DIRT TRACK RACING GIVES FRESH IMPETUS TO MOTOR SPORT

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 636, 12 April 1929, Page 7

DIRT TRACK RACING GIVES FRESH IMPETUS TO MOTOR SPORT

Auckland s Introduction to Eatest Mechanically Powered Pest of Speed, Skill and Racing Judgment Sport has Attained World-Wide Vogue in Swift Climb to Popularity How Enterprising Aucklander Foresaw Possibilities of New Outdoor Attraction Wellington Prefers the “Bikes” Great Crowds Witness Brief Season's Racing in Southern Centre Speed Alone Not the Deciding Factor.

\\ T ITH over 10.000 people on the >' Daytona Beach, Florida, watching Major Segraves great speed record, and with all the world waiting breathlessly for news of the great event, motor speeding and motor racing seems to have ' arrived ' as a popular sport and thriller for the public. Only nine months ago dirt track racing was introduced in England faiths first time, but to-day scores of dirt tracks are operating every week, drawing hundreds of thousands of torsIn America they have been at the dirt track game for many years, and motor racing has been brought to >, tine art. As the Americans say, “It has the goods.” The roar of the super-tuned cars hurtling round and skidding in the dust, the blackened, begoggled

faces of the drivers and mechanics, the clouds of dust drifting with the wind, provide a spectacle that is more fascinating and spectacular than any of the quieter sports. And dirt track racing has now ] reached New Zealand! The first meeting for motor-cars was held at 1 the Mungere Speedway three weeks ago, and attracted over 10.000 people. Dirt track racing for motorcycles was introduced at Wellington a month or two ago, and has attracted 10,000 to 12,000 people every Saturday evening since. So apparently IS’ew Zealanders are becoming as keen devotees as people overseas. Mangere Speedway is probably the finest natural speedway site in the world and should develop into being

one of the foremost tracks in existence. Mr. George Henning, known as the “father” of motoring in Auckland, saw the possibilities of the site some four years ago, and purchased a 200-acre property, which includes the natural basin. The tidal inlet was dammed,

the swamp drained, and a rough 1.1mile circular track tormed by clearing the mangroves. Since last Christmas Mr. Henning has had a gang of men working on the property. The track is now about 60 feet wide and slightly banked at both ends, and for weeks at a time a heavy steam roller from otahuhu has been rolling and consolldating the surface of the track. The motor races there three weeks ago proved the soundness of the scheme, and thousands are expected to witness the big races there to-morrow. Next season it should be Auckland’s premier sporting attraction. That the Mangere Speedway has the makings of a world beater is proved when one reviews the great racing tracks overseas. The great Brooklands track has a circuit of about 2$ miles with a track width of 100 feet and a maximum height of banking of 281 s feet. The greatest number of spectators ever assembled was almost 11,000 or 12.000, but the tickets cost an average of 10s each. The premier American track is the Indianapolis, brick-paved, and with a

circuit of 21 miles. It is 50 feet wide on the straights and 60 feet on the curves. ~ , , ~ T , he !? est . speeds £ av ® been put “ p " America on the Culver City F ™' leS ’ , lapped at = -rif*' ’ , ha ? a 45 degrees bank, / he n . e f t best speed was on the Laurel track, 1s mile, banked at 48 degrees, and with a record of 135 4 m.p.h. On the continent there are six or eight speed tracks. the fastest at Montlhery, near Paris. It has a I£mile circuit of reinforced concrete, with very high banking. Already nearly £2,250,000 has been invested in this track, and the seven miles of roads which encircle it. Brooklands track probably ranks second to it. The Monza track in Italy is third. It has a figure of eight speedway, the total distance being 65 miles, Although Australia has taken up dirt track racing with enthusiasm and produced some spectacular riders, she has nothing very large in racing tracks. Maroubra, near Sydney, is

only i-inile circuit and designed for speeds up to 80 m.p.h. The Motodrome at Melbourne is only one-third of a mile round, and suitable only for "baby” cars. As against these our own Mangere has enormous natural grandstands, handy to the city,

and, when completed, will have a track 100 feet wide capable of speeds up to 100 m.p.h. Mr. Henning proposes to form a smaller 5-mile track inside the existing 14-mile circuit. If this can be used for motor-car events, exciting “broadsiding” and prolonged skidding would add to the excitement. Some of the most popular dirt trucks in the world are only half a mile per lap. The racing is. of course, not a matter of sheer speed. A half-mile dirt track provides a spectacle suggesting rather a circus ring. It is a hectic form of excitement. The curves are naturally sharp and the cars race up to them and sweep round crabwise in showers of dust. Such cars require terrific acceleration rather than the capacity to do 90 or 100 m.p.h.

In America these short lap dirt trac] have resulted in the development specially adapted cheap chassis. T! lowest-priced four-cylinder cars mal very suitable conversions, and. in fac the number of Fords that have be< entered for the big races to-morro is quite remarkable. With the broad track and eai curves at Mangere. however, there every opportunity for the bigger cai and the entries include Bob W ilson famous Stutz. which bolds the chan pionship on the Muriwai Beach t< four years in succession, also an Alvi a Bugatti. a Bentley and a numb' of pretty fast Chryslers. One of the most interesting races to-morrow will be that for Baby cars, for which Austins. Morris. Standard. Fiat and Triumphs have been entered.