BRAY'S BRILLIANCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 65, 18 March 1930, Page 14

BRAY'S BRILLIANCE.

HE SCOOPS THE POOL NOTES FROM THE TRACK. PAY TAYLOUR WILL BE HERE. All credit went to Ben Bray at Western. Springs Stadium on Saturday night, not only for his brilliant broadsiding at the speedway in the evening, but also for his fine wins on the grass at Takapuna in the afternoon. Bray, from Whangarei, had a night out—and he deserved it. Ever since cinder. track racing was opened to Auckland riders, Bray has ridden consistently, honestly, and well. Last Saturday he excelled himself, riding fearlessly, ' skilfully, and brilliantly. With an' open throttle, Bray went into the bends to lay his machine almost flat on the ground; then with a twist of the wrist he straightened up and went on, leaving a trail of cinders in his wake. Bray's was a fine series of wins. One of the tfiost popular riders at the stadium,; Bray has not missed a meeting, since the speedway opened, and he comes all the way from Whangarei every week-end'. As the boat from Whangarei berths at: the Auckland wharf on Saturday mornings, Bray's Douglas 3s the first of the cargo to be unloaded. Ben Bray is always punctual; ' he- is at the starting post long before the race is timed to start, and when once he gets going, he does hie beet Bray deserved every

bit of the applause he got'on Saturday night, for he is one of the best sports the dirt track in New Zealand lias known. He is one of the two married men who thrill the Western Springs crowd. Quietly' as becomes his style, Prank Pearce, holder of the one lap and mile records at Western Springs, slipped away from us by the Limited on Sunday night. He has said "Adieu" to Auckland in the meantime, and has gone back to Australia —and then to England, as Mr. Peppys says. Next season, perhaps, Pearce will come back to Auckland again. He Was undoubtedly the finest rider that we have yet seen. His greatness was the perfection of his judgment. In his match race with Syd. Perkins on Saturday night, Pearce rode brilliantly. With skill and super-judgment, he passed Perkins on the top bend, in spite of a wily move by Perkins to send' his machine further inwards. It was magnificent manipulation to get through on the part of Pearce.