Ruapuna talks work

Press, 25 February 1977, Page 28

Ruapuna talks work

By

JOHN FRIDD

A crucial meeting this week that could have sounded the death knell of motor-racing on the Ruapuna circuit ended with “out of sight” improvements in relations between O.S.C.A. and the Canterbury Car Club. An undercurrent of conflict between the Open Saloon Car Association and the car club over the last few months had built up to a point where some O.S.C.A. drivers were not prepared to race at the next Ruapuna meeting — the Shellsport round on March 6 — and this could have decimated fields for the meeting, casting a shadow over the public image of motor-racing in Canterbury. O.S.C.A. felt that its members were getting a raw deal for the March meeting, as the prize money for drivers would barely pay for the combined entry fees of O.S.C.A. cars, and on the other hand the car club felt that the drivers should be prepared to accept a little less money and help the club make a success of the

meeting, for which at least $2500 prize money has to be paid out in the Shellsport races.

The C.C.C. has introduced two new classes for the meeting — B saloons (for saloons not eligible for races at the meeting) and Formula Libra (for sports cars or single seaters not eligible for feature events) — and O.S.C.A. felt these races, which pay $250 in prize money in each section, would not help their drivers recover expenses. Although they realised that the faster O.S.C.A. cars could enter the Shellsport races, they felt they would be outperformed by the faster Shellsport cars and not “be in the money.” However, a deputation from O.S.C.A. met the track committee of the C.C.C. this week and had fruitful discussions, which resulted in the car club adopting some of the drivers’ suggestions.

Prize money in the Shellsport races will be paid down to tenth in each of the three classes, meaning that almost all competitors will get some money. Also, O.S.C.A. cars racing in Shellsport races will be identified in the programme.

“Relationships between us and the car club have improved out of sight since the meeting,” Mr Paul Kirk, president of 0.5.C.A., said yesterday. “The club couldn’t agree to some of our requests because of the M.A.N.Z. and Shellsport regulations, but I’m sure they don’t think we’re such a bad bunch of guys after all.” Mr Kirk said there would probably be about 30 to 35 O.S.C.A. cars at the meeting, which would probably boost numbers to a record high for recent years.

The president of the car club, Mr Bryan Hessey, said yesterday he also felt the meeting did a lot to clear the air. “We are all going to pull together in the future,” he said. “We haven’t liaised enough in the past on the grouping of cars.” Mr Hessey said the two new classes at the meeting would give most racing cars in Canterbury an opportunity to race, the saloons not fast enough for the Shellsport heats w’ill fight out the B saloons scratch and handicap races and a number of sports cars will compete in the Formula Libra races.