Speedway Three track records broken

Press, 23 December 1985, Page 29

Speedway Three track records broken

Three track records were broken and several cars rolled on an action-packed night at the Handy Hire Centre International speedway meeting at Ruapuna Park on Saturday evening. The Auckland sprintcar driver, Noel Goodwin, was in the thick of the action. In the opening race he seemed set to beat Canterbury’s well performed Bruce Hobbs when he rode over the front wheel of Mike Allan’s machine. Goodwin’s car barrel rolled, landed back on all four wheels, but the aerofoil was completely flattened. He was unhurt, celebrating with a handstand on the track, and Proceeded to fit a new wing on le V 8 in time for the next race. t X Allan drove a brilliant race to head home Hobbs in the rerun of the first race. Hobbs was pressed all the way in the second race by Goodwin and could thank a slower car for impeding Goodwin on the final lap just when it seemed that the Aucklander was going to move around the outside on the Town bend. Hobbs’ winning time was nearly three seconds iMMe the eight-lap rec<rf# and tbR gave the former jthreequarter midget driver his sixth record this season.

Goodwin was determined to win his final race before returning north. Although Hobbs drew the pole position and had opened up a handy lead by lap four, Goodwin turned in two blistering laps to be right on the tail of Hobbs’ car before taking the lead going into the Prison bend . for, the final time. Hobbs came back on the next bend, when Goodwin drifted wide, but failed by less than half a wheel to take the chequered flag. Another Auckland driver, Lance Johnson who was making his debut on the Ruapuna track stole the limelight in the midget section. He claimed a third and a second in his first two races, before leading from start to finish in the feature to break the eight-lap record by 1.7 seconds. The other record came in the solo section where Trevor chapman broke the three-lap record that had stood since 1968. Chapman shaved 0.6 seconds off the old record that was held by the former test rider Frank Shuter. Although breaking the record in . his first outing, Chapman was beaten in the final by the Englishman, Barry Ayres who went through the meeting unbeaten. There was some good racing

in the side-car section, the former national champions, Wayne Turner and Laurie McMahon, having the best return with three firsts and a second from four starts, with the pairing of Colin Aitchison and Wayne Cameron providing the main opposition. Steve Duff drove his threequarter midget to three wins, but was excluded from all placings in the middle event for taking another driver’s line. Results:—

Solos.— Salts Earthmoving Ltd, heat 1: B. Ayres (England), 1; A. Fisher 2, M. Thoroe 3. Time: 73.2. Uniweld Mufflers, heat 2: T. Chapman 1, D. Sullivan (Auckland), 2, J. Martin 3. Time: 57.0 (three-lap record). McCleary Motors, heat 3: Ayres 1, Martin 2, S. Hann 3. Time: 74.2. Shenley Orchard, heat 4: Chapman 1, Fisher 2, S. Moride 3. Time: 76.5. Building Removals final- Ayres 1, Chapman 2, Martin 3. Time: 73.8. Side-cars.— Scotts Breakdown, handicap: W. Turner and L. McMahon 1, C. Aitchison and W. Cameron 2, W. Wylaars and G. Delderfield 3. Time: 81.0. Gary Hutchison Auto Elect, handicap: Turner and McMahon 1, Wylaars and Delderfield 2, Aitchison and Cameron 3. Time: 79.6. Smiths

Crisps, handicap: M. McGillivray and S. Anderson 1, Turner and McMahon 2, Wylaars and Delderfield and C. Roberts and T. Gouggh, equal 3. Time: 81.0. Shearing’s Outdoor Centre, feature: Turner and McMahon 1, Aitchison and Cameron 2, Wylaars and Delderfield 3. Time: 77.7.

Three-quarter midgets.— Acme Auto Dismantlers, handicap: S. Duff 1, S. Bufton 2, D. Webn 3. Time: 2:29.0. Shands Road Mower Service, handicap: Webb 1, T. Davis 2, B. Watson 3. No time. Townshend and Gray, feature: Duff 1, Fraser 2, Davis 2. No time.

Midgets.— Tait Two-Way Radios handicap: G. Roxburgh 1, S. Everett 2, L. Johnson (Auckland), 3.. Time: 1:47.6. Cody Jeans Indian File: G. Fineran 1, Johnson 2, A Palmer 3. Time: 87.6. LPG Centre, feature: Johnson 1, Everett 2, Fineran 3. Time: 2:17.8 (eight-lap record). Sprintcars.— Viking Pies and Savouries, handicap: M Allan 1, B. Hobbs 2, B. Leversedge 3. No time. Latimer Lodge Indian File: Hobbs 1, N. Goodwin (Auckland) 2, Leversedge 3. Time: 2:11.9 (eight-lap recoup. C.R.C. Chemicals, feature: Goodwin 1, Hobbs 2, Allan 3. Time: 2:17.0.