Ross lifts seventh solo crown

Press, 25 January 1988, Page 29

Ross lifts seventh solo crown

Christchurch’s Larry Ross extended his winning record to seven when he triumphed in the New Zealand solo championship, raced on a near-perfect track at Ruapuna Park Speedway on Saturday evening. The 20-heat championship, sponsored by Building Removals, Ltd, brought together New Zealand’s top 16 riders, and the large crowd were thrilled by some excellent racing. The fourth heat provided a highlight. It brought together two of the meeting favourites, the defending champion, David Bargh, of Wellington, and Auckland’s Mitch Shirra, plus the North Island champion, Gary Allan and Christchurch’s Mark Lyndon. Shirra led from the gate but slowed coming out of the first bend, which allowed Bargh and Allan through. Bargh went on to take the chequered flag, setting a new four-lap record of 67.6 seconds as well as equalling the lap record. Allan finished in second place with Lyndon third. Shirra pulled out of the race on the third lap.

The tenth heat had Ross leading from the start but he went too wide on the first turn, allowing Lyndon to come through on the poleline to take the lead. Lyndon opened up a 10-metre gap which Ross clawed back over the next two laps. Going into the final lap Ross square-cut the Prison bend and Lyndon made the mistake of allowing Ross enough room to squeeze by on the inside. Ross won the race. Christchurch’s Justin Monk filled third position. Bargh was untroubled in winning his third race, which left Ross and Bargh the only riders undefeated going into the fourth series of heats. Heat thirteen had Ross and Shirra meeting. Shirra knew that if he was to have any chance of finishing in the top three over all he had to beat Ross.

From the start Shirra made the better gate with both riders nearly touching. Shirra went on to win by 10 metres only to be excluded for not keeping a straight line within 30 metres of the start line; Shirra had been warned

about the same offence in his previous race. Shirra protested. the ruling but this was dismissed. Bargh won his four races so the championship was decided when Ross and Bargh met in heat nineteen. Ross led from Bargh going into the first bend but drifted wide coming out of it. Bargh drew alongside Ross but Ross seemed to extra gear as he blasted back into the lead. Bargh pressed hard for the entire race but Ross went on to win and take the title with the maximum possible 15 points. Bargh finished in second place with 14 points. Allan was third on 13 points. Final points: L. Ross (Christchurch) 15, D. Bargh (Wellington) 14, G. Allan (Hamilton) 13, A. Mason (Christchurch) 11, M. Lyndon (Christchurch) 11, M. Shirra (Auckland) 9, J. Roberts (Hamilton) 9, N. Murray (Auckland) 7, J. Monk (Christchurch) 7, C. Wilkie (Wellington) 7, M. Thorpe (Christchurch) 4, D. Clayton (reserve, Nelson) 4, M. Jamieson (reserve, Christchurch) 3, S. Morice (Christ-

church) 2, S. Timmo (Napier) 2, C. Martin (Auckland) 1, L. Chappell (Christchurch) 0, D. Hopewell (Christchurch) 0.

Results: Heat one: M. Murray 1, C. Wilkie 2, S. Morice 3. Time: 70.1. Heat two: J. Monk 1, C. Martin '2, S. Timmo 3. Time: 69.8. Heat three: L. Ross 1, A. Mason 2, J. Roberts 3. Time: 68.3. Heat four: D. Bargh 1, G. Allan 2, M. Lyndon 3. Time: 67.6 (four-lap record). Heat five: D. Bargh 1, A. Mason 2, J. Monk 3. Time: 69.7. Heat six: M. Shirra 1, M. Thorpe 2, S. Timmo 3. Time: 69.3. Heat seven: M. Lyndon 1, J. Roberts 2, C. Wilkie 3. Time: 69.3. Heat eight: L. Ross 1, G. Allan 2, M. Murray 3. Time: 68.3. Heat nine: G. Allan 1, J. Roberts 2, M. Jamieson 3. Time: 72.2. Heat 10: L. Ross 1, M. Lyndon 2, J. Monk 3. Time: 68.3. Heat 11: M. Shirra 1, A. Mason 2, C. Wilkie 3. Time: 69.3. Heat 12: D. Bargh 1, M. Jamieson 2, D. Clayton 3. Time: 69.8. Heaj 13: L. Ross 1, D. Clayton 2, S. Morice 3. Time: 69.1. Heat 14: D. Bargh 1, J. Roberts 2, M. Thorpe 3. Time: 70.2. Heat 15: G. Allan 1, C. Wilkie 2, J. Monk 3.

Time: 70.2. Heat 16: A. Mason 1, M. Lyndon 2, N. Murray 3. Time: 70.1. Heat 17: M. Lyndon 1, C. Martin 2, S. Morice ’3. Time: 70.8. Heat 18: G. Allan 1, A. Mason 2, M. Thorpe 3. Time: 69.4. Heat 19: L. Ross 1, D. Bargh 2, G. Wilkie 3. Time: 69.0. Heat 20: M. Shirra 1, J. Roberts 2, J. Monk 3. Time: 69.4.

Three-quarter midgets: Handicap race: B. Smit 1, C. Walker 2, B. Watson 3. Handicap race: C. Walker 1, C. Beach 2, K. Rodgers 3. Time: 118.3. Feature race: D. Webb 1, W. Denovan 2, C. Beach 3. Time: 140.6.

Midget cars: Handicap race: S. Everett 1, B. Denson 2, J. Brooks 3. Time: 117.8. Handicap race: S. Everett 1, G. Fineran 2, G. Roxburgh 3. Feature race: G. Fineran'l, S. Everett 2, S. Duff 3. Time: 135.3 (eight-lap record).

Sprint cars: Handicap race: M. Forsey 1, M. Allan 2, B. Leversedge 3. Time: 108.1. Handicap race: M. Allan 1, B. Leversedge 2, W. Dodge 3. Feature race: M. Allan 1, M. Forsey 2, B. Leversedge 3. Time: 85.2.