Mauger Outclasses N.Z. Speedway Champion

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31002, 7 March 1966, Page 16

Mauger Outclasses N.Z. Speedway Champion

The great skill of the Christchurch international rider, I. Mauger, was very much in evidence when he outclassed the highly-ranked Englishman, R. Andrews, in a special match race series at Templeton Speedway on Saturday evening.

Andrews, the winner of the New Zealand solo championship a week previously, was not in the same class as Mauger, who won all three races with almost ridiculous ease. Mauger had withdrawn from the solo championship when it was postponed for a week because of rain. The experience must have been a humiliating one for Andrews, who was regarded as the top rider competing in New Zealand until the return of Mauger. Cat and Mouse Mauger played with him as a cat plays with a mouse. He would race away from him at an incredible rate before deliberately slowing down and allowing Andrews to take the lead. Then he would once more sweep past. In one of the four-lap races Mauger returned two successive laps of 19.2 sec and 21.5 sec, a clear indication that he was just playing around. However, Mauger may not find the competition quite so easy this evening. A special Monday evening meeting has been arranged by the Christchurch -Speedway Association to accommodate a match race series between Mauger. the former triple world champion, R. Moore, the former world finalist, G. Mardon, and Andrews. SPEEDWAY SPECTACLE This clash promises to be one of the most stimulating speedway series in New Zealand for several years. The meeting be tween Mauger, a definite prospect for world championship honours this European season, and the old master, Moore, will

be greeted with considerable satisfaction by speedway fans. But Mauger is unlikely to be beaten. Moore has been in retirement since a serious accident in 1963 and cannot be expected to be up to his world championship winning form. Nevertheless. there should be very little in it. This will be Mauger's final appearance in New Zealand before returning to England for the European season. He leaves on March 14. M. Burt. who finished runner-up to Andrews in the national event, turned on one of his most impressive displays of the season to win the fourlap feature scratch race in S3.sscc. In Full Command He was in full command of the situation throughout and could obviously have given Andrews some close competition for second place had he been permitted to start in the match race series. In the three-quarter midget racing car events, the local drivers produced the type of form they should have had a week ago for the New Zealand championship. All the leading drivers outclassed the visiting Aucklander, F. Parkinson, and their times were well up to championship standard. S. Burt, who could well have won the New Zealand title had he not been put out of the final with broken transmission, was in spectacular form, winning the eight-lap scratch race by a handsome margin. His time. 2min 52.8 sec. was a good one. Results were:— MOTOR-CYCLES Handicap Events <4 laps).— First race: W. Moulin (70yd) 1, I. Mauger (190 yd 2, A. Nesbitt (50vd) 3. Time. 89. Second race:

T. Shearer (40yd) 1, G. Ray (70yd) 2, M. Burt (100 yd 3. Time. 88.6. Third race: T. Black (90yd) 1, M. Burt (100 yd 2, R. Wright (80yd) 3. Time, 86.2. Fourth race: A. Brown (90yd) 1. T. Shearer (50yd) 2. A. Nesbitt (50yd) 3. Time. 88.7. Fifth race: G. Ray (70yd> 1, A. Brown (90yd 2. R. Webster (go) 3. Time, 87.4. Sixth race: I. Miller (50yd) 1. M. Salt (30yd) 2. Time, 90.2. Seventh race: T. Shearer (50vd) t. I. Miller (50yd) 2, W. Moulin (70yd) 3. Time, 88.4. Match Race Series.—First race (4 lans): I. Mauger 1. R. Andrews 2. Time. 81.3. Second race (4 laps): Mauger 1, Andrews 2. Time. 82.2. Third race (4 laps): Mauger 1. Andrews 2. Time. 81.3. Feature Scratch Race (4 laps): M. Burt 1. A. Brown 2, W. Moulin 3. Time. 83.5. MIDGET CARS Speedcars.—Opening handicap '4 laps): B. Shutt (go) 1, E. Murray (170 yd 2, R. Clive (180 yd 3. Time, 91.5. Second handicap (6 laps): J. Tickink (60yd) 1, T. Hall (200 yd 2. Time, 2:13.2. Eight-lap race (points towards South Island Championship): T. Hall (only finisher). Time. 2:49.5. Three-quarter Midget Racing Cars.—Opening handicap (4 laps): R. Burt (150 yd 1, D. Harper (130 yd 2, S. Burt (160 yd 3. Time, 89.2. Second handicap (6 laps): R. Burt (190 yd 1. R Mead 200 yd) 2, D. Richens (200 yd 3. Time, 2:12.4. Eight-lap scratch: S. Burt 1, D. Richens 2, D. Harper 3. Time, 2:52.8. STOCK RODS Stock Rod Feature Series.— First heat (4 laps): D. Cameron 1, A. Welbeloved 2. A. Davies 3. Time. 99.0. Second heat: P. Annan 1, W. Rushbridge 2. G. Saunders 3. Time, 1:41. Final: A. Davies 1. D. Cameron 2. R. Berry 3. Time. 3:14.8.