New Speedway Track Tested

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31520, 7 November 1967, Page 12

New Speedway Track Tested

One of Christchurch’s leading contenders for the New Zealand midget car championship this season. E. Murray, broke the Templeton speedway lap record for his class during an official practice on Saturday night. Before a surprisingly-large crowd, Murray drove his Zephyr-powered car around the new quarter-mile crusher dust track in 19.4 sec. half a second inside R. T. Hall’s existing record. But this time will not be recognised officially because it was not achieved at a programmed meeting. A full-scale practice for motor-cycles, midget cars and stock-rods was held by the Christchurch Speedway Association on Saturday evening to test the new track, completed only minutes before an earlier practice in the afternoon.

The track stood up to the beating extremely well and because it had to be graded only once, a full programme which had hitherto taken three hours was put through in two. One of the curiostities in the practice was W. Rusbridge’s new G.M.C.-powered stock-rod. equipped with ah aerofoil above to assist traction at high speeds. A former stock car champion. H. Pierson, turned in some fast laps in his new sportsman’s stock-rod. his first appearance at the speedway for about two years.

The final compulsory practice will be held under lights on Tuesday evening, when the public will be admitted without charge.