MOTOR RACING AWARDS

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29220, 2 June 1960, Page 17

MOTOR RACING AWARDS

Presentations To Drivers

At a special function in Christchurch last evening, two of Canterbury’s most noted racing drivers were presented with special awards to mark their success in national competition. They were P. M. Hoare, winner of the Association of New Zealand Car Clubs gold star award for the national hill climb champion, and H. J. W. Heasley, winner of the New Zealand Racing Drivers’ Club award for the champion saloon car competitor. Several of New Zealand’s leading motor racing administrators attended the function, which was organised by the Motor Racing Club, sponsor of the annual international race at Wigram.

The president of the Motor Racing Club (Mr J. A. Brewer) said the function had been arranged to recognise the success of two of its members in national competition. The race at Wigram this year had been very successful from the club’s point of view, and the good attendance had not been by accident—lt was a reflection of successful race organisation. “Those of us who war* concerned in Hie first race held at Wigram in 1949 never felt that the time would come when we could field drivers of world championship calibre—yet that is precisely what occurred this year. We have got the public thinking and we have endeavoured to try and maintain the interest over the last two or three years by attracting overseas competitors," be said. Mr Brewer paid tribute to the New Zealand Grand Prix in Auckland, which, he said, had done much for the sport in New Zealand. "While it would not be true to say that we would not get overseas drivers without assistance, it is certain we wouldn’t get competitors of the calibre we are used to without its help," said Mr Brewer. The Motor Racing Club intended to place more and more emphasis on the gold star awards for New Zealand drivers, and it hoped to influence other clubs into the same way of thinking, said Mr Brewer. He then presented the hill climb gold star to P. M. Hoare. The secretary of the Association of New Zealand Car Clubs (Mr P. L. Lupp, of Dunedin) said Hoare was one of those men who had taken part in the formation of the association. He had always been prominent irf competition, Mr Lupp said, but this season he bad eclipsed all previous efforts with d fine win In the gold star hill climb. Hoare had else demonstrated his .ability in racing to be runner-up in the racing gold star award. The vice-president of the New Zealand Racing Drivers* Club (Mr I. E. O. McKellsr, of Ashburton) said he was particularly pleased that Heasley should be the first recipient of his club’s national saloon driver champion award. Heasley had created three new track records for saloon cars with a small capacity car, and his driving skill was well-known. His club was particularly pleased to be associated with thia Motor Racing Club in the function, and the Increasde recognition, and the increased recognlmuch appreciated, said Mr McKellar. Messrs Hoare and Heasley reolied, thanking the Motor Racing Club for its generosity. Mr Brewer presented both drivers with large colour portraits of themselves in action in major races.