Former champion sets speedway record

Press, 10 November 1986, Page 24

Former champion sets speedway record

’ Faultless track conditions “Jed to some excellent racing at the opening meeting of the new speedway season at Ruapuna Park speedway on Saturday evening. All five racing classes savoured the conditions with the former national threequarter midget car champion, Chris Beach, earning a hattrick of wins including setting a new four-lap record by winning the Coca Cola Feature after the race had gone under the yellow light, due to a car spinning, with half the laps run. Beach was most impressive in his new Suzuki-powered car coming from the back of the field in all three races to win by a handy margin.

The solo section turned in some great racing with Craig Monk taking out the honours for the meeting after, two epic battles with an Australian rider, Gary Davey. In their first encounter in the fourth heat. Monk had to avoid hitting Lee Chappell who had fallen on the Town bend. Monk borrowed his brother’s bike in the re-run and with Davey taking the lead going into the second lap Monk gave chase. For the next two laps Davey used a wide racing line to hold on to the lead and then switched to the inside running for the final lap. Monk saw his chance and charged outside the Queenslander and gained the lead half way into the turn and went on to win by a narrow margin. Both riders won their respective semi-final to meet again in the final. Monk was first away from

the gate and into the turn with Davey sweeping wide in spectacular fashion. Davey seemed set to take the lead coming out of the turn but Monk was expecting the outside passing movement, drifted wide and shut the gate on Davey. Davey and Monk were never more than several bike lengths apart for the remainder of the race with Davey pushing Monk to the fastest time of the night.

All three sidecar races were evenly contested with two newcomers, Gary Wells and David Jarvis, looking promising in winning their first outing as well as picking up another placing. Colin Aitchison and Wayne Cameron saved the best for last and led the field home in the feature.

Mark Williams had a good night in his Bates Aluminium VW midget to win two races having come in third in the opening handicap race. Graham Fineran won this race and followed Williams home for second place in the other races.

Dave White was untroubled to win the two sprintcar races after the fields were somewhat reduced after a series of motor failures from some of his rivals. Results.— Solos: Qualifying heat one: B. Stockton 1, P. Richards 2, B. Kerr 3. Time 76.55. Heat two: A. Papageorge 1, M. Banks 2, S. Madden 3. 84.05. Consolation heat: K. Parker 1, R. McKinnon 2. 66.05. Qualifying final: Stockton 1, Richards 2, Madden 3. 75.25. Heat one: M.

Lyndon 1, J. Monk 2, T. Richards 3. 73.85. Heat two: B. Stockton 1, M. Hollows 2, S. Gunn 3. 74.35. Heat three: K. Dunlop 1, L. Chappell 2, G. Davey (Aust.) 3. 73.05. Heat four: C. Monk 1, Davey 2, Lyndon 3. 74.65. Heat five: Dunlop 1, J. Martin 2, Richards 3. 73.05. Heat six: Stockton 1, Monk 2, R. Brown 3. No time. First semi-final: Davey 1, Martin 2, Lyndon 3. 73.05. Second semi-final: C. Monk 1, M. Thorpe 2, Richards 3. 73.15. Final: Monk 1, Davey 2, Lyndon 3. 72.05. Sidecars.—

Handicap race: G. Wells/D. Jarvis 1, M. McGillivray/G. Candlish 2, M. Slade/L. Stevenson 3. 81.0 s. Second handicap: McGillivray/Candlish 1, Wells/Jarvis 2, V. Wylaars/M. Provost 3. 80.65. Feature: C. Aitchison/W. Cameron 1, Slade/Stevenson 2, Wylaars/Provost 3: 78.45. • Three-quarter Midget’ Cars.—

Handicap: C. Beach 1, B. Leask 2, B. France 3. 148.05. Handicap: Beach 1, Leask 2, D. Webb 3. 152.65. Feature: Beach 1, Leask 2, Webb 3. 72.0. (Four-lap record.) Midget Cars. —

Handicap: G. Fineran 1, S. Everett 2, M. Williams 3. 123.75. Handicap: Williams 1, Fineran 2, T. MacLellan 3. No time. Feature: Williams 1, Fineran 2, MacLellan 3. 107.45.

Sprintcars.— Handicap: D. White 1, D. Jemmett (DNF) 2, W. Dodge (DNF) 3. No time. Feature: White 1, Dodge 2, D. Leversedge (DNF) 3. No time.