SPEEDWAY RACING E. Murray Breaks Eight-Lap Record

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30954, 10 January 1966, Page 7

SPEEDWAY RACING E. Murray Breaks Eight-Lap Record

A few weeks ago, after a series of hairraising spins, the Christchurch driver, E. Murray, completely frustrated by his powerful six-cylinder midget car’s handling peculiarities, advertised it for sale.

It was indeed a blessing in disguise that the sale fell through, for on Saturday evening he beat the Japanese midget car champion, Hideyuki Hirano, three times and reduced by 4sec the eight-lap Templeton speedway record he had set the previous week. The crowd of more than 6500 was quick to appreciate his outstanding performances, a cresendo of noise greeting each of his wins. The big red car handled perfectly throughout the evening, indicating that the steering problems, which had retarded Murray’s progress for so long, were cured. The only race that Hirano won, in the yellow’ VB-60 racer borrowed from M. Sloan, was the opening four-lap handicap, in which Murray did not compete.

However, the Japanese champion was at a big disadvantage. His borrowed car did not perform up to expectations after the first event, overheating affecting its power in the longer races.

Another Christchurch competitor, R. Clive, also enhanced his reputation as a forceful driver. He drove brilliantly in the sixlap event to hold off both Murray’ and Hirano, who finished close up in that order. But there was no holding Murray in the eight-lap scratch race, the main race of the night. He had the insjde front position on the grid, took the lead at the drop of the flag and was never headed. His time was 2min 52.25ec. Clive was second after an early battle with Hirano. who finished third. The reigning South Island champion was well back, almost half a lap behind the leaders, fourth. In the final four-lap scratch ; ;race, Murray again raced away from the rest of the field to win in Ss.6sec, giving him two wins and a second from three starts. This time Hirano managed to hold off Clive to take second. The former South Island cham- ; pion, T. Mauger, was clearly 1 superior to all other local riders, and, in spite of some rather . anxious moments on the bends, was an easy winner of the main ■ four-lap scratch event. His i brother. I. Mauger, the favour- I ite for the race, retired with | mechanical trouble on the sec- i ond lap while lying second. T. Mauger also won his first ' handicap event from a severe ’ handicap of 130 yards and fin- I ished second in another. I. Mau- ■ ger, an international of considerable experience, was unable to j overcome his handicap of 200 i yards in either of his handicap j events, and was runner-up both times. Results were:

MOTORCYCLES Handicap Events <4 laps).— First race: T Shearer (10yd) 1, R. Webster (30yd) 2, 1. Miller i

(30yd) 3. Time, 89sec. Second race: M. Salt (40yd) 1, A. Brown (130 yd 2, R. Wright (120 yd 3. Time, 90.4 sec. Third race: T. Mauger (130 yd 1, M. Burt (130 yd) 2, R. Webster (10yd) 3. Time, 90sec. Fourth race: M. Burt (130 yd 1, A. Brown (130 yd 2, W. Moulin (110 yd 3. Time. 91.6 sec. Fifth race: I. Miller (30yd) 1, I. Mauger (200 yd 2, M. Burt (130 yd 3. Time, 88.3 sec. Sixth race: T. Black (120 yd 1. T. Mauger (130 yd 2, C. Glasson (30yd) 3. Time, 90.2.

Scratch Races (4 laps).—First race: T. Mauger 1, A. Brown 2, T. Black 3. Time, 83.4 sec. Second race: I. Miller 1, T. Shearer 2, C. Glasson 3. Time. 88.2. Third race: W. Moulin 1, C. Glasson 2. Time, 87.2 sec.

MIDGET CARS Full-size Midget Racing Cars.— | Opening handicap (4 laps): H Hirano (150 yd 1, R. Clive (150 I yd) 2. J. Tiekink (40yd) 3. Time, 92.25ec. Second handicap (6 laps): R. Clive (150 yd 1, E. Murray (150 yd 2, H. Hirano (150 yd 3. Time, 2:14.6. Eight-lap feature scratch: E. Murray 1, R. Clive 2, H. Hirano 3. Time, 2:52.2 (record). Final scratch (4 laps): E. Murray 1, H. Hirano 2, R. Clive 3. Time. 85.6 sec.

Three-quarter Midget Racing Cars.—Opening handicap (4 laps): R. Berry (50yd) 1, D. Richens (150 yd- 2. J. Williams (130 yd) 3. Time, 92.8. Second handicap (6 laps): R. Berry (50yd) 1, D. Richens (150 yd 2. D. Harper (130 yd 3. Time, 2:16.6. Six-lap feature scratch: D. Richens 1. R. Berry 2, D. Harper 3. Time. 2:13.8. STOCK CARS Stock Rod Feature.—Preliminary heat 14 laps): A. Davies' (50yd) 1. P. Annan (70yd) 2 J Annan (20yd) 3. Time, 1:44. Finai (8 laps): N. Quirk. W. Rusbridge 2. A. Davies 3. Time. 3:21.4.