X LADY WIGRAM TROPHY
 Location - Wigram Aerodrome NZ  Laps - 44  Distance - 164.14 km  Date - 18/01/64  Weather - Fine
ENTRY LIST
NO. DRIVER ENTRANT MAKE ENGINE
3 Denis Hulme Brabham Racing Org. Brabham BT4 Climax FPF
4 Jack Brabham Brabham Racing Org. Brabham BT7A Climax FPF
8 Andy Buchanan Wilson Motors Brabham BT6 Ford 1.6
5 John Youl John Youl Cooper T55 Climax FPF
6 David Young David Young Cooper T65 Ford 1.5
9 Bill Thomasen Corsair Racing Team Cooper T53 Climax FPF 2.0
41 Jim Palmer Jim Palmer Cooper T53 Climax FPF
47 Bruce McLaren Bruce McLaren Motor Racing Cooper T70 Climax FPF
48 Timmy Mayer Bruce McLaren Motor Racing Cooper T70 Climax FPF
1 Chris Amon Reg Parnell Lola T4 Climax FPF
7 Ken Sager J.H. Sager Lotus 20 Ford 1.5
17 Tony Shelly Shelly Motors Ltd. Lotus 18/21 Climax FPF
19 Frank Turpie Frank Turpie Lotus 20 Ford 1.5
22 Roly Levis Roly Levis Lotus 22 Ford 1.6
25 Rex Flowers Flowers Transport Lotus 20B Ford 1.5
16 Jim Boyd Jack Malcolm Valour Ford 1.5
McLaren leads BrabhamThree close cars and drivers, hot windy weather and one hundred and one fast miles on an open airfield circuit formed the ingredients of one of the most exciting races on the New Zealand circuit this season. A lead which was in doubt for most of the race, the tenth Lady Wigram Trophy race, was eventually consolidated by Bruce McLaren's lightweight Cooper from the snapping Brabhams of Jack Brabham and Denis Hulme.

For most, the Christchurch race meant a long hop from Pukekohe the week before and the circus began converging on the Canterbury Plains on Wednesday, January 15.

On Thursday some of the drivers went to Ruapuna Park, the Canterbury Car Club's fine little one mile circuit, and did some preparatory testing before official practice the day before the race. With loose shingle on the circuits of the permanent track, no quick times could be recorded but faults could be rectified and machines adjusted.

John Youl gave a new differential in his Cooper a run, after the old one was damaged through lack of oil at Pukekohe. Meantime, at Wigram members of the Motor Racing Club began working on the Wigram airfield with restricted time before practice Friday to form a motor racing circuit.

This year a loop was included in the course where the chicane formerly was, but it proved unpopular with drivers. Why slow up an already fast circuit, one asked rhetorically. At the old chicane there was only one bump, and now there were three, another said.

Denis Hulme recorded the fastest lap time in practice averaging 95 m.p.h. with his lm 27.7s circulation. Other quick times included Brabham, 1m 29.0s; Mayer, 1m 29.2s; McLaren, 1m 29.4s; Youl, 1m 29.6s; Shelly, 1m 30.9s and Palmer, 1m 31s. There were a few problems with high tyre wear. Some other troubles, however, were not derivative from competitors. Timmy Mayer had to brake hard on pit straight to avoid a youngster, one of many who wanted to cross the track. Single seater competitors were surprised to be waved off the circuit at the end of their session with a red flag.

The first heat for the big race the opening event of the day in contrast to the Lady Wigram was a mundane affair. Hulme led from start to finish and was never troubled. By the end of the first lap the second man, Palmer, was followed by Shelly, Amon, Levis and Sager and the order remained the same. Timmy Mayer made an early pit stop after he spun twice at the Loop and bent the lower wishbone when the Cooper struck a fence post. McLaren Motor Racing Ltd. was busy for the next few hours, rectifying the car for the Trophy race.

John Youl made a fine start in the second heat followed by McLaren, Brabham and Buchanan. McLaren soon passed the Australian as did Brabham by the second lap. By the third lap it was obvious. that Jack was closing in on the leader and on the fifth circulation the Brabham led the field. Back in the minor placings Buchanan, David Young and Rex Flowers were scraping for 1.5-litre honours. On the final lap McLaren momentarily snatched the lead from Brabham, but it was Jack who saw the flag first, 0.5 seconds ahead of Bruce.

Once again Youl was first away at the start of the Trophy race watched by a large crowd, and was followed by the two Repco-Brabhams of Jack and Denny. As they came round for the first time Brabham led the field with Hulme, McLaren, Youl, Palmer, Amon and Mayer in close attendance.
On the second lap Mayer moved past Amon who led Shelly. In ninth position was Andy Buchanan who was accompanied by Rex Flowers and David Young. One lap later Timmy Mayer had moved past Palmer into fourth position.

McLaren dropped several places when the throttle jammed open and caused him to make a deviation. By the end of lap 4 the order was Brabham, Hulme, a gap to Youl and a further gap to Palmer, Shelly, Amon and Mayer Although McLaren lost 20 seconds after his excursion into the haybales, he, soon began moving up through the field. By lap 5 he was in fourth position and at the end of the tenth circulation had passed Youl into third place. One lap later the gap between Hulme and Mc Laren was 8 seconds. Back in seventh and eighth placings, Buchanan and Flowers diced with one another and continued to do so until lap 18 when Rex managed to take the little Brabham. McLaren was really pulling out the stops, but found it a difficult task to catch the old master. By lap 20 Brabham had 7 seconds on McLaren who was closing in on Hulme. Three laps later the three leaders were neck and neck, and had a considerable gap over Youl who was 15 seconds ahead of Palmer. At the corner just after the pit straight, Jim spun and let Shelly through, while McLaren finally got Hulme for second position.

All interest centred around the two leaders as Bruce closed in on Jack. On lap 27, with Chris Amon out with a broken half-shaft, the order was Brabham, McLaren, Hulme, Youl, Shelly, Palmer, Flowers, Buchanan and Young.

Only 0.5 of a second separated the two leaders on lap 29 as the pace became hotter and the cars touched 150 m.p.h. down the back straight. Shelly lost a lap when he spun his Lotus, but he rejoined and eventually finished in sixth place behind Palmer. Such was the pace of the first three, that 54 seconds separated them from the fourth man, Youl.McLaren the happy winner

There was a gasp from the Crowd as McLaren came through in the lead on the 38th circulation. Jack had run into some loose stuff just before the Loop while attempting to lap a slower car and lost valuable seconds. Just like Pukekohe, only not as bad. On lap 40 after a long tussle with Flowers, Buchanan brought his Brabham into the pits with two broken pistons. 5o the 44-lap race ran out with Hulme being forced to ease up with big end trouble. The fall of the chequered flag marked the end of one of the most exciting races ever seen, and certainly the best of the international events this season.
 
RACE RESULTS
POSITION LAPS TIME
1. McLaren 44 1:05'00.8 FL:1'26.9
2. Brabham 44 1:05'08.8
3. Hulme 44 1:05'24.0
4. Youl 44 1:06.23.8
5. Palmer 43 .
6. Shelly 42 .
7. Flowers 42 .
8. Mayer 41 .
9. Buchanan 41 .
10. Levis 40 .
11. Sager 37 .
Amon 26 DNF:Suspension
Young ? DNF:?
Written by Donn Anderson for Motorman Magazine. Article submitted by Milan Fistonic

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