MOTOR RACING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 39, 16 February 1931, Page 16

MOTOR RACING.

MURIWAI CARNIVAL

STUTZ WINS CHAMPIONSHIP.

FAST TIMES EECOEDED.

Despite glorious weather and an excellent programme there were only about a thousand at Muriwai beach on Saturday for the motor sports. Once there nobody would have thought of turning homeward. The first two races showed Excellent handicapping, and gave the drivers an opportunity to show skill and speed. The first two races went to Mr. B: Shorter, who relied on a quick wrist and eye more than on horsepower. He held his own against faster cars by Hover cornering. .The fastest time of the day was registered by the popular yellow Stutz, which won the Australasian Beach championship once again. The time was 23m 7 l-5s for ten laps. Just as the last race finished the tide 6ame up and the racing track was awash. - . ,Opcn Handicap, five laps.—Essex. (B. Shorter), 255, 3; Rugby (P. McGrath), scr, i>; Austin (R. C. Brooks), 20s, 3. The Vauxhall, on the limit, got away well, but Rovcroft and Shorter drew level with him at *tho end of the second lap. The Stutz and the Riley were forced to retire, both missing badly. From scratch McGrath in his. Rugby drew steadily up to the supercharged Austin, and both gained on the Vauxhall, while Roycroft and Shorter were fighting out a place. Clever cornering by Shorter gave him the lead. The Rugby passed the Austin and entering the last far. Roycroft broke down on a bend. Shorter had a mile load on the next car, Hie Rugby. Time, 11m 42 2-ss. Touring Car Handicap, three laps.— Chevrolet roadster (C. .T. Paine), 10s, 1; ilKsex coupe (B. Shorter), 30s, 2; Chrysler (S: Casey), scr, 3. This was an interestin? race with a great finish. Shorter in the Essex coupe soon caught and passed Campbell's Oakland, but in the second lap Paine, whose Chevrolet was going exceptionally well, passed Shorter and took the lead. Shorter's splendid cornering again cave him the lead, but in the run home at the last lap Paine's Chevrolet proved to be the faster of the two machines and got across the line a couple of feet ahead of Shorter. The Chrysler was a long way hack third. Time, 8m 15 2-ss. Ladies' Handicap (2 miles straight).— Chevrolet Roadster (Miss Clark), 15s, 1; Triumph (Miss Joyce Campbell), 40s, 2; Essex Coupe (Miss Coleshine), 20s, 3. New Zealand Beach Handicap (10 laps). Essex (B. Shorter), 130s, 1; Austin (R. M. Grierson), 110s, 2; Riley (G. Smith), 80s, 8. Time, 23m 235. Before the first lap was run the Stutz had jumped ahead of the field and the remainder of the race saw its lead gradually increase until it had lapped the Vauxhall, Which was pailing along in the rear, and was close astern of the Riley. This was less a race than a procession, Stutz, Essex, Austin, Riley and Vauxhall in that order, with wide gaps between them. For a few laps interest was aroused by the determined efforts of the Austin driver to pet past Shorter into second place. The Essex was not at her best and the two cars hung together for several turns. Then the Essex brightened up a bit and the procession resumed its original formation. Even the Riley, which had shown splendid speed in earlier events let its driver clown. It took a long time to get past the Vauxhall and never had more than a couple of hundred yards in hand. On one occasion it nearly surrendered next-to-last place to the slower car, but bucked up again just in time. With a couple of laps still to go the Stutz overhauled the Vauxhall for the second time. This seemed to put a bit of life into the Riley, and at the finishing line the Stutz was midway between the two. Motor Cycle Handicap (three laps).— New Hudson (W. Tremayne), scr, 1; Royal Enfield (J. Matthews), 355, 2; Norton (N. W. Marshall), ss, 3. Time, 5.48 1-5. Motutara Handicap (five laps).—Essex (B. Shorter), 755, 1; Bugatti (A. J- Roycroft (755), 2; Riley (G. Smith), oOa , o. This was the best race of the day. After a lap had been covered the limit man was Still leading with the Essex and the Stutz well behind. In the fourth lap the Bugatti passed the Essex and took the lead with the Riley in first position. Shorter's cornering on the top bend gave him- the lead again and after a thrilling duel he was the winner. Time, ll.^rf. Farewell Handicap (three laps) .—Austin (R. M. Grierson), 455, 1; Essex «». Shorter), 255, 2; Riley (G. Smith), 40s, 3. The Baby Austin had its first win and was civen a great reception as it flashed across the - finishing line. Shorter's Essex was liard on its tail and the. Riley was some distance away third. Time, 7.11 2-o. Australasian Beach Championship, 10 laps.—Stutz (D. C. Sutherland), 1; Rdey (G. Smith), 2. Time,. 23m 7 1-os. The four fastest cars of the beach lined up for this event, but only two lasted out the distance. From a rolling start Shorter and McGrath got a slight advantage, the Riley being rather badly left. .The .Stutz took' the lead at the first lap, with Shorter and McGrath close behind, but on the. turn into the second lap Shorter slipped into first place. During the lap the two leaders drew steadily away from the Rugby and the Riley. The latter stalled on the next turn, but Smith, having, the advantage of a self-starter, lost little time. McGrath in the Rugby also stopped and though he got going again after a few seconds' delay, his engine was splutterinc badly and he was forced to retire. Shorter lost his place through running into a wave, the water stopping his .motor. This left the Stutz .in the lead with the Riley half a lap behind, and in that order they finished. ' Baby Car Handicap, three Smith), scr,l; Triumph (P. B. White), 50s, 2 -Austin (W.H. Ryan), 50s, 3. Time, 7m 14 3-ss. Giving away 50 seconds, the Riley easily won the baby ear handicap. Its great pace i and the clever driving of George Smith put it ahead in the second lap, and in the last -lap it came home a long way anc of P; B. White's Triumph. W. H. Ryan's Austin, which was. also going well, got third place. Time, 7.14 2-5. _ Motor Cycle Handicap, four laps.—K. Yates (Rex Acme), 505,. 1; W. Tremayne (New Hudson), scr, 2; W. White (Velocette), 3.. Time, 9m 17 4-ss.