiscock, of Wellington. who is planning a campaign to Europe. The bike produces a nominal 120hp and is very light. at 135kg. It drives through a six-speed. ciose-ratio gearbox. However. the Mark VI's most advanced feature is a revolutionary anti-dive system on the front suspension. When Freeth dives on to the front brakes going into a corner. the bike does not sink in the front end but rather stays upright allowing better ground clearance and greater stability: "It took a while to get the suspension tuned exactly to my style of riding." explains the Auckland engineer. "But now it is set up just right and we're really starting to use the anti-dive to its full advantage." With these latest features and wide, slick tyres, the Mark VI will be the bike to watch at Wigram. Freeth's closest rival. Motueka-based international John Woodley. is sidelined after a hernia operation. However, pushing hard to keep Freeth honest will be another Aucklander. Vince Sharpe. A top production class rider this year on the new Honda CBI100R machines. Sharpe will this weekend turn out on the Yamaha TZ750 of Auckland dealer Bob Haldane.