Crash robs Hampton of clean sweep

Press, 9 April 1979, Page 3

Crash robs Hampton of clean sweep

B;

ROD DEW

Three spills and a torrential downpour failed to halt the progress of Christchurch's bright new motocross star, Robin Hampton, in the final rounds of the South Island 125 moto-cross championship on the demanding Woodford Glen track yesterday afternoon. Hampton, aged 18, celebrated his first serious meeting on his new Suzuki RMI2SN racer with two victories and a second placing in his three lap heats — sufficient to give him first place on aggregate. His only defeat came in the final race. He held a narrow lead over another top Christchurch racer, Chris Brady (Kawasaki 125), entering the final lap and seemed set for his third straight victory. However, his front wheel skidded out on a muddy section of a stop bank, he slid down, and his motor stalled. Brady, who treated the same stretch with somewhat greater respect, swept through to gain a popular and well-deserved win. Hampton, who was third in the recent New Zealand 125 championship, refused to call it quits. He climbed to his feet, restarted his bike, and was still able to finish the race in second place and claim the points he needed for outright victory. “When I saw the white flag. I thought 1 would have a go,” he said afterwards. “J just went in too hard and a muddy ridge brought me down.” In spile of his spills, Hampton was w'ell pleased with his performance. And he had no complaints about the rain which drenched the track during his second heat, turning sand traps into mud traps. “Actually. I found the rain quite refreshing. 1 find mud not too bad.”

Brady, the top man in the class last season, was always a worthy rival, and he invariably put pressure on Hampton with his ability to make fast starts. In the first heat, Brady led off the line and it took Hampton three laps to catch him. Once in front, he. raced off into the distance, leaving his rivals far behind. He re- ' ceived the friendly wave of the chequered flag and had time to ride into the pits and remove his safety helmet before Brady finished second. Bilt it was in the second heat that Hampton’s performance was tinged with greatness. Brady made his usual magnificent start. Hampton, trying desperately to stay near the head of the bunch, slid down on the first bend and the entire field had passed before he was able to pick himself up and continue. He then began what seemed an impossible task. In the next lap he picked off I£> riders and before the end

lof the second lap he was; second. But Brady was still; a long way ahead. Hampton I kept the pressure up and! then, on the fourth lap, Brady had a little bother in a sand trap and his lead was reduced to loom. That was all Hampton needed. He redoubled his efforts. caught Brady at the start of the sixth lap and shot through into the lead . down the main straight. ■ Brady refused to give in and I he clung to Hampton for the l remaining laps. But the spir- | ited Hampton never put a (foot wrong again. I'he same could not be said for his performance in the final heat. He fell on the second lap while challenging Brady for the lead, made up lost ground and took the lead for the first time on the sixth lap, only to throw it all away with another spill on the final lap. “It was pretty tiring out there.” he said. Hampton finished the meeting with 25 points and Brady, the winner of the previous round, was runnerup with 23. as far as efficiency was concerned, the day belonged to John Nichols (YZ2SO Yamaha). Competing in the 250 class, he won all three 10-lap heats for a maximum score of 27 points. He was a clear winner on every occasion, lacking the spectacular riding of Hampton but never looking anything but superbly comfortable. It was a convincing effort by a rider who is nothing if he is not consistent. Rob Selby (Rm2so Suzuki), who won the previous round, this time had to be content with fourth place after an enthralling tussle with Hugh Buckenham (Kawasaki 250) and Allan Reid (YZ2SO Yamaha). A somewhat lack-lustre open class was won by Gavin Rhodes (RM Suzuki) with 25 points from two wins and a second. A distant second was Rick Gielingh (Yamaha), of Ashburton, with 19 points. Results (all riders from Christchurch unless otherwise stated) were: 125 class (each heat 10 laps).— First heat: R. Hampton, Suzuki, 1; C. Brady. Kawasaki, 2; D. Bichan (Balclutha), Honda, 3. Second heat: Hampton 1, Brady 2, B Jacobs (Balclutha), Honda, 2. Third heat: Brady 1, Hampton 2, Jacobs 3. Meeting points: Hampton 25, Brady 23, Jacobs 12, T. Brady 12, D. Bond (Balclutha) 12, W. Timpson 10. 250 class (each heat 10 lays).— First heat: J. Nichols, Yamaha, 1; A. Reid, Yamaha, 2; H. Buckenham, Kawasaki, 3. Second heat: Nichols 1, Buckenham 2, Reid 3. Third heat: Nichols 1. R. Selby, Suzuki, 2; Buckenham 3. Meeting points: Nichols 27. Buckenham 19, Reid 18, Selby 17, D. Gottermeyer 8. Open class (each heat 6 laps).— First heat: G. Rhodes. Suzuki. 1; R. Munn, Suzuki 2; R. Gielingh (Ashburton), Yamaha, 3. Second heat: C. Munn, Suzuki 1; Rhodes 2, Gielingh 3. Third heat: Rhodes 1, Gielingh 2, C. Munn 3. Meeting points: Rhodes 25, Gielingh 19. C. Munn 15, S. Brady 14, R. Munn 7. Series points were not available.