18 - 9 Not olg- stir ning like bangers ine bloo to By LINDSAY KERR In the minds of most of those who attend motor racing, the excitement of the occasion is highlighted by the sight of highly modified saloon cars doing battle around the circuit. for the past il years. the Christchuren-based Open Saloon Car Association (OSCA) has been providing the four South island circuits with this type of racing. With the surprising demise of the National series for cars which come under the OSCA regulations, this season's OSCA series, sponsored by the Arbuckles retail chain under the banner of the "Arbuckles $25,000 Super Car Series,' " has taken on a significantly more important stature, Sunday's Lady Wigram Round 5 of the Arbuckles series with the promise of "big banger" Trevor Crowe leads lan Munt at Ruapuna ... will the positions racing at its best. The four rounds to date at the change at Wigram? Escort is having his first: Levels circuits have pro- and Munt battling it out season on the track. duced close racing in all challenging for advantage at the most the lead along with John Harcourt in his 3.5 litre recent Ruapuna meeting Escort is capable of an Osborne, who had the mis- was circuit racing at its of destroying his upset while the new Mazda championship points table Capri V8 during a practice RX7 of Don Grindley is tantalisingly close. session recently Surprising shown that even without The overall lead is held A fractured fuel line saw the additional aids of turbo by a previous OSCA cham- the car burst into flame Also in the 6 litre class is pion, lan Munt, in his Capri with Osborne bailing out Rob Kennard in his ageing tion, the car is very comwhile the car was still but surprisingly competiexperience on the highly Regrettably comer John Fisher in the The smallest class is for competitive Australian and the spectators, he will leads Ashburton's 2 litre cars where so often scene, be absent for some time, Michael Johnstone leads Michael Johnstone, unless a major injection of litre class by they are not the centre of 2 attraction. While this is turbo-charged funds is forthcoming. points from Crowe whose Escort by 15 points with excusable because The quest for the indi- Starlet is eligible to race in sound of the throbbing Vas national port vidual class championship Champion, revor Crowe from the big class makes again sees Munt in the lead undoubtedly the quickest, compulsory watching, the in his amazing V8 Toyota for the big-banger but a series of problems Starlet and closeness of only a point in class. Four points behind is sees him with a big task lo arrears. the racing from these cars Shrimpton with Vigurs five the consistent has been a feature of OSCA Crowe is closely fol- points down on him. Johnstone. lowed by Steve Vigurs in Shrimpton Ashburton's Ian Wilkins racing this season. his Cortina Chev V8, Don engaged in in a rotary-powered Mazda Grindley (Mazda RX7) and Christchurch driver Austin titanic struggles this sea- 323 is third, only a point Cole in his immaculate lan Shrimpton (Capri V8). son; however at the last behind Crowe. Wilkins, an Toyota Corolla 1300, and While the winning in the experienced driver, had a OSCA feature races has Vigurs had the bad luck to wretched season last year stone in an Avenger 1600 been done by Crowe, Avon break a crank shaft which with the then-new 323 but Hyde in his new Commo- lost him the chance of his results this season are Don Elvy dore V8 and Southlander Inky Tulloch in a Capri V8, The Hyde Commodore Also in this class is a the consistent efforts of modified points behind Johnstone. Cole and Johnstone have! Munt and Johnstone are meetings but in that time diced in every outing to being recognised in the he has shown the car is a speedway date, with the lead invaripoints position. The sight of Hyde Inns, who in his V6 3 litre ably changing more than once during a race. Mark Rutherford, have put positions whenever they've appeared and Wigram circuit should be to their liking. Dobier, although a little off the pace in his 1000cc Hillman Imp, often fights it out with the Minis in the field. Dobier's wellprepared car is certainly the quickest Imp around Austin Cole (No 64) leads Arthur Inns (10) at Ruapuna. Cole Open saloon car racing drives an immaculate Corolla while former speedway driver Inns is obviously very alive and in a healthy state drives a V6 Escort in his first season on the track. in the South Sland