RADIOALOn /20 16-1-86 TROPHY MEETING LADY AGRAN Sunday, January 19 Rac *The tradition of the Lady Wigram Trophy race Lives on. ' On Sunday, the 37th running of this event for what has become an internationally recognised trophy will again see a field of eager single-seater racing drivers take the starter's flag. First run in 1949, the Lady Wigram race has seen some of the world's leading drivers of their day record their name on the wonderful old tropny. They include Sir Jack Brabham, Stirling Moss, Bruce McLaren, Jim clark. Archie Scott-Brown, Ron Flockhart and Keke Rosberg. e nas internati Sadly, the best of the world's singie-seater drivers do not now have the time or the incentive to come to this country for its annual four-meeting series. In their place we are getting groups of young drivers, particularly Americans, who are on their way to the top. The New Zealand series comes at a good time. It has an excellent reputation and with the help of a couple of local drivers who have competed the United States on a regular basis, the overseas drivers keep on coming back. Crities The Formula Pacific class began life in 1977 and has its critics but clearly there is nothing which even comes close to toppling it from its position of prominence in this part of the world. It is true, however, tbat New Zealanders have expressed a desire to see more saloon car racing. As a result, little sponsorship money is going into formula Pacific and there is no longer a national championship for the class. In spite of what many of the critics have said about single-seater racing in genera., the annual international series for Pacific cars has regularly pro- vided racing of the highest quality from which have come some excellent and exciting races. This season's field sees the return of three drivers who have competed well in the past - one young American and two older but experienced New Zealanders who drive with the determination of those many years their junior. The American is Jeff McPherson, who competed with great consistency last year in a series which saw him for the first time drive a car as powerful as a Pacific. • In lead He has followed this with excellent drives this season and comes to Wigram leading the championship. A top runner in the American Super Vee championship, McPherson has at times matched the speed of Ross Cheever, who is second on points. cheever, who WON at Wigram last time, is regrettably a non-starter. He returned to the United States after Manfeild, his sponsorship having expired. The two New Zealanders who have served singleseater racing well in this country are Aucklanders Kenny Smith and Dave McMillan. Smith, at 43, has been driving in competition for over half his life and in spite of his age and the fact that he now drives at only four meetings a year is still very quick. The lap record-holder at Wigram, Smith will be into stride by the time Sunday's two races come about and he can be counted on to give the young Americans a torrid time. Cary Bren... next stop Engiand for a crack at the European Formula 3000 series. McMillan, a former double winner at Wigram, also has to his credit the American Formula Atlantic championship. He appears to be nearing the end of his career, but is still a capable driver and, should he have some luck, something which deserted him over the past couple of seasons, he is still a force to be reckoned with. Close The feature of this year's series has been the close competitiveness of a group of drivers who have battled it out for minor places. This group consists of Smith, another Auckland driver in Paul Radisich. ex-patriate New Zealander Brett Riley, and three more Americans in the ona reco By Lindsay Kerr Bren brothers, Cary and Steve, and Ted Prappas. Radisich burst on to the Formula Pacific scene three years ago and as a novice he acquitted hirnself well in Australia. This was followed by a successful campaign in the New Zealand international series. Under the Banner "Racing for New Zealand," he then competed in the British Formula 3 championship. Regrettably his cam- paign was pooriy organised and he returned home halfway through the season, his money having run out. In that time, however, he had done enough for the critics to take notice of "another kiwi" who looked to be in the mould of Amon, Hulme and McLaren. Brett Riley competes only in the local series these days although he Is working in Europe. At his peak Riley competed with considerable success on Steve Bren ... came here from the United States because he was told "it's a great series to do." One race trophy This year's Lady Wigram race will be known as the "Phillip Mills Luxury Cars Lady Wigram Trophy." The recipient will be the winner of one race only. The contestants will still compete in two races as part of the New Zealand International Formula Pacific series with the first race being of 20 laps and the second, the Lady Wigram Trophy race, over 30 laps. gnition the European scene. He has shown during the current series that he has lost little of his touch. Like Smith, when Wigram comes around on Sunday he will be well into his stride and should acquit himself well. The Bren brothers, like McPherson, have been driving in the American Super Vee series and come here because many of their countrymen have told them "it's a great series to do." "Our budget is what it takes to win." said a confident Steve Bren. His mission in 1986 is to compete again in the American Super Vee series, but he would like to end up in either Formula 1 or the rich United States CART series. Cary Bren will next head to England for a crack at the European Formula 3000 series, the now recognised stepping stone into Formula 1. Ted Prappas, at 30, also comes from a Super Vee background and is having his first drive in the Formula Pacific class. He loves the extra power of the Pacifies. His campaign here, with much of his racing career. has been backed by the actor James Stewart, who became interested in Ted's racing when Ted's mother worked for the actor as his business manager. In reality the rest of the field are "also rans," but to be fair to the drivers they have their own important part to play and will fight tor every metre or aavantage over their own close rivals. Included in this number is local driver John Crawford who. on a shoe-string budget, has made the big : step up from Formula Ford with little apparent pain. Peter Haskett will again drive nis ageing Unevror and if he follows last year's Wigram performance he will surprise many of the iront runners should things not go their way. Australian Bob Creasy is here on a mission "learning." With the exception of Haskett. Heather Spurle (the first woman to drive in the series for many years) and Jeff Champion, the entire field will be! driving Ralt RT 4s.