HONOURS TO ENGLAND

Evening Post, Issue 51, 2 March 1931, Page 4

HONOURS TO ENGLAND

MEW ZEALAND IMPROVES

The'cinders wore alive at the Kilbirnio Stadium Speedway on Saturday night, stirred not only by tho daring motor-cyclists, but also by a strong northerly wind. The occasion was the second and vital Test between the speedway representatives of England and ,Now .Zealand,; and it was unfortunate that conditions for the important event were disturbed by the high wind. However, there was a large crowd of spectators, and those present were treated to some thrilling displays as well as some of the most exciting racing yet seen on the track. The Test wus decided on aggregate points in. a series of nine races, and the first two of these races were, sufficient to cause the crowd's enthusiasm, to jump to a very high pitch. Intensely exciting battles in each case resulted in a New Zealand representative winning by inches. So close were these finishes that it seemed almost impossible to separate the riders—Mattson and Evans m the nrst case and Tonks and Kempster in the second. Kilmister then came on the scene, and a tine performance on his part completed the fihat trick" for New Zealand. It was plain, that the Dominions representatives were all out to square accounts with the formidable British combination which had won the first Test decisively at Dunedin, and the registration of twelve points (three wins and three thirds) to England's six in tho first three races was an extraordinarily good step towards the objective. New Zealand then struck a bad patch, Mattson having to retire owing to a broken chain when leading in the next race, and the two visitors contesting the fifth race being sent away with a decided advantage from the starting point. Once they gained the lead on points England's representatives showed determination in holding it, although they were hotly pressed before the issue was finally settled. The New Zealand team had another taste of misfortune in the final'race 6t the lest when an-effort by Manghnm in - swinging across from the outside position caused Kilmister to fall. Kilmister has won ( his two previous races in excellent times. The Test proved a much harder one for the English team than at Dunedin, the more so because some of the visitors struck machine trouble, Burton being one to drop out of a race for this reason—something unusual for this great rider. Bond, Evans, and Greenwood, apart froni Burton, were in fine form for the visitors, who won the Test by 30 points to 23, thus taking the speedway "Ashes." _ No rider registered three wins, but K.ilmister and Bond each won the two races in which they finished, while Evans scored most points with a first and two seconds. Individual points were scored as follows:— England. Now Zealand. Evans 7 Kllmister 6 Bond 6 Tonks 6 Greenwood fi Jlattson 5 Burton 5 Maugham 4 Kempster 5 Day 1 Frogley 1 Wilkinson 1 Total "30 Total 23 Some fast times wore, registered, those of 84sec and better being by the following:—Burton, 80 l-ssee and Slsec: Greenwood, 80 2-ssec and 83 2-ssec; Kilmister, 81 3-ssec and.B3sec; Mattson, 81 l-ssec; Bond, 83 3-ssec;' and Evans, 84sec (twice). Spills, broadsides, and slides added to the thrills of the racing. Mattson seyeral times hit the fence on entering the straight, and in one race in which he was hotly pursued by Evans a bad crash' seemed imminent as Mattson cannoned off the fence in front of the Englishman. Evans, however, made a wonderful save._ Bond, in a heat of the big handicap, was in the act of passing Viggars when he hit the latter's machine and crashed, rider and machine somersaulting for some distance. Bond was not hurt, though severely shaken. In the handicap event, which was won by Kilmister, one of the British ridersGreenwood —put up the fastest time froni a standing start that has ever been registered on the track by a rider from overseas. The previous best was Spinks's' 86 4-ssec, and this'was beaten by Greenwood by 4-ssec. .' ' r Prior to the start of the meeting oh Saturday night the teams marched from the pit to the starting, point, the visitors led by "Young John, Bull" and the. Dominion team by "Young New Zealand." The teams thSn paraded on their machines. These preliminaries .accounted for a little delay, and further time was lost subsequently through difficulty in getting tho riders aWay to good starts. . DETAILED RESULTS. . The results were:— ' . TEST MATCH, ENGLAND v. NEW ZEALAND, of £54 (riders take £1 for each point scored); four, laps; from a rolling start. t Burton was successful in the draw for positions, and the Englishmen had tho Nos. 1 and 3 positions for the' first race,. tho starting positions being taken alternately in tlio remaining races. The teams were: — . . England: "Squib" Burton (captain). It. Frogley, .T. Kempster, G. Greenwood, P. Bond, and N. Evans. New Zealand: W. Kilmister (Wellington, captain), T. Wilkinson (Wellington), A. Mattson (Auckland), C. Tonks (Wellington), I\ Day (Auckland), 11. Mangbam (Dunedin). First Hace.