European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 24, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Wednesday August 1988 the stars and stripes Page 25 racing roundups a Randy Barnett Gary Wray stationed at Nellinger West Germany heats up the tires on his dragon p dragster sunday. Wray won the Bockenheim drag racing festival s . Bracket. Nissan rules Simsa new drag strip set the world driving championship i formula one grand prix racing has been thoroughly dominated by the Mclaren Honda team this Yea Rand a similar situation of one team dominance has been established in the american International motor sports association Simsa series. In Simsa racing it s the electromotive Engi Neering Nissan team that s doing the dominating with Geoff Brabham of Australia now setting a re Cord with each Victory in his Nissan Turbo Ftp car. His most recent win from pole position at sear Point Calif on aug. 14, was his eighth in a Row. At the Start of the season most experts in the states saw this year s Simsa championship As a Battle Between the newly formed two Jaguar North american racing team and the once All conquering porsche 962 cars and that s the Way it developed atthe beginning of the Campaign with Jaguar winning the 24 hours of Daytona in january and porsche following with Vic tones in Miami and Sebring. But Sebring on March 19, marked the end of it. The fourth Simsa race the Atlanta grand prix on april 10, was won by Brabham and his Nissan team mate John Morton and Brabham has either won Solo or shared the winning ride with Morton since that time. If the races Are under 500 Kilometres Dis Tance 310 Miles then Brabham and Morton drive separate Nissan 3-liter turbos As they did at port land ore., on july 31. At Portland they qualified one two and finished one two Brabham taking the three championship Ftp rounds remaining Brabham leads for the Simsa Crown with 163 Points to Jaguar Driver John Nielsen s 133. Porsche s Price Cobb is third with 111 Points. Nissan leads for the manufacturer s championship with 163 Points to porsche s 147 and Jaguar s 138. In a recent Simsa news release Public relations director Earl Fannin said Geoff Brabha knows the Camel Ftp championship is his to win or lose. Geoff the son of three time formula on world Champion sir Jack Brabham is enjoying his Best season Ever but he admits he can feel the pres sure Fannin quoted Brabham As saying of course my winning Streak puts pressure on me As if there in t enough already. It s taking its toll on the Crew too because now they re checking things Over four or five times just to make certain that we finish the race. To just finish eight races in a Row let alone win them is an achievement for me and a great credit to the Crew. But As the Streak goes on instead of enjoying the race like i should there s pressure to keep the Streak going not just from the outside but from the inside As Brabham is doubtlessly feeling the pressure there Are Many Drivers who would like to be in his situation. Brabham will have the pressure build again on sunday sept. 4, when the 12th round of the Camel Ftp Senes is run at san Antonio Tex. Looking at drag racing last weekend third annual International drag racing festival at Bockenheim was such a Complete Success that Hock Venheim officials decided to confirm that a new drag strip project is definitely in the works. The drag racing facility which had been under consideration for some time will be completed within the next 24months, the officials said. The Cost is estimated at $325,000. Jerry Lackey president of the Hanau Auto racing association Kara said tuesday that the continuing Spectator increase at the annual drag races had obviously convinced Bockenheim s directors that a permanent facility would be a Good investment. The strip will be the first professional one in Germany. Lackey and German drag racing figures Rico Anthes and Mathias Seidler Are the three men who have organized and taken responsibility for the Pas three drag racing festivals at Bockenheim. Our first race in 1986 Drew Well Over 30,000spectators," Lackey said and last year s figure was slightly higher. Last weekend we had 9,000 spectators on saturday and 24,000 on sunday so with 33,000 in attendance that shows a lot of interest incur sport from both germans and americans. This also convinced the Bockenheim Powers and the showed us the plans and blueprints for the new facility. It will be a full Quarter mile strip Wellmore than Welcome that with the Start near the opel curve area and the strip heading towards the Woods at the second last weekend s drag race at Hocken Heim followed the first Ever austrian event at Zelt Weg both Bockenheim and Zel Tweg races staged on one eight mile Start finish line sections. Lackey on of the few americans contesting the Competition euro series championship finished second in Zelt Weg and third in Bockenheim aboard his dragster Chevrolet. Englishman Russ Carpenter in a drag Ster Daimler won in Austria and Bockenheim and he leads for the 1988 Competition euro series Crown. Second is Robin read of England dragster Daimler third is Wayne Saunders of England dragster Chevrolet and fourth is Lackey. It s All close on Points and the championship will be decided on sept. 23-25 in the world finals at Santa pod raceway in England. At Bockenheim America s Harlan Thompsonon the top fuel funny car class Peter Lantz of Sweden took pro comp honors modified Standar class was won by Bernd Betz of Germany in a vow Golf git while american Driver Gary Wray of the25th Avn co., Nellinger West Germany won the hotly contested . Bracket aboard his 1977 Chev Rolet Vega see photo. The drag Bike class Winner was Rob pallant of England while pro Stock Bike Winner was Benny Hartmann of Holland. Three drag races remain on the 1988 Calendar Mulhouse France sept. 3-4 Santa pod England sept. 23-25 and Gie Belstadt Germany oct. 2. Where to go this weekend the grand prix of Belgium Lith round in the formula on world driving championship will be held sunday at the spa Franco champs circuit in the belgian ardennes Region. The Mclaren Honda team goes into this race with 10 straight victories Ayron Senna of Brazil with six and Frenchman Alain Prost with four. Senna and Prost Are tied with 66 Points each so sunday s race Between these two should be a Good sessions Are scheduled from 10 to 11 30 . On Friday and saturday with official qualifying set from 1 to 2 . On both Days. Sunday s grand prix of 43 laps 185 Miles will Start at 2 30 .supporting races Are also on the three Day program with an opel Lotus Challenge round on saturday schedule. The spa Franco champs circuit is located just West of the town of Almedy. An edited ver Sion of the belgian up will be shown on German television s second program Adf starting at 4 10p.m. While the race will be shown live beginning at 2 20 . On the Rel plus Cable television station in Austria the Salzburg ring just East of Salzburg will Host the 10th round in the International touring car championship on sunday with additional races for formula 3 cars formula Supervene and renault5s. Practice and qualifying will be held on saturday. In the Netherlands touring cars formula for Sand historic sports cars will race on saturday and sunday at the Zand Voort circuit near the North sea resort City of racing the Lith adar Straubing Airport races will be held saturday an sunday for All classes of cycles plus historic cycles and cycles with sidecars. The City of Straubing dislocated Southeast of Regensburg. In England the Snetterton circuit near Norwich will stage championship motor Cycle races on saturday and sunday for All classes of the eighth round in the Moto Cross world championship for cycles with sidecars will be held on saturday and sunday at Fel Kirch German trophy Motocross will be held on sat urday and sunday at Sossdorf near Darmstadt wit Competition for 125 and 250cc bikes. Demolition Derby the final demolition Derby of the season will be staged sunday at the Kaiserslautern motor sports Park which is locate Between Mcdonald and Pulaski Barracks off Ger Man National route b40. Registration begins at 10a.m. Competitor entry fee is $10the Gates open at noon and Competition begins at 2 . Spectator admission is $2.50. The Star and stripes ,
