Horsburgh T. T. champion

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33532, 13 May 1974, Page 3

Horsburgh T. T. champion

The 20-year-old Ashburton dirt racer, R. Horsburgh (250 Elsinore Honda), narrowly w’on the ’ final of the South Island i 350 c.c. miniature T.T. : championship on a flat, grass circuit at Templeton ; yesterday. : He survived a very deter jmined late challenge by th< I rapidly improving young !Dunedin rider. G. GoodfelI low (250 Honda), whe j crossed the finishing lint &han half a machine’s behind. ' Goodfellow’s elation al finishing so close to Horsburgh was soon destroyed IA protest alleging thai

Goodfellow strayed from the course orf the opening lap was lodged by the former; New Zealand scrambles! champion, D. Burns (Christ-! church), and upheld by the New Zealand Auto Cycle: Union steward for the meet- j ing (Mr R. Shearman). INSIDE MARKERS Goodfellow clearly cut inJside at least seven red mark■i er pegs on the first corner 'iof the first lap in the 10-lapi '[final,, and this gave him an ! jadvantage in the first hectic; minutes.

b With Goodfellow disqualified, the second place [went to L. Ross (250 IHonda). from Christchurch -who finished 50m behind the I two leaders. Third place .went to G. W. Sword •'(Christchurch) on a new 250 Montessa. I The championship was iover two qualifying heats land a final. Goodfellow won the first heat from G. Norris {(250 Yamaha), from Christi church, and Burns (250 iHonda). Horsburgh was an ieasy winner of the second I heat, from Ross and Sword. When Horsburgh made the best start in the final, the outcome seemed beyond doubt. In the middle stages) he had a lead of about 50m i on Goodfellow, but the! Dunedin rider then began to! show the -spirit which prom- j ises to take him to the top in the sport. Riding through lapped {riders with superb skill and {judgement he narrowed the gap to the leader. With two [laps left he was right on

Horsburgh’s tail. Several times he got his front wheel inside Horsburgh’s rear wheel, but on every occasion the gap closed and at the

fend Goodfellow was still a <few feet behind. The battle for the next three placings was just as ■keen. Burns was third earlyon before being overtaken — [first by Ross and then by ; Sword. He dropped a further (place when A. Pryce (125 iHonda), of Christchurch, fqrced his way past on the. :last lap.

OTHER EVENTS | . In the 250 c.c. events, 1 Goodfellow was the most' successful rider with three 1 firsts and a second. Horsburgh won two races and jwas third in another. The l only other winner in the class was Ross, who took I the opening event. l The outstanding riders ifi 1 jthe 125 c.c. class were M.l [Ritchie (125 ; Suzuki) and i Pryce, both winning three 1 i races. I Results of supporting races (Christchurch riders unless ‘otherwise stated) were:— ! 250 c.c. events.—First race: ißoss I, Goodfellow 2, Horsburgh' 13, Second race: Goodfellow 1,. Norris 2. Burns 3. Third race: Horsburgh 1, Ross 2, Sword 3. ji Fourth race: Goodfellow 1, Norris 2, W. Calder. 250 Honda,' '3. Fifth race: Horsburgh 1, Ross [2. Sword 3. Sixth race: Goodfellow ], Norris 2. G. Reid ((Rangiora), 250 Honda. 3. ’ | 125 c.c. class.—First race: M. (Ritchie. 125, Suzuki, 1; M. Butler. 125 Suzuki 2; S. Hooper, 125 I Honda. 3. Second race: Pryce, 1; IJ. Hanning. 125 Honda. 2: S. Wilson 3. Third race: B. Williams. 125 Honda, 1; Butler. 2;. • R. Selby. 125 Suzuki. 3. Fourth race: Ritchie, 1; Hanning, 2;j Pryce, 3. Fifth race: Ritchie, 1, : B. Carpenter, 125 Honda, 2: P. , Hunter, Suzuki 125. 3. Sixth race: Pryce, 1; Hanning, 2. Alb , in: Pryce, 1; Ritchie. 2; Hanning.. 3.