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Formula Pacific Series results: top 6 after Round 4 at Ruapuna

Peter Jackson International Series results box for the Ruapuna round: Craig Baird won both races from Ken Smith and Robbie Groff. Smith leads on 122 points from Baird on 112.

Formula Pacific, Ruapuna (Race 1)

1C. Baird
2K. Smith
3R. Groff
4P. Radisich
5B. Thomlinson
6I. McDonald

Formula Pacific, Ruapuna (Race 2)

1C. Baird
2K. Smith
3R. Groff
4I. McDonald
5D. Cockerton
6R. Lester

Facts

  • Series points after round 4 at Ruapuna (January 1990): K. Smith 122, C. Baird 112, P. Radisich 73, R. Lester 65, R. Groff 61, B. Thomlinson 51.
  • The next and final round of the 1990 Peter Jackson series was Timaru, February 3/4.
race report · The Press · Lindsay Kerr

Historic win for teen racer

Teenage Hamiltonian Craig Baird (Swift DB4) won the Lady Wigram Trophy at Ruapuna in extreme heat, holding off Ken Smith by 0.12sec after Paul Radisich's Reynard 892 retired with ignition problems. Robbie Groff was third, 12.52sec back, and Ian MacDonald took fourth when Jovey Marcelo retired with a cracked spark plug. Baird also won the 25-lap preliminary by 6.4sec. With two races left Smith led Baird by 10 points. Support-race winners included Kieran Wills, Paul Larsen, David Slater, Angus Fogg/Peter Black and Jim Little.

Peter Jackson Formula Pacific championship, Heat 1 (25 laps)

1C. BairdSwift DB416:36.22
2K. SmithSwift DB4
3R. Groff (USA)Swift
4P. RadisichReynard 89K
5B. ThomlinsonRalt RT4
6I. MacDonaldRalt RT4

Lady Wigram Trophy Race (50 laps)

1BairdSwift DB433:27.3
2Smith0.12 sec behind
3Groff12.52 sec behind
4MacDonald
5D. CockertonRalt RT4
6R. LesterRalt RT4

Hansells Sun Valley Thundersaloons (Race 1)

1K. WillsMazda Chev7:08.04
2B. WillisMazda MX6
3W. HuxfordChev Capri

Hansells Sun Valley Thundersaloons (Race 2)

1Wills
2K. ScottNissan 300ZX
3R. FreethRover Starlet

Motorcraft Formula Ford championship (Heat 1)

1P. LarsenSwift15:08.05
2M. PedersonVan Diemen
3M. Carpenter (Australia)Swift

Motorcraft Formula Ford championship (Heat 2, 20 laps)

1Larsen15:12.14
2Pederson
3G. CampbellSwift

Castrol production saloons (Race 1, 10 laps)

1D. SlaterLaser Turbo8:34.74
2L. VandermeerLaser Turbo
3S. GardinerLaser Turbo

Castrol production saloons (Race 2, 10 laps)

1Slater8:42.73
2Vandermeer
3R. WilsonLaser Turbo

Agip Oils South Island Mini 7 championship (Race 1, 8 laps)

1A. Fogg7:08.02
2A. Hyde
3P. Black

Agip Oils South Island Mini 7 championship (Race 2, 8 laps)

1Black7:10.25
2Hyde
3Fogg

Ray Parker Autos Pre 65 saloon championship (Race 1, 8 laps)

1J. LittleValiant6:57.71
2P. RoffeyChev Belair
3C. BlackwoodFalcon Coupe

Ray Parker Autos Pre 65 saloon championship (Race 2, 8 laps)

