9-1-87 City driver leaves NZ SomeT thing to Cro we about By Lindsay Kerr Two thrilling victories by Christchurch's master racing driver, Trevor Crowe, failed to prevent a New Zealand team from being beaten by an Australian team in the inaugural Transtasman sports sedan challenge which provided the feature races at yesterday's Lady Wigram meeting. On a day when the sun Crowe quickly got back Practice had produced The race, however, Smith and Kudrave shone not only on Christ- at Kennard but it took him no clear favourite with belonged to Radisich who renewed their scrap for church but on motor rac- until the last lap before he only 0.22sec separating the for the entire 30 laps had ing in the South Island, was abie to outmanoeuvre third place with the advantop five drivers. his mirrors full of tage changing only twice with the biggest crowd to the hard-charging Austral- Thackwell at the start Thackwell. in this encounter before attend the annual meeting ian and cross the finish line had held a slim 4-point After 19 laps be built up Smith got the upper hand for years, the other 0.21sec abead. advantage over Jones but a gap of 4.5sec but the and beat his rival by highlight of the days rac- Kennard maintained his when the first race was talented Thackwell bad not 7.21sec. ing was the courageous third piace ahead of over the series was con-: given up. There laps later Radisich recorded the win by young Auckland Australian drivers Keith firmed as Thackwell's. and only eight from home driver Paul Raidsich in the Carling and Greg Crick in quickest lap time of the Jones, after a good start Thackwell sensed he could day with a 70.0lsec. He Lady Wigram Trophy race. Mazda RX7s and Fisher, from the second row of the win and began to charge. followed In a break with a 37- by who put up a gallant fight grid, held third position In the space of two laps Thackwell, 70.22, and year tradition, the top bill- to keep out the Holden before a clutch malfuntion the gap closed to 1.5sec. Smith 70.42. ing at Wigram west to the Torana of Des Wall. forced his retirement. Radisich a gear problem, Richard Lester from highly modified sports Osborne retired with a Radisch kept his lead hung on to win by 0.82sec Palmerston North relinqusedans with six of 'Aus- damaged wheel while lan from under the experi- to put his name on the tralia's best matched ished his lead in the Munt, who had a forgett- enced eye of Thackwell in Lady Wigram Trophy. National Motorcraft Foragainst six of New Zea-i able weekend with his spite of driving a 5-yearland's best. Delighted mula Ford championship Capri, battled with Syd- old car. when his closest rival The two eight-lap heats ney's Bill Attard, Mazda At the halfway point the "It has to be the greatesi Shane Higgins, also from of the Handy Hire Exhaust RX7, and Vigurs. Vigurs, gap was 3.3sec and when said a Palmerston Systems event started off like win of my life" North. Lauire Attard, had the chequered flag came delighted Radisich after recorded two impressive in a hectic fashion when been able to effect temp- out the margin Christchurch driver Steve the race. wins. orary repairs in order to increased to 6.23sec. Lester, along with Grant Vigurs with his Commo run for the points. "I felt the pressure comdore V8 and Laurie Attard Final result: Australia Struggle ing on from Mike when the Campbell from Auckland from Sydney tangled at the 80, New Zealand 65. car jumped out of Ist gear. and Hamilton's Steve Ricfirst bend. The pair sus- The evergreen New Zea- immediate reaction hards was always in contained suspension and body damage to their cars and Failed land driver Kenny Smith was again in fine form as was that dia was that it was all over tention when it went dead. For- honours, but at the end of overall were forced to sit the race The expected battle for he struggled with the tunately I was able to hold the eight lap races he the "Mita Copiers" Inter- American Dave Kudrave it in gear for the rest of the could manage oniy a out. national Formula Pacific Then the race settled The pair swapped posi- race. fourth and and a second. into a pattern that would series between ex-patriate tion on three occasions The first South Island New Zealander Mike before Smith got the better driver home in both races result in one of the most Thackwell and America of him to come home third. was Warwick MacLachlan, pulsating