THRILLS AT THE SPEEDWAY

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 2, 4 January 1937, Page 12

THRILLS AT THE SPEEDWAY

Broadsiding Stars At the Showgrounds Speedway “ fans’' were presented with an interesting programme at the Showgrounds on Saturday evening. Although rain fell at various stages, > making matters unpleasant for spectators who were without cover, the events were got through without interruption. The attendance was again very good. The programme comprised match and handicap races, and besides the American stars, who are at present domiciled in this centre, thero was a good representation of well-known cinder shifters fr mi other parts of the Dominion. Good finishes wero seen, and the times, considering the conditions, wero excellent.

One smash occurred during tho evening when, in the first event oil the programme, Pee Wee Culluin (U.S.A.) and Howard Tolley (Wellington) became entangled, and riders and machines somersaulted through tho air. Tolley fortunately sustained nothing worse than a bleeding nose, but Cullum recer ed severe concussion and had to be removed to hospital, it being announced later that a couple of days would see him all right again. The final event of the evening was a feature attraeAon by Putt Mossman, well-known for his fearlessness and daring in motor-cycle stunting. Mounted on his machine, he rode over a car moving round the track, the car being bridged over with a board track. • Details of tho racing were as follow’: Match Races. First race.—Pee Wee Cullum (U.S.A.), H. Mangham (Palmerston North) and H. Tolley (Wellington) wero the starters, but owing to tho mishap to Cullum and Tolley, the race was declared off. Second race.—C. Mossman (U.S.A.) 1, R. Yining (Palmerston North) 2; time, S 6 l-ssec. Establishing a lead of 30 yards in tho first lap, Mossman held the advantage until the last lap, when P. Phillips (Wellington) challenged and there was a prospect of an exciting finish. Phillips, however, lost his chain, and Mossman went on to win by 150 yards from Vining. Third race.—P. Mossman (U.S.A.) 1, R. Grant (U.S.A.) 2, J. Hobson (Christchurch) 3; time, S 3 2-ssec Grant jumped into the lead, but Mossman passed him with one lap gone and held the advantage to win from Grant by 30 yards, with Hobson a further 20 yards

Fourth race.—J. McLeod (Wellington) 1, P. Mossman 2, J. Garrity (Otaki) 3; time, 94 3-ssec. Mossman did not scent to bo taking tho race seriously, and he and McLeod alternately jockeyed for tho lead. At the finish Mossman was caught napping by a sudden spurt by McLeod, who won by a couple of lengths, with Garrity live yards further back. Fifth race.—H. Mangham I, H. Tolley 2; time, 86sec. These were the only starters, R. Grant’s machine jibbing beforehand. Mangham led throughout an 1, althougn challenged in the straight, 1 won by ten yards. Sixth race.—P. Phillips 1, C. Mossman 2, R. Yining 3; time, 87 2-ssec. Mossman led until the gong for the last lap had sounded, when Phillips wrested the lead and went on to win by 20 yardr, with Vining a further 100 yards away. Seventh race.—J. Hobson 1, P. Mossman 2, R. Grant 3; time, S 3 4-ssec. At the start, Hobson jumped into tho lead, followed by Mossman and when the gong went ho held a 75 yards’ lead, which ho increased ever the final lap to 100 yards. Grant’s machine gave .rouble. Eighth race.—H. Mangham 1, J. McLeod 2, J. Garrity 3; time, 97 4-ssec. Mangham was never troubled to win by 50 yards, with McLeod well out of the picture. B grade match race.—M. Smith (Palmerston North) 1, R. Styles (Palmerston North) 2, H. Johnson (Palmerston North) 3; time, 95sec. Bob Paton (Palmerston North) spilled after holding tho lead for a lap and a-half, leaving Smith in front. The latter went on to win by 40 yards, with Styles half a lap in front of Johnson. Consolation race.—M. Smith (9sec.) 1, P. Phillips (4sec.) 2, H. Mangham (2see.) 3; time, 9S l-ssec. Smith had too good u start to bo troubled and won distance further back, just ahead of P. Mossman (lscc.). Grandstand Handicap. First heat.—ll. Tolley (2sec.) 1, P. Mossman (lsec.) 2, It. Yining (6sec.) 3; time, 97 2-ssec. Tolley and Mossman passed Yining in the first lap, and the former went on to win by 30 yards, with vining a further 100 yards away. Second heat.—J. Hobson (scr.) 1, J. Garrity (4sec.) 2, R. Paton (9sec.) 3; time, 98sec. Hobson w’ent through to the lead in the third lap and won easily by 200 yards, with 100 yards between second and third man. Third heat.—J. McLeod (6see.) 1, R. Grant (lsec.) 2, M. Smith (9sec.) 3; Through an oversight, the riders covered a lap too many, during which Grant displaced Smith from second place. McLeod won by five yards, with a similar distance between second and third. Fourth heat. —C. Mossman (2sec.) 1, P. Phillips (2sec.) 2, E. Pinker (12sec.) 3; time, 99sec. Mossman was never troubled to win by 50 yards, w r ith ’Pinker half a lap behind. First semi-final. —Tolley 1, Hobson 2, P. Mossman 3; time, 91see. Hobson found. Tolley's handicap too much for

him, the latter winning by 100 yards. Alossman, whose machine had jibbed at the start, came up in time to just beat Garrity for third place. Second semi-final.—Grant 1, AlcLeod 2, Mossman 3; time, 102 sec. Phillips was holding a comfortable lead in the last lap when his chain came off, and Grant flew past AlcLeod to win by 50 yards. Final.—AlcLeod 1, Grant 2, Hobson 3; time, 95 4-ssec. Iu tho best finish oi the evening, AlcLeod hung on to the lead long enough to win by a yard, with Hobson five yards further back.