SPEEDWAY THRILLS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27273, 27 December 1949, Page 6

SPEEDWAY THRILLS

TWO RECORDS BROKEN CHRISTCHURCH RIDERS APPEAR The presence of a team of six riders from Christchurch, the establishment of two new records, and a generally good standard of racing throughout combined to make last night’s meeting at the Tahuna Speedway the best since the sport was revived some weeks ago, ana a crowd of over 3000 had more than its quota of thrills. There were one or two spectacular crashes, but fortunately no one was injured although in the last event of the evening, W. Philp., the well-known Christchurch rider, had a narrow escape when he fell in going into a slide.

The programme opened with a new record, J. O'Kane who has fast come to the fore as one of the leading speedway riders in Dunedin, giving a brilliant display to lower tho figures for four laps from 79 2-ssec, established by Philp some weeks ago, to 76 l-ssec. O’Kane took 19sec for the first lap and 19 l-ssec for the second lap, and finished in brilliant style. E. Brown, one of the best known of the Christchurch visitors, who had made a name for himself as a grass track rider before making his first appearance on the speedway, twice during the evening lowered the previous record for a ” gate ” start, recording 78sec in winning the second race in the Big Four Points’ Event from O’Kane and improving upon this time by one-fifth of a second in the third race of the series. Brown won the

match event with seven points, O’Kane dead-heating for second place with R. Johnston, his Dunedin team-mate, with four points. In the second race O’Kane’s time of 80 4-ssec represented the second fastest time returned in Dunedin irom a " gate ” start. Johnston’s best effort was in the first match of the series, which was won by Philp in 82sec, Johnston being less than half a wheel back in 82 l-ssec with Brown third in 82 3-ssec. This was bne of the most exciting finishes ever likely to be seen on a speedway. Johnston had to bide his time for three laps, but he made a great bid on the last bend and raced across the line just behind Philp. Christchurch riders carried off the honours of the Fast Eight Short Limit Handicap, B. Norris, a young competitor, scoring his second success of the evening when he defeated the veteran, A. Lamport, in a good finish. Earlier Norris had won the final of the Christmas Handicap, the heats of which, however, provided better racing than the final. Lamport has an artificial leg but has overcome the disability and was prominent in most of the events in which he appeared. Another successful Christchurch rider was J. Swarbrick who recorded 81 4-ssec in winning a heat of the Christmas Handicap. Improved form was shown by several of the Dunedin riders, and the Tainui Handicap was won by E. Healey in 89sec, A. Fibbes also showing up well in this event.

A bright interlude was provided by H. Rendall. of Christchurch, who gave an entertaining burlesque on a speedway machine. The track was in good order in spite of rain during the day, and the weather remained fine throughout the evening.

The following were the results, the times given in parentheses being those on which the riders were handicapped:— Christmas Handicap.—First heat: R. Johnston (82sec) 1, B. Norris (Christchurch. 95sec) 2, E. Poskitt (Christchurch, 95sec) 3; time, 83sec. Second heat: J. Swarbrick (Christchurch, 90sec) 1. E. Brown (Christchurch, 85sec) 2, A. Quinn (90sec) 3; time, 81 4-ssec. Third heat: J. O'Kane (84sec) 1, A. Lamport (Christchurch, 84sec) 2, W Philp (Christchurch. 82sec) 3: time, 83 2-ssec. First semi-final: Norris 1. Swarbrick 2, Johnston 3: time, 85sec. Second semi-final: O’Kane 1, Poskitt 2 Lamport 3: time, 85sec. Final. Norris 1, Poskitt 2; time, 88sec. O Kane overslid at the second bend in the first lap and came off, while Swarbrick, the other starter, had mechanical trouble. Tainui Handicap.—First heat: E. Healey (97sec) 1, R. Duckworth (lOOsec) 2; time, 92sec. Second heat: A. Fibbes (90sec) 1, E. Baker (lOOsec) 2, W. Vernon (lOOsec) 3; time, 91sec. Final: Healey 1, Fibbes 2, Duckworth 3; time, 89sec. Big Four Points Match.—First race: W. Philp (Christchurch) 1, R. Johnston 2, E. Brown (Christchurch) 3; time, 82sec. Barely half a wheel separated the three placed riders, Johnston being timed in 82 l-ssec, and Brown 2-5 of a second slower. Second race: Brown 1, J O’Kane 2. Johnston 3: time, 78sec, the fastest yet recorded in a race in Dunedin. Third race: Brown 1, O’Kane 2, Johnston 3; time, 77 4-ssec, bettering the gate start record established in the previous race. Points totals: Brown, 7 points, 1; O’Kane, 4 points, and Johnston, 4 points (equal), 2; Philp, 3 points, 4. Fast Eight Short-limit Handicap.— First heat: A. Lamport (Christchurch, 84sec) 1. B. Norris (Christchurch, 90sec) 2, E. Nesbit (95sec) 3; time, 87 4-ssec. Second heat: E. Poskitt (Christchurch, 95sec) 1. I. Shand (95sec) 2; time, 87 4-ssec. Final: Norris 1, Lamport 2, Poskitt 3; time 89 4-ssec.