8 - 8 - 91 Ralt drivers to race for new chamj pion ship By Lindsay Kerr In an attempt to further raise the profile of single seater racing in New Zealand, the Motorsport Association has announced …the establishment of a new championship for the drivers of Ralt cars in the forthcoming Peter Jackson series. Only four years ago the Ralt was the predominant car in the annual international series. Since then, however, two other manufacturers have entered the arena and the Ralt has suddenly found itself as nothing more than a field filler. It is, however, an important field filler because it has allowed many drivers the chance to get into a Formula Atlantic (formerly known as Pacific in New Zealand) car because of its sudden decrease in price. During that time, many of those who have chosen to drive the now ageing Ralt RT4 claim they have nothing to aim for. They have no chance of winning outright and therefore believe it is pointless to continue. For many of those who claim this, their argument is hard to comprehend because the chance to drive a Ralt RT4 would not have happened unless the new and obviously more expensive cars had arrived on the scene. Also driving such cars is an important stepping stone for getting into a more competitive car. Previousiy, it was race in Formula Fords and then take the plunge into Formula Atlantic, with all cars being similar but with drivers of widely different experience at that level. In the 1991 international series the Ralts were given their own prize fund and a trophy to race for, but unfortunately it did not receive the status it perhaps should have. The new championship is aimed at correcting that and encouraging more drivers to take the step into the class. The trophy at stake will be the Bruce McLaren Memorial Trophy which has in recent years been awarded to the New Zealand Gold Star champion. The trophy is a sterling silver scale model of a CANAM Mclaren sports car, the likes of which were raced with success during the 1960s by McLaren and Denny Hulme. The trophy was donated to the association by McLaren's father. McLaren's achievements as a driver and builder of racing cars remain an inspiration to all. It was the winning of New Zealand's Driver to Europe awards which helped him establish himself on the world scene. While the Driver been abandoned bec championship will r the winner and hell drives in Europe. "Its introduction to Europe scheme has cause of cost, the new recognise the efforts of Ip them obtain elusive is recognition of the technology and cost composite chassis Swift and the older Ralts, Snellgrove, said. "It aims to create an gap between the and Reynard cars the manager, Ian other achievemen tier of recognition of the often unrewarded efforts of those who have struggled with the aluminium monocoque Formula Atlantie cars." The McLaren championship competitors will also gain points for the Gold Star series. To assist media and public perception of the two-tier structure, cars contesting the McLaren championship will be identified by a daygio band around the nose cone and a border around the wing side plates. One person who considered jumping up the ladder into Formula Atlantic last season was Christchurch driver Paul Larsen. He had just won the national Formula Ford championship in a convincing style and believed Formula Atlantic was his natural progression. However, driving a Ralt at the back of the field was not his idea of racing. Now with the new championship in place his mind is still the same. "It is certainly better than it was. At least those drivers will get some recognition. But for me it is still not winning races. The budget too would be the same as driving a competitive Formula Ford and there are more drivers in that class, therefore it is more enjoyable, * he said. SkYLINE GARAG Davy Jones leads team-mate Ross Cheevers, both in Rait RT4s, during the 1984 Lady Wigram Trophy race.