Engine failures diagnosed

Press, 18 December 1976, Page 56

Engine failures diagnosed

By

ROD DEW

The New Zealand speedway test captain last season, Graeme Stapleton, of Christchurch, has just taken delivery of a new English fourvalve Weslake racing motor — at a cost of about $2OOO- - he has decided against using it in the Go Cola invitation best pairs contest at [the Templeton Pall Mall Speedway tonight. Instead, he will stick with; Ithe older Weslake unit,; 'raced in New Zealand last' I season bv the Englishman 1 I who went on to become ■ world champion, Peter Colllins. “I think I have got it i sorted out now. ’ said Stapleton, who has been ! plagued by engine failures I since, the start of the season.

As soon as he received the new engine, Stapleton immediately examined it to try and discover why his older engine was not performing correctly. He came to the conclusion that the C 8360 Honda valve springs and CR2SO Honda clutch springs he had been using in the valve gear were not strong enough and a test period on the Templeton track on Thursday confirmed This. ; With new valve springs, ithe old engine went so well ’that he has decided to per- * severe with it. Tonight, he will partner the New Zealand champion, Larry Ross, in the best pairs contest, postponed from a fortnight ago when rain washed out the scheduled meeting. Ross, 'in brilliant form last

Saturday, and Stapleton will be hard to beat. Stapleton is certainly confident. “I think we will win it. W’e only need to get a first and a third in each race and we should be able to do that.” The two resident English riders, Neil Middleditch and Bobby McNeil, will, nevertheless, prove worthy oppo- ■ nents.

The four New Zealand riders will be using the best pairs contest to sharpen up for the forthcoming world championship qualifying rounds. It is possible that the first of these will be held at Templeton on January 3. However, this will depend on whether permission can be obtained from the Speedway Control

Board to seed the two former world champions, Ivan Mauger and Barry Briggs, through to the South Island final. The two four-times world champions are not scheduled to arrive until later in the month. But, unlike last season when they were seeded right through to the New Zealand final, they have been notified that they have to qualify at the lowest levels.

If this is enforced, the i Christchurch qualifying round will be postponed a week or two. A total of 22 Christchurch riders have entered for the world championship and these will have to be reduced to 11 for the South Island final. Invercargill will be allowed five qualifiers.