22-1-88 25-1-88 Canadian driver relishes challenge By JOHN HAWKINS Dressed in his street clothing, Paul Tracy looks anything but a race driver. The Canadian, aged 19, is quiet spoken almost withdrawn, but once he dons his fireproof race suit and slips into the narrow confines of his Rait RT cockpit, he becomes a changed man. After being rated as one of the world's top junior karters in 1984, Tracy moved into Formula Ford 1600, winning the Canadian championship. In 1986, the Toronto resident took fifth place in the World Formula Ford championship at Brands Hatch. A successful campaign in the British Formula Ford 2000 Grandstand series was followed by more FF2000 in Canada 1987, where he tOOK four wins from seven starts. Four races at the end of the season in the East Coast Formula Atlantic series in the United States were small preparation for taking on seasoned campaigners like Ken Smith and Paul Radisich in New Zealand, but Tracy has acquitted himself well in the Digital Computers SErIes, being hampered only by a series of engine problems prior to the New Zealand Grand Prix last week-end at Pukekobe. Anyone who witnessed his tigerish start in the Grand Prix will testify to his commitment, Tracy relishing the challenge posed by the more powerful Pacifics. "As well as the power, these cars run on much wider rubber and harder springs than anything I had driven previously, it has taken some getting used to," said Tracy. has found the New Zealand circuits somewhat smaller and less compiex than most of the tracks he has been used to in the United States and Canada, and is looking forward to the fast Wigram circuit. Tracy sees his immediate future as a professional racer in the United States rather than Europe, although Formula one remains his uitimate ambition. He likens his own problems gaining sponsorship in Canada for a European campaigi to those experienced by Paul Radisich in New Zeaiand PAUL TRACY Thrill Two thrilling heats of the Sun Valley Sports Sedan championship, which kept the their toes from start to finish. were the highlights of the support programme at the Benson and Hedges International motor race meeting at wigram yesterday. In the opening event for the class, the Christchurch driver, Rob Kennard, геturned to top form after a national championship campaign which has been plagued with mechanical maladies. John Osborne, driving "The Spirit of Christchurch" Mazda Chev, narrowly held off Kennard and Rodger Freeth for three laps until Freeth shot ahead of the two heavier V8s under braking at the hairpin on the end of the third lap. Freeth's lead lasted less than half a lap before he retired with a broken universai joint allowing the two Christchurch drivers to duel to the finish. The Commodore of Glen Jones blew its engine with one lap to go, spreading oil onio the circuit ano as kennard and Osborne indulged in an outbraking battle into the hairpin for the last time both 25-1-88 S On W got badly crossed up. with Kennard recovering to take first from Osborne who staggered to the line with a broken axle. Osborne was adamant that no oil flags had been shown at the hairpin, thus giving the two protagonists no warning of the oncoming hazard. Sunday's Benson and Hedges Group A Touring Car championship race was, by way of contrast, clear cut. Christchurch's Trevor Crowe virtually wrapped up the title with a dominant win which saw him lap the entire field with the exception of the second placeman, young Australian, Graham Guison. Craig Baird and Grant Campbell took a win each in the Formula Ford heats with some particularly fraught slip streaming battles being fought out around the airfield circuit. Christchurch's top rate driver, Paui Larsen, had a bad day mechanically. retiring from both heats with electrical and fuel problems. Another Christchurch driver, Grant Milligan, was most impressive in his older model Yan Diemen. Provisional results: Ameri past By JOHN HAWKINS The American driver, Dean Hall, swept