Motor Racing Shelly Sets Lap Record At Levin

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29989, 26 November 1962, Page 15

Motor Racing Shelly Sets Lap Record At Levin

(New Zealand Press Association) PALMERSTON NORTH, November 25. Displays of almost incredible driving, broken records and hair-raising crashes kept a crowd of 12,000 cheering motor racing enthusiasts on their toes throughout the day at the Levin Motor Racing Club’s meeting on Saturday.

The track record, held by the Swedish driver, J. Bonnier. at 55.25ec was clipped early when Hyslop (Hastings) hurtled his 2500 cc Cooper around the demanding circuit in 53.55ec in a practice run. In the Zatnbuckucka Memorial.. the main event of the day. A. Shelly (Wellington) driving the 2.5 litre Lotus shot away from the starting grid to set a lead that be held until the end. He aet a new lap record that he reduced still further in a later race. Shelly finished the Zambuckr Memorial with an average lap time of 54.55ec and his total time of 3min ssec probably set a new record. A hard battle was fought for second place between Hyslop and C. Amon (Bulls) in another 2500 c.c. Cooper, but Hyslop held the lead from the sixth lap. After reducing, the Levin course record to 53sec in the eight-lap sports racers and racers event. Shelly evidently pushed his car too hard, for two laps later he had a throttle jam coming into the hairpin bend and he motored gently through the barriers and into the open paddocks. F. Buckenham (Hawera) overturned his Mini Minor tn a

Hokio bend during the saloon car handicap. Buckenham, pushing his Mini to the limit In a bid to catch N. A. Anderson's supercharged Mini, kicked up dirt from the grass as he swung round ths Then he hit the bank and rolled over twice, landing on his wheels. He stepped out of his battered car unhurt. Anderson (Wanganui) kept on to take third place behind N. G Walker (WeUfagtee). and M. Hogan (Ohakune), both in Anglin. A 1939 Ford driven by I. W. Dawson (Auckland) held off Mcßeath's 3781 c.c. Jaguar, and Grant's hot A4O In the allcomers' saloon race for three 5 1 iS"_ the treater engine speed of Mcßeath. and the akiUof Grant told, as they both took Wm together. But the old Ford * nd Cr *“ second. R Riley's 1934 Chevrolet tried to hang on, too. but twice spun and rolled once before giving up and retiring. “ * In the M.G. feature event (Low « r , Hutt) in a 1466 M.G.T.F. won In a photofinish ahead of R. Grace (Palmerston North) in an M.G.A.

iv^r in £ ,h f r,ce A W*tmough (Wellington), in a 1632 cc M.G.A.. spun out in the straight and criss-crossed the track in front of a bunch which was doing its best to traverse the distance In record time. Onlv brilliant car handling prevented what could have been a spectacular pile-up. K