Trevor Crowe dominates for early motor racing lead

Press, 3 October 1983, Page 3

Trevor Crowe dominates for early motor racing lead

JOHN FRIDD

Trevor Crowe, of Christchurch, made the best possible start to his motorracing season yesterday when he dominated the first round of the Arbuckles O.S.C.A. series at Ruapuna Raceway. Crowe cruised to victory in his Zagato Starlet V 8 in the four-litre class race, which was notable for a late charge by Don Grindley in his new fuel-injected, turbocharged Mazda RX7. Grindley started last on the grid but had forged his way up to second behind Crowe before he suddenly slowed and stopped — the belt driving the fuel-injection equipment had flown off.

During the race Mark Rutherford (Escort 1600) blew his chances of winning

the two-litre class when he clouted John Harcourt’s Escort at the sweeper, resulting in a class win for Eric Johnston (Ashburton) in the ex-Wayne Murdoch Avenger.

In the six-litre big-saloons race Steve Vigurs made the early running in his wellprepared Southside Cortina Chev VB, until lan Munt (Exhaust Systems Capri Chev) forced his way past in the sweeper. Munt went on to win by 3s. John Osborne failed to start the race because of gearbox problems in his Capri Chev. The 12-lap Arbuckles O.S.C.A. final turned into an exciting duel between Crowe and Munt until Crowe started drawing away from Munt’s big Capri after three laps. At the end of the race Crowe was 8.2 s

ahead of Munt, with Vigurs 5s behind Munt in third place. Crowe made it three in a row when he took the flying farewell, finishing 3.9 s ahead of Munt.

John Crawford, of Christchurch, made a good start to the defence of his South Island Formula Ford title when he won the first championship round in his Versatile Garages Van Dieman. Peter Mac Ewen led the race for the first 1% laps before Crawford shot past him on the main straight and held him off under braking for the tricky hairpin, showing the experience that earned him third place in last season’s national championship. Darryl Roots and Wayne Leslie scrapped torridly for third place before Roots prevailed. Kevin Hill and Brian Blackmore ended their race at the hairpin after two laps when they collided and damaged their cars.

Steve Jones showed just why he is national superkart champion by zipping to three straight wins in the superkart races in his Zip Rotax.

The tiny karts thrilled the large crowd with their incredible adhesion on corners and the best turned in lap times faster than the big saloons, and equal to those turned in by the March Formula Pacific that Tony Batchelor drove in the Ford-Pacific handicap races.

Results: (drivers from Christchurch unless otherwise stated) — Arbuckles O.S.C.A. supercars.— Six-litre cars: lan Munt (Capri Chev V 8), 1; Steve Vigurs (Cortina Chev V 8), 2; lan Shrimpton (Capri Chev V 8), 3. Fastest lap, Munt and Vigurs, 44.05. Four-litre cars: Trevor Crowe (Starlet Olds V 8), 1; Michael Johnston (Ashburton, Escort BDD turbo), 2; Arthur Inns (Escort V 6), 3. Fastest lap, Crowe, 45.25. Twolitre cars: Eric Johnston (Ashburton, Avenger 1600), 1; Alan Farr (Timaru, Escort RS2000), 2: Austin Cole (Corolla 1300) 3. Fastest lap, Mark Rutherford (Escort 1600) and Gary Love (Datsun 120 Y coupe 1600), 48.55. O.S.C.A. final: Crowe, 1; Munt, 2; Vigurs, 3; Don Grindley (Mazda RX7 turbo), 4; John Fisher (Capri Chev V 8), 5; Michael Johnston, 6. Fastest lap, Crowe, 43.35. Flying Farewell (handicap): Crowe, 1; Munt, 2; Grindley 3. Fastest lap, Crowe, 43.25.'

Lancaster Motors South Island Formula Ford championship.— John Crawford (Van Dieman), 1; Darryl Roots (Titan), 2; Wayne Leslie (GLH),

3. Fastest lap, Crawford, 46.05. Formula Fords and Formula Pacifies (handicap).— Race one: Crawford, 1; Peter Mac Ewen (Titan), 2; Graeme Vaughan (Timaru, Lyon), 3. Fastest lap, Tony Batchelor (Formula Pacific March 748), 43.05. Race two: Philip Butcher (Valour), 1; Steven Foster (Royale), 2; Batchelor, 3. Fastest lap, Batchelor, 42.85. Superkarts.— Race one: Steve Jones (Zip Rotax), 1; John Hamilton (Hamilton Rotax), 2; Jim Rouse (Zip Rotax), 3. Race two: Jones, 1; Rouse, 2; Avon Hyde (Zip Yamaha), 3. Race three: Jones, 1; Rouse, 2; Hamilton, 3. Clubmans saloons.— Race one: Graeme Clark (Capri V 8), 1; Steve Donaldson (Cortina 1500), 2; Maurice Bone (Anglia 1600), 3. Fastest lap, Clark, 53.15. Race two (handicap): Clark, 1; Alan Candy (Mazda RX3), 2; Bruce Glossop (Datsun 1600 turbo), 3. Fastest lap, Clark, 53.05. Race three (handicap): Alan Milligan (Mini 7), 1; Doug Parker (Mini 7), 2; Stephen Greenfield (Mazda RX2), 3. Fastest lap, Clark, 53.15.