Ross capable of reaching world class in speedway

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

Ross capable of reaching world class in speedway

By

PHILIP RISING

LONDON

It was a cold, wet nigrht. unpleasant even to weather - hardened Englishmen, when Larry Ross made his first appearance at Wimbledon Speedway. The 21-year-old Christchurch rider huddled in the pits viewing area, watching British racing for the first time.

The smallness of the track, the tight first bend tussles and—above all else — the nasty weather almost convinced Ross that his wisest move would be to get the next plane home. But he stayed, and in a remarkable six months has made quite a name for himself in British league racing. It was not hard to see and appreciate, even when Ross made his track debut after a Wimbledon meeting, that he had potential. No-one recognised this more, of course, than Barry Briggs, who had encouraged Ross to fly to England, as an unknown, and jump in at the deep end. “Briggo” spent several periods with Ross, passing on valuable advice, but it would have been to no avail had the pupil not been able to respond. It was Ross’s willingness to listen and learn, as well as his ability to put into practice what Briggs was preaching, that pleased everyone so much. Within a month, Ross was pushed into a Wimbledon . side hampered by injuries. Not for him the progressive apprenticeship of division two (now called New National League) racing. Ross, like some famous natives of Christchurch before him, was to go in at the top. In his first home meeting he fell on numerous occasions. Each time he got up, re-mounted and completed the race. The crowd, eager to see a youngster of authentic talent at Plough Lane, responded. And each week Ross got better. He lived in Southampton, travelled to meetings with Briggs, worked with him, and before Idng partnered him in the Dons side. He quickly learned the techniques required for making the starts in England, and

on a hot (yes. even the weather has been kind to Ross) evening in August came an unforgettable moment for him.

Exeter was the visitor to Wimbledon. And at No. 1 for the 1974 British League champion was Ivan Mauger. Mauger has had a remarkable season over here, and at that stage had dropped only one point in 15 league matches, apart from a single mechanical failure. He had chalked up eight consecutive league maximums and had been unbeaten in 11 successive awav matches.

In heat one of the Wimbledon versus Exeter

match. Briggs and Ross faced Mauger and his partner, an Australian. Mike Farrell. Briggs, very much back on form after a bleak two months following injury. and Ross worked out a ploy to defeat Mauger. but it all hinged on Ross making the gate with the acknowledged past master of the art.

Yet. when the tapes went up, Ross streaked away, alongside his two illustrious countrymen, and kept IVlauger to the outside round the first bend. That is no place to be at Wimbledon. and by the time

Mauger had sorted

out Briggs and Ross wen off into the night.

Mauger finished third for the first time this season. And for Ross it was the icing on the cake, the moment in which he proved quite conclusively that, at last. New Zealand has unearthed a rider capable of reaching world class. 'He's lived up to all my expectations.” says Briggs. And

that is a fitting tribute when one considers that from the outset Briggs has told the world that Larry Ross would become a great rider.