Ross in form at speedway

Press, 20 November 1978, Page 34

Ross in form at speedway

The New Bealand solo champion, Larry Ross, was in splendid form at the opening night of the season at Ruapuna Park Speedway on Saturday night, recording three wins from three starts. Showing the benefit of his recent experience in the British League, Ross had a great night, stopping the watches at 74.35ec in his second race and his performance gained him the C.8.A.Mutual Travel “Sportsman of the Night” Award. The two overseas riders resident at Ruapiina Park this season, Trend’ Skretting (Norway) and Rudy Muts (The Netherlands), did not take long to

-adjust to the slick track, with] I Skretting powering his early f model Weslake to two good wins.; c It was Muts, however, who , provided Ross with the sternest ; competition. Their first encounter was a thrilling race, the s young Dutchman gaining the i jump at the start, but with .superior pole-lining. Ross man-' c aged to slip past one lap from •-the finish. The last four-lap scratch race e of the night brought some more good racing. Muts pushing the i-New Zealander hard for the full i-four laps. ’) Tom Black would be satisfied ?- after a very consistent night, his o locally-built Denco taking him to

three second placings. The racing throughout the evening went smoothly and tire programme ran just over two hours—great improvement on previous years. The sidecars look set for a season of great competition with nine outfits appearing on Saturday night. The crowd of 4000 was • treated to some tine racing and it was common to see machines hurtling three-wide into the corners.

The new combination of Bruce Turner and “The Heg’ was in top form, coming from the back mark on their Triumph to record three firsts and a third. They certainly justified their selection for the Nev Zealand team to compete in the forthcoming series against Australia. Their performance also augurs ! well for their chances in the South Island championships to be held next week. But the teams beaded by lan Begbie fAshburton) and Dave Scobie were always in close attendance and were Turner’s main opposition. Alan Palmer and Kevin Proctor can be pleased with the performance of their VW powered midgets, both cars turning in very fast times, but Norrie Chandler, a top TQ driver last season, had an inauspicious debut in tiie midget class, spinning out his Chewy 2 in the first race. When he repeated the performance early in the second race, Johnny McKitterick had to brake hard to avoid Chandler, ’ and Gordon Roxburgh, with 'nowhere to go, rammed McKitteriek’s car, virtually demolishing its tail. By the time the second rerun for this race was under way the field had been cut b\ half.

This was the thirteenth event on the programme and may have been jinxed, as there was yet another mishap in the rerun when “Fett” Robinson spun his Chevy 2 on the main straight and nearly collected the starting tapes—and the starter. The veteran Gavin Parr was the most successful in the threequarter midgel car races, head ing off the large entry to record two firsts and a second in his 650 Triumph-powered car. Graham Dawson also put in some good driving, gaining a first placing, and being deprived of another when his car stopped on

.the penultimate lap while leadi ing. j Consistency paid dividends for Wayne Wright, who is only m •his second season in the superi niodiileds. Aided by benevolent i handicapping, he gained a first land two second placings, with honours being shared in the I other races by Mike Allan and A. J. MacDonald. This class, now almost entirely dominated b\ the high-powered : spectacular sprint cars, was (notable for some vigorous driving. Results: — MOTOR-CYCLES First division solo events (four I laps).—First handicap. D. Sincork 1. T Black 2, C Forscutt 3. Time: 82.4. Second handicap: 1 Skretting • Norway> !. R Selbv 2. R. Wright 3. Time: 78.2. Con solation scratch: L. Ross 1. K Muts 'Hollandi 2, P. Fewings 3. Time: 75.2. The Suzuki Centre scratch. Ross I. Black 2. Few lings 3. Time: 74.3. Tommys Yamaha Flying Six: Ross 1, Muts 2, Fewings 3. Time: 76.2. Champion Spark Plug scratch: Skretting 1. Black 2. Forscutt 3. Time: 77.5. Second division soio events (four laps).—First handicap: J. Sparks I, G. Stewart 2, T. Ealam 13. Time: 79.0. Second handicap: G. Beardslev 1. A. Bryce 2. B Paul 3. Time: 82.0. Final scratch: Stewart I, Sparks 2, Beardsley 3. Time: 78.0. Novice solo events (four laps). —First scratch: A. Bayard 1. No

I time. Second scratch: R Brue 1. Time: 85.8. Sidecar events 'four laps .- 'Honda City handicap: D Scobl ! 4 M. L- ck I. I. Begbie and 1 Henry 2. B. Turner and the He /iinv: 88.5, Honda City hai ldicap: B Turner and the He 11. Begbie and Henry 2, Scobi land Lock 3. Time: 84.2. Chits, church Motor-cycles handicap F Turner and the Heg 1. Scobl and Lock 2. Begbie and Hear 3. Time: 86.8. RCA. Record : feature scratch: B. Turner an 'the Heg 1, Begbie and Henry J W Turner and A. Sutherland ; •Time: 83.2. CARS j Midget car event*.—Six handicap* A Palmer 1, I MuKii ' terick 2. G. Roxburgh 3. Tim< 2:0.0. Eight lap handicap * Proctor 1. Roxburgh 2, T. Curtj 3. No time. Coca Cola eight la feature: Proctor 1. Palmer ! Roxburgh 3. Time: 2:38.8. Three-quarter midget a events.—Fish Tank handicap si laps): G Parr 1. R Sladen 2. ’ Smith 3. Time: 2:6.0 Geoi Stone Motors Handicap ipigfr laps): G. Dawson 1. Parr 2. .< Clarkson 3. Time: 2:48.2. Rus Noble invitation eight laps Parr 1, Smith 2. R. Galt 3 Timt 2:43.6. Sprintcar events. —Six lap hai dicap: W. Wright 1. K. Bu-t • A. Botherway 3 Time - 2:4.! Eight lap handicap: M. Allan * Wright 2. Botherway 3 \ time. C.R.C. eight lap featurf A. J. MacDonald 1. Wright ! Allan 3 Time: 1:58.6.