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Moreno faced with three-pronged challenge at Wigram

Previews the 1982 Lady Wigram Trophy races, where Roberto Moreno faced Steve Millen, David Oxton and Dave McMillan in near-identical Ralt RT4s. Millen and Oxton said they feared McMillan most. Fourteen Formula Pacifics were expected, with the weather and the fast Bomb Bay Bend a factor.

Facts

  • The 1982 Lady Wigram Trophy was the fourth round of the Aurora AFX series and third round of the international Pacific Basin championship.
  • Fourteen Formula Pacific cars were expected at Wigram in January 1982.
  • Bomb Bay Bend on the Wigram circuit was described as a frightening 220 km/h corner.
  • The Pacific circus' southern rounds after Wigram were at Teretonga on 31 January and Timaru on 7 February 1982 (Union Travel domestic championship).

Photos

  • Roberto Moreno with his Ralt RT4 in Christchurch yesterday
Read the OCR text
23-1-82 Roberto Moreno with his Ralt RT4 in Christehureh yesterday Moreno faced with three-pr By JOHN FRIDD Three on to one does not sound like a fair fight, but those are the odds that the Brazilian racing driver, Roberto Moreno, will have 10 face in the Lady Wigram Trophy races tomorrow. Moreno will have three top New Zealanders, all driving cars vitually identical to his owe KB Ralt RT4, breathing down his seck on the highspeed airfieid circuit, and each has his own reason for thinking that he should win - Steve Millen has proved the fastest New Zealander in the series in his Tullen RT4, David Oxton beat Moreno at Manfeild in his Pye car and Dave MeMillan is a Wigram specialist. Moreno has the added disadvantage of never before saving rated at Wigram, and challen will have only today's official practice to set up his car for the demanding circuit. The curly-haired Brazilian admitted yesterday that he may not be on the front row of the grid for the first heat of tomorror's two beats. "We will tave to work hard to set up the car in one day but it will be no problem — we'll be O.K. for the race," he said. He was pleased to hear that the Wigram track is wide enough for safe passing manoeavres. Both Millen and Oxton said yesterday that they fear McMillen more than Moreno. Oxton said that McMillan's car is stronger than any of the other RT4s, having been set up to specifications drawn up by the former world champion, Alan Jones, ge at Wigram when Jones raced in Australia. "Dave's had a poor run so far, and it's his turn to do something." said Oxton, adding that he felt the two heats could produce close battles between the top four drivers. McMillen has switched back to nis Citizen Rat R14 as he felt it would handle the bigh-speed bends on Wigram better than his Datsunpowered Ralt RT1, which has "ground-effects" bodywork. This week he has been testing the RT4 at Ruapuna to settle back into the newer car after taking the RTl to fourth place in the second beat at Manfeild last Sunday, after being pushed into a wall at the start of the first beat. Another Ralt RT4 driver, Robert Handford, of Australia, will be worth watching, as he scored a shock second over all at Manfeild last week-end after a poor start to the series. His compatriot, Graham Watson, and the American, Mike Rosen, are also due for better showings in their RTs. The weather could aiso play a vital part in finding a Wigram winner - strong winds could produce disastrous high-speed spins, particularly on the frightening 220 km/h Bomb Bay Bend, and if the showers that are forecast eventuate the winner could be the man who makes the right guess about when and if to pit for rain tyres, or whether or not to start on rain tyres if it is onged raining when the race starts. It appears that there will be 14 Formula Pacifies at Wigram, in the fourth round of the Aurora AFX series and third round of the international Pacific Basin championship. Two Americans, Jobn Briggs and Peter Greenfield, will not start, having gone back to the United States, and an Australian, Ron Barnacle, is also a non-starter - however, these three were not top-runners. Two Dunedin drivers, Ross Cameron (March 77B) end Chris Read (Chevron B29), Pacific "circus for its southers colr, which will end with Union Travel domestic championship rounds at Teretonga (January 31) and Timaru (February 7).

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