SUCCESS IN U.S. Kaiapoi driver doing well

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32678, 6 August 1971, Page 7

SUCCESS IN U.S. Kaiapoi driver doing well

Yet another young New Zealand driver is making his mark in motor-racing Overseas, and is being tipped by overseas followers of motor-racing as a man to watch. He is Bert Hawthorne, a Kaiapoi man familiar to many Canterbury racing enthusiasts in recent years.

Hawthorne is now racing in the United States with the Opert racing organisation, and he has made the headlines there by proving himself clearly faster than the rest of the field in the last two North American Formula B championship events.

Hawthorne, now aged 27, first started racing in the saloon category with a Ford Anglia, and he raced this car mainly at Ruapuna Park, the Canterbury Car Club's sealed circuit In 1966 he travelled to Europe where he obtained a job at the Brabham factory, assisting with the preparation of the Formula II Brabham-Hondas.

For two years he was the man behind the preparation of Denis Hulme’s Formula II car, then he returned to New Zealand with a new Formula 111 Brabham BT2IB.

Shortage of funds precluded the use of the best engines, but Hawthorne still did well, and had three wins in the 1.5-litre series The championship went to G. Mcßae, but Hawthorne finished fourth in the Gold Star championship. He returned to Europe for the 1969 Formula HI season, but money problems raised their head again. In spite of

this he managed to make an impression, and at Mallory Park circuit equalled the lap record set by the top Brazilian driver, Emerson Fittipaldi in the same race. Last year he managed to buy a new Formula 111 Chevron car, and he scored a win and a third place before a crash at Oulton Park wrote the car off. The former McLaren mechanic, Alan McCall, then came to the rescue, and asked Hawthorne to drive his McLaren-based Tui Formula 111 car.

Again money was short, and with only “hack” engines the car and driver never had a real chance to shine.

But this year F. Opert, the entrant of the largest Formula B team in the United States, came to Europe looking for an instructor for his racing school who could also double as a factory driver.

In London he met Hawthorne, and offered him the job. The young New Zealander arrived in the United States in April, and in his first race was the only competitor to offer a challenge to the Caldwell car of the top American,Formula FIDO driver, D. Loring. Brake and suspension trouble eventually relegated Hawthorne to third place. In his next race, Hawthorne finished second after setting fastest practice time. A week later he was again on the front row of the grid —he won the first heat of the race, but was put out of the second when he was leading. A back-marker he was about to pass sandwiched his car against the rail. Then came the third round of the Continental Formula B championship, run at Monterey in Mexico. McCall’s Tui had arrived by then, and was fitted with

the latest power unit With the car, Hawthorne qualified third fastest. He dominated the race, pulling out a 30sec lead. Then, with just five laps to go, a throttle-cable broke.

One week later the third race in the series was held at Mexico City. Hawthorne set fastest practice time, well ahead of most of the field.

In spite of a stomach upset by Mexican food, the New Zealander shot into the lead. Queasiness caused a spin which dropped him to second place for a time, but he retook a lOsec lead and drove smoothly to a fine win, in spite of being sick in the car’s cockpit in the closing stages of the race. The Canadian motorracing journalist, Gordon Kirby says Hawthorne has “upset the applecart in North American Formula B racing, and in just two starts he has shown himself at least the equal of some of the best drivers in the Sports Car Club of America. He is now being earmarked as one of the best ‘comingmen’ in North America.”