Motor Racing at Wigram – Part 9
Racing in 1990 and 1991 was held at Ruapuna Park. This was a purpose-built track, at 1.6 km a much shorter (and narrower!) circuit than that at Wigram, 3.42km. Before the Ruapuna track, designed for the less demanding needs of the Canterbury Car Club, could be certified for international racing, major improvements had to be undertaken. The seed was sown in the minds of some: Would racing ever return to Wigram?
In 1992 racing did return to Wigram, on a reconditioned airfield track that now measured 3.869 km in length. There were other changes too. The pits, start/finish and time-keepers’ stand relocated to the outfield, adjacent to the loop. No longer were spectators able to access infield areas of the course.
The new runway provided even greater width for racing than the earlier taxiways. The promise was there for better racing and better viewing, benefits for drivers, officials, and rank and file aficionados. But spectator numbers fell to 3,300, a far cry from the 33,000 when racing first began at Wigram.
A warning knell was also sounding off-stage. The NZ Government was signalling that all flying training would cease at Wigram by 1994 and that the airfield would then close. What would then happen to the land and facilities was unknown. Was there a continuing future for motor racing at this venue?
Despite all this, a bumper programme was planned for Wigram in 1993, including a record 20 races on the Sunday. Three motor cycle races were to be among these, returning to this track after an absence of three years and drawing 45 entrants.
The 1994 meet turned out to be the last hurrah of Wigram as a racing circuit. Sou’west winds and heavy rain throughout Sunday morning put a heavenly dampener on the occasion. Despite the rain 22 events went ahead with the pace car on the track at regular intervals. Only 3,000 enthusiasts braved the elements to witness these races.
Following this meeting, it became clear to the organisers that there was no viable future for motor racing at Wigram. A Special General Meeting took the plunge and wrote ‘fini’ under Wigram as a circuit. However, it also determined that the name of Wigram should live on in the Lady Wigram Trophy, even if this now had to be raced at a different venue.
The permanent track at Ruapuna, recently upgraded with Christchurch City Council assistance, was the obvious alternative.
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