SPEEDWAY RACING Stock Car Championship Won By “Spinner” McPhail

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30106, 15 April 1963, Page 13

SPEEDWAY RACING Stock Car Championship Won By “Spinner” McPhail

Moro than 208* patroaa—the largest crowd aiace the track epaned earlier thia year—caw their faveartte, to «*pianer" Mcffkail (Ford V* eoqpe), narrowly wia the Caatarisry stock Car ehanptauihip At the Billy Philp Meaaerial Sta*ium. - aatM McPhail w, preeemed with the Stock Car Champtonehip Cup to the preakleM of the CferiotEhuKii Speedway Aaeortation (Mr ( Motto and the •‘Windy* Reaoe Challenge Cup to the veteran opeedway rider. Mr B. Rea,. The aecond man home. J. Annan (Ford VS uloon). and a naamcomer, A. Wbodtoorpe (Ford VB coupe), who wto third, atoo received oupe for their effort,. The final Of the champtonehip

waa a great battle in perfect oondftionu between Annan and McEthail. With the benefit of utarttng from the front at the grid, Annan took the lead at the drop of the flag and held H for vix lata at the alght-lap race. However, cloud, of Meant from Ma radiator appeared to distort Ma vtaion and he took the wrong Uno through the aouth bend on the aeventh lap. allowing MaPhall to aweep through to victory. In one ot hie earlier lap,. Annan aet a lap record of Msec, dipping fisec off the record held by McPhail. AM competitora at the meeting, which waa the eighth and last of the aeaaon, agreed to race tor no prize money or any ooanpensatlon—a commendable attitude conetdertng the high coot of maintaining their expensive machinery. The gate taking,, Which were the highest of the aeaaon, will be put back into improvements to the utadlum for next year. In spite of tola, rider, and driver, alike turned on one of the moat spirited and entertaining display, of the season Twenty-four events were run off and there waa rarely a dull moment.

One of the highlights of the evening wa, the solo, motorcycle race of four lap, for three-quarter midget car driven,. This was very competently won by the South Island three-quarter midget car champion, R. Burt, in a time of imin 45sec. Although he gave himself and the crowd a few anadous momenta, at the end of the four laps he appeared quite ait home on a two-whee’.ed machine. R. Mead, the Rakaia driver, also performed well and took second place. The meeting was a great triumph for the three Southbridge brothers. S. Burt. R. Burt andM. Burt. S. Burt, the South blend solo motor-cycle champton. excelled in the midget car events, winning the T.Q. Grand Slam Handicap and the Yaldhurst T.Q. Handicap, and M. Burt Won every first-divlaton. solo speedway motor-cycle race on the programme. R. Burt, the South Island T Q champion, could not do better than second in the Templeton T.Q. Handicap but roared home first in the speedway motor-cycle race for T.Q. dl w e, phllp. who has not raced for many years and is currently the secretary of the Christchurch Speedway Association, made a surprise appearance in the second division of the Yaldhurst Solo Speedway Motorcycle Handicap and was a popular second to F. Shu ter. Another veteran from the old stadium, G. HausehUd, made his first appearance at Templeton in a midget racer borrowed from R. Payne. He showed that he had lost none of his form and led M. Sloan, driving a car borrowed from McPhail, across the finishing line. Unfortunately, he was penalised for an excursion on the grass and was relegated to second place. The Hell Drivers’ Picnic brought the evening and season to a close on a high note. Ten stock car, started and at the end of the eight-lap race, three cars, two of them almost unrecognisable. were still moving. With the whole winter ahead In which to repair any damage, the drivers went out of their way to smash each other up and succeeded. No quarter was asked and certainly none was given. Results were:—

Motor-cycle Event, Ellesmere Open Solo Handicap (4 laps).—-First division: M. Burt (80yds) 1, S. Burt (140yds) 2, T. Mauger (140yds) 3. Time, 88.8. Second division: K. Kerr (80yds) 1. R. Mullally (sOyd,) 2, F. Shuter (2Oyds) 3. Time, 98 8.

Templeton Solo Handicap (4 laps).—First division: M. Burt (80yds) 1. S. Burt (150yds) 2. S. Clark (100yds) 3. Time, 83,2 Second division: R. Mullally (60 yds) 1. F. Shuter (20yds) 2, K. Kerr (80yds) 3. Time. 92.4.

Yaldhurat Solo Handicap (4 laps).—First division: M. Burt (100yds) 1, S. Burt (150yds) 2. S. Clark (90yds) 3. Time, 88.8. Second division: F. Shuter (30 yds) 1, W. Philp (go) 2. Time. 93.

Fast Rix Soto Handicap (4 top,).—M. Burt (80yds> 1. A Nesbit (go) 2. S. Burt tllOydsl.l. Time, 87.4. Fasten lap: M. Burt. 20sec.

Three-quarter Midget Car Drivers’ Solo Motor-cycle Scratch Race (4 tops).—R. Burt 1. R. Mead 2. J. Morris 3. S. Christensen 4. Time. 1:45.

Solo Speedway Motor-cycle Clutch Star Four-lap Record Attempt—T. Mauger, 86.9. (Record of M.Ssec held by S. Burt.) Ellesmere Stock Motor-cycle Handicap (4 laps).—First division: R. Meyers (go) 1. M. Butler (40yds) 2, D. Brandon (50yds) 3. Time. 99.9. Second division: D. Van Dongen (40yds) 1. A. Reynolds (40yds) 2. N. HUI (40yd, I 3. Time. 1:43. Templeton Stock Motor-cycle Handicap (4 laps).—First division: R. Meyer (go) 1. M. Butler (50yds) 1, G. Johnston (30yds) 3. Time. 98. Second division: R. Wright (go) 1. A. Reynolds (80yds) 2. N. HiU (30 yds) 3. Time. 99. Yaldhurst Stock Motor-cycle Handicap (4 laps).—First division: D. Brandon (40yds) 1, N. HiU (20yds) 2. D. Van Dongen (40yds) 2. Time, 99.8. Second division: R. Meyer (40yds) 1. R. Wright (90yds) 2. G. Sword (go) 3. 'Hme. 1:41.4.

T.Q. Midget Car Events Ellesmere Throe-quarter Midget Car Handicap (4 laps).—S. Cliristensen (90yds) 1. J. Morri, (130yds) 2, R. Jemmett (go) 3. Time. 90. Fastest lap: J. Morri,. 21.4.

Templeton Three-quarter Midget Car Handicap (4 lap,).—R. Mead (90yds) 1. R. Burt (130 yds) 2, S. Burt (110yds) 3. Time,

Yaldhurst Three-quarter Midget Car Handicap (4 laps).—S. Burt (120yds) 1. N. Duff (go) 2. D. Price (go) 3. Time. 93.

Three-quarter Midget Car Grand Slam Handicap (6 laps). —S. Burt (190yds) 1, D. Price (go) 2, N. Duff (go) 3. Time,

Speedear Event Opening Speedcar Scratch Race (4 laps).—M. Sloan 1, G. Hauschild 2. Time. 96.4.

Stock Car Evaato Canterbury Stock Car Championship.—Firat heat (8 lap,): R. McPhail 1. N. Quirk 2. A Davies 3. Time. 2:48. Second heat (8 lap,): H. Pierron 1, J. Annan 2. A. Woodthorpe 3. Time. 2:51. Final (8 lap,): R. McPhail 1. J. Annan 2. A. Woodthorpe 3. Time. 3:38. Fastest lap: J. Annan. 24tec (record). Hell Driven' Picnic (8 lap,).— A. McDonald 1. J. Morris 2. Time. 5:55.