SPEEDWAY RACING

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 68, 14 December 1931, Page 13

SPEEDWAY RACING

Fast Events at Kilbirnie ENGLISHMEN IN FORM Phillips’s Notable Showing Fast racing was seen at Kilbirnie Stadium on Saturday night, when Roger Frogley and Tom Farndon made their first appeffrance in New Zealand. Both Englishmen won their heat of the Big Nine scratch races, but in the final, when they were matched against Kilmister, Farndon fell and retired and Kilmister beat Frogley home by a dozen yards. Of the other two big events, the Speedway Grand Handicap was won by Peter Phillips, who is riding very well this year. In the final of this event he ran away from Kilmister, C. Tonks and H. Mangham to win by a very big margin in 86 l-ssec., a good time from a standing start. T. Wilkinson also rod . well to win his heat In 87 2-ssec., but engine trouble spoilt his chances in the semi-final when he was in a leading position. The Douglas scratch race,, the’ third event on the programme, was won by E. Naylor, who was replacing G. Trilford, injured earlier in the evening. In the second heat of this event the riders were N. Stone, F. Spencer and J. Richards. Richards pulled out in the second lap with engine trouble, and shortly after Stone broke his chain, Spencer having the race to himself. Spencer carried on at a fast clip until a few yards from the finishing line, when he hit a bump which threw him on to the fence, and after gyrating madly ail over the track he crashed and was knocked unconscious. Crashes and machine trouble, wire! caused delays, spoilt many races. In the third heat of the Big Nine scratch races at the first start J. Gower crashed and was forced to retire, leaving Kilmister and Phillips in it. After a restart Kilmister suffered engine trouble in the first lap, which by the rules meant another restart This was effected, and then both riders broke their chains. Ultimately the race was started, but in the third lap Phillips was forced out by engine trouble and Kilmister, when just coming out of the last bend, broke his chain. However, he had sufficient way on to enable him to coast over the line in 87sec. Another bad crash occurred in the second heat of the Grand Handicap, when G. Trilford developed a very bad wobble in the straight. He failed to correct it, ran right off the track, and, after knocking over an official, crashed into the post. The official was uninjured, but Trilford seemed badly knocked about. The ambulance took him away, and it was announced later that he had . received an injured shoulder and abrasions’ to his face: The best time of the night was put up by Kilihlster when he defeated Frogley in the final of the Big Nine sera ch races in 83 2-ssec. It was a good night’s racing, but the delays were rather too frequent. Detailed results are as follow BIG NINE INVITATION SCRATCH RACE, for nine Belected slders. Four laps. Rolling start. First heat: R. Frogley (International), 1; T. Wilkinson, 2. Time, 85sec. Also started: V. Mangham, who pulled out with engine trouble in the second lap. Frogley rode very well and won by nearly bait a Second heat: T. Farndon ■ (International), 1; H. Mangham, 2; C. Tonks, 3. Time, 84 4-ssec. Tonks had the worst of the start and never reached the front. Mangham and Farndon fought out the finish, Farndon winning by a few lengths. Third heat: W. Kilmister (International), 1. Time, 87sec. Also started: J. Gower, P. Phillips. ■At the first starte Gower crashed and retired. At the second start Kilmister was stopped by engine trouble. At the next attempt both riders broke their chains. Finally the race was got going and in the second lap Phillips pulled out. Kilmister broke his chain but managed to coast home. Final: W. Kilmister, 1; R. Frogley, 2. Time, 83 2-ssec. At the first start Kilmister and Farndon, who was also entered, collided on the first bend and Farndon fell and hurt himself slightly. He retired, and In the rerun Kilmister took the lead from the start and won by half a dozen lengths. SPEEDWAY GRAND HANDICAP. For 24 selected riders. Four laps. Standing starts. First heat: B. Appleyard (Gscc.), 1; P. Phillips (3sec.), 2. Time, 92 4-sscc. Also started: H. Tonks (lOsec.), H. R. Anderson (Msec.). Second heat: A, Hunger (asec.), 1; R. Frogley (International), (scr.), 2. Time, 98 sec. . Also started: N. M. Stone, who pulled out with engine trouble In the third lap, and G. Trilford, who crashed at the end of the first lap, running off the track. Third heat: T. Wilkinson (3see.), 1: A. Raft (Bsec.), 2. Time. 87 2-ssec. Also started: E. Naylor (Gsec.l, and S. Hooper (9sec.), who crashed in the second lab. Fourth heat; H. Mangham (4sec.l, 1; W. Kilmister (International) (scr.), 2. Time, 94 sec. Also started: J. Richards (9sec.), who was stopped by. engine trouble In the first lap. Fifth heat: J. Gower (ssec.), 1; T. Farndon (International) (ser.), 2. Time. 92 3-5 sec. Also started: F. Spencer (7sec.), and J. Lawton (9scc.). who failed to leave the starting line. Sixth heat: C. Tonks (3sec.), 1: J. Hetherington (Osec.), 2. Time, 95 l-ssec. Also started: V. Mangham (Gsec.l, and C. Tilly (lOsec.). ' First semi-final:' P, Phillips (3sec.l, 1: B. Appleyard (Gsec.), 2. Time, 89 2-ssec. Also started: R. Frogley (International), (scr.), A. Hunger (osec.). Second semi-final: W. Kilmister (International), (scr.). 1; H. Mangham (4sec.), 2. Time, 87sec. Also started; A. Rait, who hit the fence and pulled out in the first lap. and T. Wilkinson. whose chances were spoiled by engine trouble in the last lap. This was a very fast race, all the riders riding well. Third semi-final: C. Tonks (3sec.), 1: J. Hetherington (Usee.). 2. Time, 90 3-ssec. Also started: J. Gower, who pulled out in the first lap with engine trouble: and T. Farndon (International), (scr.), who fell in the third lap when riding well and in a good position. Final: P. Phillips (3sec.). 1: H. Mangham (Isec.), 2. Time. SO 1-osec. Also started: W. Kilmister (scr.), C. Tonks (3sec.). This was a very fast race, Phillips riding excellently to win by forty yards. Kilmister was very close up third, with Tonks ten yards away. All four men rode a very pood race. DOUGLAS SCRATCH RACKS. For six selected Douglas riders. Four laps, rolling start. First heat: E. Naylor. 1: J. Hetherington. 2. Time, DOsec.

Also started: IT. R. Anderson. Naylor ■won by nearlv half a lap. Final: E. Naylor. 1: H. Anderson. 2. Time. 93sec. Also started: J. Hetherington and N. Stone. These two crashed together in the third lap. but Hetherington managed to restart.