HANDY HIRE CENTRE Golden da The sight and sound of 12 highly modified saloon cars domg battle around the Wigram circuit on Serday will bring back memo ries of the golden days of country when comers type saloon car s.:-01:09. reigned supreme. With $10,000 at stake, the Handýhire,: Exhaust Systems Trans Tasman sports sedan challenge will result in the two tearis pushing to the limit as they not only to uphold national pride but aiso to get the major share of, the prize fund. The Australian team consisting, of Mazda RX7 diverg, and Sink tard, mila® COPIERS NEW ZEALAND GRAND PRIX S WIGRAM WIGR FEATURING AUSTRALIAN SPORTS SEDANS V NEW ZEALAND SPORTS ys recallea •÷2.. together with Laurie and Des Wall (Torana V8), will make their only New Zealand. appearance against a line-up of drivers who represent the leading from the Open Saloon Car Association. With sports sedan racing still popular in both New Zealand and Australia the chance to see the best in action all at once in this class is unique in today's ,motor racing climate. Once the premier class of saloon car racing, the sports sedan has fallen from grace in the face of Group A racing. Group racing, however, is for the most part an expensive business. but it provides an ideal opportunity for manufacturers to become involved. Apart from Group A being beyond the reach of the majority of drivers it also serves up many long distance races which to a non-motor racing enthusiast is just a bore. Sports sedan racing does not have the prime objective of demonstrating the qualities of a certain model of car. All races are sprints and are therefore closely contested with wheel-to-wheel racing often being a feature for the entire duration. Sunday's test races will both be eight laps around the 3.44km Wigram circuit. Grant Ransley heads Duncan Brown in a closely fought Mini 7s race. Mini 7s to do battle Of the supporting races at the 1987 Lady Wigram Trophy meeting the battle for overall bonours in the races iowards the LK Mechanical South Island Mini 7 championstip is likely to prove ibe highlight Three years ago • the register was in its infancy. It now boasts a racing lineup of 21 cars. The early stages saw Allan Milligan and Warner Collins to the fore. For 1986/87 this pair was joined by Stephen Jones. After an exciting contest, Jones came bore as the winner at the final meeting last season. Inis season Jones started off in the same vein. Then in the space of four races over two meetings his stranglehold was broken by some inspired driving by Garth Brewer and Peter Black. With the original brigade of Milligan and Collins still on the pace, the arrival of Brewer and Black into the winner's circle and the dramatic improvement of Doug Drake, Doug Sims, Grant 'Ransley and Robin Wilkinson together with newcomers John Hamilton and Jeff Brock some exciting , racing is a likely prospect. Other races will come from the National Formula Ford and Laser TX3 I championship together with a round of the South Island Production Car championship and the Quinns Fashions race for Field has touch of quality Although it no longer has sop billing, Sanday's reces for tbe Formula Pacifies contain fields with a dis tines touch of quality. As the 10 or so drivers arrive at Wigram to contest the final two races of the Mita Copier Grand Prix series the outcome is ditticult to predict. The early races were won by expatriate Mike Thackwell in his Ralt Aus tralia car. However, at the New Zealand Grand Prix the 22-year-old American, Davy Jones, sprang into the winner's circle and as they approach Wigram either driver could win the championship. On the pace Thackwell and Jones are not the only drivers capable of winning at Wigram. New Zealand drivers Kenny Smith and Paul Radisich have both been on the pace during the series without scoring a victory. Smith has been racing at a top level for over half bis life but has never won at Wigram in spite of record ing the fastest lap in 1978, 183 and 84. He looked to be in. a winning position at Mar-i field last Sunday but an early spin forced him to come from behind Radisich, in spite of driving a 4-year-old car, led the second race at Manfeild before retiring with mecnanical probiems Having served • a bard apprenticeship in England last season in Formula 3, Radisich, like Smitt, has many reasons for wanting to win at Wigram even though he cannot win the exhaust ERIES AM systems SEDANS exhaust systems 16-1-87 AUSTRALIA V NEW ZEALAND THE GIANT CLASH OF SPORTS SEDANS WIGRAM Motor Racing SUNDAY 18th January, 1987 NOTES: 1. No speclator through ar base main gale. 2 No spectators aong front straight 3. Access to infield closes: Saturday 10am. Sunday 10.30am 4 Only entry pant Saturday - Wigram Road 5. GATE PRICES: Set Area B Adul $5. Accompanied Chidren under 14 years FREE Chadren under 14 accompansed by adult free. Areas C & D Adue $15. Chidren under 14 accompared by an Addi $5 *757 ==_^ SPECTATO AREAS SARIED DISCOUET PRE-SELLERS PRICES SUNDAY Dutiesd Areas A 8 8 Adults S8 Chadren under 14 accompanied by an Adult FREE SUNDAY infield areas C & D Adues $13 Accordensed Chalkien over 5 years but under 14 years $4 DISCOUNT TICKETS WILL BE SOLD AT N.Z.I. FINANCE LTD 188 Armagi Steet. BNZ TRAVEL Cathedral Square, RON RUTHERFORD Manchester Street, GARY COCKPAM Mcorhouse Avenue, HERONS MOTORS Rangiora