SPEEDWAY RACING

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 16, 20 January 1936, Page 14

SPEEDWAY RACING

TRACK IN GOOD ORDER

FAST TIMES RETURNED

Vax Pia.u; ix fixk

Condilions were ideal at the Kilbirnie Speedway on Saturday night for tho making of fast times. The rain which fell on Friday had put the track, in first-class order, ard several ground and personal records were made. The attendance was approximately 4000.

L. Van Praag (Australia) "was the star of the evening. He has probably never shown better torm in Wellington He rode brilliantly in every event he contested, and but for machine trouble in the final teams race would have had an unbeaten record for the night. He started in seven races and won six. Twice he broke the track record for four laps from a push start by returning 82 seconds in both his heat and semi-final in the All Nations Handicap. The previous record was. 82 2-5 seconds, made last season by anI other Australian. R. Case. This figure I Van Praag equalled in the final. He I was also successful in equalling Case's i record of 81 seconds from a clutch I start. A feature of his riding.was the manner in which he invariably gained an immediate initial advantage over his co-markers at the start. In every teams race, whether he drew the inside or the outside, he was in command at the first bend. KODE WELL. W. Clibbert (England), though he won only 011° lace, rode consistently well. Had he escaped misfortune his actual placed performances would have been somewhat greater in number. He lost all chance in his heat of the handicap event by a slow beginning; he struck a puncture in the second teamsrace against America when in a winning position; and fell when a possible second in the contest with the Aus-tralia-New Zealand team. S. Greatrex, also of England, met his share of misfortune. He went through to the. final of the handicap race, but failure to get away with the other scratch men, Van Praag and Ti-ujillo, cost him any chance he might have had. His machine also did not function well in the teams races, and though he was second 011 two occasions he did not show the dash he did when he made his first appearance on the track. Perhaps the most impressive rider on the night, other than Van Praag, was S. Arena (America). Arena is handicapped by not having with him in this country a first-class machine, and under the circumstances doe's remarkably well. On Saturday he equalled Case's 82 2-5 seconds when he finished second in his heat of the handicap race, but a poor start left him in a hopeless position in the semi-final. In the teams contest, though not free from engine trouble, he met with somewhat better fortune. He won one race arid in another his meeting with Van Praag produced one of the finest finishes of the evening, the American being beaten by a length. NOT EQUAL TO TASK. M. Trujillo, his team-mate, showed splendid form in his early races, but in the teams events had to ride a borrowed machine. In the early part of the season W. Kilmister was in great form, but latterly he appears to have lost some of his dash. He rode solidly on Saturday, but without marked brilliance. H. Marriham produced unexpected speed in the main handicap event, and appeared an almost certain winner of the final until the last bend, when he swung wide and allowed Van Praag to slip through and lead him home by a wheel. Midget car racing was included on the programme for the first time this season, and in an 'attempt upon his own track record of 99 seconds, made earlier in the evening,' C. Tonks succeeded in reducing his time to 95 2-ssec. The points in the teams race were— Australia-New Zealand 16, United States .10. England 8. \Uj NATIONS' HANDICAP. for If: splectcl riders: four lsi|is; push starts: firsts and .seconds in licjits ,-iii(l soml-fli!fl).s to start In jcml-flnnla si ml finals respectively. Kiisl Heat.—Howard Tolle.v (3sec), 1; Sam Arena (U.S.A.) (scr), •>. Also started: Hill tlihbctt (scr), Addie Naylnr (Sscc). Tollcy wrui easily from Arena. ('liljl)crt was slow away. Arena's time cijtmllcd llic track record. Times. SI 1-fiMjc. $•> 2-rmtr Seuond Heat—Lionel Van Prims (Australia) (»<t), l: .limiiici Tnijiii,, (U.S.A.) (scr), ••. Also staffed: Iferuiu Apnleyard ("sec), Jim Md.end (lOsee). Vim I'raai: rode splendidly to defeat Tnijillo in time which created a new Inick record from a standing start. Times, Third Heat.—Harry MaiiKhiim (iisec), 1; Waily Kjlmister (scr). 2. Also started: Ted Voing ((isei'j, Sandy Hooper (User). Maugham went a fine race to win liy forty yards from Kilmister. Times, S7 3-fisei1, Xli 2-r>sce. • -Fourth Heat.—Stan (ireatrcx (EnfihuKl) (.scr), 1 ; Snowy Stone (Ssec), 2. Also .started: Peter Phillips (:isee), Bill Moulton (Ssec). A siiletrtlld It/ii.s-h. Urea I rex ,sli|i|/ed throng!) on Ihe last bend to snatch the lead in the final twenty yards from stone and .Moulton. Times. .Sf.«:c, 9:s 1-JOsec. First Semi-final.—L. Van I'raiiK (scr), I ; jr. Tnijiilo (scr), ■>. Also started: S. Arena (scr). 11. 'J'ollcv (user). Van I'raaK was the first scratch man to kc( under way mid won well from Trujillo, though the failure of Toiley's machine in the last lap when lending made his task considerably lighter. Arena- was slow ii-wav. Van l'ruag's time of S2 seconds equalled Ills record ilgures made in his heat. Times, Sisec, S;iscc. Second .Semi-final.—ll. 3laiighn.m (usec), 1 ; H. (irealrex (scr), 2. Also started: \V. Kilmister (scr), S. Stone (Ssec). .Maugham repeated Die fine form shown in his heat and won very comfortably from Crcalrux. Kilmister nas slow ;nvav. stone's machine failed in tile last lap. Times, SSsee, 81 3-s»ec. Final. Van Ira.as 1 Maugham -2 Tiujillo 3 ■Also started : Greatrex. Of tho scratch men Van Praag .was quickest away, and, riding excellently, gradually reduced j the leeway to cut through brilliantly on the dual bend to take the lead from Mangham, wild up to that stage appeared the winner. Tui'illo rode a good race for third place. Times, S2 i-r,scv. SSscc. COXKOLATIOX HANDICAP, for 12 selected riders; four laps; push starts; heat winners and fastest second to start in final. First Heat.—W. Moulton (Osec), 1; K. ,Kaylor (Usec), 2. Also started: I. I'hUlips (scr), Ted Young (Ssec). All the riders, with the exception of Moulton, fell. Xaylor remounted arid took second place. Some concern was expressed when Young appeared to collapse following his fall, but lie rapidly recovered. Times, UKsec, 112 3-ssec. Second Heat.—ll. Tnllcy ("«cc), 1: ,1. Mc-U-O'l (Tsec), 2. Also started: ];. Appleyard Msec), ■ \V. Mc.Uahon (U<cr). An excellent race Tolle.v tool; the lead in the fourth lap In win narrowly from .Mcl^ou and Appieyard. Times. ll2sec, % 2-Sscc. Third Heat.—H. Maugham (osec).l; S. Stone llisec), 2. Also started: A. Pratt (Ssec). S. Hooper (Ssec). .Maiigh.nn made no race of it, winning by over -the length of the straight. Pratt fell when leading in the first lap. Times, 1)1 .l-.">sec, llTsec. Final. Tullcy .' 1 .McLcoil 2 Mou'.lo'i 3 Al-o stalled: Jljiigluiiii. Wilh the exception of Tolley, all tteJ competitors fell in Ihe lir.v| lap. They all remounted at intervals, McU-ud coming in a leisurely second. Time. 'Jlsec. iMUHiKT CAItS SCItATC'II HACK, four laps rolling start. riarrio Tonks (Southward Special), I; Archie.McMillan (.McMillan Special), 2. Tonks worn vury easily. Time, UUsec. L'Xrri;i> .STATKS-KXGLAND-AUSTISAMA, and XJOW ZKALAXJ) Ti-JA.MN' ItACK; six races; four laps; clutch Marts; points, first 3, second 2, third 1. United States v. .England. First Itace.—\V. Clibbert (England), 1; M Trujillo (U.S.A.), 2; S. Arena (U.S.A.), ;!. Aiso started: S. lireiitrex (Kngiand). Clibbert led i'.ll the way to win by 23 yards from Trujillo, who iv.-it headed his toam-mate, Arena. J (ircatrex s machine did not tu'icUou well. Times, St 2-r.see, 82 ;;-!isec, SSscc. Second Race.—S. Arena (U.S.A.), 1; S. Orcatrex (England), 2; M. Trujillo (U.S.A.), :i. Also started: \V. Clibbert (Unglaml). Clibbert jumped away well and led Arena into the third lap, when his inacbino punctured. Avetia went on to win easily from lireatrex. Trujillo, 011 a borrowed machine, was last all the way. Times, Hi 1-Dsec, HT, -l-oscc, SU (■ailed Slitk* V. Australia-New Zealand. I First llace, L. Van Kraag (Ausiralia-X./,.), I; W. Kilmister (Australia-N.'/,.), 2; M. Tru- | lilln (U.S.A.), H. ■ AI.-o stinted: S. Arena I (U.S.A.). \ tin I'raag was llrsl out and won .-easily from KilnilskT. Arena lias going well ;iu second place wlie'i his machine tailed. Times, j.'ilscr (equals the ciulcli-slart record), S.'f :i-.'i 1 ;,scc. SI 3-r.sei-. j Second liuix'.— h. A'an l'raas (Auslralia-

