Thanks
to Andy Alcock, Auckland, author of 1952 N.Z. "Midget Racing Annual."
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MIDGET RACING AT SEVERAL TRACKS-1945-46.
December, 1945, saw a number of new
cars appear at the opening meeting of the season. Stuart Armstrong produced 23,
Fred Brennan appeared with his previous season's number 8 painted on a new car,
and "Snow" Ruffles wheeled out a new V8-60 No. 35. At the third meeting still
more new cars arrived, George Morgan drove 78 and Jimmy Wheeler handled 13,
while at the following meeting Jack Gwilliam produced a No. 1.
During the sixth meeting George Morgan flipped his car and was
indisposed for several week, the car re-appearing at subsequent meetings with an
old favourite Ron Roycroft at the wheel. The seventh meeting saw yet another new
arrival in Pat Stephanie with 16. Several cars were involved in minor mishaps at
the following meeting and Jim Wheeler driving 13, had a lucky escape when he
went through the rails. At the ninth meeting Ross Reid took the Western Springs
junior championship from Trevor Tindle and Jack Gwilliam, covering eight laps in
3min. 11 2-;ssec. During the feature race of the same meeting, Laurie Powell
went through the fence in 25 but escaped injury. Incidentally 13 appeared at
this meeting as 27, also racing in Laurie Powell's colours, Another feature race
crash was witnessed at the eleventh meeting when Des Herrick's car turned
turtle.
The twelfth meeting saw the eight-lap heats of the Western
Springs,1946 championships and it was at this meeting that Bruce Blackie made
his debut in 37. Championship finals were held at the following and concluding
meeting of the season at Western Springs where Roly Crowther took the honours
over ten laps from Fred Brennan and Ron Sutherland in 3min. 55sec.
Several daylight meets were held during the season on the
Morrinsville domain which drew the majority of the Auckland drivers. A
twenty-five lap New Zealand championship went to Ray Hardy with Ted Sutherland
and. "Pee-wee" Anderson filling the minor places. The Huntly Speedway was also
responsible for several daylight meetings during the season.
A dispute between promoters at Western Springs and drivers was
responsible for the opening of a new, but short-lived speedway at Blanford Park,
Auckland. Daylight meetings were held on a 418-yard banked dirt-surfaced track
producing times of 19 2-5sec. for one lap.
Max Hughes, 22, and Jack Malcolm, 17, who had been racing at
Blanford Park set sail in March, 1946, for Australia where they raced with
considerable success. It was here that Max Hughes, driving 22, which is now No.
98 at Waiwakaiho, new Plymouth, won the 1946 World's Championship Derby; while
Jack Malcolm collected the 1946 Australian Championship and created an
Australian six-lap cord of l min. 52 2-5sec. and a 15-lap record of 5min.
14sec.
During the 1946-47 season meetings were held on the
Showgrounds, Palmerston North, with drivers from Auckland travelling down each
week-end to provide the racing. The first local boy to take up the sport was Ron
Weston ho purchased Stuart Armstrong's 28. "Pee-Wee" Anderson, 9, Max Hughes, 10
which he and Jack Lough built), Ray Hardy, 15, Jack Lough, 19, Ross Reid 23,
Stuart Armstrong, 28, Pat Stapleton, 29, and later Bill Lorigan, 40, and Andy
Alcock, 53, were the drivers to appear at the first mixed meeting of Midgets and
motor-cycles at Palmerston on December 26, 1946. The boys hanged cars at times
during the season, Max Hughes drove 75, Ray Hardy 10, Frank Robinson 19, Jack
Lough 10 and Colin McKay made appearances with 31.
There were few drivers by the end of the season who had not
clipped the board safety fence surrounding the quarter-mile sand-surfaced track,
but serious accidents were nil.
Towards the end of the season in early 1947 Bill Lorigan took
the Manawatu Junior Track Championship from Colin McKay and Andy Alcock,
registering :min. 13 4-5sec. for the six laps. Times were good throughout the
season, Max Hughes creating a one-lap record of 20 2-5sec. and a four-lapper of
1min. 23sec. Most consistent driver of the season was Ross Reid with "Pee-Wee"
Anderson, Max Hughes and Ray Hardy close behind. Bill Lorigan reigned king of
the juniors.
September 6, 1947, Jack Malcolm and Doug Anderson flew to
Australia and raced at the Speedway Royale, Sydney, the same night. Anderson
drove 77 while Malcolm had the car in which Ivan Brewer had when involved in a
nasty crash at Auckland the previous season. Malcolm's car bore the letters N.Z.
in place of a number. The boys kept their cars at Ces Weatherill's garage in
Oxford Street, Sydney, where overseas drivers are always offered his most
cordial hospitality. Many visiting American and New Zealand drivers who have had
contacts with Ces, sing his praises highly.
NEW SEASON AT AUCKLAND.
