SPEEDWAY RACES

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27851, 27 December 1955, Page 7

SPEEDWAY RACES

DAVIES SETS SIDECAR RECORDS

Riding with the dash that won him the Australian and New Zealand sidecar championship at the previous meeting. Jimmy Davies (Australia), with Les Moore as his passenger, broke two track records at the Aranui speedway on Saturday night.

individually timed in the first sidecar handicap, which he won from the 120 yd mark, Davies recorded a time of 63.85? c for the three laps, breaking the previous record by Isec. In the second sidecar handicap Davies cut another I.Bsec off the flying start record, bringing it down to 62sec. He also had a record lap time of 19.6 sec, eclipsing the prevoius time of 2°sec. Giving Brian Burley and Earl Wilde, the fastest of the Christchurch sidecar riders, a start of 20yds and 40yds respectively, Davies proved that he was still more than a match for them. A scratch race t etween Burley and Wilde to decide who would race against Davies in the Invitation sidecar mat'h race was abandoned after the two sidecars locked together going into the pit bend, Injuring W'lde's ankle and buckling Burley’s front wheel.

| Falling in the first lap of the Openling Handicap. R. Lang remounted and continued in the event. Burley, who dropped his machine to avoid Lang, did

not continue. Leading for the entire race. S. Harrison crossed the line ahead of 8.-McKeown, who was gaining on every lap. A record handicao of' 192yds, the previous best being I’Oyds, did not prevent Ronnie Moore from winning the Aranui Handicap, after taking the lead from K. Rees at the end of the third lap. The Brighton Handicap brought the first appearance this season of the popular rider Bob McFarlane, who received a warm ovation from the crowd. Handicapped off 130yds with Mick Holland. McFarlane he'd his own for the first two laps. Holland then drew away to win the race. One of the best finishes of the evening was in the Wa’noni Handicap. R. Lang, riding off 20 yards, held off Burley for’ the first half of the race, and managed to keep ahead of McFarlane, who finished third. The first three riders crossed the line with less than half a second between them. Riding in more experienced company. .Moore took second place in the North Beach Handicap, which was won by Holland, who was level with Moore coming out of the pit bend. Moore showed his superiority in the Nominated Riders' Scratch Race, which he won with ease from B. McKeown. Holland having to retire at the start with motor trouble. T. Hall. 20yds. held the lead until the last lap of the All Sports Midget Car Handicao. when he was passed by W. Harris. Previously Harris had been battling with W. Bone, who also passed Hall to take second place. After the event it was discovered that the cylinder

head of Bone's car had cracked during the race. A popular win was that of W. Evans in the Grand Slam Midget Handicap. Evans had a stern tussle with W. Harris after they had both reached the front of the field. Harris was slowed slightly in the last lap when one of his tyres blew out. Results ;-r Novice Pace.—J Shaw 1. Time, 98sec. Opening Handicap.—S. Harrison 1, B Mi Keown 2. N. Barritt 3. Time, 85 3-ssec. Aranui Handicap.—R. Moore 1, K. Rees 2. A. Thomas 3. Time, 83 2-ssec. Brighton Handicap.—M. Holland 1. S Burtt 2. B. McFar ane 3. Time, 84 4-sseu. Christchurch Handicap.—B. McKeown I, A. Thomas 2. S. Harrison 3. Time, 83 3-b ’sec. Wainoni Handicap.—B. Burley 1, R. Lang 2, B. McFarlane 3. Time, 84sec. North Beach Handicap.—M. Holland 1. R. Moore -, S. Burtt 3. Time, 83 2-sscc. Nominated Riders’ Race.—R. Moore 1. B. McKeown 2. B. McFarlane 3. Time. 78 4-a sec. First Side-car Handicap (Three Laps).— J. Davies. L. Moore passenger, 1; B. Burley, J. Lee passenger, 2; J. Chalmers, .A Stewart passenger 3. Time. 70sec. Second S’de-car Handicap (Three Laps) —J. Davies, L. Moore passenger, 1; E. Wilde. B. Pidgeon passenger 2, B. Burley J. Lee passenger, 3. Time. 69 3-ssec. All Sports Midget Car Handicap (Six laps) —W Harris 1. W. Bone 2. T. HaE 3 Time. 2min 10 l-ssec. Grand Slam Midget Handicap (Eight Laps).—W. Evans 1. W. Harris 2. R. Payne 3 Time, 2min 55sec Butchers' Picnic, Stock Cars.—D. Raila 1. B. Pidgeon 2, B. Chammen 3.