MOTORCYCLING 50c.c. Class For N.Z. Road Racing

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30535, 2 September 1964, Page 19

MOTORCYCLING 50c.c. Class For N.Z. Road Racing

A 50 c.c. class will be included in-national title motor-cycle road racing events for the first time next season. This was decided at the annual conference of the New Zealand Auto Cycle Union after a remit on the subject from the Canterbury Auto Cycle Club had been considered.

By introducing the new class, which has proved very popular overseas, it is hoped to encourage the owners of 50 c.c. machines to take up the sport. In spite of the fact that there has not previously been a 50 c.c. national title event, the fact that the current world champion in the class, Hugh Anderson, is a New Zealander, indicates that there could be plenty of talent

A 50 c.c. race was held by the Canterbury Auto Cycle Club last season during the New Zealand grand prix meeting at Ruapuna Park and given Canterbury championship status. It was believed to be the first ever held in the country. An attempt by the Southland Motor-cycle Club to have a 650 c.c. class incorporated in all record attempts lapsed for want of a seconder. A total of 33 remits were considered by the conference, of which only 13 were carried in their original or amended state. Helmet Peaks

In future, if helmet peaks were worn they had to be of flexible material, the conference decided. The executive committee explained in its remit that the peak had to be made of something that would bend and go back into place and that metal or perspex would not be allowed. The executive committee’s

remit asking that all types of face shields be barred failed, but an amendment that face shields of moulded perspex be barred was carried. A remit from the Hutt Valley Motor-cycle Club that no production road racing machines be allowed to compete in clubmans events in any circumstances was held over. The club was requested to bring forward its views on what was a production machine to the next conference. The Hamilton club’s proposal that recognised expert riders be ineligible for clubmans and stock machine road races was defeated. Another remit from the Hutt Valley club proposing that any rider should be eligible for any road racing event was also lost. The feature scramble of the season, the North Island versus South Island meeting, was allocated to Kaiapoi. It will -be held on March 13, 1965. Officers elected for the 1964-85 season were:—Patron, Mr F. R. Jones; president, Mr C. J. Callender; vice-president, Mr A. M. Laurenson: secretary-treasurer, Mrs D. M. Cook: executive committee, Messrs R. C. Lyford, W. L. Payne, J. F. Porter, I. G. Ward; representative on New Zealand Road Safety Council, Mr T. R. McCleary (Christchurch): publicity officers. Messrs W. A. Brown, R. K. Smith (North Island) and Laurenson and Fraser (South Island); senior stewards, Messrs E. Pink and J. F. Porter (North Island) and Ward and R. C. Lyford (South Island): scramble selectors. Messrs Payne (North Island) and Fraser (South Island).