EXCITING MOTOR CYCLE RACING ON OHOPE BEACH

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 42, 17 January 1949, Page 5

EXCITING MOTOR CYCLE RACING ON OHOPE BEACH

At Sunday’s motor-cycle race meeting at Ohope Beach, the Bay of Plenty Motor Cycle Club had fio reason to be dissatisfied with the crowd, the entries, or the standard of competition. Stars of the day were the visitors, Len Perry, of Auckland, and Bill Grey, Rotorua. Perry’s masterly handling of his lively J.A.P. won him first place in the three biggest events of the day, the Bay of Plenty Championship (in which he averaged m.p.h. over the 20 miles, even though stopped on one occasion when Jack Marsh’s Speed Twin stalled in front of him on a turn), the 10-mile Whakatane handicap, and the 8-mile Ohope handicap. Grey, on a big Norton, sat hard on Perry’s tail and ran to second place in all those events. Local lads had to be content with third placings, - but the Club’s representatives put up a good showing. A. Marsh came third in the big Championship race. N. Andrews had the honour in the Whakatane Handicap, and the Ohope Handicap. As a crowd thriller, L. Simpson’s winning ride in the' 6-mile Ohiwa Handicap cannot escape mention. On a somewhat battered Velocette he is said to have completed assembling that morning, Simpson rode a daredevil race to win by 50 yards from B. Woods on a hot, new A.J.S. Simpson’s performance was the more remarkable for the fact that he controlled all his turns with gears and' feet alone, having carried away his brake rod in an earlier event. Frank Cameron’s Norton let him down again, after looking a certain placegetter early in the Championship. L. Perry’s attack on the beach record, standing to Dick Whittle’s credit at 101.2 m.p.h., did not succeed, though he beat the 100 m.p.h. mark with half-mile runs of 17see one way- and 18 4-ssec the other. Grey tried it, too, 20sec and 18 1-5 sec, and J. Marsh covered the first half in 22 4-5, but a plug packed up on the return run with (the wind. There were no accidents all day, and the officials deserve congratula-. tion on their efficient conduct of the meeting. Details of the racing follow: Novice. Handicap (5 miles): N, Andrews, 500 cc Ariel, 1; A. Teesdale, 500 cc Triumph, 2; Cunningham, 350 cc Velocette, 3. Won by 500yds. Time, 6min 20sec. Ohope Handicap (8 miles) 8 starters: L. Perry, J.A.P. (scr), Auckland, 1. W. Grey, Norton (scr), Rotorua, 2. N. Andrews, Ariel (45sec) Whakatane) 3. Won by 150yds, 450 between 2 and 3. Time 9.55. Ohiwa Handicap Jr. (6 miles) 6 starters: L. Simpson, Velocette) 1; B. Woods, A.J.S., 2; Cunningham, Velocette, 3. Won by 50yds, 75yds between 2 and 3. Time 7.49. Bay of Plenty Championship (20 miles) 7 starters: L. Perry, J.A.P., Auckland, 1. W. Grey, Norton, Rotorua, 2. A. Marsh, Triumph, Whakatane, 3. Won by 500yds, i mile between 2 and 3. Time 17.41 4-5. Whakatane Handicap (10 miles), 8 starters: L. Perry, J.A.P. (80 bhd) 1. W. Grey, Norton (70 bhd) 2. N. Andrews, Ariel (40 bhd) 3. Won by i mile; 2 lengths between 2’ and 3. Time 10.39 3-5. Consolation Handicap (5 miles): T. Woods, Velocette (lOsec) 1; B. Woods, A.J.S. (20sec) 2; G. Hauesler Ariel (scr) 3. Won by 150yds, 200 yds between 2 and 3. Time 6.12.