Hall Takes S.I. Midget Car Title And Sets Record

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31031, 11 April 1966, Page 12

Hall Takes S.I. Midget Car Title And Sets Record

The Christchurch driver. T. Hall, won the final race for the South Island midget car championship brilliantly at the lempleton Speedway on Saturday evening.

He coaxed the last ounce 'of power from his ammaculate home-built Repco Hold--1 en to lead from start to finiish and. apart from a few anjxious moments on the south . bend when the back started Ito slide, he never looked like , losing. | His time for the eight laps i—2min 46.45ec clipped a | fifth of a second from the old i record, set by the outstanding J Auckland driver. W. Jardin. I in January. On the way to ■ victory. Hall recorded one of i the fastest laps of the season ■ at 20.4 sec. ; The win gave Hall his third : successive South Island midI get car title, but it was his hardest yet. In recent weeks, the championship. decided on points over eight-lap heats at each of the 25 meetings held during the season, developed into a two-man struggle between Hall and a young driver virtually in his first season. R. Clive. A fortnight ago Hall appeared set for an easy victory, only requiring second place for the final two meetings to ensure the safe defence of his title. But last week Hall was disqualified for boring in the championship race and Clive was awarded maximum points. This left the pair level-pegg-ing with 45 points each and only one race to go. The winner of the last race would be the 1966 champion. As the cars came out for the race, the large crowd be-

gan wild cheenn on one side and jeering on the other. At the drop of the flag. Hall and Clive made a desperate dive for the corner. Hall was there first by inches, but it was enough. As the field came out of the bend Hall had a clear lead of 10 yards over Clive, with J

Tiekink well up third. Driving with impressive skill, Hall continued to inch ahead. He lost a few yards when the tail swung roun<t too far oh the third and fifth laps. However, he was clearly master of the situation, finally winning the race and the title by about a length from Clive.

Ageing Midget Clive also drove well in his ageing Model B powered midget. A veteran of 21 years in speed way competition, the car was first raced by the Auckland driver. R Roycroft, in 1945, and it says much for its preparation that it was in a position to chai

Henge Hall so constantly for the championship. Earlier in the meeting. Hall gave notice that he would not relinquish his title easily when he defeated Clive in the opening four-lap handicap race. His time of 86.5 sec was good from • a handicap of 180 yards. I The South island three-quarter •midget car title went to a veteran of 22 years racing, S. Burt. !He did not finish in the final race after suffering engine trouble while challenging for the lead, but had sufficient points to win the tile by a substantial margin. Second place in the championship went to his brother. R Burt, who won the race when the first man home, J. McKitterick. was penalised for going on the grass D Cameron consolidated hie lead in the South Island stock rod championship with another fine win in the eight lap scratch race. He finished almost half a lap ahead of the second drlxer. P. Annan, in 3min s.4sec. Annan’s second place put him second equal with W. Rusbridge in the championship. A. Davies finished third in the final race and fourth over all in the cham« pionship. Results. — MIDGET CARS Full size Midget Racing Cara (Speedcars).—Opening handicap (4 laps): T. Hall (160 yd 1. J. Tickink dOOvd) 2, R. Clive <l6O vd) 3 Time. 86.5. Second handicap <4 laps): J. Tiekink (100 yd 1. R Mead (160 yd 2, R. Clive (160 yd 3. Time. 88.2. South Island Speedcar Championship.—Final race <8 laps*. T Hall 1. R. Clive 2. J. Tiekink 3. Time. 2:46.4 i record). Final 'points: Hall 48. Clive 47, Tiekink 17. I Speedcar Scratch Rare for Motor-Cvclists (4 laps) —W. Moulin 1, G. Ray 2. A. Nesbitt 3. Time, 93.7. Three-quarter Midget Racing Cars.—Opening handicap <4 laps): G. Raymond (160 yd 1. B. Hopewell (30yd) 2, K Burt (160 yd 3. Time. 91.2. Second handicap <4 laps): R. Mead ( 160 yd) 1. J. McKitterick < 160 yd) 2, s. Unwin (40yd) 3. Time, 91.0. South Island Three-quarter Midget Car Championship.—Final race (8 laps): R Burt 1, J. McKitterick 2. D. Harper 3. Time, 2:52.8. Final points: S. Burt, 32, 1; R. Burt. 22. 2; D. Richens, 16, Three-quarter Midget Car Scratch Race for Motor-Cyclists. —M. Burt 1. G. Ray 2, 1. Begbie 3. Time, 95.0. STOCK RODS Handicap events (4 laps).— First race: J. Annan (90yd) 1. P. Annan (80yd) 2, W. Rusbridge (120 yd 3. Time, 99.3. Second race: P. Annan (80yd) 1, J. Annan (90yd) 2, A. Davies (120 yd 3. Time, 99.5. South Island Stock Rod Championship.—Final race (8 laps): D. Cameron 1, P. Annan 2, A. Davies 3. Time, 3:5 4. Final points: Cameron, 132, 1; P. Annan and W\ Rusbridge, 113, 2 (equal); Davies, 91, 4. MOTOR-CYCLES Handicap Races (each of 4 laps).—First race: A. Brown < 100 yd): M. Burt < 100 yd) 2, G. Ray (80yd) 3. Time. 87.3. Second race: W. Moulin (90vd) 1, A. Nesbitt (70yd) 2, C. Glasson 110 yd) 3. Time, 88.2. Third race: T. Black (100 yd 1, T. Shearer (90yd) 2, I. Miller (70yd) 3. Time, 89.4. Fourth race: S. Clarke (70 yd) 1, R. McKinlay (80yd > 2. M. Salt (20yd) 3. Time. 88.3. Fifth race: C. Glasson (10yd) 1, S. Clarke (80yd) 2, A. Nesbitt (70yd) 3. Time, 87.4. Sixth race: 1. Begbie (70yd) 1, G. Ray (80yd) 2, T. O'Brien (20yd) 3. Time, 89.1. Seventh race; M. Burt (100 yd) 1, A. Brown (110 yd 2, T. Black (110 yd 3. Time, 87 1. Eighth race: R. McKinlay (60yd) 1, M. Salt (20yd) 2, T. O'Brien (20yd) 3. Time. 90.1. Scratch Races For Car Drivers.—First event (4 laps): R. Mead 1. A. Davies 2. Time, 1:42.6. Second event (3 laps): R. Berry 1, D. Dunley 2, D. Harper 3. Time, 88.8. Third event (3 laps): S. Harrison 1, R. Clive 2, M. Sloan 3. Time, 81.6.