Pit Stops

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31018, 25 March 1966, Page 11

Pit Stops

The New Zealand Racing Drivers’ Club has issued its list of national driver awards for the 196566 season. In the racing car class, K. J. Palmer was first, D. J. Marwood second, R. A. Levis third, 1. W. Dawson fourth, and A. A. Buchanan fifth. In the sports car class the first five were J. Boyd. E. Hawes, I. W. Horley, G. J. Smith, and D. O. Silcock. In the all-comers’ saloon class the top five were D. Simpson, P. B. Fahey, R. Coppins. K. S. Grant, and W. C. Collins, and in the group two touring car championship J. Mullins was first, B. Innes second, I. Segedin third, A. D. Bell fourth, and I. Bradley fifth. 8 8#

Four Vintage Car Club events to be held in the next three months are the run to Mount Somers on April 9, a night trial on 45 miles of sealed roads on April 23, the Irishmans Creek trial on June 4, and the end-of-season run on June 25. 8 * 8

A Targa Florio-style road race will be held in France in 1967. 8 8 8

This week-end the Riley Car Club is holding its sixth national rally at Christchurch. It is the first time it has been held in the South Island. Entries include cars from Auckland. Manawatu, and Otago, some being older models which have been carefully restored. Tomorrow a trial will start from Riccarton avenue, and at 10 a.m. on Sunday a concours d’elegance will be held at Queen Elizabeth

Park. Spectators are welcome at this latter event.

A 46-mile rally held by the Vintage Car Club last Sunday was won by T. Chapple (Hupmobile) and I. Donaldson (Humber 80), with C. Dodds (Vauxhall) third. A regularity hillclimb was held the same day, and the vintage section was won by R. F. Townshend (Harley Davidson motor-cycle) with W. J. Mauger (Sunbeam) second and A. Williams (Chevrolet) third. The modern section was won by J. Henry (B.S.A. motorcycle), with R. B. Scott (Vauxhall) second and G. Paterson (Riley) third. B*B

An all-day trial held by the Canterbury branch of Vintage Car Club recently was won by W. R. Humm (Jewett), with K. A. Steffenson (Hillman) second and E. O’Connell (Sunbeam) third. Twenty-three entrants took part, and the 51-mile route was in the North Canterbury area, ending at Waikuku. 8 * * J. Bonnier, of Sweden, will race a privatelyentered Cooper-Maserati in Grands Prix this season. 8 * * I, Donaldson, driving a 1904 Orient Buckboard, won the Vintage Car Club’s annual veteran rally, which was held earlier this month. The winner of the trial section was H. B.

Foster (1908 Humber) and the field tests winner was G. Jelfs (1915 Ford). The route passed through New Brighton to the Pleasant Point domain, and 22 competitors took part. 8 8 8 Fourteen cars competed in the MG Car Club’s sprint meeting at Ruapuna recently. The fastest car was the U2 of E. Norris, which recorded 14.435ec for the standing quarter, 58.315ec for the standing

lap, 54.255ec for the flying lap, 59.635ec for the reverse standing lap, and 53.605ec for the reverse flying lap. G. W. Alexander (MG TF) recorded 17.32, 67.15, 60.50, 67.26, and 61.86. B. Thomas (MG Midget) recorded 17.42, 67.17, 60.21, 68.30, and 61.29. The next three fastest were R. Munns (MG B), P. Stewart (MG Midget) and R. Stephenson (MG Midget).