SPEEDWAY OPENS AT ENGLISH PARK.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18888, 14 October 1929, Page 5

SPEEDWAY OPENS AT ENGLISH PARK.

LOCAL RIDERS GIVE FINE EXHIBITIONS ON CINDER TRACK

A programme of thrills and spills, mixed with some really good racing, marked the opening of English I »rk Speedway on Saturday night. The opening events were not particularly thrilling, but as the programme proceeded the racing justified the character which has been given to cinder track racing. Spills were frequent, but a satisfactory feature was that With one exception no injuries were received The riding of the local men was a surprise and exceeded all expectations. Some of the more prominent local men, through mechanical trouble, were unable to give of their best during the later events, F. Sharman, in particular, being unfortunate after making very fast time. The Australian visiting rider, A. Mann, gave a fine exhibition, but he did not overshadow local men to any great extent. There was a good attendance, though not so large as at the opening night of last season earlier this year. The races resulted:— B GRADE HANDICAP (Four Laps). First heat: R. Lovegrove (scr) 3, D Shaw (ssec) 2. Time—2min 4sec. Second heat: F. Holland (ssec) 1, G. Wicks (scr) 2. Time—2min 3 2-ssec. Third heat: E. Pye (ssec) 1, N. R. Gray' (scr) 2. Time—lmin 59 3-ssee. First semi-final: D. Shaw (lOsec) 3, R. Lovegrove (2sec.) 2. Time—lmin 59sec. Second semi-final: N. Gray (2sec) 1, S. Wicks (scr) 2. Time—lmin 54seo. Final. N. Gray (scr) 1 Time—2min 20sec. Shaw and C. Blacklock had spills in the first heat but re-started. Spills also occurred in the other heats. The second semi-nflal was a thrilling race, Gray catering E. Pye (Rakaia) oa coming out of the broadside on the home turn the last time round. . Wicks had a spill but re-started. Pye was disqualified for riding wide and Wiclcs was awarded second place. In the final Lovegrove retired. OPEN HANDICAP (Four Laps). First heat: E. Marsh (scr) 1. Time —lmin 51 2-ssec. Second heat: N. Neill (scr) 1. Time—lmin 57 4-ssec. Third heat: G. Wicks (Bsec) 1, S. Russell (4sec) 2. Time : —lmin 52sec. Fourth heat: F. Sharman (scr) 1, R. Lovegrove (Ssec) 2. Time—lmin 43sec. Fifth heat: A. Mann, Australia (scr) 1, E. Pyke . (ssec) 2. Time—lmin 37sec. Sixth heat: A. Brown (scr) 1. First semi-final: E. Marsh (6seo) 1, F. Sharman (scr) 2. Time—lmin 44sec. Second semi-final: R Lovegrove (scr) 1, E. Pyke (sci ) 2. Time—lmin 46see. Third semi-final: A. Brown (lOsec) 1. Time—lmin 39sec. Final. S. Russell (6sec) 1 A. Brown (scr) 2 Time—lmin 38sec. In the first heat Shaw did not start, and R. Carpenter retired. In the second Holland and Gray had spills In the fifth heat A. Mann gave a great exhibition, making up his handicap in g-eat fashion. In the first semi-final Marsh and Sharman made a great tussle of it, but going into the home straight the last time Sharman’s engine seized and he had to push his machine the rest cf the way. Marsh also had trouble with his machine. Lovegrove and Pyke made a good race in the second semi-final, Lovegrove getting homo just in time. In the third semifinal, A. Mann made a great recovery from what looked like a bad spill, but he got too wide out on the track and crashed at high speed. He was uninjured. The finalists all retired or crashed and the fastest men were matched, Russell, Brown and Marsh. ; Brown crashed but re-started, and Marsh retired.

BIG EIGHT SCRATCH RACE (Fastest man to meet A. Mann). Throe laps (rolling start).

Elimination heats—First: S. Russell 1. J. Craig 2. Time—lmin Ifisec. Second: N. Neill 1. Time—lmin ISsec. Third: J. Carter 1, A. Brown 2. Time—lmin 13sec. Fourth: S. Russell 3. N. Neill 2. Time—lmin 16 4-ssoc. Fifth: E. Marsh 1, S. Russell 2. Time—lmin 11 4-oseo. Sixth: J. Carter 1. , Time —lmin 11 2-osec.

The last event, the match raco between A. Mann and J. Carter, resulted in a win for A. Mann. The Australian got away well and showered his opponent with cinders. Carter crashed ..twice. The second was the most .spectacular of the evening. Carter was in the midst of a very fast broadside when he parted company with his mount. He described a somersault, but was uninjured. His machine somersaulted and finished with its wheels in the air, landing on the handlebars and tank. The Australian completed the three laps, his time being lmin 14sec.