Late entry in Ruapuna race

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33065, 4 November 1972, Page 46

Late entry in Ruapuna race

A late entry from the New Zealand 350 c.c. champion, T. Discombe (Hamilton), has introduced a note of uncertainty as to the outcome of the Canterbury Auto Cycle Club’s 40-mile race at Ruapuna Park on Sunday.

Discombe, who has held the New Zealand title in the 350 c.c. class for the last five years, and last season competed with success in both Australia and Asia, first heard of the meeting earlier this week when he was telephoned by a friend in Christchurch.

Appreciating the need for strong racing competition at this stage of the season, he decided to compete. Unfortunately, he has not yet taken delivery of his new watercooled 350 c.c. Yamaha and will bring his smaller 250 c.c. Yamaha instead.

It might lack the top speed of some of the larger motorcycles but with the prospect of the Ruapuna circuit being tightened by placing straw bales at strategic points Discombe could have an advantage in handling his machine. But the favourite for the main race must remain the Christchurch international, D. Wylie, who will either race his new Suzuki 500 or a similar machine provided for him by the Wellington firm, Lawton and Boyle.

Recently returned from Europe, Wylie has been in almost unbeatable form in recent weeks.

Another rider who has just spent a season in Europe, J. D. Landrebe (Dunedin), will be among Wylie’s strongest rivals.

Of special interest will be the former New Zealand light-weight champion, K. J. McCleary (Christchurch), on the 750 Kawasaki racer owned by M. Gibbons, at present recovering from injuries suffered in a crash in Australia. Other riders expected to be prominent include D. Ellis and M. Sinclair, who will both be riding 500 c.c. Suzukis. The withdrawal of the veteran international, W. Molloy, has been a dis-

appointment. Runner-up in the 1970 world 500 c.c. championship, he extensively damaged his new threecylinder Kawasaki in a crash at Dannevirke on Labour Day. The machine caught fire and will have to be completely re-built. In spite of this, the field is a strong one and the race—the longest held for racing machines at Ruapuna Park—should prove a good test of stamina as well as riding skill. Nevertheless, it will be the production racing which will hold the greatest interest for many. The main event in this category will be of 30min duration for a purse of $l3O. Tremendous rivalry has been generated between riders and dealers.