Wayne Turner wins all four sidecar events

Press, 16 November 1981, Page 9

Wayne Turner wins all four sidecar events

Christchurch's Wayne Turner won all four sidecar events at the season-opening meeting of the Ruapuna Park speedway on Saturday. The bearded 28-year-old, younger brother’ of the New Zealand champion, Bruce Turner, made the most of several strong beginnings and was never headed.

The sidecar racing at the Lucas Batteries-sponsored track was marked by a spectacular crash soon after the start of the third two-man feature on the card.

A horrified crowd watched as Bruce Savage and his passenger, Ralph Murray, ran off the course at about 80km/h and hit the circuit fencing. The bike com tinued to climb the severalmetre high wire railing before thumping to a halt about 50 metres along. Savage, who was thrown clear, got up and walked away, while Murray, who remained conscious, lay beside the vehicle. Murray was later admitted to Christchurch Hospital with what are believed to be leg injuries. His condition yesterday was satisfactory. No other riders were involved.

Savage had earlier finished second in the first sidecar scratch event.

Graham Taylor won the final of the A grade solo racing in the smart time of 78.7 seconds, edging out the first race winner, Max Brown.

Taylor also won the flying solo scratch and was second in the “super solo six” event. Robin Hampton underlined his potential by taking the B grade solo final on his track debut. Mark Williams must have had midget event handicappers scratching their heads in wonder after winning the second race from the 150-vard mark.

Williams chased the early race-leader, Gordon Roxburgh, who had previously had mechani-

cal problems, before taking over at the halfway stage. The race carried points for the Canterbury midget championship. In the feature race, Williams' V.W. spun out, paving the way for a win by Norrie Chandler. Russell Silcock and Gary Jemmett, both driving 327 cu cm Chevrolet engines, and Peter Leversedge, with a 350 cu cm “Chev,” were the pick of the V 8 sprintcar performers. Results were:— Novice handicap.—Race 1: S. Morice 1, G. Sanders 2, C. Searle 3. Time: 1:48. Race 2: G. Sanders 1, C. Searle 2, S. Morice 3. Time: 1:43. Sprintcar handicap.—Race 1:

R. Silcock I, G. Jemmett 2, A. Salter 3. Time: 2:55.8. Race 2: P. Leversedge 1, A. Salter 2, (no time). Feature race: G. Jemmett 1, S. Everett 2, P. Leversedge 3. Time: 1:25.4. B grade solo handicap.—Race 1: T. Duff 1, L. Begbie 2, T. Chapman 3. Time: 62.9. Race 2: P. McLintock 1, M. Tobeck 2, R. Lang 3. Time: 65.3. Final: R. Hampton 1, T. Duff 2, L. Begbie 3. Time: 1:22.6. Consolation: Chapman 1, K. Reid 2, R. Brown 3. Time: 79.5. A grade solo scratch.—“Spiderman” .— alias Max Brown 1, G. Taylor 2, R. Wright 3. Time: 80.4. Filial: Taylor 1, Brown 2, S. Hann 3. Time: 78.7.

Flying solo scratch— G. Taylor I, R. Wright 2, S. Hann 3. Time: 78.6. Super solo six: Wright 1, Taylor 2, Brown 3. Time: 81.4. Sidecar scratch.—Race- 1: W. Turner 1, B. Savage 2, C. Aitchison 3. Time: 82. Race 2: Turner 1, H. Jones 2, A. Rodgers 3. Time: 81.7. Race 3: Turner 1, Jones 2, Aitchison 3. Time: 82.6. Handicap race: Turner 1, Jones 2, Aitchison 3. Time: 84.4. Midget car handicap.—Race 1: M. Williams 1, N. Chandler 2, G. Fineran 3. Time: 2:35.3. Race 2.— points for Canterbury championship: Williams 1, G. Roxburgh 2, J. McKitterick 3. Time: 2:43.8. Feature race: Chandler 1, Roxburgh 2, R. Jarden 3 (no time).