15-1-93 Spectacular racing likely LOT of thought has been put into ensuring a better A show during this season's Peter Jackson Series, A because motor-racing is now no longer seen as just a sp ort, but a form of entertainment. In recognition of the fact that big powerful saloon cars, have the greatest spectator appeal, two American cars & ind drivers have been brought out to contest the Peter Jackson Auto News TraNZam races. Thes ie two exciting cars, a Porsche 944 and a Pontiac Firebird, will be driven by Chris Kreifel and Scott Lagasst?, respectively - two drivers who have already proven their worth on the American scene. The car that these two will have to beat is the Ford Merkur, driven by the New Zealand champion, Kayne Scott. Th e Merkur proved spectacularly fast at Wigram last season, setting a lap time which would have placed it among the best Atlantic cars. The Pet ch Motorsport team further developed the car during the off-season, , given its mechanical reliability, it will be hard to beat. Other fast V8s, and potential front runners, include Grant Brennan's immaculate Camaro, Don Grindley's olish has benefited and erensive chasis revisons, and a more powerful engine. These cars will be supported by a strong field of the popular OSCA contenders. The Formula Ford class has always been noted for its wheel-to-wheel racing. While this will continue, the Dunlop championship mas been dominated by the Australian international driver, Russell Ingall. With a top car and a top team, the Australian ace has shown our best a clean pair of heels, as might have been expected, but our national champion Garry Croft and the rising star, Ashley Stichbury, have been closing the gap each meeting. The Aztec New Zealand Touring Car Series has been designed to regenerate the rivalry between General Motors and Ford which used to be rampant in motorsport categories world wide. Fans of late-model production-car based racing will be thrilled by the number of nearly new Holden Commodores and Ford Falcons, which are expected to battie bumper to bumper. The format of the race is that the cars race for 20 minutes, followed by a 10-minute break, while the leading grid positions are reassembled in reverse order. The field is then set lose again. The leading contenders will be the Commodores of Ed Lamont, Frank Ryan, and Barry Dryden, against the Falcon of Rodger Freeth. The highligat among the rest of the supporting events will be the Mini 7 championship clash, in which it is hoped that some of the top North island exponents will test their mettle against the best Southerners for the first time this season. For fans of two-wheeled racing, the airfield motorcycle championships will be contested over two races, with two of the fabulous Britten 1000 machines expected to be in attendance for Jason McEwan and Andrew Stroud. Adding to the excitement, patrons will be able to experience the sight and sound of a modern Formula One car in full flight, when Kenny Smith demonstrates the Leyton House car during the lunch break. This car should be in its element at Wigram, and may be joined in the demonstration by the Indy Lola of Rodger Freeth. Russell Ingall, from Australia, has shown that he indeed is a classy driver during the Dunlop Formula Ford races. oyot Petarjackson RPESAS Craig Baird, defending Formula Pacific champion, will be driving a Toyota for this year's Wigram leg of the Peter Jackson Series. Hones has Stuart Crow, from Texas will be highly competitive in Sunday's Lady Wigram Trophy race. Visitors often champions in the making It has often been said International Series no long calibre of those who used races in years past. It has, in fact, been m from the very top eche that the Peter Jackson ger attracts drivers of the to visit our international any years since drivers lons have visited New Zealand. The demand: required to bring the drivers such as Senna quite unrealistic. It is interesting to our visitors have gon s on their time and the money m here means that to expect a, Prost, or Mansell would be note, however, that some of le on to greater things: Keke Rosberg rose to become world. champion; Teo Fabi contested the World Sportscar Championship, Formula One, and indycar races; Danny Sullivan won the Indy 500; Roberto Moreno became an competent Formula One driver; and lately, Paul Tracy is now on the verge of Indycar stardom with the renowned Penske team. In recent times our own trio at the top, Craig Baird, Paul Radisich, and Ken Smith have tended to dominate the overseas opposition, but this year's selected field is the most competitive to have been seen in many seasons. Baird was doggedly pursued last year by the British driver, Julian Westwood, in wet conditions. This year a young Dutehman, Jos Verstappen, has proven an exciting prospect, and is already tipped for a future in Formula One. He is expected to extract every ounce of performance from his Lawrence Autosport Swift at Wigram on Sunday. Two cars to keep a particularly close eye on are the Williams look-alike Rait RT40s of the Texans, Stuart Crow and Charles Nearburg. Under the guidance of an expatriate Kiwi, Dave McMillan, these two were among the best drivers in last year's American series, and Crow finished third in the close American title chase. Another American, Gene Pope, could well find his style suited to the sweeps of the airfield circuit, while his team-mate, Steve Cameron, is undoubtedly a potential winner, if he can find the finance which will enable him to contest the race. Cameron, another expatriate New Zealander, finished second in the American series, and intensely keen to finally prove his worth on home soil, where he is almost unknown, compared with drivers such as Baird, Radisich, and Smith. Another top runner will be last year's Bruce McLaren Memorial Trophy winner, Greg Murphy. The young New Zealander is an exciting prospect, and armed with a competitive car for the first time, he could well be the find of the series. Further international flavour will be added by the Englishman, James Taylor. Driving another of the highly regarded Ralt RT40s, Taylor has a lot more experience under his belt Wigram last vear, and is a a point to prove. Look, too, for young Chri outdated Ralt RI4. His car Zealand which could be specially instituted Bruce Maxwell is the only one determination to enter the In a later-model car Max' competitive as Murphy. than when he raced at nother competitor with is Maxwell with his now • is one of many in New • used to contest the e McLaren class, but who has shown enough • series. well could well prove as