McMillan fastest for G.P.
By Peter Greenslade The Aucklanders Dave McMillan and David Oxton will occupy the front row of the New Zealand Grand Prix starting grid at Pukekohe today.
They were the fastest qualifiers yesterday, both putting in a lap at more than 175 km/h in their Ralt RT4S. McMillan, driving the car that won him the 1982 North American Formula Atlantic Championship, raced around the best of his 15 qualifying laps in 57.32 seconds. Oxton put in 36 laps in the car that the Frenchman. Alain Proust, raced in the recent Australian Grand Prix, and the best of those was 57.5 seconds. The starters, who will probably number 14. set their best times in the morning. They also had a long afternoon session, but the track proved greasy and none improved. The circuit was so slippery that third and fourth qualifiers, the Americans Allen Berg and Norm Hunter, slid off in their Ralts and came to rest in clouds of dust, but uninjured. Their qualifying times were 57.5 and 57.6 respectively. : ...
Berg, aged 21. a Canadian from Calgary, won the first two rounds in the international series at Bay Park, Mount Maunganui, last Sunday. Although he looks like a fresh-faced schoolboy, he is very much a professional racing driver, and on yesterday's showing should be the front-runner today.
Hunter is a tall, hard and fast charger, and should at least keep Berg honest. Paul Radisich, of Henderson, aged 19, has been racing his Ralt for just one year. Yesterday, he drove like a veteran, he was fifth fastest with 58.2 seconds. The best of the rest, and all driving Ralts, were the American, Mike Rosen (58.385), the Australian, Charlie O’Brian (58.45), Ken Smith of Auckland (58.495), and West Germany's Christian Bann (58.775). The only South Islander entered in the Grand Prix is Tony Batchelor, of Christchurch, and he did not attempt to qualify his March 74 B yesterday. However, Christchurch sports sedan drivers were six of the faster qualifiers, and Trevor Crowe (Toyota Starlet) was the fastest in the morning session, with a time of 64.6 second'
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Press, 8 January 1983, Page 3
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349McMillan fastest for G.P. Press, 8 January 1983, Page 3
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