New Track Opened

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 850, 19 December 1929, Page 15

New Track Opened

SPEED AT BLANDFORD PARK Fast Times at New Stadium LITTLE actual broadsiding, but fast times and several close finishes marked the opening meeting on the cinders at Blandford Park last evening. More than 4,000 spectators witnessed the displays. The competitors last evening were all Auckland riders with the exception of Jack Peek, an Australian, who was riding a borrowed machine throughout the evening. Little delay between events, and these caused chiefly through track lights being damaged by flying cinders, made an evening’s enjoyable entertainment. Music before the meeting and during intervals was given by a jazz band in the centre of the lawn.

The track at Blandford Fork Is barfked on the corners and should eivable* very fast times to be registered when riders become used to the surface. Several of the men had not riddeii at the Park before, and Len Sowehby, who rode with conspicuous success, had not raced on cinders before*

A great improvement in times is expected for the next meeting on Saturday. Some idea of what speeds will be can be gained from a comparison of times during the opening heats and in the finals, when riders were gaining experience. In the Grafton Handicap, Len Coulthard cut 14i sec. off his former time, and other riders did equally well. There were many falls, but only one appeared likely to be serious. This was a collision between Alby Lemon and Len Sower by, in the final of the Blandford Park Handicap, the latter rider being taken to the Auckland Hospital lor’ treatment. Lemon fell directly in front of the other, and both were thrown heavily as the machines fell together. They attempted to push in their mounts, but failed to cross the line before the three minutes allowed had elapsed. As Sowerby was found to have received a cut on the right leg, and Lemon’s machine was too badly damaged to allow him Immediately after winning the BigBight Gold Helmet scratch race, Chas. Goldberg was presented with the gold helmet, which carries with it a payment of £lO a week until the holder is beaten. He circled the track

