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The Border Watch : October 31st 2013
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36 MOTOR SPORT VISIT US ONLINE borderwatch.com.au Plenty of action for rest of year FOX LAURIE WHILE this weekend’s only local motorcycle activity will be the Mount Gambier Motor Cycle and Light Car Club’s road race practice and ride day at McNamara Park on Saturday, there is still plenty of action in store for the rest of this year including further practice days on November 30 and December 14. SEASON SUCCESS: Finishing second in the Western Region 85-150f C grade, Mount Gambier’s Harley Orpin receives his awards from Horsham offi cial Ken Wells. The Mount Gambier Junior Motor Cycle Club to not only hold its annual Millicent Show stadium cross tomorrow week and its Trophy Day motocross at McNamara Park on the next day, while the same weekend will also bring the strongly supported Legend of the Lakes hill climb for the South Eastern Automobile Club and on the Sunday the fi nal round of the Mount Gambier Karting Club’s championship series. While not a local event, it is also likely that several Mount Gambier road race competitors will travel to Mallala for Round 2 of this year’s South Australian championships on the same weekend. FIRED UP: Mount Gambier’s Bruce Fox rode his 1926 Norton sidecar for third at a Chute scramble in 1947. The Mount Gambier Junior Motor Cycle Club has its final 2013 motocross at McNamara Park set for November 17 followed by the motorcycle history power point show at the Hallmont Community Centre on the evening of Saturday, November 23 with the South Eastern Auto Club’s fi nal khanacross for the year at the showgrounds the next day together with a Portland club motocross at Heywood. Following Christmas, the annual SA Historic Road Race Titles will bring Mac Park to life again on December 28 and 29 with a big entry including sidecars. Success for Orpin HAMILTON HISTORY: Mount Gambier’s Bruce Fox (left) and Ted Talbot (centre) line up with Edenhope’s Kevin Burchell for a 350cc race at Hamilton’s Chute track in 1947. Pork Mignonettes & Plum Sauce $15 Rump Steak $15 Battered Garfi sh $15 $ Chicken Camembert Bake Lamb Shanks $18 Melbourne Cup Day Nov 5th $60 Includes 2 Course Luncheon & Drinks 12 Melbourne Cup Day Nov 5th $60 2 4PM Bk ludes 2 Course Luncheon & Drinks 12-4PM. Book your seat today tt d 78 Commercial Street East, Mount Gambier. Ph 8725 2404 36 - The Border Watch, Thursday, October 31, 2013 Thursday ONE of the few Limestone Coast junior riders to contest this year’s Victorian Western Region motocross series which concluded with last weekend’s round at Warrnambool, Mount Gambier’s Harley Orpin was successful in fi nishing the series second overall in the small wheel 85-150f C Grade class. With strong support from the many clubs in the widespread region, competitors were required to travel to a large number of centres in order to take part in all the rounds and, in addition to his trophy for the second place, Orpin was surprised and delighted to also receive a special award in the form of a plaque embracing three photographs of himself in action for being the rider judged as travelling the most distance to support as many of the 2013 series rounds as possible. As the Mount Gambier Junior Motor Cycle Club has been unable to regain membership of the Western Region despite applications, locals have had to join one of the Victorian clubs for the series and Orpin has been riding as a member of the Portand Junior Motorcycle Club. Cancelled motocross THANKS to recent heavy rain in the area, the Portland Junior Motorcycle Club’s motocross which was to have been held at Heywood last Sunday had to be cancelled with several parts of the track under water. At this stage it is not known whether the event might be rescheduled although the Portland junior club’s next motocross at Heywood, its fi nal for the year, is set down for November 24. Early post WW2 scrambles (Part 1) WHILE articles on scramble tracks at Buck’s Hill and McNamara Park prior to the introduction of the fi rst Mini Bike Club events in 1972 have been included in these pages in recent years, little mention has been made of the many other courses that provided members of the Mount Gambier Motor Cycle and Light Car Club with regular competition between 1946 and the 1970s, particularly those in various parts of the Victorian Western Centre. In an arrangement between the South Australian and Victorian controlling bodies which sadly no longer exists, the Mount Gambier club, while retaining