eight laps wit Davy Jones failed to A bittlerly disappointed who scored two sixth nessed on the long 3.44km materialise. Jones - with his hopes of places. track. Thackwell, who led Steve Jones consolidated Australian driver Bob winning the championship Tindall with his powerful Jones by four points going dashed - set about win- his lead in the two races Holden Torana V8 threw into the final two races, ning the Lady Wigram for the "LK Mechanical was pushed into the back- Trophy Race, a race that "South Island Mini-7 down the gauntlet to ground by a very deter- with Crowe and led him for the he won in 1984. Again his championship two first two laps. The unusual mined Paul Radisch. luck turned sour. A spin on comfortable wins. Grove no la rome pl second fiddle was rare. sight of Crowe playing season driving in the Euro- Radisch, fresh from a fight back from 9th place the first lap resulted in a before held in check by a ously threatened but in the advantage was never seri- In the first race his Crow however was not far pean Forula 3 series, took the initiative in practice to much-improved David HANN next encounter he had to away. Brabham. record the quickest time fend off the early atten- For two laps Tindall and then issued a "catch Brabham, who was hold- Trevor Crowe tions of John Hamilton. held the advantage before me if you can" in the two ing sixth place, failed to Hamilton had been in a Crowe got his nose ahead. races. wilt under pressure strong position in the first Tindall struck back and exerted from Jones and race but a corning together Kennard pushed Crowe when the race came to ar with Garth Brewer back to third. end Brabham was fifth and resulted in a fight-back Brewer. who carried on his good work from the recent Timaru meeting. crossed the line in second and third place only to have the placings taken from him through a techical fault. Bryan Hartley and Murry Starnes staged an exciting duel in the race which was part of the AGC Finance Laser 1X31 championship. Series leader Starnes held the upper hand for six of the eight laps before being pused out by Hartley. It was a similar situation in the South Island Production saloon championsaiD waere me leade Neville Agass in his Mitsu bishi Cordia Turbo gained the lead from his closest rival Frank Ryan who was driving a similar car, only to have it snatched two laps from home. Clear The second "Quinns" race for ladies resulted in a clear win for Jenny Steere in her exotic Ferrari. Her handicap at the rear of the field proved to be of little bindrance as she lead home Margaret Jeffrey in a Toyota Corolla 1600 and last year's winner Debbie Lester, who was driving a Laser TX3 I. Pinai polats (provisionai, Mita Copiers formula Pacific senes - M. Thackwell (UK) 49, I: P. Radisich (NZ) 38, 2: D. Jones (USA) 37, .3: K. Smith (NZ) 28. 4: D Kudrave (USA) 16, 5; D. Brabham (Aus) 12.5. Results - Total Cover OSCA race: T. Crome (Cach. Toyota Starlet V8) 1, R. Kennard (Chch. Ford Cortina) 2, I. Munt (Coch. Саргі V8) 3. Avon City Ford Motorcraft Fornula Ford Championship: Heal de - S. Higgins (Palm Ntb, Vai Diernan) 1. G. Campbeli (Auck. Van Dieman) 2, S. Michards (HaRliton. Van Dieman) 1. Reat two - S. Higgins 1, R Lester (Palm Nth. Van Dieman) 2. G. Campbell 3. South Isiand Production Saladas - F. Ryan (Otago Mitsubishi Cordia) i, N. Agass (Car Miles bishi Cordia) & B. licharlaze (Dunedin, Mitsubishi Cordia) I Mita Copier Lady Wigram Tro pay Preliminary - P. Radisich (NZ, Rait RT4) 1. M. Thackwell (Arst, Ralt RIf) 2. I Smith (Nen Ralt RT4) 3. BHC Transmission Services Smi 7s feat one - S. dones (Cuch) 1, G. Brewer (Cact) 3, R Wilkinson (Chch) 3. Heat two - S. Joses 1, J. Hamittoa (Chch) 2, G. Brewer 8. AGC Ford Laser TX3 Champiorsip - & Hartiey (Palm Nta) 1, M. Starnes (Pako Nta.) 2, S. Taylog (Hamilton) 3. 42 : Handy Hire Ast: 7-Nz Spor Sedan Challenge Beat One - I. Grove (NZ Toyota Startet V8) 1. 8 Tindall (Aust, Holden Torraa) 2 8 Bensard (NZ, Ford Costina) 2u.3. buta Copiers Lady Wigram ITe my Race - P. Radisich (NZ, Ratt RT1) 1, M. Thacksrel (Aast," RT4) 2, E. Smith (NZ, Rait RT4) 2 D. Kudrave (USA, Rait RT4) €. D. Brabbam (Aust, Ralt RTf) 5, D. Jones (USA, Rait RT 4) 6. Quines Fashier Trophy Ladies race - J. Steere (Festari) 1, M jetirey (Corola) In Polloct (bartsabishi) 3. Winner's race time - 829.20. Sport Sedans Fleat 2 - Crowe 1, Tindall 2, Kennard 3.