Larry Ross wins S.I. solo title

Press, 2 December 1985, Page 31

Larry Ross wins S.I. solo title

The New Zealand champion, Larry Ross, was untroubled to win the Lemon and Paeroa South Island solo championship at the Handy Hire Centre International Speedway on Saturday. Ross, at his first meeting on the new banked Ruapuna Park track since returning from racing in England, never looked like being beaten in the heats for the New Zealand final, which will be held at Gisborne in the New Year. Twenty-three riders entered the contest, and all faced a time trial to decide who would reach the final 16-rider field.

Although seeded into the final, Ross contested the time trial and showed his class by reeling off a lap of 17.0 s that was by far the fastest time, and also equalled his own lap record. In Ross’s first four heats, raced in the afternoon, he quickly took the lead and was never pressed. Kym Mauger loomed as Ross’s main rival, but dropped two points in his third outing when his motor misfired badly. He managed to nurse the bike home for third.

Ross and Mauger met in the final heat. The latter led from the gate, only to drift wide on the second bend and allow Ross through to collect maximum points for the championship. Mauger finished runnerup with 12 points. Four riders tied with 10 points, so a run-off was held to decide third place. James Martin, who impressed in his heats, blasted around Craig Monk and Craig Blackett to lead for the first

lap, but fell coming out of the Prison bend on the second lap. In the re-run Blackett made the gate and led for the entire race to collect his first major honour. It was just reward for his efforts over recent seasons. In the other bike races on the programme, Ross and Mauger had some good tussles, with Mauger coming out on top with three wins to Ross’s two. Results:—

South Island solo championships.—Heat 1: A. Crosbie 1, T. Richards 2. Time, 108.55. Heat 2: L. Ross 1, T. Chapman 2, J. Martin 3. 75.75. Heat 3: K. Mauger 1, M. Hollow 2, C. Blackett 3. 75.15. Heat 4: N. Murray 1, L. Chappell 2, M. Thorpe 3. 75.45. Heat 5: L. Ross 1, C. Blackett 2, N. Murray 3. 75.35. Heat 6: A. Fisher 1, M. Hollow 2, M. Thorpe 3. 76.75. Heat 7: K. Mauger 1, J. Martin 2, L. Chappell 3. 74.35. Heat 8: C. Monk 1, T. Chapman 2, J. Monk 3. 75.85. Heat 9: M. Brown 1, A. Crosbie 2, K. Mauger 3. 81.0 s. Heat 10: L. Ross 1, A. Fisher 2, T. Chapman 3. 75.15. Heat 11: C. Blackett 1, T. Chapman 2, M. Thorpe 3. 76.75. Heat 12: J. Martin 1, M. Hollow 2, N. Murray 3. 73.55. Heat 13: C. Monk 1, J. Martin 2, A. Crosbie 3, 76.05. Heat 14: K. Mauger 1, N. Murray 2, T. Chapman 3. 76.05. Heat 15: L. Ross 1, K. Dunlop 2, M. Hollows 3. 76.55. Heat 16: C. Blackett 1, M. Brown 2, L. Chappell 3. 76.85. Heat 17: M. Hollow 1, A. Crosbie 2, L. Chappell 3. 78.45. Heat 18: K. Dunlop 1, J. Martin 2, C. Blackett 3. 76.35. Heat 19:

C. Monk 1. No time. Heat 20: L. Ross 1, K. Mauger 2, M. Thorpe 3. 76.05. Final points: Ross 15, Mauger 12, Blackett 10, Monk 10, Martin 10, Hollow 10, Crosbie 8, Chapman 7, Murray 7, Fisher 5, Brown 5, Chappell 5, Dunlop 5, Thorpe 4, Richards 2. (Top eight qualify for New Zealand final). Additional events.—Heat 1: K. Mauger 1, K. Jeleca 3. 76.65. Heat 2: L. Ross 1, K. Mauger 2, W. Tuffley 3. 77.65. Semi-final: K. Mauger 1, K. Jeleca 2, L. Ross 3. 74.05. Final: L. Ross 1, K. Mauger 2, K. Jeleca 3. 73.45. Flying Four: K. Mauger 1, L. Ross 2, K. Jeleca 3. 73.85. Sidecars.—Heat 1: B. Reid 1, W. Turner 2, M. Slade 3. 87.65. Heat 2: B. Reid 1, C. Aitchison 2, W. Turner 3. 82.05. Heat 3: B. Reid 1, C. . Aitchison 2, M. McGillvray 3. 80.25.

Three-quarter midgets.— Heat 1: G. Standring (Ak) 1, D. O’Conner (Strat) 2, B. France 3. No time. Heat 2: G. Standring 1, K. Morris (Ak) 2, D. O’Conner 3. 147.65. Heat 3: G. Standring 1, K. Morris 2, D. O'Conner 3. 188.65. Heat 4: D. O’Conner 2, K. Morris 2, G. Standring 3. 291.75. Midgets.—Heat 1: G. Fineran 1, K. Robinson 2, B. Denson 3. 148.15. Heat 2: D. Denson 1, S. Everett 2, R. Robinson 3. 109.35. Heat 3: S. Everett 1, T. Robinson 2, G. Fineran 3. 110.65.

Sprintcars.—Heat 1: B. Hobbs 1, B. Salter 2, T. Jemmett 3.155.05. Heat 2: B. Hobbs 1, B. Gaudion 2, T. Jemmett 3. 98.5 (record). Heat 3: B. Hobbs 1, B. Gaudion 2, B. Todd 3. 96.0 (record).