Spectacular Accidents At Templeton Speedway

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31234, 5 December 1966, Page 14

Spectacular Accidents At Templeton Speedway

The thousands of thrill-seeking speedway fans at the Templeton Stadium on Saturday night could hardly have been disappointed by the fare provided, often unintentionally, by the competitors.

However, it was not only the high standard of racing that kept the crowd—the largest of the season—in an almost permanent state of nervous tension. The usual suspense was increased substantially by the abnormally high number of spectacular accidents.

The motor-cyclists set the tone for the rest of the meeting when three of their four-lap handicap events had to be abandoned after serious multiple collisions in each. In another event the visiting English rider, H. Cole, was fortunate to escape injury when he was forced to leap off his machine at top speed when the throttle jammed open. R. Mitchell took the hat-trick when he punched a hole in the safety fence on the north bend during the opening stock rod handicap. It was the third time this season that he had crashed through the fence in his Zephyrpowered car. In the same race, the novice driver, B. Moore, thumped into the fence at the other end, ripping loose a few boards. Long Meeting The meeting was an unusually long one, starting at 6.30 p.m, while there was still natural light for television cameramen. Track maintenance officials found It necessary to roll and water the cinders half-way through the meeting and this mav have made the surface slightly more slick than usual. In the first motor-cycle event of the main programme, which began after the rolling and watering of the track, R. Marks went down on the south bend. R. McKinlay, following close behind, had no time to avoid him and deliberately dropped his machine. Unfortunately, his speed was so great that he was flung Into Marks’s machine with considerable force.

At the same time M. Salt hit the spinning machines a glancing blow and came down heavily on the cinders. Another rider just avoided a head-on crash into the safety fence. Marks and McKinlay were taken off the track by ambulance and were treated in the pits by St. John Ambulance officers. Marks had suspected broken ribs and McKinlay a bruised foot. The race was abandoned.

In a later motor-cycle event, G. Ray and I. Begbie collided on the north bend. Both suffered superficial bruises. This event was also abandoned. In the next race Cole found himself hurtling towards the south bend with his throttle stuck wide open. He had no alternative but to jump off at about 50 miles an hour. He skidded along the cinders, his hands stretched in front, about 30ft. His machine bounced wildly and stopped 50ft away. Cole was not hurt and was able to win the feature scratch race in magnificent style. His time was 85.5 sec. Twisted Ankle

The final motor-cycle event was not finished. On the second lap 18-year-old T. Shearer, who had earlier shown brilliant form to snatch victory from Cole in a handicap event, fell on the south bend. T. Black threw his machine down. A third rider, G. Ray, crashed trying to avoid the fallen riders. He twisted his ankle. Tho others were not hurt. The most impressive performer in the speedcar section was E. Murray in his new Zephyr-powered midget. He won the six-lap handicap in 2min lO.Dsec, a time only 3.9 sec outside the record, from a handicap of 150 yards. However, in the scratch race for South Island championship points, the one which really mattered, the title-holder, T. Hall, led from start to finish in his Taubmans Special. Murray challenged him strongly over the opening laps and was certainly faster down the straights but after two spin-ups he pulled out.

D. Harper joined D. Richens at the top of the South Island three-quarter midget points table when he won the eight-lap scratch race. Richens was second. Both drivers now have 12 points, six ahead of their nearest challenger, G. Roxburgh. The most unlucky competitor in this event was J. McKitterick, who led for the first three laps until mechanical trouble forced him to retire. J. Annan won the stock rod race for South Island championship points after a stimulating struggle with W. Rushbridge. The defending champion, D. Cameron, lost ground getting past P. Annan, and had to accept third place. MOTOR-CYCLES

Solo Scratch Events (four laps).—First Race: H. Cole 1, T. Black 2, G. Ray 3. Time, 84.8. Second Race: T. Mauger 1, W. Moulin 2, T. Shearer 3. Time, 85.2. Third Race: H. Cole 1, T. Mauger 2, W. Moulin 3. Time, 82.7. Consolation Scratch: R. Wright I, T. Shearer 2, G. Ray 3. Time, 84.0. Feature Scratch Race: H. Cole 1, T. Black 2. W. Moulin 3. Time, 85.5. Solo Handicap Events (four laps).—First Race: W. Moulin (130yds) 1, M. Salt (70yds) 2, R. McKinlay (90yds) 3. Time. 90.0. Second Race: T. Black (130yds) 1. R. Wright (110yds) 2, H. Cole (150yds) 3. Time, 90.2. Third Race: T. Shearer (90yds) 1, H. Cole (150yds) 2, T. Mauger (10yds) 3. Time, 91.0. Fourth Race: T. Shearer (90 yds) 1, T. Mauger (110yds) 2, R. Wright (110yds) 3. Time, 88.9. Side-car Combinations (three laps).—Opening handicap: I. Begbie (rider) and D. Harper (passenger), go, 1: W. Philp and B. Savage, 70yds, 2: R. Winstone and A. Perkins, 50yds, 3. Time. 75.8. Second handicap: Begbie and Harper, go, 1; Philp and Savage, 50yds. 2: Winstone and Perkins, 20yds, 3. .Time 74.4. Third handicap: Philp and Savage, 30yds, 1; Begbie and Harper, go, 2: Winstone and Per. kins, go, 3. Fourth handicap. Begbie and Harper, go. 1; Philp and Savage. 50yds, 2. Time. 74.0. midget cars Three-quarter Midget Racing Cars. —Opening scratch race

ifour laps): G. Raymond 1. D. Harper 2. S. Unwin 3. Time. 96.5. First handicap ifour laps): B. Palmer (60yds) 1, S. Unwin (SO yds) 2. D. Harper (140yds) 3. Time. 97.1. Second handicap (six laps): D. Harper Usoyds) 1. .1. McKitterick (160yds) 2. G. Roxburgh <l6oyds) 3. Time. 2:16.9. Scratch race for South Island championship points (eight laps): D. Harper 1. D. Richens 2, G. Roxburgh 3. Time, 2:58.8. Speedcars.—Opening scratch race (four laps): N. Hawkins 1, S. Campbell 2, G. Teikmk 3. Time, 98.0. First handicap (four laps): R. Mead (160yds) 1, G. Roxburgh (20yds) 2, T. Hall (180yds) 3. Time. 93.4. Second handicap (six laps): E. Murray (150yds) 1. T. Hall (180yds) 2,

J McKitterick (go) 3. Time. 2:10.9. Feature scratch race for South Island championship points (eight laps): T. Hall 1, S. Campbell 2, G. Roxburgh 3. Time. 2:56.2. STOCK RODS Stock Rod Events.—Opening scratch race (three laps): D. Cameron 1. J. Annan 2. W. Rushbridge 3. Time. 70.8. First handicap (four laps): B. Fisher (go) 1. A. Bo(herway (30yds) 2. D. Cameron (150yds) 3. Time. 1.41.0. Second handicap (six laps): W. Rushbridge (150yds) 1. D. Cameron (160yds) 2. P. Annan (150yds) 3. Time. 2:22.0. Feature scratch race for South Island championship points (eight laps): J. Annan 1. W. Rushbridge 2, D. Cameron 3. Time, 2:58.5.