MOTOR CARNIVAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20645, 18 February 1929, Page 4

MOTOR CARNIVAL.

WAIKOUAITI BEACH RACES. L. H. JOHNSON WINS CYCLE CHAMPIONSHIP. The Otago Motor Club held the second of this season’s series of races at Waikouaiti Beach on Saturday in the presence of a fair number of spectators. Splendid entries came forward in all the cycle events, but unfortunately a strong breeze blowing in from the sea drove the water in on the beach much further than would have been the case ordinarily, with the result that the riders were somewhat cramped for room. The championship went to L. H. Johnson, who rode well for his win, but was unfortunate in having his leg hurt immediately after the race in a rather peculiar fashion. He had pulled off the course, when Geddes, who ran second, skidded as he passed him and struck Johnson’s leg, incidentally crashing and spraining his own wrist. Geddes rode particularly well in this race, but he lost a good deal of ground by missing gears at the home turn on two occasions. Fleming, astride of a sweetly tuned Douglas, won the first two races on the programme in good style, but did not come out again. Pepper was "unlucky throughout the day, and his Triumph, though unaouot-ai.y speedy, did not appear to be running at its best. The long race proved a disappointment. From the outset, it looked like a gift for Ward, who handled his B.S.A. magnificently, and led for the greater part of the journey. With over a mile in hand, however, he ran into the 'soft sand, and crashed within a mile of the finishing post, fortunately escaping without injury, leaving Patterson to romp home an easy winner. No one grudged the Oraakau rider his victory, as his consistent riding since he has joined the ranks of the speedway has won him a host of admirers. One by one, nearly all the riders dropped out of the race, so that Grounds (who was also dogged by bad luck), after being lapped by the field, managed to take third place. The car race was uninteresting, and it was found necessary to abandon the second race for cars, on account of the incoming tide. The following are the results:— WAIKOUAITI BEACH HANDICAP. Motor cycles (unlimited). Three miles. J. J." Fleming, 3J Douglas), 33sec .. 1 L, H, Johnson (34 Norton), ser .. .. 2 A. E, M'Grath (2£ A.J.S.), 24sec .. 3 Also started: L. A. Pepper (Triumph), ISseo; W. B. (Triumph), 21seo; A. H. Ramsay (Norton), 21sec; R. J. Bell (A.J.S.), 21sec; T. A. Ward (8.5. A.), 24sec; F. P. Sizemore (A.J.S.), 27scc; H, Dods (Raleigh), 27sec; A. N. Patterson (A.J.S.), 30sec; F. Borlasc (A.J.S.), 33sec; T. (A.J.S.), 39sec; G. S. Moodie (A.J.S.), Itnin. The two Triumphs failed to pick up well, but the rest of the field got away well, and Fleming led all the way to cross the line 300 yards in front of Johnson, who beat M'Grath by 25 -yards for second place. Time, 2min 22 S-ssec. PRESIDENT’S HANDICAP, Motorcycles (unlimited). Six miles. J. J. Fleming, Imin 6seo .. 1 A. N, Patterson, Imin Osec ~ 2 L. A. Pepper, 36sec .. .. S

Also started: L. H. Johnson, N. R. Grounds (New Hudson), sor; S. Geddes (Indian), 12sec; J. H. Gourley (A.J.S.), 24sec; A, H. Ramsay, 42sec;. R. J. Bell (A.J.S.), 42sec; W. B. Shaw, 42sec; S. W. Bishop, 48sec; F. P. Sizemore, 54sec; H. Dods, 54sec; F, Borlase (A.J.S.), Imin 6sec; T. Stoddart (A.J.S.), Imin ISsec. The field went away fairly well, but all eyes were on the two scratch men— Grounds and Johnson. The former’s Hudson picked up more quickly than Johnson’s Norton, but at the far turn they were almost together, Fleming and Patterson in the meantime having made the best of their handicaps, and opened a break of 400 yards over the rest of the field. Coming down to the first turn. Grounds ran wide and got water on his plugs, which caused his retirement. At the turn for the second lap Fleming went round first with Patterson about 300 yards behind. Then came Dods, Borlase, Sizemore, and Pepper with the rest of the field strung out. Coming down the last lap Fleming and Patterson were in the lead, and rode borne in that order with 200 yards between them and a similar distance separating Patterson and Pepper. Time, smin 9 l-ssec. MOTOR CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP. (Cycles up to 1000 c.c. Twelve miles. L. H. Johnson .. 1 . N, R. Grounds 2 S. Geddes 3 Also started: A. N. Patterson, T. A. Ward, L. A. Pepper, A. E. M'Grath, T. Stoddart, A. H. Ramsay, R. J, Bell, A. D. D. Inglis (Ariel), J. H. Gourlay, and W. B. Shaw. Shaw was again unlucky at the start, his machine refusing to fire. At the top turn the field was well strung out, and at the end of the first lap the only ones really in the race were Johnson, Geddes, Grounds, Inglis, Pepper, and Patterson, who turned in that order at short intervals. The order remained unchanged until the fourth kp, when it could be seen that the tussle for supremacy would be between the three placed men. Geddes was close on Johnson's heels as they went away on the last lap, but, as at his previous turn, he missed gears and lost a lot of ground. By the time he set off again, ■ Grounds was up with him, and Johnson had a lead of half a mile, which he gradually increased, and sailed home an easy winner by a mile, with Grounds 200 yards in front of Geddes.' Time, llmin ISsec. KARITANE HANDICAP. (Motor cycles (unlimited). Twenty-one miles.) A. N, Patterson, 3min 30sec 1 A. H. Ramsay, 2min 6sec .. 2 N. R. Grounds, scr < .. .. 3 Also started: J. H. Gourlay (Imin osec), L. A. Pepper (Imin 45sec), R. J. Bell (2mm 6sec), W. B. Sh'aw (2min 6sec), T. A. Ward (3min SOsec), A E MGrath (3min SOsec), S, W. BishojJ (3min 30sec), T. Stoddart (4min 22sec)• Ihis was the poorest race of the day, and after the third lap there were only four riders—Ward, Patterson, Bishop, and Ramsay who looked to have a ghost of a chance, although Grounds was riding gamely a long way behind. Going up on the fourth lap Ward was in the lead b> 50 yards from Patterson, who turned badly and dropped back considerably. Even then, however, he had a mile ana a-halt lead over Ramsay, who had ridden into third place, with Bishop coming ut> 300 yards behind. Grounds had some trouble with his machine, and lost nearly f Ia P- Turning for the second last lap the order was unchanged, and, bar accidents, Ward looked a certain winner. Coming down the home straight, however he ran into some loose sand, and left Patterson to come in a winner by nearly four miles from Ramsay. Grounds wj stuck to his task gamely, rode into third place about a mile and a-half behind. Time, 20min 32 l-ssec. . J. A. ROBERTS HANDICAP. (Cycles and sidecars. Six miles.) S. Geddes (Indian) .. .. 1 Only starter. Time, llmin 40 3-ssec. COUNTY HANDICAP. (Motor cars (unlimited). Nine miles.) D. Maider (Chrysler), scr .. 1 H. Isaacs (Buick). 54sec .. 2 C. Tait (Chrysler), 126 sec .. 3 Also started: J. Stone (Jewett) 72sec. Isaacs led for the first lap, after which Maider went to the front and gradually drew away to win by a mile and a-half. Time, lOmin 36 3-ssec.