Midget car race taken by J. McKitterick

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32531, 15 February 1971, Page 15

Midget car race taken by J. McKitterick

Taking full advantage of a front-row grid draw, J. McKitterick, driving his recently acquired VB-60, powered his way to victory in the first of four eight-lap scratch races to decide the South Island midget-car championship at the Templeton Speedway on Saturday night.

After an enthralling battle for the minor placings between the defending champion and eight times titleholder, R. T. Hall, and the 1967 New Zealand champion, E. Murray, the second place went to Hall after Murray, who had held that placing for most of the race, went too wide on a bend just before the finish.

In fourth place, but a long way behind the first three, was the Holden-powered midget driven by L. Millar. Points after the first race are: McKitterick 12, Hall 11, Murray 10, Millar 9, G. Roxburgh 8, R. Mead 7, M. Harman 6, R. Sword S, M. Burt 4. However, Hall gained his revenge later in the evening when he held out strong challenges from Murray and McKitterick in the Rothmans feature scratch event. This race was the highlight of the evening. SPECTACULAR LINE

Coming out of the north bend on the first lap, Hall, Murray, McKitterick and Mead formed a spectacular line of four as they raced down the front straight. At the south bend, Murray appeared to be chopped off slightly and, as he eased back, Burt bumped into his rear and spun out. The race was halted and the referee called for a full eight-lap restart. Unfortunately. Burt, after completing a special test lap, was not satisfied with his car and had to withdraw.

On the restart, superb driving from Mead almost brought about Hall's downfall. Although slightly “out-gunned” down the straights, Mead stuck rigidly to the inside line, and Hall was forced to remain on his outer until the final lap. Seemingly assured of the second placing, Mead had the misfortune to spin on the final

bend, and this allowed Murray and McKitterick through for the minor placings. Winning all three handicap races and the feature scratch event for solo motor-cycle machines, A. Brown brilliantly demonstrated his excellent bike control.

His rapid starts, close cornering, and fast acceleration down the straights proved too much for his rivals, the best of whom was T. Black, who finished second in the A grade handicap event and the motor-cycle scratch.

A notable absentee from the motor-cycle scratch was the New Zealand rider, R. Wright, who had injured his fingers at work and was unable to compete. Riding off the back mark (30yd) in the novice solo events, L. Ross turned in two competent displays to win both events—performances that could well take him out of the novice section in the near future. An upset occurred in the feature sidecar race—the Rex

Russell scratch event over four laps. Only three combinations lined up on the track, but at the end of the second lap, the least favoured team of N. Hill and B. Lynch (passenger) was the only pair still circuiting. Both Dwights—senior and junior—and their passengers had veered into the centre arena. Although they got their machines promptly back on the track, Hill and Lynch had built an unassailable lead.

SUPER-MODIFIEDS Favoured with a good grid draw, P. Annan never gave his opponents any chance in the eight-lap feature race for the super-modified section. A stimulating duel between D. Cameron, R. Dunn and J. Erickson for second place ended with Dunn spinning out on the last lap; Cameron crossing the line second, and Erickson third. Front markers dominated the

handicap races for the stock rods. Particularly impressive was the driving of S. Everett off go, who handled his car well to record a first and second placing.

The closest finish of the night came in the John Morris challenge scratch race of six laps for the three-quarter midget cars. A blanket would have covered the four cars of A. Palmer, K. Stephens, R. Burt, and M. Williams as they flashed across the line in that order. It was a deserved win for Palmer, who earlier in the night lost a wheel from his J.A.P. 500 T.Q. and did not have it ready in time to start in the South Island championship points

An excellent track surface

resulted in many fast times, but no new records were established. Results:— MOTOR-CYCLES Solo handicap events (four laps).—First race: A. Brown r (90yd) 1, D. Rankin (10yd) 2, K. i Burt (20yd) 3. Time: 91.2. Second race: D. Sincock (30yd) 1, B. > Turner (10yd) 2, A. Mclllwraith i (10yd) 3. Time: 93.2. Third i race: A. Nesbitt (30yd) 1, M. Salt - (30yd) 2, B. Valentine (20yd) 3. i Time: 88.4. Fourth race: A. Mclllwraith (10yd) 1, S. Woods (30yd) 2, D. Sincock (30yd) 3. i Time: 92.3. Fifth race: S. Foster i (10yd) 1, A. Nesbitt (40yd) 2, R. i Herdman (40yd) 3. Time: 86.0. L Sixth race: A. Brown (90yd) 1, T. • Black (60yd) 2, D* Rankin (10yd) 3. Time: 84.0. Seventh race: R. Hall (10yd) 1, B. Turner (10yd) 2, S. Woods (30yd) 3. Time: 89.6. Eighth race: G. Stapleton (30yd) 1, B. Valentine. (20yd) 2, K. Burt (20yd) 3. Time: 89.0. A grade race: A. Brown (90yd) 1, T. Black (60yd) 2, S. Foster (10yd) 3. Time: 85.7. Solo novice events (four laps). —First handicap: L. Ross (30yd) 1. J. Cowan (10yd) 2, M. Brown (20yd) 3. Time: 95.0. Second handicap: L. Ross (30yd) 1, M. Johns (20yd) 2, T. Jemmett (go) 3. Time: 93.4. Solo scratch race (four laps).— A. Brown 1. T. Black 2, M. Salt 3. Time: 82.2. Sidecar handicap events (four laps).—First race: L. Dwight sen. and S. Unwin (100 yd 1. L. Dwight jun. and G. Cox (70yd) 2. Time: 92.8. Rex Russell scratch race (four laps): N. HUI and B. Lynch 1, Dwight sen. and Unwin 2, Dwight jun. and Cox 3. Time: 92.2. MIDGET CARS Three-quarter midget cars.First handicap race (five laps): R. Whiting (10yd) 1. Time: 1:56.1. A grade handicap (six laps): D. Richens (30yd) 1, R. Burt (40yd) 2, K. Stephens (40yd) 3. Time: 2:12.2. South Island points feature scratch (eight laps): K. Stephens 1, M. Williams 2, R. Burt 3. Time: 2:49.4. John Morris chaUenge scratch (six laps): A. Palmer 1 K. Stephens 2, R. Burt 3. Time: Midget car events.—First handicap race (six laps): E. Murray (150 yd 1, R. Clive (40yd) 2, L. Millar (40yd) 3. Time: 2:11.7. South Island championship race (eight laps): J. McKitterick 1, T. Hall 2, E. Murray 3. Time: 2:43.8. Rothmans feature scratch (six laps): T. Hall 1, E. Murray 2, J. McKitterick 3. Time: 2:4.0. STOCK RODS Super-modified cars. First handicap race (eight laps): S. Everett (go) 1, P. Annan (130 yd 2, R. Dunn (80yd) 3. Time: 2:53.3. Stan Wheatley feature scratch (eight laps): P. Annan L D. Cameron 2, J. Erickson 3. Time: 2:46.2. Final handicap (eight laps): M. Allen (10yd) 1, S. Everett (go) 2, P. Annan (130 yd 3. Time: 2:50.5.