Riders suffering in speedway wrangle, says Briggs

Press, 7 February 1985, Page 3

Riders suffering in speedway wrangle, says Briggs

If the dispute between the New Zealand Auto Cycle Union and its break-away Speedway Control Board is not resolved promptly then New Zealand will be in danger of losing its right to hold qualifying rounds for the world speedway championship, says the four-times world champion, Barry Briggs. Briggs, who was prevented from racing in the Speedway Control Board’s New Zealand solo cham-

pionship at the Lucas Batteries Speedway, Ruapuna Park, last month because of injuries received in a training accident at Invercargill, has flown to the United States where he is involved in the promotion of the World Team Cup contest. Before he left, Briggs made a point of putting the riders’ view on the wrangle which has thrown motorcycle speedway into disarray this season. “The riders are the ones who are suffering,” he said. “I have talked to both sides, and both feel they are in the right. They say they only have the interests of the competitors at heart, but it is only the competitors who are losing out.” Briggs is very disappointed at the decision of the Auto Cycle Union to declare the New Zealand championship black and to nominate David Barge (Wellington) as New Zealand’s representative in the next round of the world championship. Larry Ross should be the

New Zealand rider to go through, Briggs said. Ross had won the New Zealand championship, which was also supposed to be the New Zealand qualifying round, and at the time was quite obviously the best rider in New Zealand.

Ross had been warned by A.C.U., representatives not to contest the championship, but he really had had no choice. He was a professional rider and not riding would have been denied the opportunity to earn his living.

Because of the split between the A.C.U. and the Speedway Control Board, all 19 tracks in New Zealand had been declared black by the A.C.U. “What is a rider who depends on racing for his living to do,” Briggs asked. Barge, who had not competed in the so-called national championship, had been nominated for the world series instead of Ross. Ross was, however, the only fully fit rider in New Zea-

land capable of proceeding past the next round, said Briggs.

Barge had competed on two black tracks before the championship, and that should have ruled him out too. “You can’t be grey. You are either black or white.”

Briggs said that for the sake of the riders, the A.C.U. and the Control Board should have called a truce for the national championship. “I am not taking sides and I am not interested in , the politics of the situation. But it must be resolved, and quickly, for the sake of the riders,” he said.

The dispute might well result in New Zealanders having to qualify for the world championship in Europe. It was important for the sport that qualifying rounds be held in New Zealand, although the F.l.M.’s decision to restrict New Zealand to one representative was ridiculous considering the past success of New Zealand riders.