Grand Prix Win To May At Ruapuna Park ,

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31654, 15 April 1968, Page 10

Grand Prix Win To May At Ruapuna Park ,

The talented Manurewa rider, L. May, led from start to finish m the Dominion’s road racing classic—the New Zealand senior grand prix—held over 20 laps of the one-mile Ruapuna Park circuit yesterday afternoon.

His only strong competition came from the Lower Hutt rider, G. Sjwtt, who rode a tremendous race on his tiny 250 c.c. Bultaco before ignition troubles forced him to retire on the second to last lap.

However, May always had something extra in hand and as the race neared its end he increased his pace slightly and Stott dropped back. May, riding his big 500 c.c. Norton with rare skill, went on to win in the good time of 18min 15.4 sec, an average speed of almost 70 m.p.h. He also recorded the fastest lap of the day at 53.35ec. This was comparatively fast in the blustery conditions although well short of the lap record held by the former Isle of Man team captain, B. Scobie (Hamilton), at 51.9 sec. Second place went to another North Island rider, D. Mortimer (Hamilton), on a 500 c.c. Matchless, 17.8 sec behind. P. Armstrong (Christchurch) surprised everybody by finishing third on his 247 c.c. Suzuki, a machine which started life as an ordinary road motor-cycle. He completed 19 laps. The race was stripped of much of its interest when the defending champion, R. Clarke (Christchurch), was unable to get off the starting grid on his 500 c.c. Rickman Metisse. His primary chain snapped and he was out of the race after only a few yards. Clarke had earned the No. 1 position on the grid with fastest lap time in practice the previous day.

May’s task was further less ened when K. McCleary (Christchurch), who had brilliantly won his fifth light-weight grand prix earlier in the day, could not get his Bultaco to fire at the start. When McCleary did get going he was more than a lap behind.

The New Zealand junior grand prix was unexpectedly dominated by 250 c.c. machines Stott and McCleary, both riding water-cooled Spanish Buitacos, finished first and second in the 16-lap race to easily head of the defending champion. T. Discombe (Hamilton), on the heavier 350 c.c. A.J.S.

May, riding a 350 c.c. A.J.S.. Stott and Discombe were first off the grid but by the end of the first lap Stott had the lead from May and Discombe. McCleary, after a relatively slow start, came through the field with great verve and by the fourth lap was in second place to complete the dominance of the two-strokes. He was too far behind Stott to make a serious challenge but held his position comfortably to the end.

The light-weight grand prix of 12 laps with without doubt the finest race of the day. In this McCleary rode a great tactical race to snatch the lead from Stott with two laps from the end. In the early stages Stott seemed set for victory. He was second off the grid behind R. Tapper (Dunedin) and first time round had a clear lead. Tapper was second on his 247 c.c.

Suzuki and McCleary third. It took McCleary one more lap to get into second place and there he sat for the next seven laps. McCleary, riding with all the considerable skill and experience at his command, stayed a few machine lengths behind waiting for the right moment. On the tenth lap he made his move. He out-braked Stott into the hairpin bend, swung inside him on the elbow leading out of it and got his front wheel ,n front for the first time. McCleary had no sooner got into the lead than Stott made his first and only mistake. He missed a gear change and by the time he got the cogs meshed again McCleary was 60 yards clear. It was McCleary’s fifth win since 1962 and his third in succession. This equalled the record of five wins held by D. Lowe (Feilding). The ultra-light-weight grand prix proved an easy victory for J. Medlin (Timaru) on a beauti-fully-prepared home-built machine, powered by a 90 c.c. McCulloch go-kart motor. His average speed for the five laps was not far short of 60 m.p.h., a record for the class. F. Sollitt (Wanganui) and R. Yates (Napier) scored a splendid win in the New Zealand sidecar grand prix. They comfortably beat the defending champions, G. Skilton and G. Larsen (Pahiatua),. who were seeking their third win in succession. Their winning -time of 7min 7.6 sec was a new race record. Results: New Zealand Senior Grand Prix (up to 500 c.c., 20 laps).— L. May (Manurewa), 500 c.c. Norton, 18:15.4, 1: D. Mortimer (Hamilton), 500 c.c. Matchless, 18:33.2, 2; P. Armstrong (Christchurch), 247 c.c. Suzuki, 19 laps complexed 3; T. Kirby (Christchurch), 305 c.c. Honda. 4; I. McGregor (Christchurch), 350 c.c. A.J.S., 5. Fastest lap: May, 53.3. New Zealand Junior Grand j Prix (up to 350 c.c., 16 laps).— G. Stott (Lower Hutt), 250 c.c. Bultaco, 14:43.4, 1: K. McCleary (Christchurch), 250 c.c. Bultaco, 14:51.0, 2; T. Discombe (Hamilton), 350 c.c. A.J.S., 14:59.6. 3; L. May (Manurewa), 350 c.c. A.J.S., 4: D. Gibb (Rangiora), 350 c.c. A.J.S., 5. Fastest lap; Stott, 53.8, on third. New Zealand Lightweight Grand Prix (up to 250 c.c., 12

