Spectacular crashes at Templeton

Press, 28 November 1977, Page 23

Spectacular crashes at Templeton

By ROD DEW The New Zealand solo motore cle speedway champion, Larrv Ross, of Christchurch, effort-1 i>- S nd W v n » the firSt round of the Grand National Chevette Series! : l atuX T a iOn St ’*um r £i o."h£M'Voi« ee ? and' finished with the maximum cl nine points. 11 1 Hi--’ closest challenger was Mike Fullerton ‘Auckland' i whose only defeat was bv Ros=! lll ® !/ al heat. But’ even against rum, the margin of superiority- displayed bv the national champion was marked. Ross led into the first turn,! an w !t?r« eaS A ng UD bv mor€ ‘han 40 metres His time of 75s was ‘he fastest of the contest out • oiisiderably slower than he i. cb * e '.^ d "hen racing against! ! an Mauger the previous Saturday The inside of the track was' wet and slippery, and even further out it did not have its usual grip. Because of this. Ross was unable to make a serious attempt to regain the track record taken fl om mm by Mauger. However, ne wa» well satisfied with his rroil. and should increase his' lead tn tile series in tlie second s'und at Wellington next SaturRoss was awarded the Mutual! ’ravel ‘'.sportsman of the Night” l bottle of “bubbly” for his efforts ! But if he was clear!', a class ahead oi his rivals, nol all of

■ them had a chance to show their true ability. Kris Berrigan (Napieri fell off ■ inis machine while trundling .(towards the start of the first | I . He remounted and started; .‘Well but smashed into the con-; sa^ wall on the exit to 1 second bend. He scrambled i on the track on to the top of * the wall in a reflex action, but the race was stopped. After treatment he was able ( fe ua lk awav supported by two, officials. Later he was taken toj I hospital for examination, but was not admitted. Jack Millen ‘Auckland) — i known among his friends as ‘Crazy Jack” — started well with; ! a second place to Ross. But in ' u-? nex . l . r ’dc he “locked up” his| bike while battling for the lead; with Roger Wright (Christ-' church- and his engine stalled.; , rhe race continued without him,! land a later protest proved unsue-; icessful. His third ride was even! less satisfactory. His motor: failed in the first bend, and he ' ended the night with onlv two points. VX right, who appeared to lack ‘ some of his usual sparkle, fin-' ished with six points and third place, behind Fullerton. David! Bargh. the 15-year-old Wellington representative, showed promise. but was well beaten. His! three points came mainly as a; result of the retirements of his.' j rivals. ; Progress points: Ross 9. Fullerton 8. Wright G.* • Robin Adlington iWellingtom 4.' Euan Cameron (Napier) 3,<

Bargh 3. Millen 2. Berrigan 0. . Later in tiie night. Ross won the feature Hying six event, ; . which included four riders from : the Chevette series and the top 11 two from the domestic competi- • i non, Eric Dugard and Roger i J Abel. It was a rather sad com- ■ ’pentary on the quality of the field for the national series that, Dugard and Abel claimed the minor placings behind Ross. dugard had earlier won the , handicap final off a scratch -jmark in 75.65, a performance j eclipsed only by Ross. Graeme Wells was 'admitted to hospital after losing control in one of the handicap semi-finals. He slid down on the south bend and was hit on his safety helmet by the rear wheel of a machine ; dropped by a following rider. ( He was unconscious when St ;John Ambulance officers reached J him and was taken to hospital by ambulance. His condition yesterday was fairly comfortable. there was drama, too, in Hie car classes. Starting officials had: to run lor their lives when the sprint car driven bv A. J. Macdonald was knocked off line bv a rival at the start of the opentig supermodified car handicap. Macdonald’s car shot off the track' in a spectacular broadside,! -mashing through starting equip-' :>ncnt and missing the officials bv‘ ( inches. l ater in the night. Macdonald! spectators near the pit gates' pacing for safety when he col-i .tided with the safety wall while! holding a comfortable lead in! I the feature supermodified car; -race. The race was won bv the’

