Bad start for Brown

Press, 7 December 1981, Page 24

Bad start for Brown

The New Zealand test rider. Wayne Brown, got his Ruapuna Park Speedway season off to a disastrous start when he crashed heavily out of the opening A Grade’ solo race on Saturday. The young Wellington rider, fresh from a highly successful season with the Berwick club, in England, led a high-class field to the first south-western bend before wheelstanding his machine and somersaulting into the track fence. Brown, who escaped serious injurv. could only sit shaken on the 'track as ambulancemen bandaged a possible neck and shoulder injury. He was later admitted to Christchurch Hospital's orthopaedic ward where his condition yesterday was comfortable. The accident, which did not affect any of the other riders, was only one of a series of mishaps that set the Lucas Bat-teries-sponsored track programme back by about an hour. Pile-ups also occurred in the "Super Six" solo race, the third Sprintcar race, the Midget car scratch, the Three Quarter Midget scratch and in several sidecar races.

Luckily, none of the accidents resulted ’ in serious injury, although the sidecar “swinger,” Alan Gurdler, was taken off the circuit in an ambulance for observation. The popular Midget car driver, John McKitterick, had hearts aflutter when his Fiat spun off Allan Palmer's VW and careered into the boundary at a 45-degree angle. But he was able to walk away unhurt. Roger Wright and Gavin Rhodes were the pick of the A Grade solo riders, each managing two wins and a minor placing. Wright edged out of the former New Zealand representative. Graham Stapleton. within a metre of the finish line after a neck-and-neck straight sprint in the re-run of the opening event. But Stapleton was later disqualified because he had moved at the start. Trevor Chapman won a B Grade handicap and the final, turning in a quick 79-second time for his last four-lapper. Alister Mitchell kept up his winning momentum from last week in the first two sidecar races but was headed off by a determined Wayne Turner in the third. Turner had to overcome

mechanical difficulties in the opening event and he was ruled out of the second race for crossing the pole line. Russell Silcock. Brian Todd and Selwyn Everett, driving Chevrolet engines, each had a win in the V 8 Sprintcar class. The co-winner of last season's New Zealand Grand Prix, Roger Gleeson, pulled out after his first race of the season with gearbox problems. Rod Robinson won the first two midget car races with his VW but it was the Canterbury champion. Allan Palmer, who wrapped up the final race with a similar engine. Ewan Smith was the most consistent T.Q. performer, taking first, second and third placings in his Triumph. Results.— A grade solos.— Race 1: R. Wright 1, M. Brown 2, A. Mason 3. Time: 77.6. Race 2 (handicap): S. Hann 1. K. Browne 2. A. Crosbie 3. Time: 80.0. Race 3: R. Wright 1. G. Rhodes 2. G. Stapleton 3. Time: 78.0. Race 4 (handicap): Hann 1. Crosbie 2. Browne 3. No time. Race 5: Rhodes 1, Stapleton 2, Wright 3. Time: 78.0. 3ZB “Super Six”: Crosbie 1, T. Chapman 2, Browne 3. Time (3 laps): 60.6. “Flying 4

scratch": Rhodes 1, Stapleton 2. Brown 3. Time: 78.0. B grade solosßace 1 (handicap): T. Chapman 1, R. Brown 2, G. Saunders 3. Time (3 laps): 62.1. Race 2 (handicap): T. Duff 1. M. Tobeck 2. L. Begbie 3. Time: 62.3. Grade final: Chapman 1. Duff 2, Begbie 3. Time: 79.0. Sidecars— Race 1 (handicap): A. Mitchell 1. C. Aitchison 2, L. Clarke 3. Time 81.2. Race 2: Mitchell 1, Aitchison 2, H. Jones 3. Time: 82.0. Race 3: W. Turner 1. Mitchell 2. Sprintcars.— Race 1: R. Silcock 1. S. Everett 2, T. Dexmocks 3. Time: 2:06.6. Race 2: B. Todd 1. Silcock 2. Democks 3. Time: 2:01.4. Race 3 (6 laps): Everett 1, G. Jemmett 2, B. Wendt 3. No time. Midgets.— Race 1 (handicap): R. Robinson 1, N. Chandler 2, G. Roxburgh 3. Time: 2:34.6. Race 2: Robinson 1, Chandler 2, G. Fineran 3. No time. Race 3: A. Palmer 1, N. Chandler 2, M. Williams 3. No time. T.Q. Midgets.— Race 1 (handicap): E. Smith 1, B. Parr 2, C. Beach 3. Time: 2:11.8. Race 2 (handicap): R. Cawood 1, G. Stone 2, E. Smith 3. Time: 2:13.1. Race 3: S. Button 1, Smith 2. Gawood 3. Time (4 laps): 86.0.