its affi liation with SA, was also accepted as a full member of the Western Centre and played an important part in keeping motorcycle sport strong in the area for many years With many Victorian towns and cities keen to promote regular Western Centre scrambles and an occasional open event, strong clubs soon appeared after the end of World War Two and regular meetings were held at places including Ararat, Ballarat (with two clubs), Casterton, Coleraine, Colac, Geelong, Hamilton, Mortlake, Stawell and Warrnambool although, somewhat surprisingly, there was no early club at Portland where dirt bike racing only became a part of the scene with the introduction of junior motocross in the 1980s. Another club which is prominent today, Horsham played little part in Western Centre racing, tending to tie in with Victoria’s Northern Centre programs. In an effort to turn the clock back for those who may be interested, it is my plan from time to time to include details of some of the various locations where popular early post war scrambles and a few other odd events were held, particularly those in the Western Centre of Victoria.. One of Mount Gambier’s fi rst contacts with anyone from a Western Centre club came when a small number of locals rode their bikes to Edenhope for a sports day on an oval near the town under the guidance of offi cials from the Hamilton and District Motorcycle club. While at the time not aware of the requirements of taking part in a Victorian club’s event, the Mount Gambier riders were given the necessary information by the late Ken Riley from Hamilton who also generously allowed the South Australians to take part in that day’s various events, some of the Mount Gambier newcomers being quite successful despite lack of experience. Impressed by the visitors, Riley was delighted to hear of the track being set up at Buck’s Hill and soon became one of its regular supporters, successfully taking part in almost every meeting and winning the 1951 SA sidecar championship there. It followed that competing at the Hamilton scramble track was the fi rst away from home racing for most Mount Gambier competitors and the club’s increasing numbers supported Hamilton’s meetings for many years. Situated at Chute, a property owned by the Ellis family a short distance from Hamilton on the road to Portland, the track was similar to many used at that time, about three quarters of a mile to the lap and, on virtually fl at ground with no jumps, much like layouts used for modern day grass tracks. The start of the clockwise circuit led to a fast sweeping curve to the right culminating in a much tighter corner followed by a short straight which ended with a tight left hand corner after which another short straight turned right into a fast s-bend, then re-entering the main straight where the start and fi nish line was at half distance. Much more simple than today’s busy many event programs, there were usually only seven races for the day with events spaced around 30 minutes apart. Scratch and handicap races for 250cc machines ran over four laps while the events for 350cc and allpowers solos and for the scratch and handicap sidecars had fi ve laps. Spectators were confined to watch from behind a fence on the left side of the main straight but, being as mentioned a fl at layout, it was possible to virtually see the action for the full lap while, just as today, good catering was available in the spectator area. The pit area was inside the track with spectators barred from entry. Unless wet from rain, the surface was fast and grippy and races were more than often keenly contested with riders from several clubs taking part in much enjoyed well run meetings. A much different Western Centre track will be described in part two when space is available. Coming events Saturday: Road race practice and ride day at McNamara Park. November 8: Millicent Show day-night stadium cross. November 8-10: Legend of the Lakes Hill Climb. November 9: Motocross Trophy Day at McNamara Park November 9-10: Round two of SA Road Racing Championships at Mallala. November 10: Mount Gambier Karting Club, Round 9 of club series. November 17: Mount Gambier Junior Motor Cycle Club motocross and AGM at McNamara Park (To be confi rmed) November 23: Motorcycle History power point show at Hallmont Community Centre. November 24: South Eastern Auto Club, khanacross at Mount Gambier showgrounds; Portland Junior Motorcycle Club, motocross at Heywood. November 30: Road race practice and ride day at McNamara Park 626917
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