26-12-87 KEN SMITH... car racing again after heart surgery Ken Smith gets start Kea Smith will compete in the Benson and Hedges international series, starting at Manfeld next Sunday, just 3½½ months after undergoing triple bypass corouary surgery. The 46-year-old four times national champion will drive a new Ralt RT4 single seater which is due to arrive from London on Tuesday morning. Smith gave himself little chance of a 30th consecutive season in motorsport after his operation in September. But a fortnight ago, his cardiologist gave him the all clear and a search for a suitable car ended on Christmas Eve with a promise of the latest model RT4 Ralt. The car, now on its way, bas been bought by expatriate Kiwi Graham Watson, who will lease it to Smith for the five round championship. The promoters, Global Sports, and the organisers of the individual meetings have chipped in to help finance running the car. "It's the best Christmas present I could have got," said a delighted Smith. "I thought I was going to have to sit in the grandstand. Smith first competed in the January international series in 1963 and has not missed one since. A regular front runner for more than a decade, he won the national championships for a foarth time last sammer and took the mational series tbree years ago. Smith, who has the fastest average speed for the Lady Wigram Trophy race of 186.2kmh, believes he is new 100 per cent better than be has been in the past couple of years. He said his condition bad put strain on him in the past but now he had had the operation he was feeling "really good." Smith said he had been riding an exereycle and doing a lot of walking to build up his fitness. But Smith bas always believed that racing ¿rivers de nes need to be superfit in the body. "They have to be fit in the mind," he says.