31 - 10 - 86 Formula Pacific gets reprieve By Lindsay Kerr The much-maligned formula Pacific class of racing has been Liland tan a large cien i leo that will ensure its survival for at least one more season. In addition to the traditional fourmeeting series in January, the Pacifics will also line up alongside the group A saloons in a one-off three meeting series to be run at North Island tracks. The regular series, which again will finish at Wigram, has received a massive injection of funds with sponsorship being obtained from Meteor Copiers and Goodyear for a reported $100,000. It is many years since the Pacifics, the supposed premier class of New Zealand racing, Lave received spon- sorship and as a result the numbers taking part nave dwindled to an alltime low. Now, instead of promising the talented young overseas drivers four races in four consecutive weekends and plenty of fresh air, the New • Zealand Grand FIx AsSocIaton, organiser of the series, has money to pay some travelling expenses as well as offering $12,500 in prize-money for each round. The pre-Christmas series is an ambitious project which has been floated by a company knowo as Global Sport Promotions, headed by part-time motorsport media person Brian Lawrence. His three races at Manfeild on November 30, Bay Park December 7 and Puketohe OL December 14 offer $10,000 a round. Should numbers increase, there is little doubt they will be morth watching and the executioner's axe which has been poised since the loss of the previous sponsor in 1983 will be a threat no longer. The Americans are expected to fock to these shores for the championship. In the past, almost without exception, those drivers who have come have expressed surprise that the series is not promoted well, as there are many other drivers who would be keen to come, without any expenses being paid. The future of the series is now in the hands of the grand prix association, which must get out and sell the racing, not only • to the Australians who have stayed away in droves in recent seasons, but also to a lot of local drivers. The New Zealand drivers who have only spasmodically given their support to their own championship can no longer claim poverty. 7 Motor racing at this level will always be expensive and should this season's races produce only smal fields, their cars will be worth nothing as the class will be dead. To ensure that these drivers do shake the cobwebs off their cars the grand prix association in turn will have to leave some money at home to attract them, even if it comes in the way of a separate prize fund. While the chances of getting the Americans look good - the equivalent class in the United States is formula Atlantic - the Australians who drive Pacifics are facing a crisis with the axeing of the class as the nationally recognised championship. In its place the Australian authorities are proposing to bring in European formula 3 cars, which have better reliability than the Pacifics but are not as quick due to: engine air restricters and narrower wheels. The main problem the Australians have is their lack of competitiveness alongside the top New. Zealanders. This was clearly demonstrated during the recent Australian Gold Star rounds when veteran New Zealand single-seater exponent Kenny Smith drove in two races. Smith, who had not raced since the Wellington event in January, out and convinc-