20-1-84 "JUST JUICE RNZAF Station 1st Race starts Wigram, S 11.30am icIn aturday 21, Sund Saloon cars are still cro KUB31O Warren Hislop, of Palmerston North, led home this heat of the Ford Laser Sport championships at Pukekohe. He finished just one-tenth of a second ahead of Ed Lamont, of Auckland, and the closeness of the racing had the crowd on its feet. wa-pleasers Supporting the two rounds of the Just Juice Formula Pacific will be the best saloon car drivers in their various classes together with rounds of the national Formula Ford championship. Although big banger saloons no longer nave a national series, they remain a favourite form of racing with Christchurch people. The fans will not be disappointed because two rounds of the Arbuckles $25.000. OSCA series will feature the fastest V8s in the country. The drivers in the new ANZ Bank touring car championship will make their first South Island appearance on Sunday. This new class of saloon car racing is already featuring an intense Holden versus Ford battle up front. The class is designed to become the premier saloon championship in the coun try and already boasts names like Wayne Wilkinson, Robbie Francevic and Trevor McLean in SS Commodores together with Gary Sprague and Wayne Anderson in Falcons. A Falcon won at Bay Park, a Commodore at Pukekohe and also at Manfeild after the leading car, a Falcon, spun off and lost its place. Who will win at Wigram? New Zealand's premier saloon racing class since 1976 had been the Shellsport series for cars under 2 litres. The decision to limit our top saloon car championship to cars with this capacity was not wel comed in all sectors but it has survived the test of time having produced close and exciting racing most of the time. The battle for the major honours in this year's championship sees five drivers staying in close company. From Auckland, Roy harrington in his ageing MKI Escort is seeking his third title. Reg Cook, with a Datsun Sunny, has already won the title three times and is just as competitive as he has been in the past. Tony • Marsh, a young driver when compared with Harrington and Cook. has had an exceptional season with many wins already to his credit. The South Island's only hope for the title is Christchurch's Mark Rutherford in his MKII Escort. Rutherford has not recorded a win to date but has been rewarded through consistently high placings. His Manfeild effort through the eyes of the television camera pro duced some brilliant racing. Rutherford has had success on the Wigram circuit in the past and he looks a likelv winner on Sundav. lay 22 January Warren Steel from Taupo in a Datsun 1600 is also being rewarded for consistent efforts. Formula Ford racing is internationally accepted formula. serves as an ideal stepping stone into quicker singleseater formulas. All Formula Ford cars are powered by standard pushrod Cortina GT 1600 motors and to ensure really competitive racing. tyres are restricted to certain brands from the Dunlop range. In New Zealand, the first national championship was run in 1972. This was won! by David Oxton, who today is arguably New Zealand's top Formula Pacific driver. Other Pacific drivers who are in Sunday's Just Juice international races and who have followed Oxton's lead in Formula Fords are Dave McMillan, who won in 1973 and 1976. Eric Morgan (1977) and Grant (1978). This year's Motocraft sponsored series has developed into a three-way battle between Christchurch's John Crawford, Hamilton's Steve Richards and Palmerston North's Richard Lester. Crawford, the South Island champion who finished third in last season's national championship. started his quest this season in disastrous fashion. extensively damaging his car. A complete rebuild has seen Crawford claw his way back with major placings in every outing and he returns to Wigram With rounds for the national Ford Dealer Team Laser Soprt championship, where all cars are identical, thus ensuring incredibly close if not so fast times. top quatte motor racing