Second Ruapuna title to Wylie

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32407, 21 September 1970, Page 10

Second Ruapuna title to Wylie

Last week the talented young Christchurch motorcycle road racer, D. Wylie, turned 21 and on Saturday afternoon he belatedly celebrated this milestone by winning his second successive "King of Ruapuna" title In impressive fashion. Riding an immaculate but very standard 500 c.c. three-cylinder Kawasaki, he completed the 10 laps in the grand final at Ruapuna Park comfortably ahead of his nearest challenger, C. Robinson (500 c.c. Manx Norton). K. J. McCleary (250 c.c. Bultaco), the early leader, was a close third.

When Wylie won the title for the first time last season it was on a borrowed machine. This time he again found himself without a machine, the Harris G5O on which he did so well in the national road series last season having been sold. But another Christchurch competitor. D. Ellis, came to the rescue and loaned Wylie his new Kawasaki. Although he had two brief outings earlier in the day, the “King of Ruapuna” race marked his return to serious competition) after an enforced break of six months. Wylie crashed spectacularly in the production race of the Wellington grand prix last season and injured his back. But after Saturday’s main race, he said he was feeling no ill effects. “Everything went just fine although I am afraid I am a bit rusty,* r he said. He had nothing but praise for his borrowed machine. “The Kawasaki, for a standard road bike, was really fantastic. It grounded a little, but not much.’ 7 Wylie and his partner, Mr R. J. Harris, are at present attempting to buy a 500 c.c. Suzuki production racer from the Japanese factory for use this season. If this fails, they will probably settle for a 350 c.c. Yamaha. Wylie has his sights set on competing in the American classic, the Daytona 200. After a series of scratch events earlier in the day, it was apparent that the main threat to Wylie in the main event would come from the former New Zealand light-weight champion, McCleary, and Robinson, winner of both the Canterbury 350 c.c. and 500 c.c. road titles last season. Wylie headed Robinson in his first race for machines of 500 c.c. and later in an open race for competition machinery he beat McCleary and Robinson in that order. However, McCleary and Robinson gave the impression that they were holding something in reserve and at the start of the grand final this was confirmed.

Both made beautiful starts while Wylie, who had been by far the best starter earlier in the day,, was only fourth away. Making full use of the greater power Of his Norton, Robinson led the field round the hairpin bend for the first time but at the dog leg Immediately following he misjudged his speed and hurtled on to the grass in a high speed wobble. Fortunately, he managed to keep the big Norton under control but when he rejoined the field he was well back in fourth place. McCleary led first time round with Wylie a few yards astern. For the next four laps

these two were in very close company. Wylie gained on McCleary’s tiny Spanish two-stroke down the straights but McCleary clearly had the edge on cornering. However, McCleary was giving too much power away to the Kawasaki and when he lost the lead at the start of the third lap he had little chance of regaining it.

Wylie slowly but surely edged ahead and McCleary eventually decided to settle for second place for the second successive year. But Robinson, who had been riding with great verve, suddenly emerged as a late challenger. He closed right up on McCleary and two laps from the finish he nipped passed into second place. McCleary rallied strongly but Robinson managed to hang on to the finish. “I was asleep,” McCleary ruefully commented afterwards. “I thought Robinson would be well behind after he went off the track and I had not given him a thought. Then suddenly, there he was in front of me.”

The hard-luck story of the day belonged to D. Gibb, of Rotorua. He won the Canterbury 250 c.c. title last season before moving north and travelled down with his 250 c.c. Kawasaki in an endeavour to take the “King of Ruapuna" title. After a long wait for spares from Australia, he assembled the machine only on the morning of the race and then in the practice a piston collapsed. He spent most of the afternoon replacing this but was loaned a 250 c.c. Suzuki for the main race, finishing fifth after a poor start. O. Galbraith won both six-lap events for 250 c.c. machines on a Suzuki.

In the supporting race training events, a woman rider, Mrs J. A. Greenslade, created considerable interest on a Suzuki T 250-11. She was unplaced but showed that she was not afraid to use the Suzuki’s speed. “I have never ridden so fast in my life,” she said afterwards. It was her first competitive appearance. She has only been riding a motor-cycle for a few weeks. Her husband, F. G. Greenslade, also took part on a 350 c.c. Suzuki. Results were:— “King of Ruapuna” Final (10 laps).—D. Wylie 500 c.c. Kawasaki) 1, C. Robinson (500 c.c. Manx Norton) 2, K. McCleary (250 c.c. Bultaco) 3, S. Larsen (500 c.c. Manx Norton) 4, D. Gibb (250 c.c. Suzuki) 5, T. North (250 c.c. Bultaco) 6. Competition Machine Event (6 laps).—Wylie 1, McCleary 2, Robinson 3. 250 c.c. Events (6 laps each). — First race: O. Galbraith (Suzuki) 1, W. Guy (Suzuki) 2, T. Shanks (Ducati) 3. Second race: Galbraith 1. Third race: Galbraith 1, D. Blewett (Triumph) 2, P. McLachlan (Suzuki) 3. 500 c.c. Events (6 laps each).—First race: D. Ellis (Kawasaki) and W. Guy (Suzuki) (equal) 1, P. McLachlan (Suzuki) 3. Second race: Wylie 1, Robinson 2. Third race: Robinson 1, Ellis 2, Guy 3. 125 c.c. Race (5 laps).—W. Pettigrew (B.S.A. Bantam) 1, P. Richardson (Yamaha 100) 2, J. Booth (Kawasaki 90) 3.