First Gold Star Rally Of Season Soon

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30706, 23 March 1965, Page 7

First Gold Star Rally Of Season Soon

The first gold star New Zealand championship car rally of the 1965 season will be held in Canterbury on March 27 and 28. A 16-hour event, it has been organised by the Rallies and Trials Enthusiasts’ Club of Christchurch, and has attracted about 26 entries. The event is being sponsored by Castrol, Ltd. Late entries will be accepted up to noon on the day of the event. The rally route will cover

400 miles in six sections. The organisers say all the roads are reasonable, and there are a few grass tracks incorporated. The first prize is £5O, the second £4O, third £3O, fourth £2O and fifth £lO, and there are also many motor trade prizes. There is a £l5 prize for the first car home using the sponsor’s oil. The winning crew could collect up to £llO in prize money and goods. In addition, Association of New Zealand Car Club points towards the national rally championship are awarded on the basis of 20 points for first, 15 for second, 12 for third, 10 for fourth, eight for fifth and so on up to tenth place, which gains one point. Crews so far entered include those of J. Butts (Volkswagen), an expert rally driver, W. Renalson (Morris Oxford), another leading contender, and B. Coleman (Riley). Also entered is a Citroen ID sponsored by “The Press,” driven by A. J. Petre and P. G. Gregory, and navigated by D. F. Parris and Mrs C. Gregory. This crew won the Canterbury gold star event two years ago.

The rally will start from the car park of Hay’,s Riccarton, at 7 p.m. on March 27, and finish at the Papanui Workingmen’s Club about 10 a.m. the next day. The cars will travel at two-minute intervals.