Commentary On Competition

Press, 29 July 1976, Page 10

Commentary On Competition

WOODLEY WINS John Woodley, the rider who made such a big impact in the last domestic season, has been

maintaining his form in Australia. He recently won the fourth round of the Australian 500 championship series on his Suzuki RGSOO at Sandown Park and, riding the same machine, finished third in the unlimited race. In the 500 race, Woodley could count himself a trifle lucky to reach the finishing line first. Ray

Quincey (TZ3SO Yamaha) had a lead of more than lOsec entering the final lap but slid off on petrol spilt by another fallen bike. Woodley went on to win the 10-lap race of 31.03 kilometres in 13min o.6sec. Quincey, incidentally, is planning to contest the forthcoming Marlboro series. in the unlimited race of 62.06 kilometres, Woodley finished third to Warren Willing (TZ7SO Yamaha) and Murray Sayle (750 Kawasaki). Unfortunately, the New Zealander is not eligible for points in either championship. However, Woodley plans to spend the next three months in Australia, working for a Suzuki distributor in Sydney. He has put his RGSOO Suzuki up for sale but hopes to have a new machine, almost certainly a new RGSOO, shortly. WORLD CHAMPION Although there are still three rounds remaining in the world 500 championship, Britain’s Barry Sheene (RGSOO Suzuki) is now in an unbeatable lead after his impressive win in the Austrian round. Sheene has already announced that he will not contest two of the re-

maining rounds and will end the championship series at the West German grand prix. This could well help New Zealand’s Stewart Avant improve on his present position. BRIGGS SHINES The former world speedway champion, Barry Briggs, of New Zealand, has silenced the critics who felt that he should not have changed his mind about retiring from league racing in Britain. After “retiring” at the end of the last British season, Briggs was tempted to carry on for Hull in league racing. He has had his best scoring sequence this year since 1972 and Hull has an outside chance of winning the league title. Briggs is now third among Commonwealth riders in Britain. Only Ivan Mauger (New Zealand) and Phil Crump (Australia) are ahead of him.