20-4-94 Wigram's chequere By Lindsay Kerr Motor racing enthusiasts knew the end was coming for the old Wigram circuit, but when the axe fell last week there was still an air of disbelief. In the end it wasn't the proposed closure of the air force base which brought about the demise of the meeting but the arrival of Formula Brabham cars on the New Zealand scene and the problems they • were going to create with the track safety inspectors. In reality the circuit would still have been as safe as it was back in the 1970s when the Formula 5000 cars used to thunder around. This, however, all means nothing now. Wigrant was on borrowed time and now it has gone. Perhaps the pity of it ail is that many who are close to the sport in Canterbury will probably. welcome the move to Ruapuna. Many yeas of deep involvement by these people has led to serious bouts of cyncism and the Wigram layout is often throught of as not good for spectators. If they meant that you couldn't see the whole track then they were correct. But to suggest the racing was no good was rubbish. The nature of the track made for excellent racing. It was long, wide and fast enough to create some In 1962 the Lady Wigram Irophy race was won by Jack Brabham. But it was the sight of strling Moss — a driver who is still regarded as the best in the world never to win the world championship - who rocketed through the field after a bad start to pass all but Brabham. There were the days of alcomers saloon car racing with the Mustang of Jim Richards, the twin cam Escort of Paul Fahey, the Cher Comaro of Rod Coppins who provided some epic batties. There was also Leo Leonard in the PDL Mustang 2 giving the field almost a lap start and still winning. Wigram has aiso seen current and future world champions like Brabham, Jimmy Clark who won on three occasions, Jackie Stewart once, Jochen Rindt once, Graham Hill, Denny Hulme and Keke Rosberg. Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon raced at Wigram on many occasions as has David Oxton, Graham McRae and Ken Smith. There have been the Indycar stars like bobby Rahl and Danny Sullivan. Racing, at Wigram started in 1949, with the Lady Wigram Tro- d flag phy race introduced two years later. Organised annually since 1951 by the Motor Racing club, the meeting became the sole remaining international event to be run on a operational airfield. This was a tribute to the organising skills of the club, coupled the with the good nature of RNZAF administration. The final act Wigram might not have produced the best Lady Wigram Trophy race ever seen, but it was certainly a memorable one with rain making conditions dangerous and the introduction of a new Formula into New Zealand. Fittingly, the Motor Racing Club will not hand the tropny over to the Canterbury Car Club, which will take over the traditional January meeting. "With spectator numbers static, the club would have little prospect of absorbing increased costs involved and showing, a proft from a once-a-year meeting. said Motor Racing Club president Don Craighead. "We also recognise the ettorts made by the Canterbury Car Club at the Ruapuna raceway. The club would be prepared to assist the Canterbury Car Club in any way possible to see that the meeting 1s a success. Murphy's day Hawkes Bay's Greg Murphy made a sensational debut in the Australian Formula Brabham championship last weekend when he won the opening round at Sydney's Eastern Creek track. The 21-year-ola winver of this year's New Zealand Grand Prix first qualified his leased car on pole and then won each of the 10-lap races with ease. Murphy's closest rival during the New Lealend Peter Jackson series and the winner of the last ever Lady Wigram Trophy race, Paul Stokell, was never a threat. Stokell qualified third, finished second in race one and then suffered gearbox problems, limping home fourth in race two. Murphy must find additional funding if he is to compete in round 2 of the championship at the Phillips Island circuit on May 22