—Tonks, 1; Kompster, 2; Wilkinson, S. Also started: Bond. From a great start the Englishmen went away together, but Bond wont into a heavy slide on the southern bend, and Ills engine stopped. Kempstor had a big lead until the final lap, when Tonks came round fast and snatched a win by the barest margin in a thrilling'finish.--.Times: 85 l-ssec, 85 l-ssec. flSsec. .",".. Second Race.—Mattson, 1; Erans, 2; Day, 3. Also started: Frogley. An exciting race saw Mattson take the lead from the start from, Evans, with Frogley close up third. Evans passed Matison in the second lap, but the New Zealuhder regained, the lead and maintained his advantage to win by half a wheel, with Day 30yds back. Times: 84 l-sseo, S4 l-ssec, 92 l-ssec. Third race: Kilmister, 1; Greenwood, 2; Mangham, 3. Also started: Burton. Kilmister, Burton, and Greenwood rode round the first bend together, Kllmister taking the lead i'rom Burton, who had trouble with his machine early mi tho race. Kilmister Jed all the way, and won by 20 yards. Times: 81 3-ssee, 83 2-ssec, 87 2-ssec. Fourth Race.—Bond, 1; Kempster 2. Also started: Mattson and Day. " Mattson led till half-way, when lie hit the fence and broke his chain. Day fell in the second lap. Won by a lap. Times: 84 1-5 sec, 107 3-ssec. Fifth Race.—Greenwood, 1; Burton, 2; Tonks, 3. Also started: Wilkinson. From a bad start Greenwood and Burton got well away from Tonks and Wilkinson. Won by three lengths, with 30 yards between second and third. Time, SO 2-ssec, 81sec, 85sec. Sixth Race.—Kllmister, 1; Evans, 2; Mangham, 3. Also started: Frogley. Kilmister won by a 10yds after leading all the way. Mangham rodo a good race, and made a determined but unsuccessful effort to pass Evans in the last lap. Times: Slsec, Msec, 81 4-SSCC. Seventh Race.—Burton, 1; Mattson, 2; Greenwood, 3. Also started: Day. Mattson led In a great racq until tho end of the third lap. when Burton, who had been close up on him all the way, cut through on the inside and improved liis position over tho last lap to win by three lengths. Greenwood was 60 yards back. Times: 80 l-ssec, 81 1-5 sec, 84 l-ssec. Eighth Race.—Evans, 1; Tonks, 2; Frogley, 3. Also startod: Wilkinson. Wilkinson led until the final lap, when the Englishmen passed him on the northern bend. Wilkinson, then dropped back, but Tonks staged another Btrong finish and took second place by half a wheel. Times: 84sec, 85 2-ssec, S5 3-ssec. Ninth Race—Bond, 1; Mangham, 2; Kempster, 3. Also started: Kilmister. The riders were crowded on the first bond, and Kilmister came down. Bond led all the way to win by about 50 yards. Times: 83 3-oseo, 85 l-ssec, 90 2-ssec. The final points wore:— England, 30; New Zealand,,23. INTERNATIONAL HANDICAP, of £30 ; four laps, from a standing start. First neat. —G. Greenwood (2sec), 1; F. Day (6sec), 2; C. Tonks (2sec), 3. Also started: C. Burton (scr). Times: 86sec, 81 l-ssec, 88 2-Gsec. Second Heat.—A. Mattson (2sec), 1; E. Naylor (6sec), 2; N. Evans (2sec), 3. Third Heat: W. Viggars (Csec), 1. Also started: J. Kempster (2soc), 11.I1. Bond (2sec), A. Hunger (4sec). : Fourth Heat.—W. Kllmister <2sec), 1; P. Phillips (ssec), 2; R. Frogley (2aee), 3. Also started: H. Mangham (3scc). Times: 88sec, Q2sec, 89 4-ssec. First Seml-flnal.—Day 1; Mnttson, 2. Also started: Greenwood and Naylor. Second Semi-final.—Phillips, 1; Kllmister, «. Also started: Viggars. Timo, 00 l-sscc. Final. W. Kilmister (Rtidge), 2sec 1 F. Day (Royal Enfleld), tisec 2 Also started: A. M.-ittson (Jtudge), 2sec; P. Phillips (Rudge), sncc. Interest In the final naturally centred on •KllmlsMr. and. Matlson, the virtual, scratch men, but once again the race failed W pro-

vide a real test. Matlson started on the outaiilo, and followed Kllmlstor round tho first bend. While still trailing Kllmlstor, Mattson was put out of tho race in tue second lap, and I'liUllps fell on tho next time round. Day also fell, but remounted and finished. Times: SS 3-uacc, 113 2-nsec.