Record series entry

Press, 13 January 1987, Page 11

Record series entry

PA Wellington A record entry for this month’s Nissan Mobil 500 Group A touring-car series means drivers will have to qualify to get a start in the Wellington street race. The race organisers, Strathmore Sports, already have more entries than they have places on the start grid, and still expect several more for the January 25 race. The entries so far number 46, six more than were allowed to start in the race last year. But an 800 m extension to the waterfront circuit and the easing of some corners is expected to result in that maximum being expanded to at least 43 cars. The exact number of starters allowable hangs on a final inspection of the street circuit by the International Motorsport Federation's chief track inspector, Mr Jan Corsrmt, a few fee race.

The Nissan Mobil field is not only strong on quantity, it is also the best for the three-year-old race series, with a turnout of Australia and New Zealand’s best touring-car drivers, plus some of the best from Britain and Europe. The star attractions will be the two Jaguars, to be raced by the Britons, Tom Walkinsbaw and Win Percy, the West German, Armin Hahne, the New Zealander, Denny Hulme and the Australian, Ron Dickson. The two Jaguars will be making their last« Group A race appearances in the world in the series.

Walkinshaw and his team will have to beat a class field to bow out the Jaguars on a winning note. . The competition will include the Bathurst winner, Allan Grice, the New Zealander, Neville Crichton, and the top European Ford works driver, : Steve Soper, in a former factory team Stenra Turbo. Also racing will be George Fury , ' ' . f

Seton, from the dominant Australian Peter Jackson Nissan team, and last year’s victorious Mobil Holden dealer team featuring Peter Brock and Allan Moffat, John Harvey and Neal Lowe. Other top campaigners from the Australian touringcar scene will include Larry J»erkins and David Parsons, in their Enzed Commodore, the Ford Mustang campaigner, Dick .Johnson, and JPS B.M.W. team members driving one of his former 635 CSis with the New Zealander, Trevor Crowe and Tony Longhurst (sharing one of his old 325 is with the Aucklanders, Bill Bryce and Paul Radislch). Local hopes (apart from the many New Zealanders sharing with overseas drivers), will rest with the former world .champion motor-cycle racer, Graeme Crosby, and his team-mate, Wayne Wilkinson, and the New Zealand Nissan Skyline team of Kent Baigent and Graeme Bowkett