Johnson clinches stockcar title

Press, 7 January 1987, Page 17

Johnson clinches stockcar title

With all the favourites sidelined, Brian Johnson had a runaway win in the Radio Avon Canterbury stockcar championship at Woodford Glen Speedway on Sunday. In the first heat Wayne Wilding beat Gerald Griffiths, with Johnson third and Terry Hern fourth. But the heat spelt the end of Griffiths, who had motor problems. In the second heat Wilding charged into the lead from Darren Forbes, while Hern and Johnson swapped fourth and fifth placings several . times. . A lack of oil pressure forced Wilding out and Ken O’Connor stopped with gear problems, allowing Johnson to lead from Hern. Next to drop out of the title t was Hern who ptjUed to

the infield allowing Johnson an easy win with O'Connor finding his gears and storming home for second. Only seven cars started in the third and final heat Johnson cleared out for an easy win. Final points: Johnson 34, Parsons 28, O’Connor 22. There was added interest in the super saloons with the entry of Ray Purdie (Wanganui) and Lance Jennings (Auckland). Neil Baldwin made the most of a damp track to clear away in his Capri V 8 for an easy win in the first event He was second in the next heat behind Peter Watts (RX7) in the saloon feature. Purdie headed home Tony Cardwell’s Pontiac Firebird in the two other raceaewith

Jennings securing two thirds. John Bright (Mini) and Brian McSaveney (Viva) fought for the lead throughout the first B-grade saloon event but were taken by surprise when Kevin Kenshot past in his Cortina to win by a bumper’s length. Graham Cooper, Ray Mitchell and Kevin Parkinson shared the honours in the Agrade saloons, while Bill Oliver finished the street stock events with a first, second and a third. A-grade saloons.—Race 1: G. Cooper 1, K. Hannah 2, K. Parkinson 3. Race 2: R. Mitchell 1, Parkinson 2, K. Huddlestone 3. A and B feature: Parkinson 1, S. Cattermole 2, D. Ritchie 3. - B-grade saloons.—Race 1: K. Kerr 1, J. Bright 2, B.

McSaveney 3. Race 2: M. Kerr 1, D. Nicoll 2, Bright 3. Race 3: K. Kerr 1, McSaveney 2, Nicoll 3. Stocks.—Canterbury championship.—Heat 1: W. Wilding 1, G. Griffiths 2, B. Johnson 3. Heat 2: Johnson 1, K. O'Connor 2, W. Parsons 3. Heat 3: Johnson 1, O’Connor 2, Parsons 3. Feature: D. Forbes 1, Parsons 2, O’Connor 3. Super saloons.—Race 1: N. Baldwin 1, P. Watts 2, D. Parris 3. Race 2: R. Purdie 1, T. Cardwell 2, Parris 3. Race 3: Purdie 1, Cardwell 2, L. Jennings 3. Feature: Watts 1, Baldwin 2, Jennings 3.

Street stocks.—Race 1: A. Parkhill 1, B. Oliver 2, K. Stevens 3. Race 2: B. Burgess 1, Parkhill 2, Oliver 3. Race 3: Oliver 1, Parkhill 2, Burgess 3.