10 24 1n2 italian Flane (ineral later s GOOD YEAR championship next month and in February, Dymand, a former Christehurch businessman, no The IMSA GIO Chevrolet Corvette to be driven by Sieve Dymand in the Hansells Sun States. Series There is every indication that the Benson and Hedges international motor-race series, which brought new vigour to New Zealand circuits last summer, will continue to improve things this season. The series, which will begin at Baypark on January 8 and take in meetings in Pukekobe, on January 15, Manfeild, on January 22, wigram, on January 29, and Timaru, on February 5, has as its showpiece the Peter Jackson Formula Pacific series. Iwo heats for the Pacific cars will be run at each meeting, making up a 10-round championship. At the time of writing, eight overseas entries had been received by the organisers, Global Sports and Promotions, with at least one further entry confidently expected. Of the known conienders the biggest team will again by fielded by Graeme Lawrence, who will run three Americanbuilt Swifts for last vear's promises more John Hawkins on RACING winner, Dean Hall, of the United States, and his compatriots Mark Smith and Scott Gibson. Confirming the emergence of Japanese drivers on the international scene, are Hiro Matsushita and Kenji Mamoto, both of whom will also drive Swifts. The former driver, now turned team manager Dave McMillan, is once again ning a well Crow, while an expatriate New Zealander and former national Formula Ford champion, Mike Finch, will make the overdue move to Pacifics in a Ralt RT4, albeit an older version than Crow's. A staunch supporter of the series, Bob Creasy, from Perth. will return for the sheer enjoyment of motor racing; he is unlikely to be near the front-running pace. At first glance all the aforementioned would appear to be cannon fodder for last year's series winner, the accomplished New Zealand international. Paul Radisich Radisch. however. is likely to be making the move from his elderly. but tried but tested Rait RT4 to one of the new, and increasingly numerous Swifts. If, as his rivals will no doubt be hoping. Radisich takes time to adapt to his new mount, the established Swift runners. such as Hall and Matsushita. will not be found wanting. impro KENJI MAMOTO the end of the last series, will return a much tougher competitor after a successful season in the United States with knowledge of the New Zealand circuits gleaned during his last campaign and a good working relationship with Lawrence's team. Matsushita finishe third in the America west Formula Atlanti series, which was won b Valley sports sedan w lives in the United vement pany, Panasonic. Mark Smith, aged 21, has a strong reputation in Super Vee racing, and should mature as a race driver during the series, as have many other young Americans in the past. Of the New Zealand contingent, Ken Smith is also thought to be making late negotiations for Swift, but if these plans fail to reach fruition he will drive a 1988 model Ralt RT4. To describe Smith as a veteran is the ultimate overworking of a cliche: in fact. his age is no longer a novelty. Suffice to say that Ken Smith is always a threat and will remain SO during this year's Peter Jackson series. Other leading New Zealanders in the field will be Richard Lester, Steve Richards and the Formula • Ford graduates, Craig Baird and lan Mac- Donald. Baird. the Formula Ford titleholder, is highly rated and McDonald, formerly of Christchurch, is progressing well in his move to Exciting sedan addition An IMSA GTO Chevrolet Corvette, to be driven by an expatriate New Zealander, Steve Dymand, is an exciting addition to the Hansells Sum Valley Sports Sedan championship. The championship will be contested during the Benson and Hedges international meetings next month and in February. Dymand, a former Christchurch businessman, will bring the Corvette to New Zealand to gain some racing experience with it in preparation for an assault on the American Trans-Am championship. Dymand, aged 44, contested drag and circuit races with a Camaro and Monaros in the late sixties and during the seventies, before moving to California in 1979. After a careful study of business possibilities there, Dymand launched Koala Springs fruit-flayoured mineral water on to the American market. Such has been the suecess of the project that sales of the product are expected to exceed $100 million by 1990. Dymand's financial success has paved the way for a return by him to motor racing. "I've always loved motor racing," he says, "and nOw that I can afford to do it properly, I'm keen te come back to New Zealand to have some fun, meet up with my old friends and do some shake-down testing and racing in prepara tion for racing a two-car team in American Trans- Am events in 1989. is a "This Corvette very sophisticated race car, which I am sure all New Zealand motor-sport enthusiasts will enjoy studying and seeing performe corvette is a 55litre V&-engined tube frame, manufactured by Protofab Engineering. It is fuel-injected and produces around 600 bhp. The car runs a five-speed Weismann gearbox and weighs in at around 1157kg. Although negotiations to ensure the car's participation are continuing, a late shadow of doubt has been cast en its eligibility by the ruling of the M.A.N.Z. technical manager, lan Snellgrove, that as a two-seater the Corvette does not comply 30 - 12-88