McRae favoured at Levin

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33425, 5 January 1974, Page 3

McRae favoured at Levin

(New Zealand Press Association)

LEVIN. G. Mcßae, three times a winner of the Tasman international motor-race championship. recorded an unofficial practice time of 43.1 sec for a lap of the Levin circuit yesterday.

Mcßae’s new Mcßae GM2i Is favourite to win Sunday’s opening round of the 5100,000 Peter Stuyvesant international motor-racing series at Levin. The GM2 is an improved version of the GMI Mcßae used for his third consecutive win on the Levin round and in the eight-race championship last year. On the same wheelbase as the old car, Sunday’s entry features a wedge nose reminiscent of a M 23 McLaren and sidemounted water radiators behind the front wheels, similar to the Indianapolis Eagles. Before bringing the car to New Zealand. Mcßae used it to win the Australian Grand Prix. The main threat to Mcßae in this series will be the European Chevron-VD rac-

i ing team of P. Gethin and E. Pillette, both in Chevron 8245. Pillette drove an unofficial practice lap of 43.55ec yesterday afternoon, and Gethin one of 44.45ec. Both Gethin (England) the Chevron works driver and I former European champion, jand Pillette (Belgium), the ; 1973 European F5OOO chamjpion, say they would be \ pleased if Sunday’s race were in rain — and the dark I clouds which gathered when 'unofficial practice finished at 4 p.m. could have buoyed their hopes. | “It’s easier to drive in the wet, and we would not be -too unhappy, particularly as I some of the other drivers | would not be pleased to have irain,” Gethin said.