’former New Zealand champion. ! Peter Annan, his second win of . the night. i The runner-up was a former: > motor-cycle rider. Kevin Burt, . who displayed very impressive; - form throughout the meeting. j Kevin Proctor and Mark Wil- > Hams were the most successful r drivers in the midget car class,i ; although Gordon Roxburgh was! unlucky not to be among the* , official winners. He led the field ; . across the finish in the opening; , handicap race only to be disqualified for not slowing when; the amber warning light was on.- ‘ He was subsequently given third! place after an appeal. : The Turner brothers, Bruce, ; and Wayne, again went through; ■ the sidecar programme uii-i beaten. Nevertheless, they had', stiff competition from Brent f Beadle and Alan Boyle. This class ! provided some of the most ex-: I citing racing of the night. Results:— MOTOR-CYCLES i> Chevette solo series. first ground <4 laps).—First heat: L. ■ Ross (Christchurch) 1. J. Millen yAuckland) 2* R. Wright (Cliristchurch) 3. Time, 79.0. Second .; heat: M. Fullerton (Auckland) 1. dR Adlington (Wellington) 2. E. Cameron ‘Napier) 3. Time. 77.5. -‘Third heat: Ross 1. D. Bargh ; i Wellington) 2. Time, 7G.0. I Fourth heal: Fullerton 1. Wright I'2. E. Cameron (Napier) 3. Time, i 178.0 Fifth heat: Wright .1, Ad•’lington 2. Bargh 3. 'Lime. 78.8. J Sixth heat: Ross 1. Fullerton 2, 1 II Cameron 3. Time: 75.02. Solo handicap races <4 laps).—; ■’First heat: J. Duff 1. DI Brown!

.‘2. J, Taylor 3. Time, 91.7. Second F heat: R. Abe) 1, A. Bryce 2. A. Crosbie 3. Time, 86.5. Third heat: ; \A. Brown 1, P. Fewings 2, R. ,: Brown 3. Time, 87.3. Fourth Hheat: E. Dugard 1. T. Black 2, G. {Wells 3. Time. 86.5. First semi- ■ final: Abel 1, M. Brown 2, Cros- : I bie 3. Time, 80.5. Second semi- i final: Dugard 1. A. Brown 2. Few- ; >lings 3. Time.. 78.5. First consol- i Ration: G. Forscutt 1, A. Mason 2. ; L'J. Moore 3. Time, 80.0. Second consolation: W. McClintock 1, W.H ■.Skilling 2. D. McPherson 3.!’ i;Time. 82.2. Final: Dugard 1, Abel?: . :2, M. Brown 3. Time, 75.6. H U Go-Cola invitation dying six <4j 'laps).— L. Ross I, E. Dugard 2. R.j] : t Abel 3. Time, 75.0. i ] i Novice solo scratch (4 laps).—; ■iT. Ealam 1, J. Sparks 2, C. i I! Walker 3. Time, 81.4. Sidecars (4 laps).—Opening! 1 ' handicap: B. Turner and W. Tur-;] ■ ner 1. B. Beadle and A. Boyle 2, ' ! H. Askey 3. Time, 89.0. Feature I]

. scratch: Turner and Turner 1. , Beadle and Bov! e 2, Askev and ; 18. Heglun 3. Time, 82.2. CARS ! Three-quarter midget cars.— Russ Noble Motors scratch (6 ■ laps:: G. Parr 1, G. Dawson 2, |G. Stone 3. Time. 2:13.4. Geoff (Stone Motors handicap '6 laps): G. Dawson 1, M. Bamford 2. G. I Stone 3. Time, 2:10. Supermodified ears.—Opening ; handicap (8 lapse P. Annan 1, |K. Burt 2. P. Annan 3. Time. 2:54. Ferry Hoad Rubadub scratch p 8 laps): W. Pierson 1, R. Glee- , son 2, M. Allan 3. Time. 2:46.2. (Final scratch (8 laps': Annan 1. ■ Burt 2. Allan 3. Time. 2:44.7. i Midget cars.—Raynox handicap i'6 laps': M. Williams 1, K. Proctor 2, G. Roxburgh 3. Phillips Mower Sen ice handicap '8 ■ laps): Proctor 1, Roxburgh 2. ■Time. 2:39.4. Feature scratch ,6 Haps': Proctor 1, Williams 2.