Local drivers humbled

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34041, 3 January 1976, Page 16

Local drivers humbled

The giant - killing Mini of John Hawke (Invercargill) led a ferocious assault on Canterbury cars at Marlboro Raceway, Woodford Glen, last evening.

Hawke stormed into the lead in the second A grade saloon race, after the race had been stopped to clear stalled cars from the track, and won from two local drivers. Mike Coutts (Torana) and Dennis Bolt (Holden). . In the 15-lap invitation event, Hawke was helped by handicapping which seemed to overlook his previous win, and quickly took the front. Potentially faster cars spent most of the race trying to pass Ross James (Holden). But the driver who stood out in this race, and was named "The Press” driver of the night for his efforts, was Peter Woods. Roy Granger, Dennis Bolt, and Woods started from the back of the 14-car field, and had to work exceptionally hard to fight their way!

through to the leaders. By the time they caught James, Hawke had an unassailable lead; and on the thirteenth lap the order was Hawke, James, Paul McGercher (Invercargill, Escort), Bolt, Woods and Granger.

The large crowd roared as Woods then did the impossible and passed Bolt and McGercher on the outside of the tight northern bend. He picked off James on the next lap to take second place. In an earlier race, Woods had fought his way through the field and was lying third when Kenny Hannah (Holden) spun on the southern bend, blocking the track. The race was stopped to allow the track to be cleared; and after the restart, Woods set off after the leader. Andy Hurst in a C.M.B. Victor. Hurst was rather unlucky, because Woods attempted to cut in on him going into the southern bend, and succeeded. Hurst could not avoid ramming Woods’s Mustang, and for a moment it seemed both cars would be put out — but Woods recovered and won. As well as the frantic antics of the saloons, the crowd was treated to some

stock-car racing of rare quality. Seventeen cars started in the first race, and although there were strong challenges from visiting drivers, the locals filled the first three places. Cars were shunted into the fence on almost every lap, but the winner, Wayne Wilding, stayed out of trouble for a change, and was able to hold off Gerald Griffiths and Bruce Annan. Griffiths broke an axle in his car while he was chasing Mick Gannon round the infield after the race, and Gannon, in a very sporting gesture, gave Griffiths his car to drive in the next event. Drive it he did. Flinging the car sideways at high speed, he took every bend in a spectacular slide which thrilled the crowd but wasted time, and robbed him of a chance to win. Wilding again crossed the line first.

Two teams of four cars competed in the last stock car event — the first time for several meetings that eight stock cars have been mobile at the end of the evening. It was fun to watch. Rod Shuter fulfilled his

earlier promise by winning two B grade saloon events in grand style. Results were (Christchurch drivers unless otherwise stated): Farrier-VVaimak stocks, scratch, rolling start, eight laps: W. Wilding (Imp-Valiant) 1. G. Griffiths (Fiat Chev.) 2, B. Annan (ImpValiant) 3. Manger's Rentals stocks, handicap standing start, eight laps: Wilding 1, T. Anderson 2. T. Eves (Viva) 3. Marlboro stock car feature, scratch, rolling start, 10 laps: Annan 1, Wilding 2. Eves 3. Stock car teams race, 10 laps: G. Tinkler, B. Hern. G. Dodd, and B. Annan beat O. Robinson (Blenheim), T. Eves, T. Anderson, and W. Wilding. Go-Cola saloons, A grade, scratch, rolling start. 10 laps: P. Woods (Gore, Mustang) 1, A. Hurst (C.M.B. Victor) 2. D. Bolt (Holden) 3. P.D.L. saloons, A grade, handicap, standing start, 10 laps: T. Hawke (Invercargill. Mini) 1, M. Coults (Torana) 2, R. James (Holden) 3. Firestone invitation saloons, scratch, rolling start. 15 laps: Hawke 1, Woods 2, Bolt 3. Auto Salvage saloons, B grade, scratch, rolling start, 10 laps: W. Reid (Invercargill, Ford) 1. N. Sinclair (Mini) 2, R. Penn (Toyota) 3. B.N.S.W. saloons, B grade, handicap, standing start, 10 laps: R. Shuter (Chev.) 1, Reid 2, Penn 3. Saloon consolation, scratch, rolling. 10 laps: Shuter 1, Penn 2. J. Stokes (Holden) 3. *AU-in saloon final. 20 laps: Hawke 1. R. Granger (Cortina) 2, Woods 3.