Millen annoyed with system

Press, 22 January 1982, Page 3

Millen annoyed with system

The Auckland racing driver. Steve Millen, yesterday angrily denounced the points system being used for this year's Aurora Formula Pacific series, saying that it could unfairly deprive him of the chance of winning the title.

This week Millen was stripped of the points he won by finishing second in the second heat of the third round at Manfeild because the Motorsport Association of New Zealand decided to enforce a regulation that states that a driver's total time for the two heats must be at least 90 per cent of the winner's total time. Millen withdrew from the

first heat when a wire broke on the engine of his Tullen Ralt.

"That is a bloody stupid rule." said Millen from Auckland yesterday, as he prepared to fly south for this week-end's ’ Lady Wigram Trophy meeting in Christchurch. “If we have to race two heats instead of one. with the resulting risk of start-line crashes and mechanical failure. we should get points from each heat, irrespective of what happens in the other."

Millen is now third in the series, with the final round at Wigram to come. Roberto Moreno (Brazil) leads with 40 points from David Oxton

(Auckland. 36). Millen (30) and Graham Watson (Australia. 16). "If Moreno and Oxton wins a heat apiece at Wigram then both fail to finish their other heats. I could take the title bv finishing fourth in both 'heats. I certainly wouldn't feel a worthy champion." said Millen. Moreno was also stripped of the points he won at Manfeild by taking the first heat, but he was reluctant to become involved in any controversy yesterday. "In any championship you have to go by the rules." he said. "I don't care about losing the points — if I win I win. and if I lose I lose." The diminutive Brazilian was not making any excuses for the high-speed secondheat crash at Manfeild which cost him victory.

"I just spun off." he said. "It was just one of those things — I had a big enough gap to win the race from Oxton."

Another top New Zealander. Dave McMillan (Auckland), yesterday agreed with Millen about the points system. He crashed at the start of the first heat at Manfeild but rebuilt his Citizen Ralt RTI in time for the second heat, but was racing with no hopes of gaining any points.

"I would have been better to put the car onto the trailer." he said.

McMillan will switch back to his newer Ralt RT4 for the Wigram meeting, which has been confirmed as a round of the Pacific Basin series, which Moreno is leading comfortably.