Cook on top at Ruapuna

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33148, 12 February 1973, Page 3

Cook on top at Ruapuna

R. Cook (Auckland), in his Escort 1600, took an even firmer lead in the Castrol GTX production - saloon championship with wins in his two heats of the j series at the Canterbury : Car Club’s Ruapuna Park race meeting yesterday. in both heats, Cook won by a good margin from B. Innes, of Cambridge (Valiant Pacer), with R. Francevic, of Auckland, third in his RX2 Mazda. The meeting also featured events counting towards the New Zealand Formula Ford, single-seater championship, and both were won well by D. McMillan, of Auckland (Titan). The first race began 64 minutes late. Consequently, the meeting finished very late in the day, and before only ] a sprinkling of hardy spectators When the first GTX series ] heat was held. Cook cleared off from Innes to finish 2.5 seconds up, after easing off in the final stages. Francevic was nearly six seconds further back, and the rest were well down and very much spread out. The first Formula Ford heat was one of the best of the day. G. Baker, of Christ;church (Titan), shot off into the lead with McMillan and ■ P Hughes (Titan) right on his' 'exhaust, and these three pulled away ranidly from the i rest of the field. On the third lap. McMillan] made his move, and slipped: past Baker to lead him by| little more than two seconds! until the final flag. Hughe.s pressed Baker hard, and towards the end was almost alongside him. The rest were well back.

Cook had no trouble winning the second GTX smallclass race, which was virtually a rerun of the first event. LARGE-CLASS EVENT In the GTX large-class event, which had such a slim entry, the field was filled out 1 with cars from the smaller classes. I L. Leonard (Valiant ] Charger) and R. Rutherford ! (Charger) disappeared into the distance in the lead, to 1 finish half a lap up on the ■ rest. But for the first six laps. ; until a stone shattered his oil-filter housing, Cook in the : Escort put on a tremendous displav of limit driving in hs ‘ pursuit of the Charger of N.i ■ Neilson. *• For a time it seemed Cook > might pip the bigger car for ’ third place, but the stone put i a stop to that. ) McMillan won the second] Formula Ford heat from ■ | Hughes after the latter had ; made a very strong challenge ■'] for victorv near the end of the ■'event. McMillan only just managed to hold him off. 5 Baker was third. - Main results were:—■ f Single-seaters ■ Sockburn Motors Formula Ford : ' championship race, heat one <10; laps).—D. McMillan (Auckland)] ! Onert Titan. 7:49.0. I; G. Baker: 1 (Christchurch) Titan. 7:52.7. 2:1 P. Hughes (Auckland). Titan. 3.| I Heat 2 (10): D. McMillan. 7:47.1.! ' 1; P Hughes. 2: G. Baker. 3. Sports Cars N.Z. Tavern sports-car race >-(10).—R. Noble (Christchurch).' I-Noble Sports. 8:18.5. 1: R. Hvslop; ; (Tauranga) BRM. 8:30.7. 2; D.| > Elvv (Christchurch). Lotus Heron.- ! -8:37.0 3. , Saloons I Castrol GTX production carj : championship, groups 2 and 3.—! II Heat one (10': R. Cook (Auckland)! I:Escort. 7:22.2, 1: B. Innes (Cam-; abridge). Valiant. 7:24.7. 2: R. -Francevic (Auckland). Mazda- ’ RX2. 7:32.1, 3. Group 3 placings:! : M. Petch (Auckland), Datsun; . 1200, 1; G. Richardt (Timaru), Datsun 1200, 2: P. Curin (Auck- • laand). Escort. 3. Heat two (10): R. Cook, 7:20.6. 1: B Innes, 7:25.0, 2: R. Francevic, 7:29.8. 3 I

Group 3: M. Petch, 1; G. Richardt, 2; P. Curin, 3. GTX series group one cars (10). —L. Leonard (Timaru), Valiant Charger, 12.42.2, 1; R. Rutherford (Christchurch), Charger, 12:58.6, 2; N. Neilson (Invercargill). Charger, 12:34.4, Open Saloons (O.S.C.Ad to 1600 c.c. (10).—B. Patton (Oamaru), Escort, 8:39.7, 1; L. Neilson (Dunedin), Escort, 8:51.6, 2; J. Le Baige (Wellington), Imp, 9:25.5. 3. Over 1600 c.c. (10): C. Collins (Christchurch), Cortina Mustang, 8:05.3, 1: R. Silvester (Christchurch) Monaro VB. 8:06.1, 2; K. Haig (Dunedin), Mustang. 8:09.3. 3.