Top grand prix titles to Pero

Press, 20 April 1981, Page 3

Top grand prix titles to Pero

| By PETER BRITTENDEN i Mike Pero was in devastI ating form for the New Zea- ! land Grand Prix motorcycle ’ racing at Ruapuna Park this ■ week-end. He won the New Zealand lightweight, junior and senior grand prix, and also the open racing class event. The lightweight was billed as potentially the closest race of the meeting. Here Pero was matched against Brent Jones, on a new H model Yamaha TZ2SO, and Bob McCleary, who was keen to win this title just as his father, Tommy McCleary, and his uncle, Keyin McCleary, have done. McCleary made the best of a very close start'and forged ahead by about 10 metres from Pero for two laps. But Pero was looking just a little faster and edged past : McCleary on lap three, for 1 the next eight laps he comfortably held McCleary at bay but dropped off the pace ; on laps 11 and 12, allowing I McCleary to come within a I metre of his back wheel. I But on the remaining three , laps Pero increased his lead I again and - finished about

eight metres ahead of McCleary. Jones, who matched’ the pace of the leading pair for five laps, was about 30 metres back at the finish. Pero was untroubled in the junior grand prix (for racing machines up to 350 c cu cm; but the excitement was provided by lan Dawson (Woodend).

Pero led this race from start to finish, but the racing between Dawson, who ultimately finished second. Bob McCleary, and Peter Shapcott (Christchurch), was terrific.

Dawson was placed midfield for the first three laps with Pero, McCleary (who was using a 250 cu cm machine), Shapcott, and Jones, ahead of him. He was fourth on lap four, third on lap 10, and finally sneaked past Shapcott on lap 14 and held that position for the remaining lap. Pero easily won the senior grand prix (for racing machines up to 500 cu cm). His lead over Shapcott and Dawson increased nearly every lap and at the finish w r a’s easily 15 seconds ahead of Shapcott.

The battle between Pero (Yamaha TZ3SO) and Stewart Burdett (Yamaha TZ7SO) was very tense for most of the 15 laps of open racing. In the preliminary on Saturday Burdett beat Pero by about half a wheel but in the national points race yesterday Pero dominated the field. Peter Waters (Timaru),

who was riding a standard Suzuki GSX 1100 production machine, set the race alight by leading all the pukka racing machinery for the first two laps. Burdett and Pero trailed in close attendance. Pero passed Burdett on lap two, then Waters on lap three, and he was untroubled after that. On the fifth, seventh, 12th and 13th laps, Burdett was within striking range of the lead but Pero demonstrated that he had speed in reserve by easily increasing his lead on the last lap. Peter Waters featured in the best production racing. He turned in four outstanding laps to head the small open production field before Bob Toomey (Wellington),, who also rode a Suzuki

GSXIIOO, took the lead. Toomey, who is only 18, showed a disciplined. riding style for the remainder of the race. Waters pressed him hard but Toomey remained unruffled. These two were well clear of David Martin and Alan de Latour (both of New Plymouth) who rode Honda CBIIOO Rs. Results:— Racing classes N.Z.50 cu cm grand prix.— Peter de Geus, Christchurch, 1: Bruce de Geus, Christchurch 2. ,N.Z. ultra lightweight grand prix (up to 125 cu cm).—Brent Jones (TZl25)' Christchurch, 1: F. Willacy (Honda 125) Wanganui, 2; Larry Spicer (Honda 125) Hamilton, 3. N.Z. lightweight grand prix (up to '250 cu cm).—Mike Pero 1, Bob McCleary 2, Brent Jones 3. N.Z. junior grand prix (up to 350 cu cm).— Mike Pero 1, lan Dawson 2, Peter Shapcott 3. N.Z. senior grand prix (up to 500 cu cm).—Mike Pero 1, Peter Shapcott 2, lan Dawson 3.

Open racing.—Mike Pero 1. Stewart Burdett 2, Peter ■Waters 3. N.Z. sidecar and grand prix.—Mark Smith and Sid Sutherland' (Yamaha 750), Carterton, 1; Howard Gregory and Tony Price (Yamaha 700), Masterton. 2; Brendan Dunbar and Joanne Meiklejohn (Suzuki 750), Wellington, 3. Production racing 0-250 .cu cm.—lain Pero ’ (Yamaha), Christchurch, 1; Kerry . Chapman (Yamaha), Napier, 2: David Moore (Yamaha),- Christchurch, 3. 251-550 cu cm.—Peter Fleming (Yamaha XJSSO), Lower Hutt, 1; Bob Toomey (Suzuki GSSSO), "Wellington, 2; Jim Kennedy (Yamaha XJSSO), Dunedin, 3. 551-750 cu cm.—Bob Toomey (Suzuki GSX7SO), 1; Brian Barclay (Suzuki GSX7SO), Christchurch, 2; Trevor kirby (Suzuki GSX7SO), Christchurch, 3. 751-open.—Bob Toomey (Suzuki GSX1100) 1; Peter Waters (Suzuki GSX1100), Timaru, 2; David Martin (Honda CBIIOO R). 3.