McMillan’s win disputed by Smith

Press, 29 November 1976, Page 3

McMillan’s win disputed by Smith

By

RUSSELL JONES

The fears everyone held for the handicapping system in the Gold Star motor-racing series were realised at Levels I Raceway, near Timaru, ' yesterday when Ken ■Smith both won and lost. Smith’s five-litre Lola T 332 was the fastest car in the 30llap championship race but first place was awarded to 'Dave McMillan, driving a r 1600 cu. cm Ralt. To win, McMillan’s race i time had to be no more than 5 per cent more than Smith’s, and according to the official clocks it was. I But Smith strenuously disiputes the official time difference between the two cars i — 51.4 seconds — saying his I pit crew timed it accurately lat 55.4 seconds. The latter | time would have given Smith I the race, even under handicap. i The South Canterbury (Car Club shouldn’t have a permit to run a race meeting if their timing is out.” he 'said, adding that the official I list of lap times for the race [varied considerably from those taken by his crew. i Manual timing is always a [little inaccurate, but lap [times taken on different iwatches usually agree within ! a few tenths of a second, i Smith says the difference iwas more than acceptable.

He also insisted that an i official time should have been taken of the difference in finishing time between the two cars — the club officials had merely added all the lap times together to get the full race time — but the president of the club, Mr Bill Grant, said he saw no reason why it should have been done.

Smith refused to attend the presentation ceremony after the race, where he would have received the Auto Parts Challenge Trophy for setting the fastest lap — a record 38.4 seconds. However Smith is still the clear leader in the championship with 42 points, followed by Graeme Lawrence (Lola T 332) who finished second on the road but was placed third yesterday (28), and McMillan (23). The race itself was a procession. Smith had set fastest time in practice and led from the rolling start, followed by Lawrence, McMillan, Daxid Oxton (Chevron), Graham Baker (Birrana), and Ross Stone (Cuda SR3). This was the order throughout the 30 laps, and at no stage did any driver look like making a challenge. But no-one made any mistakes either and McMillan, particularly, should be happy with his performance.

“1 knew I had to be no more than about 50 seconds behind Kenny to win, but we had every confidence in the car,” he said afterwards. McMillan’s driving was clean and neat — a winning drive for the record books, if not for the spectators. Oxton, competing at only his third meeting after a three-year lay-off, was happy Ito be on the pace and Baker

was content to take fifth after the rear sub-frame of his car broke on Friday — his crew had to work hard to weld it up in time and there was no opportunity to set up the suspension correctly. Smith was lucky even to finish the race. One of the heads on the V 8 Chevrolet engine cracked during practice and if his crew had not chosen the correct one to remove and replace he would not have been able to start on time. Lawrence had handling problems and his Lola just could [not match the pace of Smith’s machine, although his driving was as professional as usual. Another driver who was I lucky to make it to the start was Trevor Crowe, competing in the O.S.C.A. race for cars under 2000 cu. cm. He arrived back from the New Caledonia Safari rally yesterday morning and chartered a light aircraft to take him to Timaru. But when the flag fell he must have been suffering from jet lag because he made an unusually bad start and had to spend the race trying to catch Barry Vuyk’s Sunbeam Imp. Crowe made three or four spectacular attempts to pass the little green Imp but could not quite manage it and Vuyk won by a few feet. In the races for larger O.S.C.A. cars, lan Munt (Capri V 8) had a difficult time holding off Kevin Ryan’s Escort BDD, with Rod McElrea keeping a close watch on them from third spot. The production saloon racing provided some of the most spectacular action of the day, particularly the battle between Barry Lloyd’s (Falcon and John Armstrong’s .Torana XU-1. In the first 10i lap heat Lloyd won, followed Iby Armstrong and Dennis Marks (Torana), but in the second Marks held off both the others to win. In the 1601 to 3000 cu. cm class McElrea won twice in his Mazda RX2. while the small capacity class (up to 1600 cu. cm) was dominated in both heats by Wayne Murdoch in a Hillman Avenger Alpine. Results:

, Gold Star single seaters (30 Japs)- - -D. McMillan (Auckland), Balt, UK. Smith (Auckland), Lola T 332, 2; G. Lawrence (Hamilton). Lola T 332, 3; D, Oxton (Auckland). Chevron 829 4G. Baker (Christchurch), Birrana 5; R. Stone (Tuakau), Cuda, 6. Fastest lap and record: Smith, 38.4 sec.

South Island race promoters’ production car series, 3001-6000. —Heat one: B. Lloyd (Ashburton). Ford Falcon GT, 1; J. Armstrong (Dunedin), Holden Torana XU-t. 2; D. Marks (Christchurch) Holden Torana XU-1. 3. Heat two: Mark 1. Armstrong 2, Lloyd 3. 1601-3000 class—Heat one: R. McElrea (Tinwald), Mazda, 1; A. Farr (Timaru), Fiat. 2; J McCracken (Dunedin). Holden Torana GTR, 3. Heat two: McElrea 1. Clark 2, McCracken 3. 0-1600 class—Heat one; W. Murdoch (Timaru), Hillman Avenger Alpine. I; B. Kilkelly (Invercargill). Datsun 120 Y SSS. 2; C. Read (Dunedin), Datsun 120 Y SSS, 3. Heat two: Murdoch 1, Kilkelly 2. Read 3. Open Saloon Car Association (0.5.C.A.) 0-2000—B. Vuyk (Dunedin). Hillman Imp, 1; T. Crowe (Christchurch), Datsun, 2; D. Erskine (Southland), Mini. 3. 0.5.C.A., 2000-6000—T Munt (Christchurch), Capri, 1; K. Ryan (Timaru), Ford Escort BDD, 2; R. McElrea (Tinwald). Mustang. 3. O.S.C.A. final: Munt 1, Ryan 2, McElrea 3.