SPEEDWAY RACING

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28491, 22 January 1958, Page 7

SPEEDWAY RACING

Three Crashes At Aranui There were three spectacular crashes in different events when a speedway meeting was held at Aranui last evening. There was a large crowd and a slight drizzle, which continued throughout the meeting. There were several exceptionally fast and exciting races. J Shaw’s new midget racing car won approval from the crowd, and he demonstrated its power by driving four trial laps. The youngest driver on the track last evening was E. Norris, aged 17, who won one event and was placed in two others. The oldest on the track was W Rees, who has been racing motor-cycles in New Zealand and overseas for more than 27 years. He won one event last evening, and his son was placed third in the same Most successful midget racing driver was J. Alexander. He gained three wins and one second. In the last race in which he competed he spun off the track in the first lap With seven laps to go he straightened the car and closed a gap of more than 100 yards for second The first crash came m the third lap of the sixth event. Bruce Savage and John Lee were racing almost level round the south bend when the motor-cycles touched and began to skid. Savage was thrown more than 20 yards from his machine and Lee somersaulted. Neither was seriously hurt. - When A. Thomas deliberately threw his motor-cycle to the ground to avoid hitting two other riders who had crashed he lost his chance of gaining a place in the solo scratch motor-cycle race. The two riders who crashed were B Burley and D Brown. Burley was treated by a doctor. , , The last crash came when Larry Hewston narrowly missed the side of the circuit fence in another motorcycle event, skidded and fell on his machine. Results were;—

First Solo Handicap.—Windy Rees 1 Des Brown 2. S Harrison 3. Time. Imin 8 2-ssec. Second Solo Handicap.—M Collison L j. Ratima 2, L Houston 3 Rock ’n’ Roll Solo Handicap.—J Lee 1, K. Rees 2 B Burley 3 Third Solo Handicap.—M Collinson 1, B Bennett 2, J Latima 3. First Midget Handicap.—E. Norris 1. J. Shaw 2, R. Lang 3. Fourth Solo Handicap —A. Thomas 1 D Brown 2, M Daniels 3. 'Second Midget Scratch Race.—J. Hall 1. B. Jarden 2. T. Hall 3. Fifth Solo Handicap.—W Rees 1, B. Burley 2, K. Rees 3. Second Midget Handicap.—S Burt I S. Wilkinson 2. E. Norris 3. Time, 2min 12 3-ssec. First Midget Feature Race.—J Alexander 1 B. Bone 2, B. Jarden 3. Time. 2min 8 4-ssec. First T.Q. Feature Scratch Race.— S Burt 1, E. Norris 2, J. Shaw 3. Time, 2min 10 2-ssec. Third Midget Handicap.—J. Alexander 1, B. Jarden 2, T. Hall 3- Time. 2m in 10 3-ssec. T.Q Survivors Handicap.—J. Shaw 1, K. Harris 2, S Burt 3. Time. 2min II 2-ssec.

Grand Slam Midget Car Race.—T. Hall 1, J. Alexander 2, B. Jarmen 3.