Bright year for motor racing The recent announcement from the Aucklandbased Global Sports and Promotions of a racing .... package deal consisting of a prize pool of $300,000 has been met by the local motor racing fraternity with enthusiasm. For too many years the New Zealand motorsport 25-9-87 scene has conducted its business with rules and deals that should have been left behind in the 1960s. The showpiece of the country's motor racing season, the traditional January international singleseater series, has been a glaring example of how things have been going wrong. Global's enterprise in putting together an attractive package for all facets of the sport, together with a programme that should go a long way to ensuring motor racing goes some way to recapturing some of its previous glory, is to be applauded. January will be motor racing month with five meetings in as many weeks involving an international series for Formula Pacifics, the New Zealand touring car championship for Group A cars, the national Formula Ford and Ford Laser championship and a new sports sedan championship. To be known as the "Benson and Hedges motor racing series," the series should see a return of a full field of the single-seater Pacific cars; it will provide South Island patrons a chance to see the best of the Group A cars which, to date, have had most of their outings on North Island soil, and a welcome return of the thunderous sports sedans in a national championship situation is the icing on the cake. The strength of circuit racing in the South over recent years has been the OSCA championship for the sports sedans. These competitors have regularly put up come into the series will easure its success. In addition to these drivers, Global is confident of racing that the crowds have wanted to see. "Sport and leisure activities these days is a big attracting Mark McCormick and Bob Creasey from In making the decision to reintroduce a national thing. You cannot rely on the public to turn up to a Australia, together with the best crop of New Zealand series, MANZ has done not only itself a favour, but race meeting just because they have done so before. drivers seen in the class since the 1970s. also the public. Global, for its part, put it into a very They must have a carrot dangled in front of them so "The gifted Wanganui driver, Craig Coleman, has acceptable package. that they decide to spend their leisure dollar on motor had his car completely rebuilt after his disastrous "It has to be a good thing and I hope it leads to " said racing. Other things at the same time can be season with it last summer and we also expect to see bigger and even brighter things for next year, attractive," Kennard says. two of last season's top Formula Ford drivers, Richard leading Christchurch sports sedan driver Rob Kennard. The much-maligned Formula Pacific series looks Lester and Steve Richards, in these faster cars, "We still need OSCA though and I hope that the new finally to be in a position that will see a field of 20 series will not eventually turn out to be the undoing of cars lining up on the start grid and not 10 or 12 that The Pacific cars will be racing for a prize fund of something that we have had for such a long time." has been customary over the past seven or eight years. $100,000 while the Group A cars will have a pool of OSCA president and leading sports sedan driver riobal spokesman Brian Lawrence is being $130,000. Steve Vigurs considers that the clock has now gone full optimistic in suggesting that he will have at least 25. The latter championship is hopeful of attracting circle. However if he gets that number it will be a real bonus. not only the best of the current crop of local drivers "It is the best thing that has happened to motor "We have made trips to the United States and are but also some of the top Australians. racing in this country for years. OŚCA was formed when the sports sedan car was chopped from national in the process of negotiating for the top 10 American Dick Johnson, Alan Grice, Peter Brock, George Formula Atlantic drivers and cars to contest the Fury and Glen Seton have already been approacned, prominence, now it is back into the limelight," he said. "I do however believe that the new series will series" said a Global spokesman. and all have expressed a desire to come. "Already, Australia-domiciled kiwi Granam Motor racing is as good as it was 20 years ago ultimately cause the demise of the OSCA championship Watson has agreed to bring a team of two cars, one to and now the drivers should get the chance to show as we know it." "their skills to more than the loyal band of enthusiasts Both drivers agree that the professionalism that has be driven by David Brabham." Marinen NASHUA (wEngland) through a bend in the 1980 Lady Wigram race.