Big Ruapuna field

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32862, 10 March 1972, Page 14

Big Ruapuna field

Thirty entries have been received for the 15-lap second round of the McPhail Motor Parts open saloon-car championship, which will be run at the Canterbury Car Club’s Ruapuna Park Circuit on Sunday.

The event is expected to provide some particularly close racing, and the entries include W. Fuller, of Masterton, in his FVA Ford Escort, who has proved very competitive in O.S.C.A. events in which he has already taken part, and B. Jenner, of Dunedin, who has purchased the Chevrolet Camaro raced this season in Bank of New South Wales events by R. Coppins. These two very fast cars are likely to offer the main

challenge to A. Dickie in his Anglia Corvette, R. McPhail’s Lotus Farina, L. Neilson’s light-weight MiniCooper, and R. Hore’s Farina Ford 1800. So far, Dickie leads the O.S.C.A. championship with nine points to the six of McPhail the four of Neilson, and Hore’s three points. The three classes, based on engine capacity, are led by Dickie, Hore and McPhail. On Sunday, the starters in the main 15-lap event will comprise the fastest five cars from each of the three classes, plus the five next fastest cars. This has to be done to reduce the number of starters to the number permitted on the track at the one time. With their entry in the main race at stake, drivers are likely to try hard in the preliminary events. The entry includes F. Ryan of Te Anau, in his FVA Escort, M. Coffey (Wellington) in his Tri-umph-engined Anglia, P. Kirk (Christchurch) in his Buick-engined Viva, J. McCoornb (Geraldine), Cortina Cobra VB, A. Threlkeld (Hawarden), Cortina Corvette, W. Hensley (Christchurch), Escort-Oldsmobile

VB, and P. Kocis (Geraldine), Holden Torana GTR. The event at Ruapuna—like the third round which will be held at the Timaru Motor Raceway on Sunday week—will carry prizemoney of $6OO as well as championship points. As well as the O.S.C.A. races there will be 10-lap scratch events for singleseaters, sports cars and “clubman" type sports and racing cars on Sunday Motor-cycle events will also be run.