Paul McLachlan seeking national road racing triple crown

Press, 27 March 1980, Page 22

Paul McLachlan seeking national road racing triple crown

By

ROD DEW

Paul McLachlan has been among New Zealand’s foremost international road racers for so long that it is difficult to accept that he has yet to win is first national championship series. However, this situation appears about to undergo a dramatic change.

Two rounds of the New Zealand road championships remain — at Pukekohe on Saturday and the New Zealand grand prix at Ruapuna Park on April 6 — and when they are completed the quietly-spo-ken Christchurch rider is almost certain to be the holder of the 250, 500 and open titles. Already, he is out of reach of his rivals in the 500 and open classes and there is only one other rider with any chance of catching him in the lightweight series, a fellow Christchurch rider, Mike Pero. But Pero needs to win the last two rounds without McLachlan adding to his total to snatch the crown.

McLachlan has never worried himself unduly about New Zealand championships in the past. He has selected his meetings and, more often than not, has been away overseas when the final few rounds have been deciding the outcome of the championships. ’ This season, splendidly supported by his sponsor, International Harvester and Tyre Pando, he has campaigned three machines — a TZ2SO Yamaha, a Mark five RGSOO Suzuki, and the faithful TZ7SO Yamaha which has served him so well for the last three seasons. Finding himself out in front in three championships, McLachlan decided to postpone his an-

nual pilgrimage overseas for a few weeks and make sure of winning the triple crown.

This prospect represented an unusual challenge, because no rider has ever won. three national championships in the same season before. “I have certainly not stayed for the prize money,” McLachlan said. He is, along with other prominent riders, critical of the meagre rewards which come with success in motor-cycle road racing in this country.

“There is no doubt that many improvements could be made in the sport. John Woodley believes that changes will come, but I don’t have the same faith. Motor-cycle sport needs

someone with vision on the organisation side. But the way the sport is organised at the moment, I don’t ever see it being much different.” He is critical of the New Zealand Auto Cycle Union for its lack - of. active promotion. “To win three New Zealand championships should be worth something. There • should be definite rewards. There are none. In fact, many motor-cycle people wouldn’t even know who won the championships unless the rider made his own publicity.”

The trend towards greater promotion of production racing, even to the extent of holding meetings without any racing classes, is deplored. Production racing was a good

basis for racing, but meetings without the racing classes did not have the same appeal. Production racing was not as fast, not as colourful, and it was not so easy to get individual sponsorship, he said. Riders with a big investment in racing machinery needed the support of organisers. They could be a big attraction if they were promoted properly.

McLachlan leaves New Zealand on April 13. This time his travels take him first to Los Angeles, and then on to Europe for a first attempt to break into the European grand prix scene. He hopes to contest the 250 and 500 world championships, starting with the Italian grand prix on April 26 and 27.

Uns year, chiefly as a result of the riders’ “revolution,” there has been a substantial increase in prize money. This has made the world championships a viable proposition for McLachlan for the first time.

He will have a new TZ2SO Yamaha for the lightweight events, and also expects to take delivery of a new TZ7SO Yamaha in England for use in open internationals. The RGSOO Suzuki he used In New Zealand this season will be his mount for the 500 world championship rounds. His present TZ7SO Yamaha is for sale, but he expects to take it with him and sell it in Europe.

“I would like to sell it in New Zealand because it would mean that there would be one more competitive machine in the

country. But there is a big demand for these machines in Europe, particularly at this time of tiie year.” . McLachlan has no intention of making the season in Europe one of the “feel your way” variety so often favoured by riders from this part of the world. “1 am going to try and do all the world championship rounds. 1 have no particular goals, but I will be out to do as well as I possibly can.” As always, he will be accompanied by his greatest fan, his wife. Jean. Paul Howard, the Englishman who helped him this New Zealand season, will probably stay on with him as mechanic while he is in

Europe. This summer has been the first for many years

that McLachlan has raced seriously in the 500 class. How does he find the Mark five Suzuki after the big Yamaha? "1 like the Suzuki. It does everything perfectly. The only thing it lacks is top end power at 10,000 to 11,000 revs. Everywhere else it pulls strongly. I won’t know just how good it is until 1 get up against the new Yamaha 5005.”

In spite of his disenchantment with the organisation of racing in New Zealand, McLachlan will be back in time for next summer’s championship season. He plans to contest two meetings in the United States before arriving back in Christchurch in September. In the meantime, his progress in the world championships will be watched with interest.