Sponsorship for road racers

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33933, 28 August 1975, Page 17

Sponsorship for road racers

Two leading Christchurch riders, Stewart Avant and Gary Boote, are to be sponsored by Levi Strauss (New Zealand). Limited, in the approaching road racing season.

Boote. the winner of the New Zealand 250 c.c. championship last season, has been racing in Australia since the end of the title series. A brother of the prominent international rider, John Boote, he plans to contest the New Zealand 350 and 250 c.c. championships in the coming season in addition to campaigning a TZ7SO Yamaha in open events. His main effort will be in the Marlboro international series.

Avant, who won the New Zealand 350 c.c. championship in 1974 as well as a host of lesser titles, did not have a happy time last season—his with a TZ7SO Yamaha. “I was just going from meeting to meeting, hoping it would keep going. I had no parts, no tyres and no money to buy any with,” he recalled yesterday. But Avant is certain that the coming season will be very different, now that

he has the backing of Levi’s. He has brought his TZ7SO Yamaha up to the latest specifications and it is now a full 750 (instead of a 700) and has forward mounted gas shock absorbers at the rear. Avant considers that it is one of the most competitive TZ75Os in the country'.

Within the next few weeks, he plans to make a flying visit to Australia to sharpen up his racing skills before starting in on the New Zealand circuit. His first race in New Zealand will be at the Geoff Perry Memorial meeting at Pukekohe on September 26. Avant, probably the

fastest 350 c.c. rider in New Zealand, would like to regain his title in this class but appears unlikely to have a suitable bike. However, it is possible that be will contest the 500 c.c. championship series, probably for Suzuki.

He wants to have at least one national title under his belt by the end of the season because he is contemplating a trip to Europe next year. “If I go to Europe. I would like to have a current title. It would be a great help when seeking starts at big meetings. But I will just have to wait and see what turns up.”