Teretonga Race Tomorrow

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31279, 27 January 1967, Page 9

Teretonga Race Tomorrow

VyiTH six overseas drivers ’’ present, the Teretonga international race at Invercargill tomorrow may be the best yet. Certainly this is the largest number of overseas drivers to race at Teretonga, and judging from past performances this year in New Zealand, it would seem the field is one of the most evenly-matched to appear at the circuit.

Jim Clark heads the list, with his special Lotus. Denis Hulme will be driving a Brabham, and Richard Attwood will be driving a 8.R.M., as will a newcomer to the New Zealand racing scene, Chris Irwin. Frank Gardiner and Kevin Bartlett will drive Brabhams for the Alec Mildren racing team. Chris Irwin will be making his only New Zealand appearance at Teretonga. From there, he will accompany the visiting drivers to Australia.

Irwin Is a young driver who has just completed a hectic formula three season in Europe and England. It is because of his great driving ability that he has been chosen to join the B.R.M. team. Teretonga will be his first race for B.R.M. At present, Irwin is unofficial world champion—by a big margin—of the competitive formula three racing. Since the last international race at Teretonga, the layout

of the circuit has been changed, and the portion known as the “Esses” on the old track has been removed. In its place a new, sweeping curve connects two short straights, and then the new track makes a sharp elbow turn to the right to join the main straight. The alterations have increased the length of the circuit by one-tenth of a mile. The main straight is now more than half a mile long.