Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

world speedway By Peter White SYDNEY, NOV. 13, 1971 - Australia kicked off its defense of the speedway "ashes" against Great Britain with a resounding 60-48 win in the first test at the Sydney Showground tonight. Australian captain Jim Airey and fellow heat leaders John Langfield (New South Wales) and Jack White (Queensland) spearheaded the attack with lightning starts from the gate and brilliant team riding with their second strings. Airey, just back from another triumphant stint on Californian tracks in the recent Anglo-American test series, was in a class of his own and simply dazzled on his return to his home track. It was Jim's first appearance at the Sbowground for over 18 months as last summer season he was in dispute with the promoter over prize money and chose to compete instead at the opposition track at Liverpool, on the outskirts of the Sydney metropolitan area. In his first five races, Airey gave his opposition absolutely no chance and scorched to five impeccable wins. On four of those occasions he left the other riders, including his teammate Bill Landels, completely flat-footed at the starting tapes. rn the one race when be didn't make the trap he shot through on the inside of the British riders in a sea of mud on the first comer and hit the front by the time they reached the back straight. And that was no mean feat for the Britisb boys were none other than Jimmy McMillan and George Hunter, the Glasgow Tige.rs British League First PETER PALMER RE-ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE S P,E E D WAY RA CI NG ASSOCIATION Cycling enthusiast, accessory distributor and Speedway Motorcycle racing sponsor Peter Palmer of Santa Monica, was re-elected president of the Speedway Racing Association (SRA) for the third straight year despite the fact he only agreed to run again at the last moment at the urgent request of many members. John Shaw, father of "Lightning Larry", will assume the chair of the Vice President and a member of the Board of Directors. Mrs. Mary (Homer) Bast will continue to serve as Treasurer and also a Board member. Sbe is the step-mother of 1971 National Champion Mike Bast and 1968 National ChamR Steve Bast. Two active speed~ay riders join the Board, Sumner McKrught and Dennis Gildehaus. Veteran sponsor, tuner and cycle owner Jerry Fairchild and owner/tuner Bruce Wellbaum remain on the Board. A campaign to encourage new members to join the SRA is under way. New and interested persons wishing to join the SRA can obtain membership applications by writing to SRA Membership Committee, 135 W. Union St., Pasadena, Calif. 91101. Membership dues are $10 per year. JACK LEHTO TO HEAD HUSKY EAST As of January I, 1972 Husqvarna of Sweden will be taking over the distribution of the Husqvarna line of motorcycles. The new distribution centers will be Husqvarna Motor Corporation East and West. Husqvarna of Sweden has announced that the new General Manager for the Eastern Center will be Jack Lehto. Mr. Lehto, coming from Piasecki Sales and Service of Toledo, Ohio is an experienced rider, being a member of this year's Husqvarna Vase A Team at the rSDT. Having experience in the retailing of motorcycles and a general knowledge of the motorcycle industry also qualified Jack for this position. Jack is 28 years old and single. He comes from Eastern Mass. where he attended the University of Mass. and then transferred to th e University of Michigan to further his education. A,JI Division heat leaders who also rode in the tests against America in California last month. McMillan and Hunter proved to be the strongest pairing in an otherwise weak British line-up. With 15 points from five rides, Airey was on top of the world and shooting for a maximum of 18 points with one ride to go. Then, following two tape breaks and a spot of bickering' at the start line, wben the tapes went up on his final outing the other three riders host away and Airey was left motionless on the line. His spark plug had oiled up. Airey's misfortune gave the top scorer's spot to another Sydneysider, J obn Langfield, who was having only his third meeting at the track after returrung from an indifferent season with the Poole Pirates in England. He took to the big third of a mile oval well and registered 16 out of a possible 18 points. Langfield was also razor sharp at the gate and won his first four rides, before dropping odd points to McMillan and British captain Nigel Boocock. Unfortunately current Austrlian Champion, John Boulger, from Adelaide, South Australia, had a poor night and scored only six points. B 0 ulger crashed h eaviiyin his firs t rac e after being "filled in" with dirt. He was unable to see, ran out of goggles, and hit the fence heavily. He was unhurt and hobbled back to the pits but the incident obviously unsettled him. Unlike Costa Mesa in the States, you rarely walk away from a spill uninjured at the big, fast Sydney Showground track. Its reputation is rather notorious in this respect so perhaps young Boulger can count himself really lucky after all. Following an afternoon of heavy