Championship For Home-Built Specials

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30982, 11 February 1966, Page 9

Championship For Home-Built Specials

r PHE new South Island championship for New Zealand-built single seater racing cars has developed into a particularly close contest and the outcome now depends largely on the result of the final feature race to be held at Ruapuna Park on March 20. An Auckland doctor, D. Bruton (Winton), at present holds a narrow lead in the series with his Begg 1600. But he is not resting on his laurels and has already notified the organisers that he will be flying down from Auckland specially for the final event. P. Leversedge (Christchurch), who was holding down second position before the Waimate road races last Saturday, had the misfortune to damage the gearbox of his V 8 Special and did not finish. He will be making a determined effort to regain lost ground in the final race. Other leading contenders include N. Stuart (Christchurch, VS Special), C. Ngan (Wellington. Valour) and B. B. Keen (Invercargill, Begg 650). A field of 16 entries is expected for the final race, to!

be held over 20 laps. Races contributing towards the championship have already been held at Renwick, Nelson, Wigram, Teretonga and Waimate. Points are awarded on the same basis as other Gold Star events: 10, 7,5, 3, 1. The championship is restricted to single seater racing cars which have been built in New Zealand. Any type of motor may be used. Mr G. W. Alexander, the secretary of the Canterbury region of the New Zealand Racing Drivers’ Club, said that the idea of the championship was to encourage people to build their own cars. The world champion, Jim Clark (Scotland), had shown great interest in the New Zealand home-built specials and had been fascinated by the ingenuity shown by some of the constructors, he said. A challenge trophy has been donated for the championship by a Christchurch service station proprietor, Mr L M. Buchanan.