BIG ENTRIES FOR ARDMORE EVENTS

Press, Volume C, Issue 29679, 24 November 1961, Page 11

BIG ENTRIES FOR ARDMORE EVENTS

'THE overwhelming entry of x 280 cars in the eight events on the programme 'or the New Zealand Grand Prix meeting at Ardmore on January 6 has meant that in the sports and racing car sections in particular there are long waiting lists of entries received but balloted out. This means that these cars and drivers must take their chance on practice day; if they perform better than some of the accepted cars they will be included in the field. The institution of a closed national race this year—the Bardahi Ardmore championship, has meant a tremendous number of entries, ranging from the current Intercontinental Formula Cooper of A. Hyslop and the Ferrari of P. Hoare down to home-built Formula Junior cars and a few Cooper Formula Three machines. Other cars entered include B. Prescott's Maserati 250 F. W. R. Eade’s 250 F, C. Amon’s 250 F. R. J. Coppins’ Tec-Mec, M. Gill’s Lycoming Special. J. Boyd's H.W.M., and fine sports cars like the D-Type. Tojeiro Jaguars, and the Monza Ferrari.

Most interest in the field, apart from the Hyslop and Hoare cars, will centre on the new 1475 c.c. experimental Lotus which young Hamilton driver J. Palmer will drive. This is an up-to-the-minute car, lying between the Formula Junior and Formula One machines. In specification it is very similar to the current Formula One Lotus, but the motor is a Ford-based one instead of the Coventry-Climax unit used in championship events.

Most of the cars in the national championship, plus a number of others, are entered in the Ultimate-Ekco feature race, which remains on a handicap basis, other events being off scratch.

The Ardmore sports car trophy race, off scratch, and the later handicap race have also drawn heavy entries with long lists of cars in reserve. Here the winner is likely to come from among the Tec-Mec, the Monza Ferrari, the D-Type and Tojeiro Jaguars, and the Lycoming. Both the D-Type and the Lycoming are past winners of the speed section of the event.