McMillan home first

Press, 11 April 1977, Page 22

McMillan home first

PA Tauranga Dave McMillan swept to an impressive win in the penultimate round of the New Zealand Gold Star motorracing series at Bay Park yesterday, and now challenges Ken Smith for the title. McMillan (Ralt) is now only 10 points behind Smith in the championship. Early ■ yesterday there was some doubt as to whether Smith (would even start in the [event, but he eventually lined up in pole position. ! The early race leader was ■ a late entrant, Frank Radijsich, driving a 2.7 litre <

Mazda-powered March. He led for nine laps from McMillan, with David Oxton (Tui BH-2) in third place. Smith was in fifth place behind Richard Melville. On the ninth lap, however, Radisich retired from the race with fuel problems and, McMillan took the lead. | For the remaining sixteen! laps, he was never seriously challenged. On the twentyfirst lap, Melville spun out his March and retired. Fifth place was taken by Steve Emson, (Modus). Points in the Gold Star championship are now: Smith 64, McMillan 54, [ Oxton 41, G. Lawrence 32,!

JiFrancevic 12, G. Baker 10, i R. Stone 6, S. Emson 6, R. i Melville 4. The final of the Motorcraft : Formula Ford championship was won as expected, by , Eric Morgan (Lola). Morgan : i took the championship from 1, Norm Lankshear, with Grant [Campbell third. ! Tragedy struck during ■ practice on Saturday when a ■ young Formula Vee driver, : Alexander Elvy, aged 22, i was killed when his car s'went out of control and (crashed. Elvy, of Ngarua[wahia, was admitted to Tauranga Hospital with chest ,[injuries but died at 6 p.m. Jon Saturday.