Mcßae gets his second Tasman success

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32846, 21 February 1972, Page 24

Mcßae gets his second Tasman success

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright>

MELBOURNE.

The New Zealand racing driver, G. Mcßae, yesterday won the thirty-seventh Australian Grand Prix and also took the Tasman championship for the second successive year, at the Sandown circuit.

It was the penaltimate event of the eight-race championship series, held each year in Australia and New’ Zealand, and Mcßae has established an unbeatable lead.

Mcßae was followed by the British Frmula 5000 champion, F. Gardner (Australia), and the American Formula A champion, D. Hobbs (Britain). , , For the first 28 laps of the 52-lap, 100-mile race these three went round under the old lap record of 63.35ec, while on lap 10 Mcßae set the new record of 62.45ec. The Australian, F. Matich, who was bidding for his third

national title in succession, was forced out when his engine blew up on lap four. Matich had been in the lead; Gardner took over, followed by Mcßae and Hobbs. Mcßae took Gardner under brakes on lap nine, and the order stayed Mcßae, Gardner, Hobbs until the flag. Gardner chased Mcßae hard in the last six laps and cut the New Zealander’s lead from 4.6 sec to 2sec. Mcßae said afterwards: “On lap 46, my engine began to starve, the fuel pressure relief valve stuck open,

and petrol could not get to the carburettor. “It righted itself but I cooked the engine through over-heating. But it was win or bust for me today—l was ready to sacrifice that engine because I have two more perfectly good ones.” The result was: Mcßae (Leda Chevrolet), 1, Gardner (Lola T 300-Chevrolet, 2, Hobbs (McLaren M22-Chev-rolet) 3, Hailwood (Surtees TSBA-Chevrolet) 4, W. Brown (Australia, McLaren-Chevro-let), 5, E. Pilette (Belgium, McLaren MIOB-Chevrolet) 6, J. Harvey (Australia, Brabham 8T36) 7. The Tasman series points score are: Mcßae 39, G. Gardner 27, Matich 22, Hailwood 21, K. Bartlett (Australia) 20, Pilette 10. Profit. A £4OOO ($8572) donation from their supporters’ association enabled Worcestershire County Cricket Club to carry forward a surplus of £989 ($2138) last year. Stock cars.—New Zealand comfortably won the fourth and fina! stock car test against Australia at Te Marua, Wellington, on Saturday night to make a clean sweep of the series. Cricket.—Christ’s College 200/6 (S. Robinson 61, D. Williams 39; C. Snook 2/25) beat the Canterbury Cricket Supporters’ Club 195/7 (B. G. Hadlee 51, C. Bull 43; M. Stapleton-Smith 4/55) in a one-day match yesterday.