Hall’s Sixth S.I. Title

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31655, 16 April 1968, Page 17

Hall’s Sixth S.I. Title

Not even a troublesome clutch which threatened to burn out at any moment could prevent R. T. Hall, of Christchurch, from winning the final heat of the South Island speed-car championship series at the Templeton speedway yesterday. The three points he gained from this fine win took bis total to 47, almost twice as many as the runner-up in the championship, G. Roxburgh. Yesterday Roxburgh finished third behind T. Turner, who was driving a car almost 25 years old. This season Hall has faced his strongest competition, yet he won the championship—his sixth in eight seasons—by the greatest margin. His record of six wins and two seconds in eight South Island championships seems unlikely to be beaten. And he is far from finished; he feels that he can get still more power out of his RepcoHolden motor. “Up to now we have been so busy working on the chassis we have not had time to worry about the motor," he said yesterday. “This winter we will start with the motor." Hall this season could have put his car under covers five weeks ago and still won the championship. He also won the Rothmans $2OO championship series. In the final race yesterday he spun badly on the first lap but with great skill won narrowly from Turner and Roxburgh. Stock Rods The stock rod championship went to J. Annan, although he was unable to start in the final eight-lap heat. In an earlier race he allowed his brother, Bruce, to drive his car and it lost a rear wheel down the front straight. The championship race was won by another brother, P. Annan, who led from the start, but in the South Island series he finished second four points behind his brother. D. Cameron was third over-all. S. Burt, in the three-quarter midget car class, won the two main scratch races and was second in the only handicap event. He was rather lucky in the eight-lap feature event — D. Harper (Ashburton) was clear of all opposition when his motor failed less than 100 yards from the finish. R. Burt crossed the line first but was relegated to second for running on to the grass. Ray Impressive The New Zealand test rider, R. Wright, won the main motor-cycle scratch race in 81.8 sec, a good time considering the loose nature of the track. W. Moulin was second and A. Nesbitt third, but G. Ray made the deepest impression. He would have been certain of second place after a particularly fine ride had his motor not failed. Earlier, Ray had shown the makings of a champion when he beat Wright on a handicap race off the 100 yd mark. Wright snatched the lead with slightly more than a lap to go but Ray, with easily the best display of his career, outrode him. MOTOR-CYCLES Solo Handicap Events (Four Laps).—Opening race inovice): R. Dunlea (10yd) 1, P. Annan igo) 2. M. Lambie (30yd) 3. Time: 92.8. Second race: R. McKinlay iSOyd) 1. A. Clarkson 170 yd) 2. E. Gluestein (go) 3. Time: 89.4. Third race: G. Ray (100 yd 1, R. Wright (130 yd 2. W. Moulin (120yd> 3. Time: 88.4. Fourth race: G. Ray (100 yd 1, M. Moulin (120 yd 2, A. Nesbitt (100 yd 3. Time: 90.2. Fifth race: R. McKinlay (50yd) I, B. Amtman (go) 2, 1. Begbie (10yd) 3. Time: 93.4. Solo Scratch Events (four laps).—Open race: R. Wright 1, W. Moulin 2. A. Nesbitt 3. Time: 81.8. Second race: M. Salt 1, R. McKinlay 2. R. Clarkson 3. Time: 85.4. Third race: E. Gluestein 1. B. Amtman 2, 1. Begbie 3. Time: 91.0. Side-car Events (four laps).— Opening handicap: L. Dwight and B. Keirnan (60yd) 1. 1. Begbie and D. Harper (50yd) 2. W. Philp and D. Wylie (150yd> 3. Time: 97.3. Second handicap: Begbie and Harper (go) 1, Dwight and Keirnan (40yd) 2, Philp and Wylie (110 yd 3. Time: 93 ’ 8 ' MIDGET CARS Three-quarter Midget Cars.— Opening handicap (six laps): S. Burt (120 yd 1, R. Burt (130 yd 2, B. Hopewell (90yd) 3. Time: 2:16.4. Feature scratch race (eight laps): S. Burt 1, R. Burt 2, B. Hopewell 3. Time: 3:1.4. Four-lap handicap: G. Roxburgh 1, S. Burt 2, B. Hopewell 3. Time: 91,0. Speed-cars.—Rothmans feature final (six laps): R. T. Hall 1, T. Turner 2. G. Roxburgh 3. Time: 2:7.5. Final South Island championship points race (eight laps): R. T. Hall 1, T. Turner 2, G. Roxburgh 3. Time: 2:40.2. Final points: Hall 47, Roxburgh

24, N. Hawkins 13. Four-lap handicap: G. Roxburgh (go) 1, R. T. Hall (150 yd 2, T. Turner (40yd) 3. Time: 85.2. STOCK RODS Stock Rods.—Opening handicap: (six laps): P. Annan 1, W. Guy 2, D. Cameron 3. Time: 2:20.6. Final South Island championship points race (eight laps): P. Annan 1, W. Rusbridge 2, D. Cameron 3. Time: 2:53.5. Final points: J. Annan 39, P. Annan 35, D. Cameron 24. NOVELTY EVENTS Motor-cycles (three laps).— First event: M. Sword 1, G. King 3, C. Pullen 3. Time: 81.1. Second event: B. Annan 1, I. McKinlay 2. Third event: S. Burt 1, W. Philp 2, R. Burt 3. Time: 74.1. Three-quarter Midget Cars (three laps).—-First event: K. Burt. Time: 84.0. Second event: W. Guy 1, K. Young 2, I. Begbie 3. Time: 70.5. Slock Rods (three laps).— First event: R. Dunn 1, Brown 2, Saunders 3. Time: 70.5. Sledge race: P. Annan and G. Jemmett 1, J. Annan and W. Guy 2. Third event: R. Hall 1, K. Peverill 2. Time: 74.2. Speed-cars (three laps).—M. Salt 1, G. Hauschild 2. Time: 69.8. Side-cars (three laps).—S. England and G. Hale 1, D. Harper 2. Time: 76.1.