Cars To Start On Wednesday In South Island Reliability Trial

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27861, 9 January 1956, Page 13

Cars To Start On Wednesday In South Island Reliability Trial

Early on Wednesday morning. 74 cars will leave Invercargill at twominute intervals to begin a 2500-mile journey around the South Island— Southland’s gruellftig centennial reliability trial.

The event, one of the highlights of the Southland centennial celebrations, is being organised by the Southland Sports Car Club and the Southland Automobile Association. Drivers from all over New Zealand, and one from Australia, will pit their skill and endurance against the hazards of the route. The winner will collect £ 1000 in prize-money, plus special trophies and awards, and valuable advertising fees. The trial is a test of driver and navigator and car against tight time schedules, difficult roads, and the unknown. Speed will be under 50 miles an hour over the whole journey.

When the cars leave Invercargill, they will cover 500-mile sections, with stops at Dunedin, Christchurch, Nelson. and Timaru.

Christchurch is the end of the second leg of the journey, and the cars should arrive about dusk on Thursday. The control point is at Addington, and there the public will be able to see what makes a trial car “tick.”

The cars will leave on the third section, to Nelson, on Friday night. The cars will travel all night over some difficult roads to Nelson. This will be one of the most arduous stages of the route.

The cars will be impounded at Addington to prevent major mechanical repairs. Routine servicing will be permitted, but by the crewonly. From Nelson, the cars will travel through Westland to Timaru, where they are expected to arrive on January 15. The trial will end in Invercargill on January 17—the opening of the centennial celebrations.

During the last few days, entrants from all over the country have been pouring into Invercargill. Their brightly-painted cars have attracted w-ide interest.

A well-known Christchurch trials competitor and racing driver. Mrs J. Monk, will be the only woman driver in the trial. Several crews have women members. One veteran trials driver insists that they make the best navigators. The only overseas driver is a former Southland man, Mr Pat Waddick. of Geelong. He is a veteran of many Australian events, and is considered a “hot” favourite for the trial.

Christchurch is well represented, with eight entrants. Each car has a large identifying number on each side, so Canterbury cars will not be difficult to locate among the dustcovered, dirty vehicles that will arrive at Addington. " The Christchurch drivers and their car numbers are: F. O. Sandrey 15, R. T. Jeal 24. M. R. Stenhouse 26, W. K. McDonald 31, H. A. Holmes 35, Mrs J. Monk 42. C. F. Evans 63, McDonald Motors, Ltd. 70.