Motorsport: Double power-plants are anything but a drag

By BOB PEARCE

When Mark Vincent and Ken Hopper take their dragster to the drag-racing nationals at Meremere this weekend, they have to worry about two engines not one.

Their AA front-engined dragster, Freight Train, is powered by two small-block Chevys, each generating 850hp and combining to produce 1300 feet-pounds of torque.

The 350-cubic-inch engines are fully blown and linked by a semi-flexible coupling. They run on methanol.

So why two engines when a power-for-weight equation would suggest that one is better?

"The two engines were common practice in the States in the 60s and 70s and I suppose Ken and I are nostalgia fans," says Vincent.

"In 1991 we decided to resurrect that theme and it seems to work pretty well."

So well that they are the national champions in the competition class and have a best performance of 7.09s at 194 mph, set at Meremere.

Hopper is in charge of the engines, while Vincent does the steering and looks after the crower glide clutch, which has to be reset after each run.

The dragster has a 215-inch wheelbase, with 33-inch slick tyres at the rear and a parachute to stop Vincent disappearing into the scrub at the end of the Champion Dragway.

Vincent expects the competition to be fierce this weekend, with fellow Aucklander Peter Dore's Midnight Special and Brian Norman's swift Invercargill-based machine the main threats.

The nationals, on Saturday and Sunday, will be the farewell appearance of Christchurch driver Ron Collett, who has built up a legendary record in the sport over 30 years.

His Top Alcohol dragster is New Zealand's outright fastest home-built vehicle.

With son Glen as pilot in the last few years, the team have travelled the country in their trademark bus in search of faster times.

Their national record stands at 6.339s for the quarter-mile, with a terminal speed of 211.49 mph.

The team bettered that with a 6.164s at 223.47 mph recently, but failed a second run, which had to be within 1 per cent of that time to claim the record.

Qualifying will be on Saturday, with finals in all classes on Sunday, when there will also be a competition for street-legal Nissan Skylines.

Competition starts at 10 am on both days.

* * *

Another New Zealand team are off for a tilt at the American Transam racing competition.

Mark Petch is taking the Corvette in which Ashley Stichbury won the national Tranzam title this season to contest half a dozen races, starting at Long Beach on April 8. The car will be driven by Andy McElrea.

Aucklander Alan Ferguson took his Tranzam to the States last year and secured a second placing at Las Vegas with Craig Baird at the wheel.

* * *

Brian Lawrence, whose motorsport experience ranges from grand prix racing across Asia with brother Graeme in the 1970s to setting up the initial world superbike series, is heading for Australia to take over as manager of Dick Johnson's V8 Supercar team.

The 55-year-old Aucklander will be in charge by the time of the first meeting, when Steve Johnson and Kiwi Paul Radisich drive in support races for the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne next month.

Lawrence cemented his links with the Johnson family when Steve competed in New Zealand in a Tranzam series. He worked with Radisich during his days of promotion for the Formula Atlantic cars.

He will live at Surfers with partner Heather Spurle, the world water speed recordholder, within a few kilometres of Radisich and Craig Baird, who will compete in some V8 races for a privateer team.

* * *

Aucklander Marty Roestenburg will be chasing a fifth consecutive national hillclimb title in Rotorua this weekend.

The hillclimb is part of the clubsport championship, which also includes autocross and motorkhana.

Roestenburg is also the defending autocross and overall champion.

The motorkhana, a motorised version of dressage, is a difficult event for a Mitsubishi rally car, but its four-wheel-drive should be suited to the autocross on Saturday at the Rotorua Car Club's clay track.

On Sunday, the hillclimb will be on the narrow, tarsealed road to the top of Mt Ngongotaha.

* * *

The new Australian owner of the Minardi Formula One team says the first of the Italian-based outfit's cars for the Australian Grand Prix on March 4 is complete.

Paul Stoddart, who is thought to have paid $100 million for the team, rescued Minardi when it seemed poised to drop out of Formula One.

Fernando Alonso, a 19-year-old Spaniard, is likely to be one of the team's drivers, but it will be a race against time to have a second car and driver ready for Melbourne.

* * *

Salvation for national motor-racing has come in a truck. The smoke-belching monsters attracted record crowds to Timaru, Pukekohe and Manfeild, and recharged MotorRace New Zealand's coffers.

Ironically at Manfeild, which was bursting at the seams last weekend, the truck-racing was no match for fierce contests in the Formula Fords and two-litre touring cars. Officialdom is hoping those who came to see the trucks will return for more traditional races.

But don't expect to see a New Zealand Grand Prix this year. With the Aussie V8s due in November, the premier open-wheel class may have to settle for a one-off race next year in the South Island.