19-1-94 Turning back clock at Wigram meeting By Lindsay Kerr Talk of the final race meeting at the Wigram air base has been around ever since it was announced that the facilities were to be sold. However, next weekend another Lady Witramn Trophy meeting be held along the lines of the first in 1949. Now a round of the Peter Jackson International series, this year's contribution at Wigram will unveil a new era in New Zealand motor racing with the arrival of the latest premier singleseater category. For 16 years the Lady Wigram trophy race, part of wider national series, has been for Formula Atlantic cars. Now with a declining interest. in these cars in the United States, the series organisers have decided to combine the class with Australian-built V6 Formula Brabhams. This year's championship will be held • over three incetings, the first at Wigram. Heading the six-strong Australian contingent vill be an ex-patriate New Zealander Graham Watson. Another Formula Brabhan will be driven by New Zealander Greg Murphy. Depending on which camp you are listening to on the outcome of race, both believe that their cars will be quicker. Veteran single-seater racer Ken Smith, who won the Lady Wigram in 1976, is sticking with an Atlantic, believing his Ford four cylinder twin cam engine will do the job. Smith has done back to back tests with both types of car but Murphy made the switch for reasons of cconomics rather than ONl looking at outright winning stakes. The overall costs of purchasing and running the Australian cars are believed to be considera- Shell Peter Jackson action: Kayne Scott (Ford Mustang) Tranzam championship. ELSTER Greg Murphy bly cheaper than the rormula Atlantic cars. Either way the prospect of introducing a new class will hold considerable fascination and appeal for those who hold any kind of interest in thoroughbred singleseater racing. Wigram is chock full of single seater racing history and to introduce a new category at the famous meeting appropriate and will create much discussion on the good old days, when the world's best drivers came to New Zealand io do some racing and enjoy a summer holiday. The good old days came to an end in the early 1970s when the top drivers gained big money contracts, leaving the overseas contingent to New Zealand earmarked for up and coming drivers who wanted to involve themselves in some out of season competition. For 1994, the overseas drivers number pienty. In addition to the Australians, Formula Atlantic cars will be driven by a German Michael Graf and American Buzz Calkins. Graf has had experience in the German For- leading the Goodyear NZ mula three championship while Calkins has recently competed in the American Indy Lights championship, a class which is the accepted stepping stone to Indy cars. Wigram 1994 will also feature rounds of the New Zealand Tranzam, Formula Ford and Touring car championships. The Tranzam's have had disappointing fields to date but the prospect of seeing Kayne Scott in his all new Ford Mustang and Kieran Wills in a new Chev Camaro on the fast and open Wigram circuit is exciting. To date Scott has been dominant and thoughts of another Mustang in the hands of Timaru's Leo Leonard spring to mind, particularly since he once gave the rest of the field almost a lap start with the PDL Mustang 2 and came through to win. Wigram too has been the venue for some epic saloon car action. In addition to Leonard's performance in the 1970s, the 1987 Australia-New Zealand clash was also a special day. The sight and sound of Trevor Crowe with his nimble Oldsmobile V8 powered Starlet battling against big Aussie Bob Tindall in a 6 litre Torana Providca some memorable moments.