Motor Racing EASY WIN FOR McLAREN

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28833, 2 March 1959, Page 18

Motor Racing EASY WIN FOR McLAREN

Mile Margin At Ohakea (New Zealand Press Association) PALMERSTON NTH., March 1. In the lead from the start of the nee. Bruce McLaren’s supremacy in the Ohakea trophy race on the Ohakea airfield on Saturday never appeared in danger at any stage. Driving Ms Formula 1 Cooper Climax skilfully he won by the length of the straight from S. Jensen, of Palmerston North. McLaren’s time of 34min 4.3 sec resulted in the event being classified as the fastest race In New Zealand. McLaren’s victory places him in an unassailable position as the country’s champion driver. Before the Ohakea meeting, McLaren had 40 points In the gold star award and had a clear lead over S. Jensen in second place, with 32 points, and Roos Jensen, who was third, with 28 points. So far ahead was McLaren within the first few laps that much of the attention of the crowd of 17,000 centred on the battle between T. Clarke and S. Jensen over the first 12 laps. When Ross Jensen retired from second place, With gearbox trouble in the thirteenth circuit, Clarke and S. Jensen continued the rivalry until Clarke, who always managed to stay ahead of Jensen, lost considerable ground when his car spun right round in front of the hangars. McLaren’s easy win by nearly a mile resulted after he had completed the 25 laps at an approximate average of Imin 21.7<fcec for each of the 2.118 mile —laps of the course—an average speed of about 94 miles an hour. His fastest circuit was timed at Imin 21sec. Unfortunately, according to an- official of the club, because of the distance between <he first three placings, no times were were taken for S. Jensen and Clark. In the Republic of El Salvator’s Maserati Piccolo, Ross Jensen won the sports and racing car scratch race after leading all the way from Clark in a Ferrari.