Attwood Surprised To Win Levin Race

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30960, 17 January 1966, Page 13

Attwood Surprised To Win Levin Race

Frank Gardner, of Australia, in his 2.5 Repco-Brabham-Climax, set a new lap record and dominated the field only to have victory snatched from him a little more than four miles from home in the Gold Leaf International Trophy race at Levin on Saturday.

The very surprised winner was the No. 2 B.R.M. driver, Richard Attwood, who had never been further back than third in the 30.8-mile 28-lap race but, nevertheless, while Gardner was in front, never looked a winner.

Gardner set a cracking pace from the start and was first challenged by the No. 1 B.R.M. driver, Jack Stewart, who was eventually farced to retire after fading to third place behind Attwood, after 10 laps.

With Stewart out of the running, because of gear selector failure, Gardner was left fairly well clear and appeared to have the race wan when his Brabham ground to a halt two laps from the finish with a broken axle. The second man home was the current world champion, Jim Clark, in his 2.5 LotusClimax. He finished just 12.1 sec behind Attwood who set a new Levin race record of 23min 12sec—an improvement of 53.95ec on the race record established by Clark last year.

When Gardner dropped out, Australia was kept in the picture by the young S. Martin who brought the Scuderia Veloce 2.5 Repeo-Brabham-Climax home in third place Usee behind Clark. New Zealanders filled the remaining three major places. Roly Levis (1.5 BrabhamFord) headed off Jim Palmer (2.5 Lotus-Climax) by 6.9 see for fourth. In sixth place was I. Dawson (2.5 Repco-Brab-ham-Climax), s.3sec behind Palmer.

Fast Race The race was one of the most closely contested events yet seen on the tight and rough Levin circuit and the notable feature was that the six major place-getters all returned times well within the 1965 race record of 24min 5.9 sec set last year by Clark. Although the result was a disappointing one for Gardner, he did have the saHsfac-

tion of setting a new lap record of 47.95ec for Levin. This was an improvement of 2.1 sec over the record set in 1965 by Clark. Record-breaking was not confined to the feature event. D. Simpson of Auckland whittled the “allcomer” saloon car record down to 55.6 sec in his Lotus-Anglia and in the process won the race on the programme which counted towards this season’s New Zealand Racing Drivers’ Club saloon car championship. The record crowd of 23,000 saw 20 races for all categories of cars and motor-cycles.

Driver Burnt A Holden caught fire in one of the early races and its driver, W. A. McPherson of Wellington, suffered burns and was admitted to hospital. Late in the day in the Formule Libre race, N. Whittaker of Wellington crashed in his 2.5 Brabham-Climax and escaped unscathed although the car was extinsively damaged. The feature race, the second round in this season’s eight race Tasman Championship, attracted a field of 15. Grid positions were determined by the fastest laps in two preliminary heats, each of eight laps, in the morning. The first heat was won convincingly by Levis in 6min 56.55ec, from the Wanganui driver, G. Lawrence (1.5 Brab-ham-Ford), who was unable to start in the final because of transmission trouble.

Hotly pursued by Stewart, Gardiner won the second heat in 6min 35.35ec. Stewart was only fractions of a secc ’d behind and third was Martin. Clark, after putting in a 50sec lap in his Lotus, lost a complete lap when he had a spin at Cabbage Tree corner.

When the field lined up for the feature race, Gardner had pole position with Stewart and Clark sharing the front row. In the second were Attwood, Martin and Levis.

Gardner made the best of the start but was closely attended by Clark, Stewart and Attwood. At the end of the first round the Australian had a slight lead over Stewart and Clark. But in the second lap Attwood improved his position to move into third place behind Stewart. Clark was on even terms with Martin and then came Lavis, fairly well clear of Palmer, Dawson and Marwood.

For the next two laps not much more than two car lengths separated Gardner and Stewart and there was about 200 yards back to Attwood, with a similar gap to Clark and Martin. About this time R. Thackwell retired his 1.5 Brabham-Ford with a broken half-shaft.

Gardner increased his margin tn the sixth lap when Stewart had a spin on the pit corner and dropped back to third place behind Attwood. Four laps later Stewart was out of the race with gear selector trouble and Gardner was well clear of Attwood and beginning to lap the tail-end of the field.

In spite of his clear advantage, Gardner did not diminish his pace and on his fifteenth round set the new lap record. He then had a 150-yard advantage over Attwood who was followed by Clark. Levis, Palmer, Dawson, D. Marwood (2.5 Cooper-Climax) and A. Buchanan (2.5 Repco-Brabham-Cli-max).

With about 18 laps gone D. Hollier retired in his 1.5 LotusFord.

With eight laps left to go. Gardner appeared to have the race won. He had increased his lead over Attwood who, in turn was ll.Ssec ahead of Clark who was being seriously challenged by Levis. Behind then about 100yard intervals separated Palmer and Dawson.

Then the race took its dramatic turn as Gardner slowed down In the twenty-fourth lap and Attwood shot to the front. Gardner was out of the race and Attwood coasted home followed by Clark, Martin, Levis, Palmer and Dawson. Marwood and Buchanan now a lap In arrears, were the next to finish.

