10-2-00 Awkward by Rod Dew New Zealand's most famous motor racing special, the Ralph Watson Lycoming, completed its farewell appearance on the historic Wigram circuit - on the end of a tow rope. It was not quite the way Dunedin owner Ralph Smith had intended to mark the final race meeting on the high speed 3.87km airfield circuit at Wigram yesterday. Smith was attempting to pass a rival near the hangars, and ran out of space, slamming into the tyre wall and destroying the two right-hand mudguards of the polished aluminium racer. "There was just a wall of tyres in front of me. There was nothing I could do," he said. Earlier in the day Smith, who has owned the 1956 special for 20 years, delighted the crowd of some 3000 - all claiming in jocular fashion to be members of somebody's pit crew - with some spirited driving The classic meeting, intended for drivers only, as a final farewell to one of New Zealand's best known international circuits, was officially closed to the public. The Lycoming, powered by an air-cooled four-cylinder aircraft engine, had its most memorable race in the 1960 Lady Wigram Trophy international when it was borrowed by the late Bruce Mclaren. It more than held its own against the European factory cars, and would have finished higher than fourth had it not suffered from brake fade. " It is part of Wigram history and it was only right and proper that I brought it today," said Smith. Among the fastest cars yesterday were the 1974 Formula end for Wigram relic PHOTO: JOHN KIRK-ANDERSON Lola Formula 5000 drivers John Crawford, left, and lan Clements during the Wigram farewell classic car meeting. 5000 Lola T332s of Christchurch drivers John Crawford and Ian Clements. Crawford set the pace early on, blasting down the long back straight at speeds approaching 300kinh, but it was Ruapuna classic grand prix winner, Auckland's Bill Farmer, who cafe through in the second race with a superb drive in his rare Japanese Mugen Honda powered Dome Formula 3000. American enthusiast Brian Blain only reached the track an hour before the first event after winning a race against time to replace a bent valve in the 650bhp V8 of his Ford Thunderbird NASCAR. It showed its true capability for the first time, finishing a close third behind the incomparable PDL Ford Mustang of Peter Stewart and the remarkable 1977 Holden Torana of John Rae The speeds reached on the track caught Blain by surprise. "Im geared too low. I had to feather it down the back straight. I never dreamed Wigram was as fast as this," he said. There was one car which threatened to steal the show without facing the starting flag — the 1930 Brooklands Riley in which Morrie Proctor won the first Lady Wigram trophy race in 1949. Lois Witte, who has owned the car for the last 13 years, and husband Leon took the venerable machine for a run around the track during the lunch break. In terms of motor racing nostalgia, this could not be surpassed.