Rep. speedway revival marked by Canty win

Press, 3 February 1986, Page 27

Rep. speedway revival marked by Canty win

Representative solo racing returned to Handy Hire Centre International Speedway, Ruapuna Park, after an absence of several years with an Under-23 Canterbury team defeating its Auckland counterparts by 29 points to 19, both teams helping to produce some exciting racing and close finishes. The Canterbury team comprising of Trevor Chapman, Craig Monk and Barry Ayres started the fives heat contest, sponsored by Tranzealand, the better team. Although the visitors made a strong rally over the final two heats they could not take over-all victory. However, the two teams were closer than the final score would suggest. Chapman gave Canterbury a handy lead by winning the opening two heats. Auckland lost points when Kevin Jalaca stopped when leading the first heat. His motor had cut out.

The problems for the Auckland team continued in the next heat when it only managed to bring one of its three riders home and this allowed the red and blacks to finish one, two three and collect nine points to open up an eleven point lead.

In the next two heats Canterbury had problems of its own. Chapman fell heavily when he dropped his machine to avoid a fallen team mate. Chapman was forced to borrow another for the rest of the meeting. In the re-run Monk stopped on the first lap when the plug lead came off his Star Helmets/CRC Denco and Chapman stopped also, This allowed Auckland to close the gap to two points.

The fourth heat was less than a lap old when Ayres’ fall In the Prison bend and Auckland’s Chris Martin, following close behind, dropped his bike to avoid Ayres. His bike slid into the back of the young Canterbury rider. Ayres was taken to hospital with concussion and a badly-bruised back.

Valaca won the re-run after a great battle with Monk. Both riders were side by side for nearly three laps, with the Aucklander winning by less than half a metre. The other two Aucklanders, Martin and Lorrln Matthews, collected valuable points by finishing third and fourth. Going into the final heat, Canterbury led by 22 points to 19, but could only field two riders in the race because the reserve, Mark Thorpe was forced out after a crash in a supporting race.

The match seemed to be going Auckland’s way after the first lap, with their three riders in the first four, but than Martin’s bike stopped on the second lap. This could have proved costly with Jalaca leading but Monk closed on him and tried

to drive around him on the outside of the final bend. Jalaca came back, but tried too hard, and brought the Canterbury captain down, this earning an automatic exclusion. This meant Canterbury picked up seven points in the heat to take over-all victory. Results.— Solos. Tranzealand Under-23 Canterbury v. Auckland. Heat 1: T. Chapman (C) 1; C. Martin (A) 2; B. Ayres (C) 3. Time: 73.2. Heat 2: Chapman 1; C. Monk (C) 2; Ayres 3. Time: 73.4. Heat 3: Ayres 1; K. Jalaca (A) 2; Martin 3. Time 73.4. Heat 4: Jalaca 1; Monk 2; Martin 3. 76.6. Heat 5: Monk 1; Chapman 2; L. Matthews (A) 3. No time. Final points: Canterbury 29. (Chapman 11, Monk 10, Ayres 8, Thorpe 0). Auckland 19 (Martin 8, Jalaca 7, Mathews 4). Smiths Crisps Heat .1: S. Hann 1; S. Morice 2; P. McClintock 3. 75.2.

Armorall Heat 2: M. Hollows 1; a Monk 2; M. Richards 3. Time 76.6. Sheniey Orchard Heat 3: A. Fisher 1; R. Brown 2; S. Gunn 3. Time: 84.0. Autolodge Semi-Final: S. Hann 1; Richards 2: Fisher 3. Time: 77.8. Building Removals Final: Fisher 1; Brown 2; Gunn 3. Time: 82.2. Three-quarter Midgets. Acme Auto Handicap: S. Duff 1, L. Begble 2; S. Button 3. Time 197.3. Shands Road Mower Handicap: S. Button 1; Duff 2; W. Denovan 3. Time: 90.0. Townshend and Gray Feature: Duff 1; Button 2; D. Webb 3. No tiine. Tait Two-Way Radios Handicap. J. McKitterick 1; S. Everett 2; R. Robinson 3. 16 7.0. Arbuckle’s Handicap: D. Cawley 1; McKitterick 2; C. Fineran 3. Time: 142.3. Cody Jeans Feature: G. Fineran 1; R. Robinson 2;

Everett 3. Time: 70.2. Sprintcars. Viking Pies Handicap: B. Bullard (U.S.A.) 1; W. Pierson 2; B. Leversedge 3. 171.1 Latimer Lodge Indian File: M. Allan 1; B. Hobbs 2; R. Jenunett 3. 102.8. CRC Chemicals Feature: Allan 1; Leversedge 2; Pierson 3. No time Sidecars. Scots Breakdown Handicap: C. Roberts and T. Gough 1; J. Warwood and C. Williams 2; Aitchison and W. Cameron 3. Time 81.2. Gary Hutchison Auto Electric Handicap: C. Roberts and Gough 1; C. Atichison and Cameron 2; W. Turner L. McMahon 3. Time 82.2. Malnfreight Handicap: Turner and McMahon 1; Roberts and Gough 2; Aitchison and Cameron 3. Time: 81.0. Shearing Outdoor Centre Feature: W. Turner and McMahon 1; J. Warwood and Williams 2; Roberts and Gough 3. Time: 79.0.