MOTOR-CYCLING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 21069, 31 December 1931, Page 11

MOTOR-CYCLING.

NEW YEAR BROADSIDING. AN ATTRACTIVE PROGRAMME. The large crowd which enjoyed the broadsiding on Saturday evening was a record attendance for the present Western Springs season. The racing was undoubtedly of a very high standard, and thrilling cornering was a feature of the meeting. Farndon was again the outstanding rider, and richly deserved the popularity which it is quite evident he has gained. In the final of the Christmas Handicap, when in a commanding position, lie deliberately threw himself to avoid crash- ' ing another and less experienced rider, and in the following event when his exhaust pipe cm me loose he circled the track controlling his machine with one hand, Ho, leaned over, and after replacing the pipe accelerated to finish in third position. Jackson, tin other English rider, was outclassed by A. Mattson. the New Zealand champion, and will be replaced by It. Frog ley, who is said to be. considerably ahead of Jackson, according to the English grading list. Farndon, Frogley and Mattson in competition to-night should prove a very keen and exciting contest. A. Mattson had Farndon, the English champion, in difficulties in the first challenge race last week, leading the field for the greater part of the event, and it was only the "luck of the game" which enabled Farndon to slip inside and win by a narrow margin. The Auckland rider has had some gruelling fights with his older and more experienced opponent, but each week he shows a still greater mastery over his machine. Mattson's riding is clean, although necessarily keen and hard, and it is unsporting, to say the least of it, for a section of the crowd to "boo" him after some of his most deserving victories. Improved Riders. Many other local riders are showing signs of developing into first-class exponents, and the full-throttle cornering among showers of cinders is a feature that greatly pleases the thousands of "fans" who are quick to appreciate any improvement in any individual rider. Cormack, Sheppard and I). Mattson were in the limelight last week and it was clearly apparent that Sheppard lias graduated out of the limit class and will in future have to be handicapped to keep him from running away from the field. C. Goldberg seemed a little off colour. He is named in many quarters as one of the coming champions, and it is to his credit that he has cheerfully accepted the gruelling of the past few weeks when be has been matched in the international contests. The experience is invaluable, and it is only by competing against older men that a local rider can hope to develop. To-night, New Year's Eve, will be celebrated at Western Springs when an unusual programme will be submitted. Curtain-raisers will be staged at 8.15, the main programme commencing at 8.30. The races will include International challenges, handicap events and a series of teams matches. In place of the living starts usual in teams racing, these events will be run to-night with four men on the scratch mark, starting with stationary engines. As a contrast to the broadsiding, a demonstration of whippet, racing will be given on the grass. This display will illustrate both flat and hurdle events by specially-selected dogs. It is proposed a little later in the season to embody several whippet ra:es in the broadsiding programme. Aj. the conclusion of the racing, a disnlay of fireworks will be given and the old year will be faivwelled and the new year welcomed bv .lancing on the lawn until 1 a.m. Trauiears will ;uii I from the stadium to all suburbs up to that hour. THE WAIHI SPORTS CLUB. A very successful meeting of the Wailii Sports Motor-cycle Club was hold on the Wailii Beach on Boxing Day before a large crowd. Good fields of local and visiting riders contested every event. The racing throughout was good, with several close finishes and an absence ot mishaps. The club staged eight events, each drawing a good field. The most successful riders were :—M Has/.ard (250 c.c. Ariel), who handled his light-weight machine very cleverly to win three events, and U. Locked (500 c.c. A.J.S.). who won the Hying half-mile and ilie live miles championship, in which race he rode a very fast machine well, to win from L. Sowerby (550 c.c. Velocette). Other winners were 11. McLeod (Cotton), who annexed the 10 miles handicap, L. Sowerbv, who won the five miles open handicap, and J. Murphy (500 c.c. Norton), Llie winner of the local handicap. FOUR-CYLINDER BROUGH. The latest Brough Superior motor-cycle I is attracting considerable attention in Great Britain. The engine is basically an Austin Seven sports model, but the bore is 1.9 mm. larger. Of the watercooled, side-valve type, if has a detachable cylinder-head and a two-bearing hollow crankshaft, through which oil is forced to tlm ltig-eml hearings. Twin rear wheels are fitted, these heing detachable like those of a car. Unit construction is a feature of the new model, which is equipped with a three-speed and reverse gearbox, running at erankcase speed. The final drive is by a shaft and bevel gear. Tile machine is to be sold for side-car use only, not because the rear wheels would be unsuitable for solo work, but because under solo conditions the radiator would be very vulnerable. No kickstarter is supplied, as the machine could be pushed off in the unlikely event of the electric starter becoming defective.