Templeton Speedway Rapidly Taking Shape

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29263, 22 July 1960, Page 11

Templeton Speedway Rapidly Taking Shape

r F'WO years after the aband- -*■ onment of the old Aranui speedway, Christchurch should have a new speedway track ready for racing by next Christmas. With £2OOO already spent on development and a further £5OOO planned to be spent before the end of this year, the Christchurch Speedway Association has completed the Initial stages of its new track at Templeton.

Although it has received a great deal of assistance from Christchurch firms and contractors, the association has shown itself willing to bear a large share of the financial burden itself, and members have devoted thousands of hours to the new speedway. The initial £2OOO was largely raised through scramble and stock car meetings held there over the last 12 months, and to finance the laying of the cinder track and embankments, and erection of safety fences, a public loan of £5OOO is being sought through debentures issued at 5 per cent, for a five year term.

The president of the association (Mr Russell Laing) this week expressed his appreciation to those firms which had assisted the association in getting so far ahead with its plans. “Some contractors have lent us equipment free of charge, and others have made substantial contributions. There is already good support for the debenture issue, and we are hopeful to stage the first major meeting at Templeton before next Christmas.”

Good news for local speedway enthusiasts was that Ronnie Moore and Barry Briggs, both of them world champions on two occasions, would be back in Christchurch in October and available to ride at Templeton, said Mr Laing. Stock car races and threequarter midget racing would also be presented. Reputation

“Christchurch has earned itself a big name overseas in speedway racing, for it has already produced two world champions and at one stage had four representatives out of the 16 competing in the world finals at Wembley,” said Mr Laing. “One of the aims of our association is to start a training school for young speedway riders in order to give them more opportunity. The association has its own racing machinery which will be hir'-d out for this purpose.”

At present, work is continuing on the speedway. A well is being sunk this week, and a contractor is working on the track making a camber preparatory to cinders being laid. The track is conforming to the specifications laid down by an eminent English speedway track authority, Mr A. Elliott, and will be one of the finest in Australia or New Zealand.

Whereas Aranui had straights 30ft wide and. bends of 40ft, the Templeton track will be 50ft wide on the straights and 60ft on the bends. This will provide better racing and also increase the safety factor.