Christchurch rider Marlboro winner

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33426, 7 January 1974, Page 12

Christchurch rider Marlboro winner

New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON. The Christchurch rider. J. Boole, won the Marlboro Classic international motorcycle race, part of a $lO,OOO series, from T. Discombe (Tauranga) in Wellington today.

Two other New Zealanders. G. Molloy (Hamilton), land D. Wylie (Christchurch) • finished fourth and fifth behind the Indonesian. H. Tir[tasuptra. The event was one of ten |at the sixth Wellington : motor-cycle grand prix meeting which attracted more than 7000 people to the •Gracefield circuit.

During the race Discombe set a lap record of 57 seconds, beating the previous best time of 59 seconds set earlier in the day by an American. R. Grant, during a practice run. Grant was the early leader in the classic on his Suzuki 750 but had to withdraw in the second lap when his chain broke. From then on, a battle de veloped between Wylie on a Suzuki 500 and Discombe on a Yamaha T2 350. Wylie took control at first but Discombe forged ahead when about a quarter of the 25 mile race

had been run. Towards the half-wav point Boote, riding a Yamaha 700. moved into second behind Discombe and the two opened a reasonable gap on the rest of the field

At the three-quarter mark Discombe still headed Boote and Malloy moved into third place after dropping back. Wylie was fourth. Soon after wards Boote took the lead from Discombe and ’he pair finished about half a lap ahead of the rest of the field, headed by Tirtasuptra. who sped into third place in the last lap on his Suzuki 500.