Final appearance of Australian pair

Press, 10 December 1983, Page 33

Final appearance of Australian pair

Woodford Glen Speedway will feature this evening what promises to be the saloon car racing highlight of the track’s nine-year history, with the final appearance of two Australian drivers, Gordon Smee and Ken Lawes, in their modern American 350 V 8 Pontiacs.

In a series of four-by-four lap sprints the Australians will be up against two of Nev; Zealand’s best — the national champion, Peter Woods, of Gore, in a V 8 Commodore and the South Island and Christchurch champion, Tony Cardwell, in his new Buick Skyhawk. Smee and John Lawes started their New Zealand tour in Blenheim in October. Two appearances at Woodford Glen were followed by five on North Island speedway tracks. After the meeting at Wellington’s Te

Marua Speedway John Lawes returned to Australia and he was replaced by his brother, Ken. The pair have broken track records with apparent ease on every track they have raced on during their tour. At Palmerston North

Smee went under a time set by the noted sprintcar driver, Barry Butterworth. None of their times can be recognised as official because of ineligibility. During the tour they have featured in three four-by-four lap tests. The final will be held this evening. They lost the first test to Cardwell and a Dunedin driver, Dave Sangster. In the North Island, however, they scored two comfortable victories.

This evening’s opposition will be their hardest to date.