| Meetings | Committee | Gallery | ||||
| Latest News | Practices | Newsletter | History | |||
| Contact | Track | Membership | Sponsors | |||
| Links | For Sale |
| 1973
|
|
On Sunday, December 9, the Auckland Speedway Riders Club held a speedway meeting at the Rosebank Road practice track featuring two seven man team called the “Foxes” and “Hounds”. Riding for the Foxes were Paul Wells (captain), John Shaw, Paul Church, Terry Darwent, George Weaver, John Smart and John Goodall as reserve. With the stitches in his right arm from the big spill the previous night, John was only out to test his arm but the mechanical breakdown in the Foxes team, he was called to ride four times and suffered no ill effects. The Hounds team was made up of Paul Jensen (captain), Eric Grayson, Rob Priestley, Bryce Doidge, Bruce Mitchell, Greg Joynt and Stu Goodall had only come out for a run as he is not riding regularly these days. With the match run over nine heats, it was a convincing win for the Hounds by 36 points to 17. The first heat had Wells and Shaw v. Jensen and Grayson. Shaw surprised them all by being first from the gate to lead away Wells but Jensen put the pressure on. Wells took over the lead and tried to hold out Jensen but on the last lap it was too much as Paul came through to win from Wells and Shaw. Church and Darwent faced Priestley and Doidge for heat 2. Church made it from the gate and then in the second corner overdid it and fell. The other three riders got past safely with Priestley taking the lead. Church was up on his feet and still had his motor running. He remounted and chased after the field only to fall again on the next bend. Priestley was leading from Doidge who fell, leaving Darwent to take second place. |
|
|
|
Foxes: John Smart, George Weaver, John Goodall, Paul Wells (captain on machine), Terry Darwent, John Shaw and Paul Church
|
|
Weaver and Smart opposed Mitchell and Joynt in heat 3. Mitchell made the gate and Weaver fell on the first corner. George seemed to get all tied up with the bike and could not get up. The race had to be stopped as George was helped to his feet. He was OK it was just the way he had trapped his leg under the bike that made it look odd. In the restart it was again Mitchell away from Joynt who held out Smart to make it another five-one to the Hounds. The fourth heat saw Church and Darwent face Jensen and Stew Goodall who replaced Grayson. From the gate it was Church who this time stayed on the led for the first lap before his machine cut out and he came to a standstill. Jensen was straight past and into the lead with Goodall following him home for another 5-1 to the Hounds. Score now Foxes 7, Hounds 16. Wells and John Goodall, replacing Shaw took on Mitchell and Joynt in heat 5. From the gate it was Goodall all the way from Mitchell with Wells taking third spot for a 4-2 to the Foxes. This was to be the only heat win for the Foxes. With Weaver not able to fix his bike in time for the sixth heat it was John Goodall out again with Smart v. Priestley and Doidge. Goodall was again too good as he shot away from the gate and into the lead, but it was short lived as his motor cut out and the saviour of the Foxes was sidelined. Priestley was soon into the lead and accompanied team-mate Doidge for another 5-1 from Smart. After a sidecar race John Goodall came out again for heat 7 to replace Church who was still having trouble with his bike, and he partnered Darwent v. Joynt and Mitchell. From the gate it was Mitchell and Goodall and a great first lap as Goodall fought to get into the lead. On the second lap he started to pull away only to have his bike cut out again on the last lap. Mitchell shot into the lead and went on to win from Darwent and Joynt. With a 4-2 to the Hounds this made the match safe and the score Foxes 14, Hounds 27. Wells and J. Goodall v. Priestley and Doidge in heat 8. This time John only got as far as the gate before his bike played up and it was left as a three man race. Priestley made the gate from Wells who tried hard, but his knee was playing up and he had no chance to catch Rob. Doidge took the third place for another 4-2 to the Hounds. Heat 9 saw Darwent and Smart v. Jensen and Grayson. Jensen was first from the gate and after his maximum. Partner Grayson rode a steady race to take second and really rub it in with a final 5-1 to the Hounds. Final score: Foxes 17, Hounds 36. Foxes: T. Darwent 6, P. Wells 5, J. Goodall 3, J. Smart 2, J. Shaw 1, P. Church 0, and G. Weaver 0. Hounds: P. Jensen 9, R. Priestley 9, B. Mitchell 8, B. Doidge 3, G. Joynt 3, E. Grayson 2, S. Goodall 2. Following the match the local motorcycle dealers sponsored a race each to give a “ Champion of Champions’ event over two heats, a repecharge and a Final. The Goodall’s worked hard on their machinery as both John and father Stew were riding it. The first race featured J. Goodall, E. Grayson, G. Joynt and P. Jensen. John made it out of the gate and this time it looked as if the trouble was cured as he went on to win from Jensen, Grayson and Joynt.
|
|
|
|
Hounds: Bruce Mitchell, Greg Joynt, Bryce Doidge, Paul Jensen (captain on machine), Eric Grayson, Rob Priestley and Stu Goodall
|
|
Bruce Mitchell, Stu Goodall, R. Priestley and Doidge lined up for heat 2. Goodall made the gate from Priestley but Rob was not having this as he charged into the lead and then overdid things on the second lap and fell. Stu went back into the lead and held on to win from Mitchell and Doidge third. This put both Goodalls in the Final with Jensen, Grayson, Mitchell and Doidge in the repecharge. This was the next race with Mitchell making the gate from Jensen. Trying to stay ahead, Bruce went in too hard on the second lap and fell, letting Jensen past to win from Grayson and Doidge. This put Jensen and Doidge in the Final with the Goodalls. Paul Wells loaned John his bike so that father and son could do battle. From the gate it was John from Jensen with Stu right on his tail. Stu sat right behind Jensen for two laps, waiting for a mistake and he worried Paul into going in too hard and going wide. This was all he was waiting for and he went past and then rode the line, keeping Paul out. At the flag it was John Goodall from Stu Goodall and Jensen. Stew was that excited he fell off in the next corner after finishing the race. When the boys went up to receive their monies, Paul Jensen was presented with a cup for the highest point scorer on the day.
|
|
|
|
|
