Aust, drivers may pull out of series over prize cash

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34022, 11 December 1975, Page 32

Aust, drivers may pull out of series over prize cash

C.V.Z. Press .tssoc.’ofion.l I WELLINGTON. | Australian drivers may pull out of next month’s iPeter Stuyvesant motorracing series in New -Zealand if agreement on 1 prize-money is not (reached this week. I The Australian team I leader in the current I unofficial test series against New Zealand, Max Stewart. Isays that he was originally 'told that the total prize -money for each of the four' I races would be §14,000, but at Levin at the week-end he heard from New Zealand drivers that it might be only §10.000.' Five Australian drivers had agreed to compete in .the Nev. Zealand series. I even though the $14,000 a

| race was only the same asl last year. “11 makes no allowance! for rhe devaluation of the: New Zealand dollar, or for) inflation and higher ex-: penses,” Stewart said. “Petrol for travelling be-j tween races, hotels, food,' everything costs a loti more.” If the prize-money were to be reduced, the Australian driver would not compete, - he said. He was not interested in , minimum prize-money guar- . antees. “I’m coining to win four: ’ races,” he said. Besides Stewart, who won, t the first test race at Levin: J on Sunday, the other Austra-j Lilians planning to race in the ’ - Peter Stuvvesant series are his young team-mate. Paul: > i Bernasconi, the new star. f Bruce Allison, the flambo--.lyant John Goss, and the ex-| »iperienced Kevin Bartlett. |

I Bernasconi is to race a| -new Lola T4OO that Stew-i ! art’s Sharp Corporation! I team is buying to replace : (the old T 330. ( Last week the series’ ; sponsors announced the! (signing of this season’s Atis-| itralian Gold Star champion,! (John McCormack, but Stew-i art said that although: - McCormack was coming to I , New Zealand, he would be bringing only his Charger sedan, not his F5OOO car. Mr Robert Lestei, the Manfield promoter who became involved in the series •-only two weeks ago when! he agreed to take over a! : race from Levin, said it ap-j lipeared that the prize-money! •-as such might be less than; : 514.000 a race, but the guarr antees were substantially 1 - higher, than last year. J “The return freight on! -I racing cars and tow! -| waggons will be free of. jcharge to the drivers. This,

| is quite a major factor, and: I this time it is being done by! I the promoters.” | On that basis the prize-i money was as high, Mr Les:ter said. With all the guarantees, there would be more money going into the series I than before. i The Motorsport Association’s president (Mr Ron (Frost) said in Auckland that I prize-money for the series had not yet been fixed. “The drivers are just plucking figures out of the air,” he said. Mr Frost would not say! I what the prize-money would' I be, but it was expected toi i be about the same as last i iseason’s for the top plac-i ■ings. The Levin circuit has already had to withdraw from the series through lack of -'money, and it is understoodthat the Wigram circuit has! Most $lO,OOO in the last two! :j seasons. '