Kody Tocher won the Remembrance Solo Trophy from the veteran rider, Craig Blackett. On a difficult surface, both riders won a heat each before Tocher took out the final when Blackett broke a spark plug in the hard riding conditions.
Third home was the Greymouth rider Cory Lang. Lang. Lang on a dispensated licence this year was joined by Ryan Moss who has just received his dispensation to ride senior. These two were left riding for the third place overall.
Junior solos saw the new MNZ Junior Champion Knowles fight it out with the former champ, Konner McCluskey – Young. Both boys found the surface difficult but put on a good show taking a win each before Knowles took out the final.
Both have considerable talent and need a better surface to ride to their potential. Third home was Josh O’Dockerty who had his own little battle with Shilo Tocher. It has been difficult this year to attract out of town riders because of the race surface condition.
It has been a lean time for the bikes this year at Ruapuna with them only running at three meetings. The Christchurch Speedway Association under new promoters Speedworx took out the infield bike track and a new multi class clay surface was laid. This was done despite pleas from the solo rep Lionel Green, with supporting letters from the speedway greats Ivan Mauger, Ronnie Moore and long time former rider, supporter and rider’s rep Rick Lang.
Their request for the small bike track to remain until the new surface was proven was overlooked. This resulted in a track surface that was totally unsatisfactory for the bikes. It was however found to bring praise from visiting midget and sprint car drivers. The bike riders were asked to bear with the promotion while they “worked in” the new surface with a promise made to reinstate the bike track if things did not work out.
The Canterbury Speedway Riders Club has been bought out of recess and is taking up the challenge. Representatives have had several meetings with Speedworx about the problem. Discussions have been very amicable by both parties and are continuing, but at this stage no solution to the problem has been reached at this stage.
