Fineran dominates

Press, 5 January 1987, Page 22

Fineran dominates

The Christchurch driver, Graeme Fineran, collected his first South Island midget-car title after completely dominating the 13-strong field at Ruapuna Park on Saturday evening. Fineran produced three great drives to win all three championship/heats for a maximum 39 points. He was 13 points clear of Nelson’s Glenn Campbell with John Gibbs, also of Nelson, third on 22 points. In the first of the three 10-lap heats Fineran came - from grid four to lead by the end of the opening lap. All the action came further back in the < field. Christchurch’s Bob Denson held second place for the first four laps until he drifted wide’on the Prison bend, allowing Selwyn Everett through. A lap later Denson was passed by Rod Robinson who was then locked in a great battle with Everett for second place. Robinson managed to get through on the final lap. Christchurch’s Mark Williams was unlucky to roll his Volkswagen ,at the start of the second heat after taking fourth place in the opening heat.

Several other cars became involved in the tangle and Williamson and Robinson were among the title contenders who sustained car damage that put them out of the meeting. Starting at the back of the 1 field Fineran was quickly through the traffic and up to third place with only three laps completed. Christchurch’s Gordon Roxburgh held the lead from Denson. On lap seven Fineran cut inside Denson on the Prison bend and two laps later blasted past Rox-. burgh going round the Town bend. ' Results:— South Island midget championships Heat I.— G. Fineran 1, R. Robinson 2, S. Everett 3, M. Williams 4, B. Denson 5. No time. Heat 2.— Fineran 1, G. Roxburgh 2, Denson 3, G. Campbell (Nelson) 4, J. Gibbs (Nelson) 5. Time: 3min. Heat 3.— Fineran 1, D. Cawley 2, Campbell 3, Gibbs 4. Time: 2:36.4. , Final points: Fineran 39, Campbell 26, Gibbs 32, Denson 20, Cawley 20, Robinson 12, Roxburgh 12, Everett 11. Sprintcars < Handicap races.— Race i:

S. Everett 1, B. Hobbs 2, M. Allan 3. Time: 2:50 (10-lap record). Race 2: M. Taylor 1, J. Fortune 2, Hobbs 3. Time: 2:22.7. I Feature race.— Hobbs 1, Allan 2,. Fortune 3. Time: 2:11.3. Three-quarter midgets Handicap races.— Race 1: C. Beach 1, D. Webb 2. B. France 3. Time:.l:lo.B. Race 2: Beach 1, France 2, Webb 3. Time: 2:33.7. Feature race.— Beach 1, France 2, B. Leask 3. Time: 2:43.5. Solos Qualifying heats. — Race 1: L. Chappell 1, B. Stockton 2, K. Dunlop (Invercargill) 3. Time: 54.4. Race 2: J. Martin 1, T. Richards 2, M. Thorpe 3. Time: 53.2. Race 3: G. Davey 1, T. Chapman 2, M. Hollows 3. Time: 52.4. Race 4: Martin 1, D. Sullivan (Auckland) 2, B. Kerr 3. Time: 52.7. Race 5: A. Fisher 1, B. Wright 2, S. Madden 3. Time: 59.1. Race 6: Davey 1, Chappell 2, Chapman 3. Time: 54.0. Semi-finals.— Race 1: Davey 1, Chappell 2, Chapman 3. Time: 72.1. Race 2: Martin 1, Fisher 2, Stockton 3. Time: 72.3. Final.— Davey 1, Chappell 2, Fisher 3. Time: 72.2. Sidecars Handicap races.— Race 1: W. Turner 1, M. Slade 2, C. Draper 3. Time: 77.5. Race 2: Turner 1, Slade 2, Draper 3. Time: 74.2.

Feature race.— Turner 1, Slade 2, Draper 3. Time: 75.8.