Saloon racing lap record set

Press, 23 November 1987, Page 30

Saloon racing lap record set

By

JOHN HAWKINS

Rob Kennard and John Osborne again proved too good for the rest Of the fields in the two Open Saloon Car Association scratch races at Ruapuna yesterday. Kennard claimed a lap record of 48.80 seconds for the class in the opening heat. As the field powered away from the rolling start of the first heat, Osborne threw down a challenge to Kennard’s Cortina VB, and closely pursued him throughout the eight laps, almost getting alongside on several occasions but never quite managing to pass.

There was drama in the race’s mid-stages when Don Grindley’s third-placed Mazda Buick lost a wheel and ran off the circuit at the second S bend. There was a small grass fire near the scene but it was quickly extinguished by track officials. Meanwhile Steve Vigurs (Celeste Chev) took over third place well clear of the four-litre class contenders, John Harcourt and Dave McNaughton, who finished in that order after a race-long duel. The second event was won easily by Osborne after Kennard had been forced to transfer to the Capri Chev formerly drive by John Fisher, when his own car had blown a head gasket.

The opening heat of the Mini 7 class was the most closely fought. Ater Wayne Timm’s car had rolled, with only minor damage, coming out of the hairpin, much of the race was run under the yellow caution flags. Not withstanding this, Robin Wilkinson, John Hamilton and Doug Drake fought tooth and nail at the head of the field, sometimes crossing the finish line three abreast. At the finish Hamilton was just given the decision by the judges from Wilkinson and Drake.

Peter Black, driving the car formerly raced by the class champion Steve Jones, held off an early challenge from Paul Sheppard to win the second heat.

Competition was keen in the Formula Ford heats.

At the start of the opening race Paul Larsen was overwhelmed by the Charisma team cars of Grant Milligan and Andrew McElrea. While McElrea quickly hit the front, Larsen was unfortunate to be involved in a tangle with Milligan at the hairpin and did well to tiger his way back through the field to an eventual fourth place at the finish, behind McElrea, Chris Hyde and Milligan.

The second event was also run at a hectic pace with Larsen and McElrea attack-

ing the lap record as they fought for the lead. Disaster struck Larsen, when an altercation between the two cars at the hairpin sent him into retirement

Meanwhile Milligan swept through to win from Hyde and McElrea, who had the consolation of a lap record for the class of 52.08 seconds. Chris Blackwood reversed the order from the October meeting when he led home Jim Little in the opening heat of the Pre-65 class. Blackwood in a Falcon headed Little’s Valiant throughout the race, while the Datsun of Ross Melhop held off the close attention of Wayne Austin and Mark Leonard, driving Anglia and Cortina respectively.

Blackwood was untroubled In winning the second race after Little failed to take the start.

Leonard and Austin fought for third position behind Melhop, with Leonard timing his passing move to perfection to pip Austin for the placing at the line. The scratch race for the saloons was led initially by Tony Rutherford’s Chevette from Robert Toshach’s Lotus 7, but when Toshach spun Jamie Stewart moved through and eventually usurped Rutherford for the lead. These two finished well clear of the third placeman, Bruce Henderson in a Mazda.