1Little7:03.10
2Roffey
3Blackwood

Facts

  • Craig Baird, 19, won the 50-lap 1990 Lady Wigram Trophy at Ruapuna by 0.12 sec from Ken Smith; Robbie Groff was 12.52 sec further back.
  • Paul Larsen won eight of eight starts in the 1990 Motorcraft Formula Ford championship up to the Ruapuna round.
  • Radisich's Reynard 892 retired from the 1990 Lady Wigram Trophy with ignition problems.
Read the OCR text
29-1 - 90 PET INTERN ER JACKSON ATIONAL SERIES ONE JACKSON /PETER ONE Formula Pacific Series Results The top 6 after Round 4 at Ruapuna. RACE 1 RACE 2 1st C. Baird 1st C. Baird 2nd K. Smith 2nd K. Smith 3rd R. Groff 3rd R. Groff 4th P. Radisch 4th I. MeDonald 5th B. Thomlinson 5th D. Cockerton 6th I. McDonald 6th R. Lester POINTS TO DATE K. Smith. 122 R. Lester . 65 C. Baird 112 R. Groff ... .. 61 P. Radisch 73 B. Thomlinson 51 NEXT RACE: TIMARU, February 3/4. D06 Needham/GSC320 Come on feel the noise. HIS toric win for teen racer Teenage Hamilto Lady Wigram Trophy In extreme beat Baird (Swift DB4) survived the close attention of New Zealand's • international driver, Paul Radisich, and the series leader in the Peter Jackson Championship, veteran Ken Smith. Over the first half of the race the gap between the trio never went beyond Isec and when Radisich dropped out when his Reynard 892 developed ignition problems, only .5sec separated Baird, 19, and Smith who was also in a Ford-powered Swilt. At the end Smith had closed the gap to only .12sec. with 12.52sec back to third place driver Rob bie Groff (U.S.) in his Toyota-powerea switt. "It was the greatest win of my life," Baird said. "I knew the opposition was close at hand but I could have gone for another 50 laps. I work hard at my physical fitness and I was sure that the heat would be affecting Kenny (Smith) more than me. As a driver I feel have now crossed the bridge." Smith, meanwhile, was generous in his praise for Baird, a driver who is less than half his age. "I tried everything knew to get by him but ne kept his cool," Smith said. "I thought that 1 would be able to force a chink in his armour but to Craig's credit he did not falter. 1 can only congratulate him on a great win in what was a great race." Behind the American was the first of the Ralt RT4 drivers, lan Mac- Donald. Although a lap By Lind n driver Craig Baird u race at Ruapuna race down on the leading three he also drove the race of his career, taking over the fourth spot on lap 30 when Jovey Marcelo from the Philippines retired his Swift DB4 when a spark plug cracked. Error In the preliminary race over 25 laps the battle out in front was similar to the trophy race. Baird mace full use of his pole position and led out Radisich and Smith. On lap 12 Radisich made an uncharacteristic error, clipping a track wail and spinning. He resumed. streaking home in fourth place behind Baird, Smith and Groff. Smith again looked as though he would get the better of Baird but when lapping backmarkers Baird made better progress and won by 64sec. With •n!! two races remaining in the series Smith leads Baird by 10 points and Radisich third 37 points behind. Kieran Wills in his impressive Mazda Cher had little trouble in winning both rounds of the Hansells Sun Valley Thundersaloon championship but behind him the action was fast and furious. National championship leader Rodger Freeth, (Rover Starlet) looked to bave second place in race one but a fractured oil line kept him out, leaving Brett Willis, of Rotorua (Mazda MX5), to challenge Wills. Freeth was back for race two but was edged out of second place by Kayne Isay Kerr pset his more fancied riv way yesterday. Scott in his American Nissan 3002x. Scott was not . credited with a finish in race one after starting from tae pit lane under a red light. With Freeth's retirement from race one the championship lead passed to Christchurch driver John Osborne; who, with two no-nonsense results, a fourth and a fifth, will go to the next round in the lead Christchurch driver Paul Larsen continued his relentless march to securing the Motorcraft Formula Ford championship with two runaway wins. In the championship to date Larsen has the perfect record with eight wins from eight staris. The scrap for the minor places was leit to champion Grant Campbell, Mark Pederson, Martir Carpenter, from Australia. Andrew Neale, and Christchurch's Grant Milligan and Andrew McElrea. David Slater (Ford Laser Turbo) had little difficulty in winning both heats of the Castrol production car championship although in one race he had to keep a carefui eye on Louise Vandermeer in a similar car. A driver from the North ISland, Angus rogg, upset tne locais in tne irst race of the Agip South Island Mini championship. While he ran away the championship ieaders had to be content to fight it out for second. This involved Avon Hyde and Peter • Black while New Zealand , champion John Hamilton als to win the 50-lap initially with the bunch but slowed dowD with suspension probiem. In the second outing luxuries Fussies not givenack Black emerged as the winner after a race long battie with Hyde. Jim Little scored twa hard-fought wins in the Pre-65 Saloon champion ship. Driving his Valiant Y8, he was tracked all the way in both races by Paul Roffey in his Chey Belair. Results: Peter Jackson Formula Pacific championship - Heat 1 (25 laps) C. Baird (Swift DB4). 1; K. Sanita (Swift DB4); 2: R. Groff, U.S. (Swift), 3;_ P. Radisich (Reynard 89K) 4: B. Tomlinson (Ralt RT4), 6; I. MacDonald (Ralt RT4) 6, 16:36.22. Lady • Wigram Trophy Race (50 laps) - Baird I; Smith 2; Grotf 3; MacDonald 4: D. Cockerton (Ralt RT4) 5; R. Lester (Ralt RT4) 6; 33:27.3. Hansells Sun Valley Thundersalons - Race 1: K. Wills (Mazda Chev) 1; B. Willis (Mazda MXG) 3, W. Huxford (Chev Capri) 3; 7:08.04. Race 2: Wills I; K. Scott (Nissan 300ZX) 2: R. Freeth (Rover Starlet) 3. Motorcraft Formula Ford champiozship - Heat 1: P.. Larsen (Swilt) 1; M. Pederson (Van Dieman) 2. M. Carpenter, Australia (Swift) 3: 15:08.05. Heat 2, 20 laps: Larsen I; Pederson 2: G. Campbel! (Swift) 3; 15:12.14. Castrol production salons - Race 1 (10 laps): D. Slater (Laser Turbo) 1: L. Vardermeer (Laser Turbo) 2; S. Gardiner (Laser Turbo) 3; 8:34.74. Race 2 (10 laps): Stater 1; Vandermeer 2: R. Wilson (Laser Turbo) 3; 8:42.73. Agip Oils South Island Mini 7 championship - Race 1 (8 Laps): A Fogg 1; 4. Hyde 2; P. Blact 3; 7:08.02. Race 2 (8 laps): Black 1; Hyde 2; Fogg 3; 7:10.25. Ray Parker Autos Pre 65 saloon championship - Race 1 (8 laps): J. Little (Valiant) 1: P.Roffey_(Chev Belair) 2: C. Blackwood (Falcon Coupe) 3; 6:57.71. Race 2 (8 aps uttle 1; Rofley 2. Blackmcod : 7:03.10.

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