wearing his prize. Cyril Walker, who would have finished very close to the winner, was unable to ride owing to his machine having been damaged while being ridden by Sowerby. Walker put up the fastest time of the evening from a rolling start, Len Coulthard registering best from a standing start. Coulthard’s performance in his first race was excellent. He finished second in spite of having a fiat back tyre. Results: GRAFTON HANDICAP First heat: C. Goldberg, Enfieiu), i; Kick Bull L\orton), «svc, 2. Won by live yards. Time, i.Uo. J. Walker, limit man, got away slowly ana was last in tile Second lap. The tiuee leaders were bunched with a lap to go. Cioldberg swung wide ul the last corner, letting Lull come in close, but he held lug lead. Second heat: A. McLaren (0.E.C.), 3sec, 1; Len Coulthard (Velocette), ser., 2. Won by 100 yards. Time, 1.37 i. Curtis lead for a round, but could not hold the pace and dropped, out in the third lap. Richards did only one circuit. Coulthard came up fast, but could not catch up the full half lap McLaren had gained. Third heat: K. McLaren (0.E.C.), 4see., 1; L. Sowerby (Douglas), Gsee., 2. Won by 20 yards. 9 Time, 1.35. Lemon* was slow getting away McLaren passed Stephenson and Sowerby in the second lap and was never headed, winning by 1 20 yards from Sowerby, with Lemon well back third. Fourth heat: Cyril Walker (Douglas), 2sec., 2: J. S. Peek (New Imperial), 3sec, 2. Won by 30 yards. Time, 1.31. Yeats had difficulty in starting and Peek led the way. Half-way round on the first lap, Butler fell. Walker caught Peek on the second lap and the pair raced neck and neck until Walker got in front to win by 30 yards. First semi-final: L. Sowerby, 1; IC. McLaren, 2. Won by 50 yards. Time, 1.27. Sowerby was leading after the first round with Goldberg coming up fast in the rear. A struggle between K. McLaren and Goldberg for second place livened the final two laps, but McLaren was too fast. Second semi-final: L. Coulthard, 1; J. Peak, 2. Won by five yards . Time, 1.24. Walker got a bad start, but came up well. He had run into third place when he fell on the last corner. Coulthard came up Into second place and took the lead coming into the straight, when Peek swung wide. Final L. Coulthard (Velocette), scr. .. 1 L. Sowerby (Douglas), 2sec 2 Won by 15 yards. Time, 1.22. Peek went away well, but lasted only one round. Sowerby rode excellently, giving a splendid exhibition of broadsiding. Len Coulthard, while not so spectacular, was a faster ridev and put up the fastest time from a standing start. BLANDFORD PARK HANDICAP First heat: A. McLaren, Ssec, 1; Chas. Goldberg, scr., 2. Won by half a wheel. Time, 1.33. There were only three starters. Curtis was 150 yards in the lead when Goldberg got away. McLaren came up fast, and went to the front in the third lap. In an exciting finish Goldberg gained quickly in a cloud of cinders, but just failed to take the lead. Second heat: L. Sowerby (Douglas), 6sec, 1; A. Lemon (Rex Acme), lsec, 2. Won by half a lap. Time, 1.23. Blomfield failed to get away. Sowerby held his lead throughout. In an exciting struggle for second place. Lemon managed to beat Yeats by 20 yards. Third heat: Cyril Walker, lsec, 1; P. Butler (A.J.S.), Ssec, 2. Won by 30 yards. Time, 1.31 2-5. Butler and Blomfield were struggling for second place when the race had gone one round. Bull swung wide, putting Blomfield in the lead, but the latter’s engine failed on the last lap. Walker came up fast, to win comfortably. Fourth heat: Len Coulthard, scr., 1: j. Peak, 3sec, 2. Won by two lengths. Time, 1.32. Stephenson went to the front, but crashed. He restarted, however, and finished in third place. Coulthard went to the lead in the first round, and was never challenged seriously until the final corner. Richards fell early. First semi-final: L. Sowerby, 1: A. Lemon, 2. Won by 15 yards. Time, 1.28. Sowerby, riding well, went to the lead in the final round. Lemon, fast on the corners, came into second place when Butler’s engine failed in round 3. Second semi-final: C. Walker, 1; J. Peek, 2* Won by 200 yards. Time, 1.44. Peek got a wav well, with Coulthard last. Coulthard fell on the fifth corner, and a lap later A. McLaren fell beneath his machine. Walker followed a few yards further, and Peek, who was leading, crashed on the last corner. Walker restarted, and finished in first place. Peek pushed in for second money. Final This rc.ee was not decided, all tl-ree starters falling, and Peek alone being fit to ride again. Peek failed to start at the first push, leaving Lemon and Sowecby fighting for the lead on the track. Lemon passed Sowerby coming past the judge’s box on the second round, and was a yard in front when he fell on the next corner. Sowerby could not avoid the machine, and fell himself. Both men were up again in a minute, and began to push their machines toward the finishing post. The engines would not start, and the three minutes allowed .to finish elapsed before either man could cross the line. The race was to haa-e been re-run immediately, but Sowerby was found to be suffering from a cut on one leg, and he was taken to the Auckland Hospital for treatment by members of the SL John Ambulance. BIG EIGHT GOLD HELMET First heat: A. Lemon, 1; C. Goldberg, 2. Won by 20 yards. Time, 1.28. From a rolling start Lemon took the lead from Butler. Yeats’s motor stopped. Goldberg came up to second place, but could not pass Lemon, who finished strongly. Second heat: C. "Walker, 1; Len Coulthard, 2. Won by 150 yards. Time, 1.20. Walker went out in front at once,, with Coulthard lying handy. K- McLaren’s motor failed, putting Blomfield in third place. The latter skidded off during the last lap, but was unhurt. Walker made the fastest time of the evening. Final C. Goldberg (Royal Enfield) .... 1 A. Lemon (Rex Acme) 2 Won by half a lap. Time, 1.29. Goldberg got away quickly, and led by 10 yards from Len Coulthard. with well behind. Coulthard fell in the third lap, leaving Goldberg an easy winner by half a lap. Lemon had difficulty with his machine, which had been borrowed hastily when his own was damaged.