Motorsport a passion for mar With his wealth of motorsport knowledge and collection of memorabilia, Chris Williamson is familiar to participants and spectators. JOHN HAWKINS talks to the man behind the collection. land's annual summer motor racing series closely more than likely have met Chris Williamson. From his wheelchair, Chris can often be seen deep in conversation with the drivers and mechanics who make up the series, and he is respected for his wealth of motorsport knowiedge. But for a diving accident, which left him paralysed below the neck, he would probably be working with them - most likely as a mechanic. Chris was about to lake up an apprenticeship as a motor mechanic at the time of his accident in 1971. Instead, his spinal injuries caused him to become a motor racing spectator, and to take up his other hobby as a ham radio operator. Through his motor racing contacts and his radio network, he has made many longtime friends and contacts internationally. Chris admits that he has had his bad times, but says that in his situaton he has had to take a sensible approach and find other things to do. It is clear that, within himself, he has found special courage at least equal to that possessed by the racing drivers he admires so much. His introduction to motorsport came through his cousin, Lyall Willlamson, who was head mechanic on the famous PDL Mustang in the 1970s. From there he got to know many of the OSCA competitors and served for two years as secretary of the association. Later he found his attention began to wander from saloons, and he was increasingly attracted to purpose-built single seaters. Travelling the pits by wheelchair, he soon struck up friendships with the likes of Kenny Smith and Dave McMillan, who runs the Ralt America Formula Atlantic team and still keeps in regular contact. In 1972, Australian drivers Kevin Bartlett and Frank Matich, along with American Sam Posey, visited Chris While in Christchurch and started a long chain of famous visitors to his room, which has become something of a motorsport shrine, and is chockfull of motor racing memorabilia. Chris remembers the F5000 racing era with affection. He has maintained his interest in the sport and has missed only two Wigram meetings since 1972. Ile is continually amazed at the help and encouragement he receives from many within the motor racing fraternity, particularly Smith and McMillan. (The nose-cone from McMillan's Wigram winning Rait RT1 decorates his ceiling.) Kiwi race mechanic Murray McLaren keeps him in touch with developments there. The year 1989 was a highlight in Chris Williamson's life American race drivers Mark Smith and Stuart Crow visited him in January, and with Ken Smith and McMillan, arranged for him to attend the Australian Grand Prix in Adelaide. In Adelaide expatriate New Zealander Brett Lupton arranged for him to spend time in the March Formula One team's pit. n of courage MYNC Chris Williamson's room has become "something of a motorsport shrine". Before he travelled, Chris wrote to the Williams team boss, Frank Williams, who is also wheelchairbound. Chris was delighted that the busy team manager took time from his schedule to talk with him. Visitors to Chris's room are at first agog when confronted with his collection. Along with his ham radio gear he has a selection of over 400 model racing cars, mostly Formula One and IndyCars. Posters line his walls and helmets read like a walk down memory lane - Paul Radisich's, Graeme • Lawrence's, Kenny Smith's, Mike Thackwell's, Mark Smith's, and more. A blue and yellow helmet was once worn by Fl ace, Michele Alboreto. It might be expecied that Alboreto's helmet would hold pride of place, but this is not necessarily so. "That helmet is special because of what Fl stands for," says Chris. "but a lot of the others stand for good friendships and they are special to me for that reason." One driver who became a good friend, and whose last race-suit hangs from Chris's ceiling Thackwell, the young Kiwi whose career promised so much, yet he turned his back on the sporl and faded into obscurity. Thackwell now lives in Perth, where he is involved in a mining venture, and still corresponds with Chris. "Mike was 10 to 15 years out of his time. He only wanted to drive cars. Everything else — the sponsorship, the commercial considerations . spoilt it for nim. Now he has very little interest in the sport." Chris has a computer too, and uses it with the aid of a mouthstick. In his quest for extra knowledge, he has taken polytechnic courses in computing and has also become a proficient typist. A look of concern registers on his face when he considers that he might run out of space in his small room in which to continue his collection. Each exhibit, from the smallest model through to the Rait nose-cone, means something special to him, and he is surrounded by good memories of people he has met. Williamson has memories, too, of the late Denny Hulme. New Zealand's only F1 World Champion was another to call on Chris when he visited Christchurch and even took him for a rapid ride in his Scania racing truck at Ruapuna. Although Hulme was once known as "the bear", , Chris saw another side to him. "He was a wonderful man. I feel frustrated at the way New Zealand has treated him and that his efforts were not fully recognised during his lifetime." Nor was Hulme the only world champion to call. Chris was thrilled to be vistted by Jackle Stewart when the Scotsman came to New Zealand for the Sports-. man of the Year dinner in 1988. He found Stewart very easy to talk to and questioned him on the different decades of Formula One and sought his opinion about the drivers of the time. Yet another world champion on two wheels as well as four - John Curtees, was introduced by George Begg. Chris found Surtees a quiet man and less forthcoming with his opinions on motorsport than Stewart. Chris continues lo avidly follow both the Formula One and IndyCar disciplines. When pressed to reveal which he prefers, he reluctantly admits that the recent IndyCar races have been more exciting. "They've got to do something to change F1. Since Mansell left there has been more and more talk of IndyCar racing where there is more overtaking and you don't know who's going to win." Like many, he sees a move away from the high-tech gadgetry as the salvation of F1 racing. His favourite driver? - Damon Hill, and he predicted the British driver's recent success.