Commentary On Competition

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33383, 15 November 1973, Page 17

Commentary On Competition

The Christchurch round of the $20,000 Marlboro international road racing series will be held at Ruapuna Park on January 13. The other three meetings will be at Wanganui on December 26, Pukekohe on December 29 and Gracefield on January 6. Entries will be restricted to 25 or 30 riders. About half the starters are expected to come from outside New Zealand. Likely starters include the Suzuki works rider, R. Grant, and two other Americans, S. Brelesford and C. Rayborn. From Indonesia possible entries include H. Tirtasuputra, Sarsito-Sa, B. Suswanto and the leading Singapore rider, J. Looi, is also keen to race. * Ss Ss The talented English scrambles rider, Randy Owen, has his sights set on the New Zealand moto-cross championship. “That is one of the main reasons for me being here,” he said after his great win in the Castrol moto-cross at Ogg’s Farm. The final of the championship will be held at Palmerston North on March 3. Owen and his younger brother, Rowley, are sponsored by the Yamaha agents, W. White, Limited, of Hamilton. * * Two riders who have recently returned from racing in speedway in Britain, R. Wright and T. Black, will be racing at

the Templeton Speedway on Saturday night. Both raced for Teeside in the second division. Black had the misfortune to break his shoulder twice but is now fully recovered and does not discount the possibility of returning to Britain at the end of the current New, Zealand season. The New Zealand airfield championships will return to the national racing programme this season at the Wigram international meeting on January 20. Last season, the motor-cyce races, held in conjunction with the annual Lady Wigram car meeting, did not have championship status. Two races will be held and all classes except sidecars will be catered for. New Zealand championship

and Rothmans points will be at stake in these classes. $ New Zealand’s four times world speedway champion, I. Mauger, returns to New Zealand next week. He is expected to race at Auckland’s Western Springs Speedway on November 24 and will be racing at Temple-

ton the following Saturday. Mauger is coming to New Zealand for the annual “Sportsman of the Year” dinner on November 22 and after a brief stay will return to Britain. However, he will be back in New Zealand in time for the test series against England in January and February next year. He recently won the British League Riders’ Championship.