Nazer, Leonard to race

Press, 17 February 1978, Page 24

Nazer, Leonard to race

B;

JOHN FRIDD

The Leo Leonard-Jack' Nazer duel, which added, interest to an otherwise dull Shellsport saloon-racmg championship last season, is not over. The two old adver-l Ruapuna o/ Mardi 5 in probably their only meeting! Nazer is being brought! down to the Canterbury Carl Club’s meeting with, two! other top North Island "btgbanger” drivers. Bill Leckiel (Sleepyhead Capri} and: Kevin McNamara (Cologne Capri) to race against Leon-! ard (Torro Toys Mustange | II), Dave Baker (PDL Mustang I) and any other big saloons which turn up for the event. For both Nazer, in his Cossack Victor 5000, and Leonard it will be only their' second race this season, as the big-bangers no longer have an official Motorsport! Association of New Zealand) championship and have to! race where and when they: are invited. Leonard has: raced at V.’igram and Nazer! at Bay Park this season. ; Drivers in th< Christ-church-based Open Saloon i Car Association are not, h-mpy about racing against' the North Islanders, as O.S.C.A. cars are built under!

much stricter regulations, toi (keep costs down, and are! 'not as quick. The C.C.C. will also run a! ■ round of the North Islandi orientated Formula Vee) j championship and a round of (the Shelisport two-litre series. i The O.S.C.A. drivers were! so incensed that the C.C.C.) 'saw fit to spend money; ! bringing down the big saloons and Formula Vees ! rather than running a charni pionship round for their ) booming local formula that they held a special meeting (on Wednesday night to discuss the situation. I After some talk of boy-i cotts and censure of the (C.C.C., the association dej cided that drivers should sunport the meeting, projvided the public was made ) aware of the fact that the ! North Island saloons were built under much freer regulations and that the O.S.C.A. drivers coula not hope to be) competitive. I The drivers also expressed! i disappointment that the 1 tCC.C. runs only two. |O . S C. A . championship| ; rounds each season, as op- j (posed to four at Levels. Ti- ' maru. One team that is pleased, that Jack Nazer is coming l down is the PDL racing; .team.

“We’ve been waiting for things to improve and it looks like they have,” said Lyall Williamson, the team’s manager. “We’ve gone up to the North Island a lot, so it’s only fair that they come (down here to race, I only ! hope they get the handii capping system right — it’s pretty hard to make up time lat Ruapuna.” The big cars will race in two six-lap handicap races, as well as in a saloons flying farewell.

One of the top O.S.CA. cars, the Capri of lan Munt, will not appear at Ruapuna on March 5, as Munt is busy installing a more powerful Chev motor and will not have the car ready in time. However, there is every chance that Lawrie Bruce will appear in his potent Chev Camaro, to push Leckie and McNamara.

Leo Leonard has spent the last week in hospital after (breaking a big toe in a riverbed fall, but should be fit | for the Ruapuna meeting. ' Leonard intends to keep his .racing edge over the winter |bv ralh'ing the ex-Dave Cooiney Escort RSIBOO. He (should be one of the top I contenders in this season’s | South Island rally series, .which starts with the West-; ; land event on March 11. I