Speedway Racing M. Burt Wins N.Z. Solo Title

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30711, 29 March 1965, Page 9

Speedway Racing M. Burt Wins N.Z. Solo Title

The outstanding 21-year-old Christchurch rider, M. Burt, overcame a strong North Island challenge to score maximum points and win the coveted crown of speedway racing in the Dominion—the New Zealand solo motor-cycle championship— at the Templeton Stadium on Saturday evening.

Now in only his third season of speedway competition, Burt won every one of his five heats in fine style, recorded the fastest race time of 82sec on a sticky track and was one of three riders to return 19.6 sec for a lap. These figures were well outside the race (79.135ec) and lap (18.9 sec records for Templeton, but after the recent heavy rain the track was in no condition for recordbreaking.

There was a crowd of 6000, the largest of the season. Although Burt, who was seventh in the championship last season, was unbeaten, his journey to championship honours was not easy. He finished only one point ahead of his friend and constant rival, A. Brown (Christchurch), who at 20 was one of the youngest riders competing. On the only occasion that the two clashed, they provided some of the most exhilarating riding of the evening. The lead changed no less than three times, and on the final lap Burt had to return a 19.7 sec lap to take the chequered flag half a length ahead.

This was the only race that Brown, who has only slightly more than a year’s competitive experience, lost. In the final heat he made a brilliant start and raced away from J. Hart (Palmerston North), the rider who started as favourite for the championship, to win comfortably and secure run-ner-up position with 14 points. Hart’s surprise defeat by Brown cost him second place. He was narrowly defeated by Burt in the third heat and had to be content with third over-all, a point behind Brown.

Burt might well have failed in his championship bid had it not been for the sportsmanship of the current South Island champion, T. Mauger (Christchurch). Mauger was injured in a crash a week previously and offered to lend his machine to the Burt brothers, Selwyn and Murray, in case their own proved troublesome during the championship. Mechanical troubles forced M. Burt to use Mauger’s machine twice. B. Cribb (Palmerston North) and F. Timmo (Hawkes Bay) gave spirited displays to finish fourth equal. Cribb missed the boat to Christchurch on Friday night, flew down on Saturday morning, and after a few laps’ practice blew up his motor. This would have been enough to deter most, but he borrowed a machine, and by riding it completely on the limit managed to take five second places. Timmo was not consistent, but succeeded in forcing M. Burt to his fastest race time on the only occasion they met. On several occasions he pulled alongside Burt. However, he was unable to find that little extra to get past and finished half a length behind. He has two wins, a second and two thirds.

A relative newcomer, A. Wilson. who only found a place in the championship field when R. Gale (Hawke’s Bay) withdrew, was undoubtedly the surprise of the evening. He improved rapidly with every race to finish a creditable sixth in the championship with nine points.

A former South Island champion, S. Burt, had a disappointing time after making a good start. He won his first race in brilliant style in the time of 83sec. This stood as the fastest race time until the thirteenth heat, when M. Burt returned 82sec. He was leading in his second heat when forced to withdraw with mechanical trouble. He used a borrowed machine for later events which was obviously lacking in speed.

G. Mardon (Christchurch), who won the title last season, is now retired.

A Christchurch rider, R. Wright, provided the crowd with its greatest thrill ot the evening while trying to take the lead in the ninth heat from Hart. As he came out of the north bend on the final lap his front wheel touched the rear wheel of Hart's machine, his motor-cycle somersaulted, flung him 20ft through the air. and then crashed down on top of him against the safety fence. He escaped serious injury and, although unable to ride again, stayed until the end of the meeting. Shortly before his accident he had recorded a lap of 19.6 sec, which was equalled only by Hart and the new champion, Burt. Results were: Motor-cycles New Zealand Solo Championship (20 heats of four laps).— First heat: D. Whittaker (Hawke’s Bay) 1. H. Sergeant (Palmerston North) 2, J. Tibbs (Lower Hutt) 3. Time, 87.5. Second heat: A. Brown (Christchurch) 1, B. Cribb (Palmerston North) 2, F. Timmo

1 (Hawke’s Bay) S. Time. 84.0. Third heat: M. Burt (Christchurch) 1, J. Hart (Palmerston North) 2. A. Nesbitt (Christchurch) 3. Time, 83.2. Fourth heat: S. Burt (Christchurch) 1, T. Black (Christchurch) 2. R. Wright (Christchurch) 3. Time, 83.0. Fifth heat: M. Burt 1, Brown 2, Black 3. Time. 84.4. Sixth heat: Nesbitt 1, Cribb 2, J. Jewell (Christchurch) 3. Time, 85.0. Seventh heat: Hart 1, P. Brandon (Christchurch) 2. Time, 85.0. Eighth heat: Timmo 1, Wright 2, A. Wilson (Blenheim) 3. Time, 84.4. Ninth heat: Hart 1, Cribb 2. Time, 84.8. Tenth heat: Brown 1, Wilson 2. S. Burt 3. Time. 83.2. Eleventh heat: Wilson 1, Jewell 2, Sergeant 3. Time, 86.2. Twelfth heat: Black 1, R. McKinley (Christchurch) 2, Tibbs 3. Time, 87.2. Thirteenth heat: M. Burt 1, Timmo 2, Jewell 3. Time, 82.0. Fourteenth heat: Hart 1, Black 2, Timmo 3. Tipte, 83.4. Fifteenth heat: Brown 1, McKinley 2, Nesbitt 3. Time, 86.0. Sixteenth heat: M. Burt 1, Cribb 2, S. Burt 3. Time, 83.0. Seventeenth heat: Timmo 1. S. Burt 2, Sergeant 3. Time. 85.2. Eighteenth heat: M. Burt 1, Whittaker 2. Time. 86.8. Nineteenth heat: Wilson 1. Cribb 2, Brandon 3. Time, 85.0. Twentieth heat: Brown 1, Hart 2, Jewel! 3. Time, 83.0.

Final championship placings: M. Burt (Christchurch), 15 points, 1: A. Brown (Christchurch), 14, 2: J. Hart (Palmerston North), 13, 3: B. Cribb (Palmerston North) and T. Timmo (Hawke's Bay), 10 (equal), 4: A. Wilson (Blenheim). 9,6: T. Black (Christchurch), 8,7; S. Burt (Christchurch), 7,8: J. Jewel! (Christchurch), D. Whittaker (Hawke's Bay), and A. Nesbitt (Christchurch), 5 (equal), 9: H. Sergeant (Palmerston North) and R. McKinley (Christchurch), 4 (equal), 12. Midget Cars Three-quarter Midget Cars.— First scratch race (4 laps): R. Mead (Rakaia) 1, J. McKitterfck 2, J. McMillan 3. Time, 90.0. Second scratch race (4 laps): McKitterick 1, E. Murray 2, Mead 3. Time, 88.6. Speedcars.—First scratch race (4 laps): T. Hall 1, R. Clive 2. M. Benbow 3. Time, 88.2. Second scratch race <4 laps): M. Sloan 1. Hall 2, E. Murray 3. Time, 88.4.