McRae wins race and title

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33154, 19 February 1973, Page 3

McRae wins race and title

(N.Z.P. A.-Reuter—Copyright) MELBOURNE. G. Mcßae, of New Zealand, yesterday won his third consecutive Tasman Cup formula 5000 championship with a runaway win in the second-last race of the 1973 series at Sandown Park.

The Australian formula 5000 champion, F. Matich, second to Mcßae in the overall points standings, finished fourth. Whatever the result of the last race in Adelaide next week, Matich cannot beat Mcßae’s total of 40 points. Mcßae (Mcßae-Chevrolet GMI) was beaten by Matich (Matich-Holden-Repco A5O) at the start, but the New Zealand international and American formula 5000 champion easily passed Matich on the eighteenth lap of the 52-lap 100-mile race, and drew away to a 40-second lead. The Australian lost all chance of victory when he spun on lap 22 and then ran off the track on lap 44 and dropped from second to fourth place. Second and third were the Australians, J. McCormack (Elfin-Holden-Repco MRS) and M. Stewart (LolaChevrolet T 330). Mcßae beat McCormack by one minute 32 seconds.

The highest placed overseas driver, other than McRae, was S. Posey, of the United States (SurteesChevrolet TS11B) in sixth spot The next overseas man was Britain’s S. Thompson (Chevron-Chevrolet 824) in seventh. Matich set the fastest race lap for the 1.96-mile track

of 62.55ec (110.88 m.p.h.). The Tasman title was decided between Mcßae and Matich at Sandown for the second successive -year. McRae also used the same engine—his special V 8 which is said to give 534 horsepower, I compared with the ordinary 506 horsepower version—for, this power circuit for the sec- | ond year. The race was run in a temperature of 40deg Celsius, with a relative humidity of 78 per cent, which affected some drivers and cars. Only nine of the 14 starters finished, but there were no accidents. Mcßae drove the last quarter of the race with no oil pressure in his engine and he was unable to rev it hard or it would overheat. McCormack and Stewart | were close in the final stages, with McCormack having no clutch disengagement and Stewart insufficient petrol i pressure.

Results*— G. Mcßae, N.Z. (Mcßae-Chevro-1 let GMI), 55min 32.35ec (108.28 m.p.h.), 1: J. McCormack, Aust. (Elfin-Holden-Repco MRS), 56:00.3, 2; M. Stewart, Aust. (Lola-Chev-I rolet T 330), 56:06.4, 3; F. Matich ■ Aust. (Matich-Holden-Repco A5O), 56:33.9, 4; J. Walker, Aust. (Matich-Holden-Repco A5O), 51 laps, 5; S. Posey, U.S.A. (SurteesChevrolet TS11B), 51 laps, 6; S. Thompson, U.K. (Chevron-Chev-rolet V 24), 50 laps, 7; G. Lawrence, N.Z. (Surtees-Hart TSIS two-litre), 49 laps, 8; D. Dunlop, N.Z. (Mcßae-Chevrolet GMI), 47 laps, 9. Retirements: A. Rollinson, U.K. (Mcßae-Chevrolet GMI), overheating; G. Cooper, Aust. (Elfin-Holden-Repco MRS), engine; K. Bartlett, Aust. (Lola-Chevrolet! T 300), gearbox; S. Keen, Aust. (Elfin-Ford-MRS). misfiring; R. Muit, Aust. (McLaren-Chevrolet| M10B), gearbox. Fastest lap: Matich, 62.65ec (110.88 m.p.h.).