‘Open day’ for race fans

Press, 5 November 1977, Page 56

‘Open day’ for race fans

Motor-racing fans usually have to keep behind the barriers during meetings at Ruapuna but things will be different today when the Open Saloon Car Association holds its first open day at the track. O.S.C.A. drivers will take members of the public for rides in their powerful machines to raise money for the track extensions at Ruapuna, which will turn the fairly dull circuit into one of the best in New Zealand.

Among the cars which will be there will be the two V 8 Capris of lan Munt and Paul Kirk, the Datsun coupes of Trevor Crowe and John Dymand, and the Escorts of Ron McPhail, Brian Hessey, and John Osborne.

Other VB-powered cars could appear, along with a selection of smaller Minis and medium-sized coupes. There is also a possibility of sports cars, exotic cars —- possibly a Ferrari Dino — and rallycross cars taking people for rides. Admission to the circuit will be free but the rides will cost $5. The “big bangers” will provide two laps of high-speed entertainment and the smaller cars three laps. There will be two cars on the track at once, with no passing allowed because of safety. On December 4 Ruapuna will see some exciting sports-car action. Four Australian sports cars will be brought across the Tasman

to race against New Zealand’s best drivers.

The cars will be brought across jointly by the Canterbury and South Canterbury car clubs. The cars will also race at Levels, near Timaru, on November 27.

About 20 New Zealand drivers —■ 10 from each island — will race against the Australians in two rounds of the Intelex sports-car championship. The best of the Australians is probably Greg McCombie, who has hired an Elva Ford to race in New Zealand. McCombie, last year’s New South Wales Formula Vee champion, has raced a Lotus 238 with distinction in recent months but has now sold that and

purchased a V 8 Matich, which is not eligible for racing in New Zealand. Phil Jones (Piper Ford), Robert Wilmont (Wright Renault), and Dave Handyside (Lotus 238) are the three other drivers.

The team will be managed by Rod Dale, who will double as the team’s reserve driver. Dale races a McLaren V 8 in Australia. The Australian crew will total 13 drivers and pit crew. All the cars will run with the New Zealanders in each meeting’s two Intelex heats. The four best Kiwi drivers will then race against their Tasman neighbours in two five-lap “test” matches to find the fastest under-2000 cu cm sports cars in Australasia.