Timaru Mercury Race

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32303, 22 May 1970, Page 11

Timaru Mercury Race

Although the Mercury $lOOO saloon-car race at Timaru on Sunday is the second-last of the series, it could turn out to be the deciding round as far as the present series leader, R. Coppins, is concerned. After last Sunday’s race at Ruapuna Park, which was won by the second man on the points table, P. Fahey, Coppins still leads the series with 69 points, to Fahey’s 46 and the 33 points of C. Collins.

Because of the sliding scale of points awarded at

each meeting, if Coppins wins on Sunday, with Fahey second, Coppins can not be beaten in the last race at Teretonga on May 31 unless Fahey wins and Coppins finishes no higher than sixth.

But if Fahey wins on Sunday, with Coppins coming in second —as happened at Ruapuna last week-end— Fahey can still take the title providing he wins the last race and Coppins comes no higher than fourth. If Fahey is second in the last race, he can still win the

title providing Coppins finishes no higher than fifth. Considering previous results, and the reliability Coppins has shown in his big Chevrolet Camaro, Fahey’s chances of winning the title are not good. But it will only take one mistake on the part of Coppins to put Fahey and his FVA Escort well in the running for the Mercury title and the over-all prize of $lOOO that goes with it. Coppins must be the favourite for Timaru on Sunday, and had he not punctured a rear tyre in the Ruapuna race last week-end, he would have almost certainly won that event. C. Collins in the V 8 Falcon has done much better in the series than most expected, and this has been largely as a result of reliability and consistent placings rather than spectacular wins.

But with only 33 points, he would need to win both at Timaru and Teretonga, with Fahey and Coppins finishing well down in both cases, in order to take the $lOOO.

Other likely competitors on Sunday include J. Nazer in his Waggott-engined Escort, G. Thomson (V 8 Monaro), B. Crosbie (Escort Twin Cam), L. Neilson (lightweight Mini S), R. Slade (Anglia), P. Kirk (Austin Farina) and P. Kocis (Anglia GT). The Mercury race will start at 2.30 p.m. and will carry $5OO in prize money, first place being worth $2OO. There will also be a full list of supporting events for saloons, sports-cars and single-seaters.