MOTOR-CYCLING

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28099, 15 October 1956, Page 6

MOTOR-CYCLING

SOUTH ISLAND 500 C.C. SCRAMBLE TITLE BRILLIANT RIDING BY K. MCCLEARY After a bad start, which placed him second to last in the opening laps, K. McCleary, of Christchurch, rode a 350 B.S.A. brilliantly to win the South Island 500 c.c scramble championship at Harewood yesterday. Organised by the Pioneer Motor Club, the event drew a large number of spectators. Riders from all parts of the South Island took part, but the sole North Island representative was R. Donaldson, of Waipukurau, who was unplaced. After two elimination heats, the competitors in the final included P. Hughey, the New Zealand scramble champion, and S. Burtt and A. Merrin, the co-holders of the Canterbury 500 c.c. scramble championship. From the start, S. Burtt, who comes from Southbridge, rode his 500 c.c. J.A.P into a good lead, but at the end of two laps Merrin had overhauled him. From second to last place at the end of the first lap McCleary demonstrated fine skill at handling his careering machine to forge into the lead at the end of only six laps. For the remaining six laps, McCleary established an almost unassailable position, and was five seconds ahead of the second competitor. P. Hughey, at the finish. B. Benke, of Ashburton, rode a steady race to take third place. Results were:—

South Island 500 c.c. championship.— First heat: E. Norris (Ariel), Bmin 28 3-5 sec, 1; M. Daniels (Triumph), Bmm 31 l-ssec, 2; J. Woolf (D.0.T.), Bmin 43 3-5 sec, 3. Second heat: S. Burtt (J.A.P.), Bmin lOsec, 1; A Merrin (Matchless) Imin 15 3-ssec, 2; K. McCleary (8.5. A. Bmin lOsec, 3. Final (12 laps): K. McCleary (8.5. A. 16min 16 3-ssec, 1; P. Hughey (A.J.S.), 16min 21 4-ssec, 2; B. Benke (A.J.S.), 16min 37sec, 3. 250 c.c. Scratch Race.—C. Fisk (Francis Barnett). smin 40sec, 1; J. Woolf (D.0.T.). smjn 59sec, 2; K. Norris (Norman). 6min 12sec, 3. 350 c.c. Scratch Race.—K. McCleary (8.5. A. smin 54sec, 1; N. Pierson (8.5. A. 6min 12sec, 2; T. Newman (Matchless), 6min 22sec, 3. 500 c.c. Scratch Race.—S. Burtt (J.A.P,), smin 43sec, 1; B. Benke (A.J.S.), smin 50sec, 2; T. McLaughlin (Norton), smin 50 l-ssec, 3. 250 c.c. Handicap.—V. Rush (Ariel), 6 min 33sec, 1; L. Sears (James). 6min 34 sec, 2; D. Clark (DOT.), 6min 35sec, 3. 350 C.C.-500 c.c. Handicap.—R. McLaughlin (8.5. A. 6min 4 4-ssec, 1; B. Stanton (A.J.S.), 6min 8 4-ssec, 2; N. Kelly (Velocette), 6min 10 2-ssec, 3. 250 c.c. Handicap —B. Gurdler (James), 6min 14 4-ssec, 1; R. Tonkin (James), 6 min 17 l-ssec, 2; B. von Dieron (Jawa), 6min 20scc, 3. 350 c.c. Handicap.—N. Pierson (8.5. A. 6min, 1; B. Stanton (A.J.S.), 6min 0 1-5 sec, 2; K. McCleary (8.5. A. 6min 9 3-5 sec, 3. 500 c.c. Handicap.—N. Kelly (Velocette), smin 40 4-ssec, 1; E. Norris (Ariel), smin 53 4-ssec, 2; A. Merrin (Matchless), smm 54sec, 3. Final Handicap (six laps).—R. McLaughlin (B.S.A), 7min 56 l-ssec, 1; K. Merrin (Matchless), 7min 57sec, 2; B Stanton (AJ.S.), Bmin 3 l-ssec, 3.