Night Thrills In The Capital

NZ Truth, Issue 1215, 14 March 1929, Page 15

Night Thrills In The Capital

SPEEDSTERS' DEBUT

Cinders Sent Flying At New Kilbirnie Stadium

S&m GOOD PERFORMANCES

' (From '<N;Z. Truth's" Special Representative). . All roads jecL to Kilbirnie, Wellington, on Saturday night last, when the.first meeting of Speedways Ltd. motor-cycle racing took place;' The; stadium there, capable of seating twelve thousand people, is ; a> credit to the promoters, and judging by the crowd that rolled up to see the racing at the initial opening, the sport m Wjellington: should receive good support.

THE- busy -. lyeeks past have amply ■1.-..r€>pdid. the' officials, for at- least an • . hp'uFjvtbefore the racing was scheduled t'6' -start crowds were streaming pn to -the- ground. .By the time the first heat of the 1 Speedway Handicap was scheduled to go off; seating accommodation was alm6st fully utilised. Four laps to a n>ile, the cinder track was well pre-. pared and v water ing rigrh't up to the lime of the start brought to a minimum the flu;st: nuisance. .• ; • ''13he flood lights round the trade gave ample and the vast con-cburjse'-of people seated round had a gopd .yiew of the racing. The color scheme,- ..'Of announcing the winners of e'acli ieat was clearly discernible at all corn era-, of the ground. .'■'■-. jThe' times. in* which the events '. were won, though, were not placed - on the board and the infrequent announcements of these important items of news were not audible to' the vast crowd opposite the point of speech. . , The stadium was officially declared open by Deputy-mayor Martin Luckie, who, m the absence of Mr. Troup, gave tlie inaugural speech. QN THE JOB ■ For an initial gathering, ' there was little to' cavil at, and Sports Superintendent Tom lOates is to.be commended for the mariner m which the races were run. '. '"■'■' . ■•,'.'. Each heat' went off to schedule and little time was wasted m futilities. The two Australians, Gus. Glifton and Max Graham, were undoubtedly the best riders on the night's performance. The latter displayed fine judgment and skill m the manner m which he annexed the Gold Helmet, a scratch event. . . Engine trouble was experienced by a majority of the riders and had this not been so, more exciting finishes would have been witnessed. „ . .; In comparison' with the more

skilled Australian cinder track' riders, the local speedsters have aJot to learn,* but there are." some promising cyclists among theft* numbers, notably P.. IVfcGhee and W. S..Kilrt>ister. . ,! Each additional spin these two riders had round the track saw an improvement'in the manner of negotiating the bends, for this was where the local men Invariably los£ ground. - W. Allen, on his Norton, also showed improved form as the evening wore on, Coming second m the first heat of the , Speedway' Handicap, after all the heats and semi -finals had been staged, he annexed the final m clear-cut fashion; „ : F U. • - •.?..., < ] .. -.'.'„ '-„ One of th,e best ; thrills" / of the eyenInig 1 was seen m the final of" ithe. Silver Gauntlet Scratch. The finalists were W. B. Harvie on a Douglas, McGhee on a Harley, and Naylor, also riding a Douglas. .. , McGhee : early had, engine, .trouble and faded. out of the picture, but had his machine stood up to the, test he would m" all probability have won the event. • .. Harvie 'and' Naylor, however, clung together throughout. : the. i four..lap3, and; coming Into the : straight on" the final burst, the latter" passed 01 th" & post by a nose. r rhe r crowd showed - its appreciation of '.'■■rthe'r .race ■•' irT'no uncertain manner. V ■ . . The Golden Helmet final saw the Australian, Max Graham, and W. S. Kil'mister fighting out a great race. Lap for lap they held together, first one and ; then another- inching ahead at the turns. - When the final burst; was required, though, .the. Australian showed his opponent .that he was. out to. win. Half a length of th,e straight separated them when lie passed, the. post. While, the evening- was not producr tive of any fast times, some interesting races were witnessed, but when riders become more accustomed to the track and are . more proficient m the art of ■cornering-, . Wejlingtonians are assured of some thrilling 'sport. % ; The ■promoters" might well consider the advisability of -installing a system of loud speakers at different points round the track. This would enable everyone assembled to hear the announcement of names and,. what is more important, the times m which the races are won. ■