RIDERS IMPROVING

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 859, 31 December 1929, Page 6

RIDERS IMPROVING

CINDER TRACK STARS WESTERN SPRINGS MEN Improved riding was a feature ofthe meeting at -the Western Springs on Saturday evening. Several of tlie Auckland men will have to be brought back nearer the scratch mark if close finishes are to be witnessed at future speed contests. However, Saturday’s performance did not give a very satisfactory basis, of comparison, as Jimmy Da-tsou, the fastest and most spectacular of the three Australians, was unable to ride owing to injuries received at the meeting a week earlier, and the other two could not get their machines to perform satisfactorily. Billy Sticpewich, who has had four years' experience on the cinders in Australia, holds the Dominion twolap record of 40 2-ssec, which he established in Wellington. He rides a Wallis frame powered with an A.J.S. motor. He did w-ell on Jimmy Datson’s Douglas when his own mount was damaged. Les Lawrauce was making his second appearance in New Zealand, and did not have his Harley in good trim. Re is the holder of the mile record for Australia, lmin IS 2-ssec, male at Brisbane, where he also covered a mile in one second under a world record. He finds the track at Western Springs much softer than those across the Tasman and may need to change the gear ratio before his “peashooter” Harley gets into its stride. His machine was burning too much oil on Saturday night, and was missitlg badly at times. Of the Auckland speedsters, Alf. Mattson was undoubtedly the fastest, lapping faster than the track record on several occasions. His Norton is one of the most consistent performers at Western Springs. Herbert was obviously not at home on the track Harley he rode when his own Royal Enfield was out of action. Both of these men and Bill Allen were getting one second less on the scratch men. and this appeared to be scarcely enough handicap. Ben Bray was unfortunate, his drive chain coming off twice. This is apparently a fault with the machine as the chain has come oil at former meetings, but other riders on the same make of machine have experienced no difficulty in this way. BLANDFORD PARK RACERS Riders at Blandford Park are now becoming more used to tbeir machines and to the track, which needs a technique vastly different from that of the usual cinder surface. The thin coatting of cinders and the banking at the corners makes broadsiding much more tricky and difficult.