The world 125 c.c. motorcycle champion, Hugh Anderson, of Ohinewai, rode his little Suzuki in the three events on the programme. In the Senior Grand Prix for machines up to 500 c.c. he held second place for several laps and then fell and abandoned the race. The winner was N. Landrebe (Matchless).

Gold Leaf International (28 laps, each lap 1.8 miles): R. Attwood (England BRM., 1930 c.c., 23min 12sec, 1: J. Clark (Scotland) Lotus, 2495 c.c., 23:24.1, 2; S. Martin (Australia) Brabham, 2495 C.C.. 23:35.1, 3; R. A. Levis (New Zealand) Brabham. 1498 C.C., 23:35.8, 4; J. Palmer (New Zealand) Lotus, 2495 c.c., 23:42.7, 5: I. W. Dawson (New Zealand) Brabham, 2500 c.c., 23:48, 6.

Group two saloon car scratch race (classes: 0-1000 c.c., 10011300 c.c.) six laps: J. Mullins (M/Cooper S) 1, T. Scott (M/Cooper S) 2, R. C. Grace (M/Cooper S) 3. Time: 6min 10.4 sec.

Tasman Formula, first preliminary race (racing cars up to 2500 c.c.) eight laps: R. A. Levis (Brabham) 1, G. H. Laurence (Brabham) 2, J. Riley (Lotus) 3. Time, 6min 56.5 sec.

Levin Senior Grand Prix for motor-cycles (up to 500 c.c.), nine laps: N. J. Landrebe (Matchless) 1, J. A. Wales (7R A.J.S.) 2, K. I. Turner (Norton) 3. Time, 9min ,02sec.

All Comers' Saloon Car Scratch Race (over 1300 c.c.) six laps: D. A. Simpson (Anglia) 1, P. B. Fahey (Lotus Anglia) 2, R. Coppins (Zephyr Sorvette) 3. Time, smin 47sec.

Saloon Car Race for group two cars (1001-1300 c.c. and over) six laps: I. Segedln (Ford Mustang) 1, J. Mullins (M/Cooper S) 2, R. B. Langley (A/Cooper S) 3. Time, Bmin 59.65ec.

Sports and sports-racing car scratch race (0-1500 c.c.: over 1500 c.c.) eight laps: S. Martin (Ferrari) 1, J. Boyd (Lycoming) 2, I. W. Horley (Beowulf Ford) 3. Time, 7min 29.25ec.

AH Comers’ Saloon Car Scratch Race (0-1000 c.c., 1001-1300 c.c.), 6 laps.—K. Grant (Austin A4O) 1, J. Mullins (M/Cooper S) 2, B. E. Innes (M/Cooper S) 3. 6min 2.4 sec.

Tasman Formula, Second Preliminary Race (to 250 c.c.), 8 laps.—F. Gardner (Brabham) 1, J. Stewart (8.R.M.) 2, S. Martin (Brabham) 3. 6min 35.8 sec.

New Zealand 1} Litre Formula Racing Car Race (up to 1500 c.c. unsupercharged), 14 laps.—R. A. Levis (Brabhata) 1, G. H. Lawrence (Brabham) 2, K. Sager (Repco Brabham) 3. 12min 2sec.

Levin Junior Grand Prix Motor-Cycle Race for machines up to 350 c.c.), 9 laps.— J. A. Wales (7R A.J.S.) 1. H. R. Anderson (Suzuki) 2, K. I. Turner (Norton) 3. Bmin 56.35ec.

AH Comers’ Saloon Car Scratch Race (over 1300 c.c.) 6 laps.-—I. Segedln (Ford Mustang) 1, R. Rutherford (Lotus Cortina) 2, R. Coppins (Zephyr Corvette) 3. 6min 03.3 sec.

Mini-Minor Feature Race 10011300 c.c.), 6 laps.—J. Mullins (M/Cooper S) 1, R. B. Langley (A/Cooper S) 2, F. Hamlin (M/Cooper S) 3. 6min. New Zealand Light-weight T.T. for Motor-Cycles (up to 250 c.c.), 8 laps.—H. R. Anderson (Suzuki) 1, K. I. Turner (Norton) 2, G. M. Spooner (Bultaco) 3. Bmin 07.0 sec.

Vic Hudson Memorial Trophy Race (formula Libre racing cars), 8 laps.—J. Stewart (8.R.M.) 1, J. Clark (Lotus) 2, R. A. Levis (Brabham) 3. 6mln 42.1 sec.

Saloon Car Handicap Race for Group II Cars, 6 laps.—G. N. Giblin (Flat) 1, R. Anderson (M/Cooper S) 2, I. Bradley (Lotus Cortina) 3. 7min 06sec.

AH Comers’ Saloon Car Scratch Race (0-1000 .c.c, 1001-1300 c.c.), 6 laps.—K. Grant (Austin A4O) 1, R. B. Langley (A/Cooper S) 2, R. Grace (M/Cooper S) 3. «mln 02.9 sec.

Ail Comers’ Saloon Scratch Race (over 1300 c.c.), 6 laps.— R. G. McDonald (Lotus Cortina) 1, R. Coppins (ZephyrCorvette) 2, F. Radislch (Humber Jaguar) 3. Bmin 03.6 sec.