NZ.I, 1; S. Arena (U.S.A.), 2: W. Kilmlstoi-(Aiii.triiHn-X.i5.), :i. Also started: M. Trujillo (U.S.A.). Van l'raai: was acain first out and led nil the iva.v, tilling)! lie was liotly elinllenEed by Arena over the final lai>, eventually winnliiK hy a lenslli. Times, SI l-3se<\ SI J-rjsee, S:i 3-!isee. EiiKliiiul v. A list rail a,-New Zealand. First Knee.—l,. Vnn PrntiK (Australia-N.Z.). 1- W. Kilmister (Aiistrnllii-N.Z.). 'i : S. Ci-ent-rcx (EiiKlmid). 3. Also started: W Clihheit. Van rniiiK, ramfiniliij! to show irreat Turin, wa.ciire mwin first man out and held his a.hiim■i"c tliroiHiont Kllmlster «»d Oiliberl were inviiiii a Vent tussle fur seenml l>hn-e when ll,« latter. a.H-el<-ra.ii.« on the (Ill.il Lend, went into a bail slide and fell. Times. Sisee. Sli •J-.-js-.'c, Nij o-'isec. Second H.h-c—W. Kilmister (AuslraliaNZ) 1: S. (irentres (Ungland), '2: h. Van i'l-anc (Ausli-iilla-N./..). IS. Van I'ra.'iK 101 l a eomiortable lead until the second ln|i. when is machine tcmiioraril.v failed, cnabliui.' Kllmisior 1" seize the advance. The WelllnstnnlHii won easily from Grealrcx. with Van Pranß rapidly ma'liiiKj m> Ri'oiind, third. Times, Si! 2-3 sec, 81 2-Ssec. So 'l-usec. SPKCIAL MATCH HACK, three laps. II Tolley v. K. Voiiiir.—Yoims, on Ihe inside, led until the tlmu bend, when Tolle.v ran to the front, fo win by a length. Times, 01 1-usce, til 2-risec.