Race rules changed after Commodore plan is revealed

Press, 26 August 1982, Page 27

Race rules changed after Commodore plan is revealed

For years restrictions have ensured that entrants of cars in the Benson and Hedges production car endurance race have, in fact, been identical with the cars members of the public could have bought off showroom floors. Now the New Zealand International Grand Prix executive committee has revised the rules for the open-class cars that will contest the three-race series on North. Island circuits in October and November. In previous years exhaust

systems and brakes were the only components that could be modified. Entrants will now be allowed to modify cylinder heads, fit bigger inlet and exhaust valves, lighten flywheels, machine manifolds and generally improve the power output of engines. This decision follows in the wake of the news that General Motors New Zealand. Ltd. is about to do a special run of Holden Commodore 5litre VBs fitted with manual four-speed close-ratio gearboxes in an all-out effort to win the series. It is understood that at least 35 of these

cars, labelled Commodore SS. will be built. Some of them will be offered to the public at around §35.000 each. It is understood that General Motors has already received enough orders for these cars to swallow up the proposed production run. Under the revised rules, entrants will be permitted to fit larger petrol tanks to their cars, if such tanks happen to be offered as optional equipment for the models concerned. However, the rules of New Zealand-assembled car classes up to two litres are

Big discount on Cortinas

With more than 65.000 Ford Cortinas remaining to be sold in Britain, discounts of up to £lOOO are being offered by some dealers. Ford's "family favourite" ceased production in the last week in July, close to 20 years after the Mark I Cortina was launched. Around five million Cortinas have been built since then.

unchanged. They must be standard production vehicles of which at least 25 have been assembled in this coun : try. For the first time since 1967, the Benson and Hedges race at Pukekohe will be of six hours' duration — half an hour more than the 1981 race time. The first two events, at Tauranga's Bay Park on October 24 and Feilding's Manfield circuit on October 31. will be of two hours and a half and three hours respec-