past the ailing Ralt of Paul Radisich in the closing stages yesterday's Lady Wigram Trophy Race to ake his first victory in he Digital Computers Formula Pacific series. Only a week earlier the 23-year-old Hall had conemplated returning home ifter his American-built swift had shown poor orm at the New Zealand Grand Prix meeting at Pukekohe. As had been the case in he previous rounds, it was Radisich who moved quickly to the front at the start of the 30-lap race. The American Dan Marvin made a storming start up the inside, but was pincered in at the first corner by Radisich and Hall. As Radisich consolidated his lead at the end of the first lap, Hall came heels Formula Pacific (Preliminary) 20 laps: P. Radisich (N.Z. Ralt RT4), I; D. Hall (U.S., Swift) 2; D. Marvin (U.S. Ralt RT4) 3; D. Brabham (Australia Ralt RT4) 4; R. Groff (U.S. Ralt RT4) 5; K Smith (N.Z. Ralt RT4) 6. Race time: 23:41.70. Lady Wigram Trophy: Hall, 1; P. Tracy (Canada, Rait RT4), 2; Marvin, 3; Smith, 4: T. Prappas (U.S. Ralt RT4), 5; P. Johnstone (U.S. Ralt RT4), Sports Sedans: Race l: R Kennard (Cortina V8) 1, Osborne (Mazda Chev) 2; Grindley (Mazda Buick) 3. Race 2: R. Freeth (Starlet V8) 1; Kennard 2; B. Willis (Commodore Chev) 3. Provisional results: Group A, Race I: T. Crowe (BMW M3) 1; J. Sax (BMW M3) 2; R Gulson (BMW 635csi) 3. Race 2: Crowe 1, G. Gulson (BMW 635csi) 2; L. McKellard (BMW 635csi) 3. Mini 7: S. Jones 1, J. Brook 2, B. Hartley 3. Race 2: Jones 1, G. Brewer 2, W. Collins 3. Formula Ford, Race I: C Baird (Van Diemen) 1; G. Campbell (Swift) 2; S. Higgins (Van Diemen) Race Campbell i, Baird 2. McDonald (Van Diemen) 3. Laser TX3i: M. Rutherford I, S. Taylor 2; K. Pateman 3. can driver sweeps ailing Radi under pressure from his quite getting close enough team-mate, the Canadian to each other to mount a Paul Tracy. challenge. On lap 24, how- While Radisich led Hall, ever, Radisich passed the Tracy and Marvin, the start finish line fishing for Christchurch driver, Andy gears and pulled up McElrea continued to around the back handing show promise tucking in the lead to a delighted behind his team-mate, Hall. Ted Prappas, for sixth Hall eased out the final before conceding the five laps to lead Tracy piace to the old master across the line by 7.68 Ken Smith in a typical seconds at the finish with Smith out-braking Marvin third ahead of manoeuvre at the hairpin. Smith and Prappas. At the 10-lap mark it Further back appeared that a stalemate Jonnstone held of a lasthad been reached, with minute challenge from his Hall unable to peg back fellow American, Robbie Radisich, who held a 2%½ Groff, to take the final second lead while behind series point in sixth. Hall less than one second 'Hall was at a loss to covered Tracy and Mar- explain his car's return to vin • with Smith a little form. "It is still a new car off his usual pace in and I guess we are learnhiíth. ing about it and develop- After MCElrea had re- ing it all the time," he tired to the pits with said after the race. broken exhaust on lap 14 The earlier preliminary the order looked set to heat had seen Radisich remain the same until the add to his already impresfinish, with the front four sive tally of race wins all well in touch but never during the Benson and -..- sich Hedges series. Radisich streaked away to the front followed by the erratic Groff and Hall, while Prappas pulled up at the end of the first lap with suspension damage after clipping a course marker. On the third lap, with Radisich moving away, Hall moved ahead of Groff while the normally steady Smith had an offcourse excursion by the hangers. On lap six Tracy, who had been placed . fourth, pitted to change a punctured tyre allowing Marvin, David Brabham and McElrea to move into point scoring positions. Meanwhile, Smith was tracking McElrea and it seemed only a matter of time before he would push the Christchurch youngster down to seventh. Indeed, he moved ahead at the loop on lap 18. Other events: page 28