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26- - 81
Oxto
By THEO VAN DONGEN
David Oxton, of Auckland,
was in unbeatable form in
his Pye Ralt RT4 at the
Wigram circuit yesterday,
winning both Formula pacific races, and collecting the
Lady Wigram trophy and
the Aurora A.F.X. South Pacific Series trophy.
Two other Aucklanders,
Steve Millen and David
McMilian, completed the
North Island dominance, finishing second and third respectively in bith races.
In both the 24-lap
events, watched by abour
6000 people, Oxton's blue
Pye Rait started from pole
position, with Millen's
Smash Palace Ri1 next to
him and McMillan's Citizen
RIl and Rob Wilson's Nashua March S0A behind him.
Further back on the grid
were Charlie O'Brien (Australia, RT4) John Smith
(Australia, March 77B) Ken
Smith (March 79B) Grant
Campbeil (Chevron B39)
Tom Donoven (March 59A)
Eric Morgan (Chevron B29)
Adrian Reynard (Britain,
Cuda 5) and Robin Irving
(Modus).
Reynard failed get
going on the grid when mis
cat develr ped mechanical
problems, but Uxton and
McMillan got oft to good
starts and started immediatley to spread the field, foilowed closely by Millen.
Ken Smith was an early
n supreme at
Wigram
withdrawal when O'Brien
spun at Japanese car corner
land took him with hird.
Oxton began t draw
away from McMillan and
Millen by a steady margin.
lapping in a fast Imin lisec
land being 7sec ahead of
McMillan at the half-way
point.
Wilson's car was suffering
¡from "tOO much
wing » Carrying and he finished
fourth.
Oxton could not be
(caught, and the main drama
the race came when
McVillan lost his second
place to Millen at the hairipin on lap 12 when he could
not find second gear. Millen
held on to his advantage and
drew away from McMillan,
who was chased throughout
by Wilson.
"I had to keep concentrating." said Oxion, who
had a 13-second pad by the
end of the race, "otherwise I
might have lost the lead. I'll
be keeping my foot down
for the second heat."
He did precisely that
when the flag fell again a
few hours later for the second heat. which looked to be
going Millen's way initially
after his Ralt got off to a
very fast start.
Millen's lead
was taken However from him under
braking at the hairpin by
Oxton in lap seven, and the
Pye Rait again started to
• draw away from every other
machine. managing to record
an extremely tast imin
: li.sec lap in spite oi a
very strong easterly wind
which swept down the back
straight.
Millen • held on to second
place, and McMillan held on
to third, although his second
i choice RTl had no chance cf
catching the leaders (His
Ralt R14, with a Datsun
engine could not be used be-
¡cause it had an exhaust
problem which needed parts
from Japan). The Datsun
would have "flown", he said
after the race. -
As in the first race, Ken
Smith was unfortunate. losing fourth position with a
ifew laps to go because
mechanical problems.
O'Brien and Wilson never
managed to complete the
first lap because they spun
out after tangling at Dunlop
bend
Reynard finished a dis-
:appointing Fifth, behind
Campbell and Morgan. His
car had lost part of its nose
cone and had also lost
power.
Results.-
Race one, Emai round of the
Aurora A.F.X. Formula Pacif.c
series: Oxion lelapsed time 26min
31.5sec) 1, Milien 129:4.9: =,
McMular (20:20.01 3, Wilson
129:131.1) $, J. Smith (29:38.3)
Campbell $29:39.8 Smith
129:53) i. Morgan (28:56.5› 8. Race
thro: Oxtor (28:49.5) Willer
129:4.81 2, McMillan 129:28.51 3,
Campbell (29:42) 1. Morgan
:29:4.9: 5. Renyaard (29:17.7) 6,
Donovan (29:53.4) 7.
Tulloch too
quick
By JOHN FRIDD (Christchurch driver, Mark both races on Jonn Wood-
Rutherford, who carved his ley's suzuki RG500.: Peter,
Ian "Inky" Tulloch (Mata- way through the field after Waters, of Timaru, dominat- indiscretion in his ed the production bikes
ura) and Graham Baker an early
(Christchurch) provided some ! Escort 1600. his big Suzuki GSX11002
exciting big-saloon action at! Jeff Pascoe, of Picton, went! Results.--
Wigram yesterday when they|further ahead in the nationall Motorcraft Aunger Wheels natfought out the Radio Avon Formula Ford championship ional For pao, 8C. Trans: inspite of some very close J. Pascoe Picton, B.3L.C..
saloons flying farewell. the talented mission Service Swift to, b
Baker roared into the lead attention from Schollum :Auckland, van Dieman
in his brutish Capri V8 pur- young Aucklander, Lou Schol-Schollum (Auckland, van Dieran)
sued hotly by Tulloch, driving lum. The two drivers swapp-ki M. Webb (Auckland, van Di-
Imin 24.2s. Race two: Pascoe 1,
similar, but heavier. mac-led places several times in the (Schollum 2, Webb 3. Fastest Lap,
hine and after four torrid laps two heats before Pascoe nar- Schollum. 1:24.2.
Tulloch forged his way past rowy won both Shellsport national 2-litre
Ioons.-R. Cook (Auckland, Sanyo
win the race. Trevor|Christchurch built Swift LML Sunny 1600) 1, B. Ryan Miman
Crowe was a distant third in Inky Tulloch led from start Scope Datsun 160J 2000) 2:31
to finish in the Open Saloon Rutherford (Christchurch, Kel
his fast little V8-powered
Starlet Olds. Car Association race to win ford Cams Escort 1500) 3. Fastest |lap, Rutherford, 1:26.4.
The Shellsport race, for from Trevor Crowe, who did Escort Sport national chamnational Z-litre saloons, was
a close fought affair, with :=r.
Fastest lap. Aires, 1:48.8.
Grant Aitken (Dunedin), tak-i5.7. : Begg and Allen O.S.C.A: chating an immediate lead in bis! The gangly Aucklander,| pionship.—L Tulloch (Mataura, I.
Datsun Sunny coupe only to Rodger freeth, dominated the H. Capři 57) 1, T. Crowe (Chch,
(Dunedin, Marac Sunny coupe) 5:
ship leader,
Auckland (Sanyo Sunny). hrst race South sai
Airken swept past Cook on Gerry. Looi, of Singapore, loons.-J. Little iSt Andrews,
before his car's until Looi lost control of his | Charger) 1. K. North (Ranfuris,
lap IWO
engine started overheating Suzuki RG500 on the fast Torana SU7) 2. G. Jenkins (Done- (din. Torans 'XUI) 3. Fastest lap,
and he left it up to Timaru's Bomb Bay Bend and careered Little and North. both 1:41.5. Radio Aron saloons flying fare-
Kevin Ryan (Datsun 2000) to off the track injuring a finger! well —Tulloch 1, G. Baker !Coch,
keep Cook honest. and wrecking his bike. Grammell Capri 50 43. Fastest crosse 3y;
Cook won the race fromi The young Aucklander. Rutherford Aitken
Ryan and third was the young Vince Sharp. was second in tap. Baker, 1:19.4.
David Oxton celehrates his double rictory in
the Lady Wigram Trophy Race.
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