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The second installment of Captain Pete's Homer-like odyssey.
You know you can practise all you like but it's a different ball game race day. It's kind of serious!
All riders were given the opportunity to do a 'sighting' lap after the rider's meeting, which allows riders to see if the track has changed overnight! I couldn't see any difference. No dead roos!
Brooke was the first of us to race. Race 1, pre-'75 250, saw Brooke come a respectable 2nd. His YZ 250A was running a bit rich (must be the attitude Brooke) and could not catch a certain '74 KTM 250. Rick Speak tried his luck in the pre-'75 263 Over and finished about 6th. Not bad considering he overshot a corner and missed two gear changes! I tried my luck on my ever reliable Greeves in the pre-'75 263 Over and the AJS held its own in the pre-'70 all powers. Race 11 saw Nick Mansfield debut but pulled out early due to a persistant front tyre dislodging itself from its front rim.
One round of racing was nearly completed when lunch was called due to a nasty crash causing a rider to break a leg. Mid way through the second round the ambulances were again called twice! Once for a dislocated shoulder and the other for yet another broken leg! It seems that the ever increasing rough track was certainly catching some riders out. Even our red hot favourite for pre-'68, Brooke, crashed in the second round and finished last. He will need divine intervention to win a trophy tomorrow, but it's a funny game this here motocross.
Andrew Irving was happy with his efforts in the pre-'75 250 finishing mid pack on both occasions. With an incredibly fast pit crew of Pete Lawson and others, Nick Mansfield managed to resurrect his BSA B44 in time to not only make a full comeback, but finish in 5th position. Graham Tayler and his bike parted company in race 1 but in race 2 finished mid pack. Ron Tyers managed to finish both races which is a credit considering he was carrying a rotten cold. Brian 'Watty' Watson was his usual silky smooth and finished well up in front in all races. Yet another great day.
As I said earlier, the track was really getting chopping and I don't recall seeing so many crashes in one day! Tonight is the big dinner up at the club rooms with no doubt many a story of how fast blokes were when they were a lot younger! I saw this sticker on the back of an Elsinore - "the older I get, the faster I used to go when I was younger". Captain Pete signing off for Day 2. Final day tomorrow will see the West Aussie contingent perform equally as well. |
