NewZealand62

On Saturday, November 3, the opening night of Western Springs Speedway for the 1962-63 season took place . . . and what a damp night it was!
The evening had opened with the Empire Games athletes showing their paces, this was followed at 7.45 p.m. by the Grand Parade of riders.
Star attraction was Bobby Andrews who had flown into Auckland on the Tuesday before. Graham Coombes was paired with Bob in a best pairs event against Maury Dunn and Bryce Subritzky.
The first of the three races saw Andrews taking the lead on the first lap and holding it until the last corner when Subritzky dived round the outside to get the flag first with Dunn in third place. Coombes had engine trouble on the last corner and the motor was found to have a pulled head stud. Another motor was forthcoming and the rider proceeded to change engines.
The second race started without Coombes, and Dunn held the lead all the way with Andrews holding out Subritzky for second place.
The third race had all four on the line and this time Andrews took his revenge by winning from Dunn, with Subritzky third.
In the handicap races the opening heat had Bob Anderson (80 yards handicap), Les Beehre (40), Bernie Farrelly (30), Keith Lancaster (20) and Dave Torrey (limit).
Farrelly took an early lead until Anderson passed him on the last lap, but going into the last corner, Anderson went into an overslide and Beehre slipped by to take second place.
Featured in the second heat were Len Jelaca (80), George Wi (40), Alan Clark (20), Rim Malskaitis (10) and Jim Anderson (limit). Jelaca soon showed his liking for the wet track by quickly working his way through to the front, followed by Wi, with Clark third. Anderson pulled a full-locker going into the last bend and came down heavily on his head. Anderson was taken off to hospital and detained for a couple of days with concussion.
The next event was the Novice Handicap with Ron Lancaster (10), Don Eade (10), Colin Tucker (limit), Bevin Culhane (limit). Eade showed a pleasing style to win comfortably from Lancaster, with Tucker third.
The Handicap Final had Jelaca (80), Anderson (80), Beehre (40), Wi (40), Farrelly (40) and Clark (20).
Farrelly took an early lead again and held it until Jelaca passed into first place. Clark filled third spot, and Anderson was fourth, after remounting from a fall.
The Consolation race had Keith Lancaster (40), Rim Malskaitis (40), Don Eade (30), Ron Lancaster (limit) and Dave Torrey (limit). Again it was Eade all the way in a steady race with Malskaitis second, and Keith Lancaster beating brother Ron for third place.
The last race of the night was the Invitation Handicap with Andrews (50), Dunn (50), Subritzky (40), Coombes (20), Jelaca (20) and Anderson (limit). Anderson heald the lead until the last lap and then Jelaca blasted his way to his third win in three races. Dunn held off strong challanges from Andrews and Subritzky to finish third.
Bobby Andrews proved popular with the other competitors, and should give them a lot of trouble on the track during the season.

The second meeting of the Auckland season took place on Saturday, November 10. The main feature of the meeting, was an International Best Pairs competition over three laps and three heats.
In the first race, Bob Andrews showing his liking for the track, won easily in a new track record time of 59.5 seconds. Bryce Subritzky followed in second place, with Andrews's partner Graham Coombes, third.
The second race started with Maury Dunn away to a flyer, and Andrews chasing hard. On the second lap, Bob took the lead and won in 59.6 seconds, again beating the old record.
Dunn made the gate again in the third race, but Andrews passed in the second lap, keeping his lead until the end. Dunn was second, with Subritzky in third place.
Featured in the next race, the Invitation Handicap, were Len Jelaca (limit), Ray Thackwell (10), Graham Coombes (10), Subritzky (20), Dunn (20) and Andrews (30). Jelaca took the lead, and was going well, while Andrews was boxed at the back. On the third lap however, Andrews had the crowd on their toes as he swept round three riders at once, and chased after Jelaca. Andrews caught and passed Jelaca on the final lap, going on to win by a clear fifty yards. Jelaca was second, and Coombes third.
............. the racing is good and the fields are becoming progressively bigger, and it should be a terrific season at Auckland.
Australian Peter Moore arrives shortly, and he should help to improve the racing further.

