Saloon win protested

Press, 10 April 1978, Page 6

Saloon win protested

PA Auckland The New Zealand Shellsport 2000 saloon car championship will be decided by a Motorsport Association court of appeal following the final round of the championship at Pukekohe yesterday. The Epsom driver. Bryce Platt, has provisionally taken the title by just two points in his Escort Twin Cam from the Datsun Cherry of Reg Cook, also of Auckland. However, just before the presentation of the award after the second heat of the race. Cook; Lodged a protest on the eligibil-l Ity of Platt’s car. Cook alleged the Escort’s rear suspension, which has remained unchanged ail season, does not ■‘ompiy with the championship, regulations. The stewards of the' meeting ruled the protest was; invalid because it was not lodged >

I by the correct person or within, two hours of the car’s scrutineer , t ing on Saturday. , Cook has decided to appeal against the decision of the stewL ards. If the appeal is successful I I a hearing will then have to take} , place to consider the original} protest. Platt won the first heat, holding off a strong challenge from; Cook, who ran into the Escort’s I boot on the final lap. This win! r gave Platt a five-point lead be- . fore the final heat. In that race f he was content to sit behind ’Cook, rather than risk another fender-banging incident, finish-; ’ ing a close second. ! The Aucklander David Oxton ■ ; I won the other major event, the •'Union Travel Formula Pacific .championship race. r The veteran Ken Smith (Auck-j i land, March 768> was second and! t. Robbie Francevic 'Auckland,; j Typhoon Modus* finished third. ‘■The series leader, Ross Stone 5 (Tuakau, Cudai. was fourth, fol-; I'lowed by the New Zealand inter-!

i national driver, Graeme Lawrence i (Hamilton, March 768 j. } Grant Aitken (Dunedini uas L. third in both the Shellsport races • in his Datsun coupe I Other results:— 5 1 Motorcraft Formula Ford I I championship — Heat I: Grant !Campbell (Henderson, Titan» J, ' Peter Haskett (Papatoetoe. Lvnxj l |2, Kim Crocker (Hamilton, • i Palliser) 3 Heat 2: Campbell Hl, Mike Finch (Titirangi, Titan) 12. Bob Donaldson (Hamilton, •.Cheetah) 3. 1 GTX production saloon championship.—Trevor McLean (Papa ■jkura, Charger E 49) 1, Dave (Browne (Henderson, Mazda RX2« H2. Roger Hood (Cortina 2000) 3. s Heat 3: Browne 1, Hood 2, T. ‘-McLean 3. Heat 3: Bruce McLean (Papakura, Charger E 49; -1, Hood 2. Barry Lloyd (Ashburllton. Falcon XA GT) 3. ,| Inter)ex sports car champion . ship.— Tom Donovan (Wellington, • Odlins 1, Bob Homew d •! (Waimauku. Rhubarb) 2, Jamie • J Aislable (Rotorua, S.ID./ 3.