rain, the track was hardly conducive to good racing. The surface was extremely heavy and had anyone not making the gate reaching for the Aspros. You either trapped or forgot it! Another to experience the problem of flying dirt was visiting skipper Boocock, a renowned slow starter. He was last away in his second race and was so badly blinded by the mud that he pulled infield and fell from his bike, unable to see anything at all. The British boys Boocock, McMillan, Hunter, Chris Pusey (from Belle Vue, England - the same team as triple World Champion Ivan Mauger), Bert Harkins (another old Californian favorite), Malcolm Simmons (English speedway and grass track star) and Tony Lomas (English reserve for this year's World Final at Gothenburg, Sweden) were having their first meeting together as a team but just couldn't click. Only Harkins had any excuse for failing to get amongst the prizemoney. His machine just wasn't up to it. The others, however, could make no headway against the powerhouse' Australian outfit and sunk to a disheartening defea t. This was the IlfSt of seven tests being staged across Australia this' summer against Great Britain. Another seven tests are also qeing staged against Sweden but it is not . expected that Australia will fare so well against the Scandinavians who are acknowledged as the super stars of world speedway. WORLD CHAMPrON OLSEN CLEANS UP Further south, in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, world champion Ole Olsen, from Denmark, has been showing the locals how to do it with big wins wherever he appears. Capacity crowds bave also turned out to witness the riding of Olsen, the man who incredibly lifted the world title from Mauger in Sweden two months ago. Next week Olsen will clash with the British seven at Liverpool, NSW, m what should be a memorable meeting. - Australia continued its phenomenal run of success in the 1971-72 international speedway series, walloping test teams from both Sweden and Great Britain over the weekend. On' Friday, a slightly under-strength Australian side wiped the floor with the world's strongest speedway team Sweden - at the Claremont speedway in Perth, Western Autralis. Match was the first of seven throughout the country and the Swedes were favorites in most quarters to take the win. . However, rain affected the meeting and the Kangaroos were able to adapt to the wet track conditions more easily than the Scandinavians - which was rather surprising in view of the natural climatic differences between the countries. At half-time the scores were level bu t when the heavens opened during the interval the Assue riders leaped at the challenge and opened up a big lead. At the end of the 18 heats they had won by 63 points to 45. During the interval the Swedish riders protested at the state of the track and claimed it was too wet to continue the meeting but they were overruled. Leading the locals to victory was home track man and veteran international, Churn Taylor who scored 15 points. New South Welshman, John Langfield, gave him valuable support with 13 points, as did South Australian, John Boulger, who scored 10. Captain Jim Airey had his most frustrating nigh t ever in Test matches with a meagre score of eight points. . Following their shock win over the Swedes, the Kangaroos flew approximately 4,000 miles north from Perth to Brisbane the next day for the second official Test match against their old foe, Great Britain. Despite being weary and seemingly ineffective after the marathon trip, the Australians gritted their teeth and came up trumps again with another slashing win over the Chooms. They shrugged off their --..... tiredness and rode like men inspired to take a magnificent double for the weekend. The British riders, refreshed after a quiet journey up from Sydney two days before hand, could not match the speed and forcefulness of the Aussies and went down by 61 points to 47. The win put Austalia in the lead 2-nil in the seven match series. Proceedings opened on a sensational note when the British captain, Nigel Boocock, claimed the Australians were using the fuel additive nitro-methane. Australian team manager, Bert Kingston, would neither confirm nor deny the charges and Boocock requested that the fuel used by all Australian placegetters be tested. The Test finished on an equally sensational note when Queensland rider Jack White clipped the wheels of Englishman Chris Pusey's bike in the last heat and crashed into the fence. White was taken to hospital with a suspected broken shoulder. Pusey was jostled by angry spectators as he attempted to check on White's condition. Australia led by ten points at half-time and increased the lead by winning the first five heats of the second session. The individual Austrlian stars were John Boulger with 15 points from a possible 18, and White, who scored 13 points. Tony Hart (Queensland), a newcomer to the Test arena, made a splendid flrst appearance with two wins from as many starts. For the second night in succession Aussk skipper Jim Airey Wa, l :;; ~ N . ~ ~ ~ w d >- U

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