Oxton’s double

Press, 7 December 1981, Page 6

Oxton’s double

PA Auckland Two superb starts catapulted the defending champion David Oxton (Auckland) to victory in both heats of the opening round of the Union Travel Formula Pacific motor-racing championship at Pukekohe yesterday. Oxton was only third on the grid in his Pye Ralt RT4 for the first race but got the better of the fastest qualifier. Steve Millen (Auckland), and also passed the American. Mike Rosen, who led for a few hundred metres. From his slow start Millen had to work his wway from fourth up to second in his Tullen Ralt, but by then Oxton was gone. Both drivers broke the lap record held jointly by Teo Fabi (Italy) and Dave McMillan, with the mark finally falling to Millen at 58.0 seconds, three tenths better than the old time. McMillan, driving his older Citizen Ralt. came home third while Rosen, who had been third in his' Rentokil Ralt. finished sixth, after sliding off briefly.

In the second heat, which had *'■ a reversed-grid start. Oxton •*', made a lightning get-away from the fifth row and was second behind McMillan by the time he reached the back straight for the < first time. He out-braked McMil- \ lan into the hairpin on the fifth *«’ lap and the race was his. Millen made another poor start from the back of the grid and spent most of the: race Aj picking off the mid-field runners J before finishing third just behind ’<■* the expatriate New Zealander, Graham Watson. Ken Smith clinched his second \ fourth for the day and Rosen was fifth. McMillan fell out with an electrical fault which stopped his engine. Lou Scholium (Auckland) won both heats of the first round of ■*> the Motorcraft Formula Ford championship. Mike King, also of Auckland, took two seconds while Lyn Johnson (Timaru) and \ Wally Richards (Rotorua) took a J third apiece. 3