Sports-racers at Ruapuna

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32459, 20 November 1970, Page 17

Sports-racers at Ruapuna

Can - Am - type and sports-racing cars will feature in the main, 30lap event at the Canterbury Car Club’s Ruapuna Park circuit on Sunday. The race will count towards the N.Z. Racing Drivers’ Club’s sports-car championship. The favourite for Sunday’s race is G. Harvey in the 6.8-litre 580 b.h.p. Elfin,

one of New Zealand’s fastest cars. The Elfin has twice previously won the New Zealand championship, once in the hands of A. A. Buchanan, and once when driven by Harvey.

D. Taylor of Wellington will drive the Begg-Chev-rolet which holds the New Zealand land-speed record of 177 m.p.h. The car, which was built by the Southland constructor G. Begg after he had spent several months in England with the McLaren team, is basically a McLaren MBB Can-Am machine. The Auckland driver G. Pederson will drive the Lotus-Oldsmobile, formerly raced by J. Riley. The car has just been completely rebuilt, and is powered by a 420 b.h.p. 5-litre Oldsmobile unit. T. Turtill of Christchurch in the unusual automatic transmission ■ aero-engined Continental Special has had several good wins at Ruapuna and Timaru, and the car has been modified during the winter to give better handling and braking. A “dark horse” is the entry of the Elmac Oldsmobile, which is the Brent Hawes Begg rebuilt by M. Elwood and R. McElrea and powered by an all-alloy V 8 engine. It is not certain if this car will be ready in time for the meeting. The lower-capacity cars include Miss Ivy Stephen-

son’s Lotus 238, L. Johnson (U2), A. Hyde (U2), D. Wallace (Lola Climax), M. Hogan (U2), W. Robinson (Heron V 8), D. Joyce (Special), A. Rayner (Ford Sports), R. Stirling (Mini Sports), G. Deakin (Lotus Heron), T. ’ Leighton (Special), M. Rowe (Lotus), R. Elshaw (Lotus), P. Holland (Lancer), D. Waldron (U2), D. Froggat (U2), D. Elvy (U2), L. May (U2), P. Stewart (Robat), B. Hamil-

ton (M.G. Ford), and P. Blain (Mirage Ford). Many of the entrants are from the North Island, and the field is the biggest sports car entry ever received for a South Island race. As the track limit is 20 cars, some of the entries may have to be eliminated during time-trials. Unofficial practice will be held tomorrow, with any qualifying runs on Sunday.