Motor-Racing TROPHY RACE AT WIGRAM

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28793, 14 January 1959, Page 6

Motor-Racing TROPHY RACE AT WIGRAM

Glass Unable To

Compete

The number of overseas drivers who will compete at the Lady Wigram Trophy race on January 24 has now been reduced to two—the smallest number of overseas competitors to compete since the international races were began in 1954. Yesterday, the Australian, Arnold .Glass, advised the MotorRacing Club that he was not satisfied with the performance of his Ferrari and was returning to Australia.

The Motor Racing Club is now left with only Ron Flockhart (8.R.M.) and Jack Brabham (Cooper) as major drawcards for Wigram. The club was relying on the Maseratis of Joakim Bonnier. Harry Schell, and Carroll Shelby coming to Christchurch—which would have been an intensely interesting field—but all three are unable to compete because there are no spares for their cars in this country. Flockhart will arrive at the Christchurch Airport by a pri-vately-owned Cessna aircraft on Sunday. His car, which has been fitted with a new gearbox after its failure at Ardmore last Saturday, is loaded on the Kamatui, which is expected to berth at Lyttelton early on Monday morning. Gordon Newman, the chief mechanic for B.R.M. is travelling on the vessel with the car. Brabham will not arrive in Christchurch until the middle of next week. He will have two cars at Wigram—a'“Cooper 1960 c.c. and the 2200 c.c. car which he drove into second place at Ardmore.

On Thursday morning of next week, the drivers will be tendered a civic . reception by the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr George Manning), and in the evening there will be a function organised by the Motor Racing Club.