Full field for saloon racing spectacular

Press, 20 January 1984, Page 17

Full field for saloon racing spectacular

JOHN FRIDD

By

Touring cars or OSCA “big-bangers” — which class of saloon-car racing will provide the better spectacle? That question will be answered at Wigram on Sunday when the new touring cars take the same stage as a full field of radically-altered South Island saloons. The new A.N.Z. Bank touring car championship has already become embroiled in controversy, as seems inevitable with any type of standard production racing in this country. Many competitors have “pushed” the rules to the limit and often one man’s interpretation of a rule has differed

from that of his fellow competitor — and often the ruling stewards. Last week-end television viewers and spectators at Manfeild saw Wayne Wilkinson (Commodore SS) lead home the similar Commodore of Trevor McLean, but on Monday, the third-placed driver, Robbie Francevic (Commodore), was declared winner of the race after the two other drivers were excluded for having done illegal modifications to their cars.

Both excluded drivers have appealed, and it will be interesting to see whether the Wilkinson car, which is actually owned by the yachting ace, Neville Crichton, and will be driven by him at Wigram, is sporting the same exhaust system that had Wilkinson thrown out of the Manfeild results. McLean and Francevic have not entered for Wigram but the series leader, Gary Sprague (Tauranga), will appear in his quick Falcon XE, backed up by two Auckland-based Falcon drivers, Bruce Anderson and Gary Bromley. Two top South Islanders, Rod Collingwood (Nelson) and Barry Dryden (Wanaka), will be there in their Commodore SS machines to have a crack at the Falcons and all the big cars should be wellmatched. The veteran South Canterbury driver, Jim Little, should not be discounted in

his ageing Charger E 49, as he scored a creditable fifth at Manfeild last week-end and has a lot of experience on South Island tracks to draw from.

Other top entries include Bill McFarlane (Dunedin, Capri V 6), Veen Smith (Auckland, Torana) and Rod McElrea (Ashburton, Torana).

As the Wigram round approaches, the A.N.Z. series points table is: Sprague 30, Robbie Francevic 18, John Morton (Auckland, Commodore) 12, Bill McFarlane 9, Veen Smith 8. The destruction of John Osborne’s Capri Chev will rob the Arbuckles OSCA racing of some interest but the crowd should still see an exciting high-speed battle between Trevor Crowe (Zagato, Starlet Olds), Avon - Hyde (Clyde Collins, Commodore Chev) and lan Munt (Waterbed World, Capri Chev).

These three are now evenly matched and may have to watch their rearview mirrors for the rapidly improving Steve Vigurs (Southside Motorcycles, Cortina Chev). Other entries include Don Grindley (Mazda RX7), lan Shrimpton (Capri Chev), Rob Kennard (Mustang), Mike Small (Charger E 49) and the new Mazda RX7 of Peter Marshall, of Timaru. Over 20 drivers have entered the OSCA races.

The Shellsport two-litre saloons will also provide fast, close racing as the

battle for the title of national saloon-car champion continues. Tony Marsh (Auckland, Sunny 1300) is leading the championship but is being pushed hard by Roy Harrington (Auckland, Escort TC), Warren Steel (Taupo, Datsun 1600), Mark Rutherford (Christchurch, Escort 1600) and Reg Cook (Auckland, Nissan Sunny), so the scene looks set for some door-banging, late-braking action at Wigram. South Island fans will watch the late entry of ace Timaru driver, Warren Burt (Starlet 1300), with interest. At least 13 cars will start the first Shellsport race. Adding to the feast of saloon-car action at Wigram will be a round of the lonAire Fortron S.I. production saloon series, national Laser

Sports, some pre-65 saloon action and a demonstration of 40 Jaguars. In addition to the Just Juice Formula Pacific single-seaters, spectators will see the stars of tomorrow dicing in their small but fast Formula Fords as drivers contest another round of the Motorcraft F.F. championship. One of the best Formula Ford fields ever assembled in the South Island — comprising more than 20 cars — will grid up at Wigram as Steve Richards (Hamilton) attempts to increase his lead in the championship. However, the Eutectic driver faces strong opposition from Christchurch’s own champion-in-the-mak-ing, John Crawford (Van

own champion-in-the-mak-ing, John Crawford (Van

Diemen), as well as two other North Islanders, Richard Lester (Palmerston North, Swift) and Kevin Ingram (Feilding, Titan). Almost every part of the country is represented in the strong field as well as 1 both sexes — Heather Spurle, of Auckland, will attempt to beat the men at their own game in her Elden Mk 8. Pointsafter the Manfeild round: Fuchards 58, Crawford 42, Lester 32, Ingram 14. A round of the Lancaster Motors South Island Formula Ford series will also be run at Wigram on Saturday, along with a pre-65 race.