MOTOR CYCLE RACING
MOTOR CYCLE RACING
Each year about 30 different national titles are competed for in meetings run under the auspices of the New Zealand Auto Cycle Union, which controls the motor cycling sport in New Zealand. Some 3,000 motor cyclists are members of the 38 clubs affiliated to the New Zealand Auto Cycle Union. The Union grades riders and issues three classes of licences for competitions: a motor cycle trials licence; a licence – other than speed – for more experienced riders; and a full road-racing licence, which is a pre-requisite for participation in the Tourist Trophy events.
National Championships
The national motor cycling championship events include Tourist Trophy and Grand Prix races, sidecar events, trials, scrambles, and hill climbs. Road races and “round the houses” events are run, and motor cycle circuit races are held at the principal motor racing meetings. The Road Racing Championship and Sidecar Championship titles are awarded on the basis of points won at selected events throughout the whole season.
International Competition
For some years New Zealand riders have been prominent in competitions overseas. R. W. Coleman established a number of world speed records on grass tracks, won the Isle of Man 350 c.c. Tourist Trophy in 1954, and gained third place in the World Championship Grand Prix road races on two occasions. Another New Zealander, H. Anderson, won the 50 c.c. and 125 c.c. World Championship titles in 1963. For a short time in 1955 New Zealanders held the major world speed records for the solo and sidecar events. R. Burns won the sidecar record at 163 m.p.h. in a Vincent Rapide V-Twin while R. Wright held the solo record at 185 m.p.h. in a streamlined “Black Lightning” 1,000 c.c. Vincent V-Twin. These performances were all the more meritorious because they were achieved by private owners and not by official works riders.
| New Zealand National Motor Cycle Speed Records (as at April 1964) | |||
| 125 c.c. Flying Half-mile Beach Record | |||
| A. Bishop | Auckland | 22 Aug 1953 | 61 m.p.h. |
| Open Flying Kilometre Sidecar Record | |||
| R. Burns | Christchurch | 11 Dec 1954 | 154 m.p.h. |
| 125 c.c. Flying Half-mile Road Record | |||
| K. Gillard | Christchurch | 19 Nov 1955 | 69·4 m.p.h. |
| 250 c.c. Flying Half-mile Road Record | |||
| P. Phillips | Christchurch | 19 Nov 1955 | 114·8 m.p.h. |
| Open Sidecar Flying Half-mile Road Record | |||
| R. Burns | Christchurch | 18 Sep 1954 | 141·1 m.p.h. |
| 350 c.c. Flying Half-mile Beach Record | |||
| R. McKay | Ohope Beach | 28 Sep 1958 | 107 m.p.h. |
| Open Flying Half-mile Road Record | |||
| R. Burns | Christchurch | 7 Dec 1957 | 164·5 m.p.h. |
| 200 c.c. Flying Half-mile Road Record | |||
| G. Low | Christchurch | 7 Dec 1957 | 91·2 m.p.h. |
| 350 c.c. Flying Half-mile Road Record | |||
| B. Benke | Christchurch | 26 Sep 1959 | 129·4 m.p.h. |
| 500 c.c. Flying Half-mile Road Record | |||
| B. Benke | Christchurch | 26 Sep 1959 | 144·4 m.p.h. |
| Open Flying Kilometre Road Record | |||
| B. Benke | Christchurch | 26 Sep 1959 | 136·6 m.p.h. |
| 500 c.c. Flying Half-mile Beach Record | |||
| M. E. Low | Ohope Beach | 12 May 1956 | 120 m.p.h. |
| 200 c.c. Flying Half-mile Beach Record | |||
| L. E. R. McKay | Ohope Beach | 12 May 1956 | 72·5 m.p.h. |
| 750 c.c. Flying Half-mile Road Record | |||
| H. J. Munro | Christchurch | 13 Apr 1957 | 143·6 m.p.h. |
| Open Flying Half-mile Road Record | |||
| H. J. Munro | Invercargill | 9 Feb 1957 | 131·4 m.p.h. |
| 250 c.c. Flying Half-mile Beach Record | |||
| F. Cardon | Auckland | 10 Nov 1956 | 87·8 m.p.h. |
| Flying Half-mile 750 c.c. Slide Valve Beach Record | |||
| A. Groves | Oreti Beach | 20 Feb 1960 | 95·1 m.p.h. |
| 750 c.c. Flying Half-mile Beach Record | |||
| H. J. Munro | Oreti Beach | 16 Dec 1961 | 129·8 m.p.h. |
| Standing Quarter-mile – 250 c.c. | |||
| O. Frew | Timaru | 26 Mar 1961 | 17·5 sec. |
| Standing Quarter-mile – 500 c.c. | |||
| W. Veitch | Timaru | 26 Mar 1961 | 14·8 sec. |
| Standing Quarter-mile – Open | |||
| H. J. Munro | Invercargill | 25 Mar 1962 | 12·3 sec. |
Speedway Motor Racing
There are five speedway tracks in New Zealand, at Auckland, Kihikihi, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, and Christchurch. National Championships for motor cycles, midget cars, and three-quarter midget cars are contested annually.
Two New Zealand riders have distinguished themselves overseas: R. Moore won the World Speedway Championship in 1954 and 1959, and B. Briggs won the same title in 1957 and 1958.
by John Stuart McBean, M.A., Journalist, Tourist and Publicity Department, Wellington.