Oxton fulfils lifelong ambition

Press, 10 January 1983, Page 32

Oxton fulfils lifelong ambition

By

PETER GREENSLADE

Just as they had dominated pre-race qualifying, the Aucklanders, Dave McMillan and David Oxton, in their Ralt RT4s, were the frontrunners until, in McMillan's case, mechanical misfortune intervened in the New Zealand Grand Prix at Pukekohe on Saturday.

O.xton profited to achieve a lifelong motor racing ambition and emerge the winner. He had finished 6.82 s behind McMillan to be second in the first 30-lap heat. Then he went on to win the second heat very much as he liked, for McMillan was forced out after his car dropped from contention with electrical troubles before one-third of the heat had been completed.

Under the somewhat complicated points system used to determine grand prix placegetters, Oxton won from the 20-year-old Paul Radisich of Henderson, McMillan, an Australian Graham Watson, the West German Christian Danner, and the young Canadian Allen Berg, who was sixth. All drove British Ralt RT4s, as did all the other finishers, with the exception of the Auckland tyro, Charlie Thomasen, who drove a Chevron 849.

It was Oxton's day in every way in a car that had quite recently won the Australian Grand. Prix in the hands of the noted Formula One driver, Alain Prost. Oxton had leased it to drive only at Pukekohe. As his victory also makes him winner of the first round in the Mondial world championship, he could be tempted to change his plans and contest the second round at the Manfield circuit at Feilding next Sunday. Two Australian rounds, at Melbourne and Adelaide, follow in February, but Oxton has yet to declare his intentions and it may be that he will be content to rest on his Pukekohe laurels. From the onlookers’ viewpoint, the first heat was the most exciting. McMillan, in pole position, was forced to start with his car standing in a large puddle of water, left on a drying track after a heavy rain shower. Oxton, outside him, made the best of the start to lead narrowly until, in lap 13, McMillan hit the front. Oxton held him close; but after a few laps he encountered gear selection problems and lost the use of fourth gear. McMillan was left in a comfortable situation and went on to win.

However, the race pattern might have been different, if the runners behind the leading duo bad not been disconcerted by one of the most spectacular — if not the most serious — accidents in Pukekohe’s 20-year history. In the third lap, an American, Norm Hunter, who was running third behind Berg, lost control of his Ralt at more than 200km/h at the start of Champion Curve, the exit from the start-finish straight. Mike Rosen, a closely following compatriot, put his Ralt into a deliberate spin to avoid a collision and Ken Smith, of Auckland, did likewise in an attempt to avoid Rosen. Hunter shot off the track in a cloud of dust to come to rest unscathed, while Rosen did likewise, but struck a tractor tyre barrier and virtually' wrote off his Ralt.

Smith skilfully steered his Halt out of trouble narrowly

avoiding all the obstacles and regained the circuit-be-fore all the dust had settled. Rosen was lucky to escape with a sprained wrist, neck whiplash and some bruising.

With three front-runners out of contention, Berg and Radisich, followed by the Australian, Charlie O’Brien, had things very much their own way behind the leaders for the remainder of the heat. From the start, the second heat showed great promise. McMillan, this time on dry ground, led out from Oxton, Hunter and Berg, with Radisich next. Then there was a considerable gap back to Smith, O’Brien and Watson. The first two maintained station so closely that it was pointless to try to predict the final result until McMillan’s car started misfiring. Oxton immediately went to the front and McMillan made a succession of pit stops before finally retiring after completing 14 laps. Hunter assumed second place, a long way behind Oxton. He was harassed by Berg and Radisich until Berg’s engine went sour.

However, the South Island, and Christchurch in particular, perhaps put on the best entertainment and provided some of the most spectacular racing at Pukekohe in the two events for sports sedans. In the first eight-lapper, Trevor Crowe (Toyota Starlet V 8) dictated all the terms to win from John Osborne (Ford Cologne Capri) and Steve Vigurs (Chev.-Cortina) finished sixth. The two other local drivers, lan Munt (Ford Capri) and Don Grindley (Mazda RX3) were forced to retire. Crowe made the fastest lap in 62.65, a time that some of the better singleseater drivers would be extended to emulate and one that was certainly better than that of the best Formula Ford drivers.

In the second eight-lapper, Crowe, starting from the back of the grid (it was a reverse order grid race) carved up the entire field to win handsomely again. His showing was one that brought the spectators to their feet and on each occasion he was accorded the most enthusiastic acclamations of the day. The Ashburton sports sedan man, Rod McElrea, did not race because engine repairs could not be effected in time, after troubles at the Bay Park meeting on the previous Sunday.

A Christchurch Formula Ford driver, John Crawford (Valour), drove a heady race in appalling weather conditions to finish third in the first event in the Motorcraft series, but luck deserted him in the second race. Results:—

New Zealand Grand Prix — Heat 1: Dave McMillan (Ralt RT4), 29:24.065, 1; David Oxton (Ralt RT4), 29:30.88, 2; Allen Berg (Ralt RT4), 29:33.70,.3; Paul Radisich (Ralt RT4), 29:34.60, 4; Charlie O’Brien (Ralt RT4), 29:46.99,5; Christian Danner (Ralt RT4), 30:6.67, 6. Other finishers in descending order: Ken Smith (Ralt RT4), Graham Watson (Ralt RT4), Eric Morgan (Ralt RTI), and Steve Cameron (Chevron 839). Heat 2: Oxton, 29:28.50, 1; Radisich, 29:37.47, 2; Norman Hunter (Ralt RT4), 29:47, 3; Watson, 30:4.24, 4; Grant Campbell (Ralt RT4), 30:10.48, 5; Danner, 29 laps, 6. Other finishers: Charlie Thomasen (Chevron 849). Fastest lap: Oxton (in the first heat), 57.57 (record). Over-all result: Oxton, 20 points, 1; Radisich, 15, 2; McMillan, 12, 3; Watson, 10, 4; Danner, 8,5; Berg, 6, 6.