MOTOR-CAR RACING

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25738, 25 February 1949, Page 4

MOTOR-CAR RACING

N.Z. CHAMPIONSHIP OFFICIAL CHECK OF ENTRIES Twenty of the 22 racing cars taking part in the 100-mile New Zealand road race championship at the Royal New Zealand Air Force station, Wigram, to-morrow were officially checked by the scrutineer (Mr W. G. Thomas) at a city garage last evening. Mr Thomas said afterwards that there was nothing inherently wrong with any of the cars and that, apart from a few minor details, they were all in a sound condition to start in the race. Two of the cars were not ready for inspection last evening. One is a T.A. 849 c.c. M.G. owned by Mr A. Ferguson, of Christchurch, which is a late entry. The other is a supercharged Austin 7, which is arriving by the steamer express this morning. This jear, owned and driven by Mr R. Roycroft, of Auckland, has done 111 miles an hour on the Muriwai beach at Auckland and holds fastest time for the New Zealand hill-climb championship at Paekakariki. A large crowd gathered to inspect the cars, a number of which have been built by their owners. All the cars have pre-war engihes, apart from a 1948 T.C. M.G., which has been entered by Mrs S. Lupp, of Dunedin, but they were-. all smart in appearance. Particularly attractive, with its brightly polished silver body, was a three-litre Bentley with a Ford V 8 motor, owned and driven by Mr J. Lowe. This and a 4j-litre Invicta owned by Mr F. P. Bennett are thfe two heaviest cars entered for the race. The Invicta was originally built for the Ulster Tourist Trophy Race, in which it was driven by Luis Fontes. It holds the South Island flying half-mile title and is one of the favourites for to-morrow’s race. One of the owner-built cars was that of Mr H. R. Logan, of Nelson. It is powered by a Singer Le Mans racing motor and has independent suspension with a differential made by Mr Logan at Nelson. Among the other cars taking part in the race are a B 4 Ford ivith an American overhead valve conversion, driven by Mr R. Hutcheon; an F.N., a Belgian car built specifically for sprinting, with an oil radiator, owned and driven by Mr K. N. May; a 1931 model Brooklands Riley, which gained third place in a 500-mile race at Brooklands in 1932 with two women drivers and will be driven to-morrow by Mr M. Proctor, of Wellington; and Mr P. M. Hoare’s Singer Special, with a Singer motor and a locally-built chassis. Mr Hume D. Christie will act as codriver for his son, Mr R. M. Christift, who is driving one of seven T-type M.G.’s taking part in the race. A practice run will be held this evening at Wigram.