Bob Andrews, Auckland thrilled spectators with his brilliant riding in winning the New Zealand dirt track Motorcycle Champion ship held at Waiwakaiho Speedway, New Plymouth, for the first time on Saturday 26th February.
With the Mauger brothers Ivan and Trevor non-starters, the 15 competitors for the title were local riders Dave Gifford, Max Amor, Gary Peterson and Ash King, Christchurch riders Murray Burt (defending champion), Tom Black, Alan Brown and Bernie Lagrosse, Auckland riders Bob Andrews, Bryce Subritzky, Bob Duckworth and Jack Millen, Fred Timmo (Napier), Paul Welsh (Hastings), and Graeme Smith from Palmerston North making up the field.
Andrews won all of his five events to gain a maximum of 15 points, and broke the track record four times and was within two-tenths of a second of the old record for the fifth.
The record was formerly held by Gifford and Andrews with a time of 1m 18.3 secs. In the opening race of the programme Andrews cut this to 1m 17.5s and in his next appearance sliced it again by a tenth of a second.
Later, pushed along by Duckworth, he set 1m 15.8s for the fastest time of the night and the new track record which could possibly stand for some years. His last race time was 1m 18s.
Murray Burt, Christchurch, a former titleholder, was second with 13 points gained by three wins and two second places, followed by Bryce Subritzky, Auckland, with 12 points. Dave Gifford, New Plymouth, the top local rider, tied with Bob Duckworth for fourth place with 11 points.
Two other local riders to perform well were Max Amour and Gary Petersen. Petersen riding gamely against the more experienced riders showed he will be a force to be reckoned with in the future.
Several spills took place but no one was seriously hurt and in most cases the rider concerned remounted and carried on with the race.

The former double world solo speedway champion R. Moore of Christchurch, will face his greatest challenge since his return to competition less than 12 months ago, when he tries to win his third New Zealand Championship at Templeton Stadium on Saturday night.
It is five years since Moore last won the championship and for three of those years he was recovering from a serious leg injury suffered in the Wimbledon crash that bought the end of his international career in 1963.
This has been his first of regular competition, but he now rides purely for enjoyment. Without any practice, he has regained much of the form which carried him to such heights in Europe - so much so that his many supporters felt that he only had to compete to win the 1967 New Zealand title.
Until the Canterbury - Auckland match last Saturday they had every justification for this opinion. Now, his dramatic upset loss to the English International, R. Andrews, a former world finalist, has quite altered the outlook for the championship.
Andrews, who was trounced by Moore when they met in a special match race series last season, was much better prepared this time. Not only did he beat Moore but he also showed a marked superiority over the visiting English League rider, H.Cole, and set the fastest time of the night at 80.1s . Only a few riders have gone faster.
If Andrews can reproduce this form in the championship events he must have an excellent chance of retaining the title he won last season. However, Moore realises what he is up against, and will not be taken by surprise.
Although Moore, aged 33, will still start as favourite, the odds in his favour have been reduced greatly and it seems that the championship will develop into one of the most stimulating struggles on cinders for years. The rivalry between Moore and Andrews could well result in new records.
Any rider who hopes to compete will realise that to do so he may have to get below R. Duckworth's four-lap record of 79.13s. Unfortunately, Duckworth, who now lives in Auckland, will not be competing. He has an injured leg.
\\however, there are plenty of other riders to make sure that Moore and Andrews do not dominate. Cole has proven himself to be a forceful rider and will be trying his hardest to take the New Zealand title back to England with him at the end of the season.
The former Scottish champion, D. Templeton, and his fellow countryman, J. Tannock, are two others who will be at the heels of the leaders. Both are of considerable experience.
Much of the interest will be in the performances of the top Templeton riders. Among them is the 1965 New Zealand champion, M. Burt, who could provide a serious threat to the established internationals. The present South Island champion, A. Brown, and the runner-up, T. Black, are also capable of upsetting the favourites.
The championship will be decided over 20 heats on a 3-2-1 points basis. only the 16 top riders will be allowed to compete and they will meet each other at least once.
Th winner will receive 65 pounds, the runner-up 40 pounds and the third rider 20 pounds. There will be incentive prizes of one pound 10s a point in each heat, making it possible for one rider to win upto 85 pounds on the night.