laps).—K. McCleary (Christchurch), 250 c.c. Bultaco, 10:57.0, 1; G. Stott (Lower Hutt>, 250 c.c. Bultaco, 11:0, 2; P. Arm strong (Christchurch), 250 c.c Suzuki, 11:55.5, 3: K. Hanham (Christchurch), 250 c.c. Bultaco, 4; R. Tapper (Dunedin), 247 c.c Suzuki, 5. Fastest lap: Stott, 53.4. New Zealand Ultra-lightweight Grand Prix (up to 124 c.c., 5 laps).—J. Medlin (Timaru), 90 c.c. McCulloch, 5:47.4, 1; G. Stott (Lower Hutt), 100 c.c. Yamaha, 6:37.7, 2; J. Aubrey (Blenheim), 49 c.c. Honda, 3. New Zealand 50 c.c. Grand Prix (up to 50 c.c., 3 laps).— J. Aubrey (Blenheim), 49 c.c. Honda, 4:1.2, 1; S. Maxell (Christchurch), 49 c.c. Suzuki, 4:15.3, 2; B. Hawker (Christchurch), 49 c.c. Suzuki, 4:56.2, 3. New Zealand Sidecar Grand Prix (7 laps).—F. Sollitt (Wanganui) and R. Yates (Napier), 750 c.c Norton, 7.7:6. 1; G. Skilton and G. Larsen (Pahiatua), 650 c.c. Triumph. 8:58.9, 2; E. Shaw (Invercargill), 650 c.c. Triumph. 3; R Orchard (Christchurch), 500 c.c. 8.5. A., 4. Canterbury Sidecar Championship (5 laps).—F. Sollitt (Wanganui) and R. Yates (Napier). 750 c.c. Norton, 5:4.6. 1; E Shaw (Invercargill), 650 c.c. Triumph, 6:17.0, 2: G. Skilton and G. Larsen (Pahiatua), 650 c.c. Triumph, 6:30.0, 3. Reverse Sidecar Race (3 laps) —Sollitt and Yates, 3:38.2, 1; Skilton and Larsen. 3:38.4, 2; Shaw, 3. Inter Island Teams’ Race (5 laps).—L. May (Manurewa), 500 c.c. Norton, 3:56.2, 1: D. Mortimer (Hamilton), 500 c.c. Matchless, 3:59.3, 2; T. Discombe (Hamilton), 350 c.c. A.J.S., 3:59.3, 3; P. Armstrong (Christchurch), 247 c.c. Suzuki. 4; I. McGregor (Christchurch), 350 c.c. A.J.S., 5. Final points: North Island 9, South Island 5. Cust Clubmans Open Classic (8 laps, up to 1250 c.c.).—F ■ Bowles (Christchurch). 750 c.c. Norton. 7:32.8, 1: P. Armstrong (Christchurch), 247 c.c. Suzuki, 7:38.4. 2; R. Quertier (Gore*. 650 c.c. Triumph, 7:42.6, 3. Fastest lap: Bowles, 54.4. Rangiora Classic (up to 650 c.c., 8 laps).—D. Mortimer (Hamilton), 500 c.c. Matchless, 7:41.5, 1; L. May (Manurewa). 500 c.c. Norton, 7:42.2. 2; R. j Quertier (Gore), 650 cc. 'Triumph, 7:44.5. 3.