The 1947-48 season at Western Springs after the installation
of a private power-plant following restrictions, introduced a new type of racing
in that cars and drivers were classified A, B or C and raced accordingly with
shorter handicaps. Many cars changed hands and some numbers, while several new
cars, 10 George Berry, 60 Bill Stiles and 73 Roger Myers were wheeled into
competition. A grand total of 31 cars, the greatest number to ever have appeared
at one meeting in New Zealand, with improved designs and construction, evident
of the inspiration given the locals by Brewers visit of the previous season,
made up the racing of the first meeting of the season.
Cars which had raced at Palmerston North were in evidence at
the second meeting together with 11 Erni Maber, 1 Des Beddingham, and 62 Ray
Mitchell; while later Danny Mayson produced a new one in 96. Cars seemed to be
appearing like bees from a hive with still more later. Des Herrick was back at
the wheel of 66 at the tenth meeting, while Roly Crowther controlled 65. Roger
Myers rolled his car over at this meeting but escaped injury. A new driver in
Stan Cotter appeared in 88 which had been built by J. Carter, originally
numbered 12, and little-raced. Spectators witnessed the final of the New Zealand
Junior Championship over six laps at the following meeting. Ray Mitchell pipped
Phil Zainey on the post after Zainey had been leading all the way for his motor
to unluckily cut out on him short of the finishing line. Keith Anderson was
third, the time being 2min. 18 2-5sec. During event one at the same meeting
Colin McKay took a spectacular spill when his car rolled over several times. He
got up and walked away with minor abrasions. A night of thrills continued when
Phil Zainey dashed his midget through the flaming wall, while unrehearsed, later
in the evening, Jack Cormack's car. lost a wheel which flew into the crowd
slightly injuring three of them.
Among the many drivers to reappear at the opening of this
season were lain Sutherland with his old No. 6 re-numbered 36 and Des Herrick
with a new car bearing' his original racing No, 66.
Roly Crowther was a noted absentee having blown the motor of
his car prior to the opening meeting. Lomand Harvie appeared with No. 12, Lon
Potter built up 83 with parts of John Bollard's 7, Frank Clark handled 72,
Stuart Armstrong built 28 and raced in Auckland before moving on to Palmerston
North, Stan Owens controlled 4, Ernie Maber had taken over 11, Beau Thornton
built 21, Keith Hutton came out with 33; Reece Discombe bought 35 from Snow
Ruffles, while at the second meeting Pat Stephanie reappeared with 16.
A bad smash involving Laurie Powell, Merv Sutherland and Stan
Owens, who turned over, caused considerable damage to the cars at the second
meeting of the season. Of the three, Merv Sutherland survived to face the
starter for the re-run only to get tangled again with Lon Potter. Jack Ryan
appeared at the third meeting with a new car No. 14 while at the following
meeting Colin McKay, an ex motor-cycle broadslider, appeared in 31 which he had
purchased from Ron Sutherland.
After an absence of seven years from New Zealand tracks,
Frank "Satan" Brewer appeared at the ninth meeting with a new 99, the old 99
being renumbered 7 and driven by brother Ivan. Incidentally these two cars were
wheeled out at this meeting bearing the numbers 3 and 9 respectively. Just prior
to leaving U.S.A. the older car had been involved in a crash and had been
repaired on the voyage to New Zealand. Frank had a most successful night showing
his not-forgotten crowd-thrilling driving. During the meeting Doug Kay drove his
new oar 89 and Bill Forder a number 5. Des Herrick and Fred Brennan had a
spectacular crash in which Fred's car turned upside down.
Further cars and drivers appeared at the thirteenth meeting
including Des Beddingham 1, Keith McMillan in a new car 20, Ian Holden driving
George Morgan's 18, Dave Lichtenstein handling 33, and Bill Massey with his
newly built 49. Frank Clark took the New Zealand Junior Championship at this
meeting from Lon Potter and Ian Townsend in 2min. 21 2-5sec. over six laps. Doug
Anderson, holder of the present New Zealand four and six-lap records, made his
first appearance at the sixteenth meeting in 77 which he secured from Snow
Morris. Ivan Brewer spent several months in hospital after suffering concussion
and possible fracture of the skull when involved in a serious but spectacular
smash at this meeting.
The following and concluding meeting of the season was held
in daylight with the main attraction being the New Zealand midget car
championship derby final over 12 laps. Frank Brewer who, in a few meetings, had
piled up the highest aggregate points far the season to collect all the major
trophies, was the eventual winner of this event from Des Herrick and Bill Forder
in 4min. 20 4-5sec. It was true that Brewer had far superior equipment but his
season's visit before returning to the U.S.A., gave the boys a lot of incentive
and knowledge which was evident by changes made to locally-made midgets in
subsequent years.
More will be added to this
story as details are gathered. TOP
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