Motor-Racing Car Overturns During Gold Star Hill Climb

Press, Volume C, Issue 29681, 27 November 1961, Page 12

Motor-Racing Car Overturns During Gold Star Hill Climb

A good meeting was i ! marred by one accident on ; Saturday when a Gold Star , cbenx>k>nßtaip bfflcMmto was , ’ held by the Canterbury Car : ; Chib at Gebbies Pass. ! The accident occurred when • W. J. Willmott’s Cooper ' ■ overturned during a run late , • in the afternoon. WiHmOti , suffered cuts and abrasions , on his chin, arms and legs. i A cut chin required some : : stitches. He was treated at i Christchurch Hospital and . sent home. Near the end of the one • mile and a half come the . wheel of WHtaott’s Cooper , struck a bote on the grass ■ verge of the road and the car overturned. He, was not , thrown out , The best time of the day went to K. Seiger, of Auck- , fojmflcJtf last year in. recordIng a time of Irnin 52.7fi*ec. The previous . record was Sager bettered the old record again later in the day , when he recorded 1:53-71. > R. S. Rutherford (26pM i ZephjT). a ChriStchurth - driver, made the next tert»t r time with 1:57 and M. -F. . Stanton, of Christchurch (Stanton Corvette) recorded r 1:5855. W. R. Baker, of 1 Timaru (Cooper - Norton) i drove well to record a time 1 of 1:58.77.. J-. i Battens ; In the satoon ear section, R. J, N. Archibald, of Chrirt-

church (Jaguar) led from R. A_ Macdonald, of Christchurch (Zephyr) by almost six seconds, recording a best time of 2.08J1 against Mecdotteld’e 2:1536. B. T. Andrews, of Christchurch (Morris Minor) did well to record 2:38 against the 2:35.95 of S. Prestidge, oi Christchurch (Ford V-8) when it is considered he was giving the bigger, and admittedly heavier, car more than 2500 c.c. Sports Can In the sports section P. R. Preston, of Christchurch (Buckler Mark 90) recorded 2:7.81 againsit the 2:15.66 of P. D, I/ockie, of Christchurch (M.G. T.F.). A. H. Hobb, of Christchurch (M.G.A.) recorded a best time of 2:33.72. Before the climbs got underway, B. R. Blackburn, of CbriMtatMmcfa (Maserati) was forced to retire when his car caught fire. The blaze was extinguished before any serious damage was done, but paintwork, wiring, and some lines were damaged. The Lotus of B. Campion, which had been entered in the ,sports section, also failed to appear because of fire damage. In the morning there were few spectators to watch the etimb, but during the afternoon several more dotted the hitisides ait various points along the route. The weather throughout remained fine and hot with an occasional light breeze.