SECOND TO MAUGER IN TEST MATCH Late choice, Brown, man to beat in speedway

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32539, 24 February 1971, Page 30

SECOND TO MAUGER IN TEST MATCH Late choice, Brown, man to beat in speedway

(By oar speedway reporter)

The rider who was included in the team for the final speedway test against England almost as an afterthought, A. Brown, of Christchurch, is now shaping up as the man to beat in the New Zealand solo championship to be held at Templeton on Saturday night.

Brown proved his value in the test team by finishing with 13 points in the test last Saturday—a score only surpassed by New Zealand’s triple world champion, I. Mauger. On the strength of this magnificent performance alone, he must start as favourite.

But he has produced many other performances of note this, season and has certainly not ridden better.

His omission from the first two tests appear to have been a serious mistake on the part of the New Zealand selector (Mr D. Tomkins) and Brown’s many supporters are hoping that he will again prove just how unjust his treatment was. One of the reasons for Mr Tomkins leaving him out of the early tests was that he was under the impression that Brown was still recovering from the broken leg which cut short his season in Britain last year. But this only showed a lack of knowledge or communication on Mr Tomkins’s part. Brown had been riding at Templeton with devastating effect for many weeks before the team was announced.

Brown, now 25. is suffering from no after-effects of his crash in England and is at present considering whether to return for the European season which begins shortly.

He rode number two in the Kings Lynn first division side last season.

On Saturday night, Brown’s chief rivals will undoubtedly be the 23-year-old New Plymouth rider, G. Peterson, and the two Christchurch riders, F. Shuter and R. Wright. Peterson, regarded by many as one of the finest prospects New Zealand has produced in recent years,

topped the averages in the English second division last year, and finished third in the English second division championship—a title he was favourite to win.

He was a key figure in all three tests against the Englishmen in recent weeks and, although slightly “detuned” by a crash at Napier less than a fortnight ago, should be back to his best for this Saturday. He scored eight points in the third test at Templeton last Saturday, and, had it not been for his

exclusion from one heat for jumping the start, his score would have been greater. Templeton is obviously to his liking. Shuter is a rider of considerable experience. He has twice been a member of teams which won the British first division championship and is the three-lap record-

holder at Templeton. In the last test he proved the ideal foil to Mauger, picking up some very valuable place points behind the world champion. WRIGHT UNLUCKY Wright was unlucky to be named in the reserves for the test. He, too, has been in fine form this season and actually has the fastest race time by a resident rider at Templeton this season to his credit. Provided he does not get squeezed out against the fence—he likes to take the fast outside line—he should go well.

Others who should be prominent include the South Island champion, T. Black (Christchurch), M. Hodgson (Feilding) and D. McKay (Masterton). There will be no lack of incentive. Riders will compete for $4 a point as well as the $lOO for first place, $5O for second and $25 for third. There is also an Auto Cycle Union purse of $3O for first, $2O for second and $lO for third. A rider going through the contest unbeaten would win $l9O.