Hying Dutchman a threat to Tamer

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32677, 5 August 1971, Page 11

Hying Dutchman a threat to Tamer

There have been two major surprise packages in the 500 c.c. class of the world road racing championship series this season —one of them has been the brilliant New Zealander, K. Turner; the other an aggressive Dutchman, R. Bron. Both have one thing in common. They ride 500 c.c. Suzukis. But they are

rather different machines. Turner’s machine was constructed in New Zealand and has a New Zealandmade frame. Bron’s racer has been built up from the remains of a • wrecked Daytona-style Suzuki. The two riders have become keen rivals. Both have held second place in the championship listings behind the world champion Italian, G. Agostini, but at the moment it is Turner who is on top.

Whether he retains this lead over Bron and becomes the second New Zealander in successive years to finish runner-up in the world 500 c.c. championship (W. Molloy, of Huntly, was second last season) depends largely on whether he contests the remaining rounds. Originally, he planned to race in the financially rewarding Asian meetings later this month. But at the time he decided this he could have had little idea that he would be in line for such high honours in the world championship. Bron would no doubt welcome Turner’s departure from the European scene. The 26-year-old Dutchman has a hectic style which has won him a considerable following. He excels at out-braking his rivals, sliding into the comers with wheels locked and tyres smoking. Last year Bron got his big chance when he was offered a ride on a Dutch Suzuki importer’s 500 c.c. Daytona-style machine. Unfortunately, at the end of the season he crashed and demolished the machine. Undaunted, he bought the wreckage and proceeded to rebuild it with a modified frame. The end product is the machine on which he is currently doing so well.