Speedway tour confirmed

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33383, 15 November 1973, Page 26

Speedway tour confirmed

(By

R. O. DEW)

Seven leading riders have accepted invitations to ride for England in a speedway test series in New Zealand this summer, but they will do so without the approval of their controlling body, the British Auto Cycle Union,

Attempts to obtain an official team for the tour failed, and the president of the Christchurch Speedway Association (Mr A. G. Nesbitt), who conducted negotiations, decided to approach the riders individually. “There was nothing else I could do,” Mr Nesbitt said yesterday. "It was either that, or no tour.’’ UNFIT RIDERS A team was earlier offered by the British Auto Cycle Union but Mr Nesbitt was not happy about the inclusion of several of the riders. Some were not fit after being injured and, he felt, were just using the New Zealand tour to regain match fitness. However, the main problem surrounded the loss of machines belonging to last season’s British tourists in an Auckland warehouse fire. The British union did not want to give its official approval for another tour until insurance claims had been settled. Unfortunately, there was no hope of this being achieved in time.

Although the British team will be an unofficial one, it will be very strong, and the New Zealand Auto Cycle Union has given permission for an official national side to race against it. A minimum of five tests is planned, two of them at Templeton. The first test will be at Wellington on January 12 and the second at Templeton on January 19. The team will also be at Templeton for a special mid-week meeting on the eve of the Commonwealth Games, January 23. It is possible that the New Zealand solo championship will be decided at this meeting. Other meetings featuring the Englishmen will be at Palmerston North, Wanganui, Auckland and Hamilton. The England team is C. Pusey, *. Louis, A. Lomas, D. Jessup, K. Holden, M. Brown, B. Harkins. Pusey is a familiar figure in New ZeZaland, and has good cause to remember Templeton. Two years ago,

while representing Great Britan in the final test again against New Zealand, he crashed into the safety fence and the injuries he suffered put him out of action for six months. However, he was back in New Zealand with the British Lions last season, his skill and daring as great as ever. A former team-mate of New Zealand’s former world champion, I. Mauger, at Belle Vue, he is regarded as one of the most spectacular riders in international speedway. Harkins has also raced in New Zealand. A Scottish international, he rides for Wimbledon in the British league and this gives him the right to selection in the unofficial English team. WORLD CUP MEMBERS Probably the two most exciting members of the team are Louis and Jessup, both members of England’s successful World Cup team this year. Louis gained a place in

speedway history last year by qualifying for the world final at his first attempt. Jessup is a former British second division champion who has also risen to the top rapidly. In the season recently completed he was among the leading scorers in the British first division league. Lomas is also a rider of considerable international experience and Holden and Brown are regarded as young riders of exceptional promise. Brown is expected to come to New Zealand before the rest of the team and will be racing at Templeton for much of the season as a resident overseas rider.