Stratford pair shut out speedway rivals

Press, 4 February 1987, Page 47

Stratford pair shut out speedway rivals

The Stratford driver, Murray Gordge, had an easy win in the South Pacific modified sportsman grand national at Woodford Glen Speedway on Saturday evening. Gordge and Ray Jones, also of Stratford, dominated the three 10-lap heats. The Christchurch drivers, John Lovelady, Mike Gourley, Gordon Foster, Kenny Hannah and Joe Annan, lined up in front of Mike Moore, of Palmerston North, with Gordge and Jones on a onelap handicap for the start of heat one.

Annan spun at the north bend and Moore charged sideways into him. Both cars were sidelined for the evening.

From the restart Lovelady led Hannah, Foster and Gourley, while Jones and Gordge closed the gap behind them. It took Jones only two laps to reach the lead, with Gordge following him through. Lovelady and Gourley both pulled to the infield, leaving Hannah third. Only six cars started heat two. Gordge and Jones were

again on a one-lap handicap. Gourley retired and Hannah followed with a burnt-out clutch, Gordge came through to win from Jones, well ahead of Foster, the only other finisher.

Gordge and Jones started again a lap behind in the third and deciding heat. Foster and Gourley were the only other competitors. , Foster lead for four laps, until Gourley got by, only to slow again and relinquish the lead.

Gordge and Jones reeled in the two local drivers, Gordge eventually heading Jones. Gordge reduced the 18.30 s lap record to 18.09 s during the race. The final points were Gordge 23, Jones 22, and Foster 17. Gordge and Jones were invited to make an attempt on the lap record, Gordge reducing the time again to 17.735. Brian Johnson had two easy wins in the stockcar class. Results: Sportsman.— South Pacific

Grand National — Heat 1: R. Jones 1, M. Gordge 2, K. Hannah 3. Heat 2: Gordge 1, Jones 2, G. Foster 3. Heat 3: Gordge 1, Jones 2, Foster 3. Super Saloons.— Race 1: D. Bolt 1, P. Watts 2, G Grey 3. Race 2: Bolt 1, Grey 2, J. Watts 3. Race 3: P. Watts 1, D. Parris 2, G. Deal 3. Feature: Bolt 1, Grey 2, P. Watts 3. A-Grade saloons.— Race 1: N. Soper 1, T. Blanchard 2, K. Parkinson 3. Race 2: Blanchard 1, C. Young 2, Super 3. Race 3: Blanchard 1, R. Mitchell 2, Soper 3.

B-Grade Saloons.— Race 1: L. Pluck 1, M. Kerr 2, M. O’Donahue 3. Race 2: J. Childs 1, T. Waters 2, B. McSaveney 3. Race 3: O’Donahue 1, Childs 2, K. Kerr 3.

Stocks.— Race 1: B. Johnson 1, W. Wilding 2, K. O’Connor 3. Tudor Concrete race: O’Connor 1, B. Burgess 2, L. Robb 3. Feature: Johnson 1, O’Connor 2, R. Tree 3. Street stocks. — Race 1: A. Parkhill 1, B. Oliver 2, S. Hill 3. Race 2: T. Stevens 1, Parkhill 2, R. Pyper 3.