Thrilling karting duel

Press, 14 March 1985, Page 26

Thrilling karting duel

Paul Larsen triumphed in a thrilling duel with Murray Davies to win the senior ICOcc 31000 karting series which concluded at the Cam Road raceway on Sunday. The series was held over 15 races at three meetings, and the senior lOOcc class was decided by the last race. In the first of Sunday's heats Larsen beat Davies, but Davies reversed the trend by winning the next two heats. The fourth heat was a disaster for both drivers. Davies, trying to go around the other drivers on the outside, left the track.

Larsen then punctured and limped home in seventh place. In the final and deciding heat, Larsen started well, but at the end of the first lap Davies had moved to the front Larsen pressured Davies for the remainder of the race but Davies did not crack and won the heat and the series.

No particular driver had dominated the junior class and when the fifth and final heat arrived several drivers had a chance to win the series.

Dean Milligan had a bad start and dropped back to eighth. Shane Drake and Damon Sayer took the lead with Damien French and Chris Hyde in close pursuit Milligan improved to finish ahead of Hyde, but the series was won by French. Myles Spicer continued his domination of the midget class but was challenged by Robert Berry who took two beats off Spicer. Graham Stevens won the 125 cc gearbox class without much difficulty although he was challenged by Paul Crichton on Sunday who was returning to racing Crichton won the first heat but was troubled by traction problems for the remainder of the meeting Bob McWhinnie and Charlie

Draper were Stevens' main challengers. The most exciting race of the day was the last It was a 12 lap handicap event and to add to the excitement it was run in the reverse direction. Geoff Bone led in the early stages but Bob McWhinnie threaded his way through the field from the back mark and took the lead on the sixth lap. However be had to succumb to the power of Stevens on the last lap. Overall results of Sunday’s five heats were Woolston Kart Sales midgets.— Spicer 1, Berry 2. Dean Hyde 3. Tranzealand lOOcc juniors.— Drake 1, Milligan 2, Sayer 3.

Mufflerman lOOcc seniors.— Davies 1, Larsen 2, Mark Childs 3. &ic Wood Suzuki 125 cc gearbox class.— Stevens 1, McWhinnie 2, Crichton 3.

Results of feature races on Sunday were: Wales Trophy.— Keith Pearson 1. Daron Adam 2, Martin Harcourt 3.

Star Helmets midgets 10 lap race.— Berry I. Scott Paterson 2. Hyde 3. Versatile Garages junior 12 laps.— French 1, Sayer 2, Darren Drake 3.

Ford Auto Spares senior 12 laps.— Stevens 1, McWhinnie 2, Davies 1 Final results of the $lOOO 15 race series were:

Midgets.— Spicer, 171 points, 1: Hyde, 143. 2; Aaron Crichton, 130, 3.

lOOcc senior class.— Larsen, 170, 1; Davies, 165, 2; Childs, 122, 3.

125 cc gearbox class.— Stevens, 195, 1: Charlie Draper, 146, 2 McWhinnie, 84, 3. lOOcc junior class.— French, 155, 1; Drake, 143, 2 Hyde, 140. 3.