Moore top scorer but British win speedway

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33712, 9 December 1974, Page 17

Moore top scorer but British win speedway

(By

R. O. DEW)

The British league riders’ team retained its unbeaten record in this country by defeating New Zealand, 31-29, in the third and final solo motor-cycle test at the Templeton Speedway on Saturday night.

It was a stimulating encounter from the outset with the lead changing four times and scores being level on two other occasions before the British riders put. the issue beyond doubt with one heat remaining.

But the visitors had more than just their own ability to thank for their victory. The New Zealand heat leader, G. J. Stapleton, was forced to retire from the fourth heat when a fuel hose parted from its nozzle. Had it not been for this misfortune, New Zealand would undoubtedly have won the test. As it was, New Zealand had the final say when its brilliant captain, R. L. Moore, and Stapleton, claimed the first two placings in the final heat to narrow the margin to a mere two points. Moore brilliant

Moore, twice a winner of the world championship and the current South Island champion, was by far the outstanding rider of the night. He ended the match with 14 points, just one short of the maximum. The only rider who beat him was the Englishman, J. Davies, in the eighth heat. And Davies would never have managed this had Moore not been hanging back in the early stages of the race trying to shield Stapleton. When Davies started to go away and it became cleat

that Stapleton was not going to catch him, Moore shot past his team-mate and, riding superbly, started to reduce the 20yd margin. But he had left his bid just too late. Davies was still inches ahead as they flashed across the finishing line. This was a disappointment for New Zealand, which badly needed a win to keep its hopes alive. The final two heats were supposed to contain the lowest scorers in one and the top scorers in the other. New Zealand’s two supporting riders, L. Ross and T. Black, lined up for the ninth heat but the British team management bent the rules slightly, putting in Davies to partner I. Cartwright. Davies, the top-scoring British rider, raced away to an inevitable victory. Although Cartwright fell off and Ross and Black went on to take second and third places, the British team was then in an unbeatable position. The tenth heat, supposedly with the top riders from each team, should have provided the highlight of the night. But with Davies having ridden in the previous heat in-

stead, it was something less than this.

Exciting race The most inspiring tussle of the night took place in the first heat. It was a tense moment because the British captain, D. Morton, had previously been unbeaten in the series and he was drawn to meet Moore, the uncrowned “king” of Templeton. Davies was in the field, too. When the tapes flashed up, Moore, who has never been renowned for his starting, was a little slow off the mark. He was beaten into the first corner by both of the British riders. Things looked a little grim as Davies led from Morton at the end of the first lap. But then Moore showed why he is still regarded as one of the top riders in the world. He closed up on Davies and Morton on the south bend, forcing them to enter the bend faster than they wanted to. Riding right on the limit, the two visitors, who had been riding side by side, drifted slightly apart. In a flash, Moore performed one of his inimitable body swerves and was through the gap between them into the lead.

From that point there was only one man in the race. Moore went on to win by a clear 20 yards from Morton and Davies, with Ross, hav-

ing his first ride for New Zealand, a distant fourth. Obviously a little nervous in this race, Ross improved markedly during the night to the point where he was seriously challenging the Englishmen, leaving no doubt that he has a bright international future ahead. Moore’s winning time of 78sec in the initial heat was the fastest of the season. If Moore stole the limelight, Stapleton also performed an important Tole. He only won one race but twice finished second to Moore to give New Zealand maximum points. He appeared to have the measure of the British riders and would have scored higher if his fuel hose had not broken loose in the fourth heat. Car record

In the supefmodified car class, M. Allan lowered the six-lap record to 2min 3.3 sec, suggesting that he will be a leading contender for the South Island championship next Saturday. He won two races but in the final 10-lap event he had to be content with second place behind the New Zealand champion, P. Annan. The outstanding driver in the midget car class was L. Millar. He was unplaced in the first race after spinning out while handily placed. But he rebounded from his setback to win the two main feature races in most impressive style. Results were: MOTOR-CYCLES N.z. v. British League riders (each heat four laps).—First heat: K. Moore (N.Z.) 1, D. Morton (8.L.) 2, J. Davies (8.L.) 3. Time, 78.0. Second heat: G. Stapleton (N.Z.) 1, M. Hiftle (8.L.) 2, I. Cartwright (8.L.) 3. Time, 78.6. Third heat: Moore 1, Tlftle 2, L. Ross (N.Z.) 3. Time, 79.6. Fourth heat: Morton 1, Davies 2, T. Black (N.Z.) 3. Time, 79.7. Fifth heat: Moore 1, Stapleton 2. Morton 3. Time, 79.8. Sixth heat: I. Cartwright (8.L.) 1, Davies 2, Black 3. Time, 80.4. Seventh heat: Morton 1, Hiftle 2, Ross 3. Time, 80.3. Eighth heat: Davies 1, Moore 2, Stapleton 3. Time, 79.5. Ninth heat: Davies 1, Ross 2, Black 3. Time, 79.7. Tenth heat: Moore 1, Stapleton 2, Morton 3. Time, 81.4. Detailed points.—British League riders 31 (Davies 11, Morton 10, Hiftle 6, Cartwright 4) beat New Zealand 29 (Moore 14, Stapleton 8, Ross 4, Black 3). A grade solo scratch events (four laps).—First qualifying heat: B. Read 1, G. Rhodes 2, R. Able 3. Time, 82.6. Second heat: S. Foster 1, P. Salt 2. K. Burt 3. Time, 81.0. Pall Mall scratch: B. McMillan 1, W. Irvine 2, G. Reid 3. Time, 84.4. Tommy’s Suzuki Centre super six: Abel 1, Rhodes 2, Salt 3. Time, 84.6. Sidecars (four laps).—Qualifying race: B. Lynch and D> Scobie 1, B. Valentine and I. Combridge 2, P. Lambert and N. Lambert 3, Time. 9J.2. Edox handicap: 1. Begble and A. Henrey 1, L. Dwight and S. Unwin 2, H. Jones and B. Beadle 3. Time, 89.3. Rex Russell scratch: Begbie and Henrey 1, Dwight and Unwin 2, H. Jones and B. Beadle 3 Time, 84.7. Tommy’s Suzuki Centre feature: Begbie and Henrey 1, Dwight and Unwin 2, Jones and Beadle 3. Time, 83.8. CARS Three-quarter midget cars.— Auto Salvage handicap (six laps): A. Davis (50yd) 1, G. Parr (40yd) 2, M. Williams (90yd) 3. Time, 2:11.5. Crowe Garage scratch (six laps): Davis 1, W. Denovan 2, G. Stone 3. Time, 2:9.8. Garden City Motors feature (eight laps): Denovan 1, Davis 2, R. Burt 3. Time, 2:45. Midget cars.—Wynn’s challenge (six laps): K. Proctor 1. B. Tulett 2, M. Burt 3. Time. 2:5.2. Pall Mall feature (eight laps): L. Millar 1, Tulett 2, Burt 3. Time, 2:35.6. Firestone SlOOO scratch (eight laps): Millar 1. K. Proctor 2, Burt 3. Time, 2:35.2. Supermodified cars.—Edox scratch (six laps): M. Allan 1, P. Annan 2, S. Everett 3. Time, 2:3.3. Ferry Road Rubadub scratch (eight laps): Allan 1. P. Annan 2, J. Annan 3. Time, 2:41.9. Feature scratch (10 laps): P. Annan 1. Allan 2, J. Annan 3. Time, 3:22.7.