World Speedway Final
WORLD SPEEDWAY FINAL
Reigning Champion Ivan Mauger Staves Off His Opposition Before 75,000 Fans.
B.R. NICHOLLS
MARVELOUS, not a ring-ding to be seen," remarked one irreverent fan as 18 lusty 500-cc single-cylinder four-strokes warmed up in the pit confine at Wembley stadium prior to the start of the 1969 World Speedway Championship Final.
Two of the 18 were reserves for a 16-man contest—this the greatest night in the cinder shifting year. Seventy-five thousand excited fans were packed into the famous stadium to cheer their favorites. All rode Czech Eso machines except New Zealander Ronnie Moore, who relied on the J.A.P. powerhouse that has at last been ousted from a position of virtual monopoly in speedway. But Moore was riding with an injured foot so could garner no more than 6 points from his five rides, a far cry from his wins in 1954 and 1959.
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Each heat consists of four riders who score, in winning order, 3-2-1-0. At the end of the 20 heats each rider has ridden against all the others, so, if undefeated, the winner would have 15 points. Poland contributed five competitors. Sweden four, New Zealand three, England two, and Scotland and Russia entered one each.
The Russian Vladimir Klementiev had a hectic night but was a favorite with the crowd. First time out he was last, then won his next heat, fell in his third and was excluded, fell again fourth time out and ended up with a 3rd place in his last ride not the stuff champions are made of.
Reigning champion Ivan Mauger of New Zealand made no mistake in retaining his title with faultless riding, with the exception of his last heat, where he was up against his Belle Vue teammate, Soren Sjosten of Sweden. At this stage Mauger (pronounced major) was already assured of the title, so was content to finish 2nd to Sjosten who thus gained a runoff for 2nd place with Barry Briggs instead of for 3rd with Nigel Boocock and Hasse Holmqvist.
Briggs is known to American enthusiasts, and a legacy of his trip there are light blue and white leathers and a Bell Magnum helmet. He has been champion on four occasions and, since first riding a final in 1954, has never been out of the top six.
This time he won his first heat but then finished 2nd to the Russian and dropped another point to Mauger in his third outing. This heat was disastrous for Swede Torbjorn Harrysson, who tangled with Polish Edward Jancarz and broke his right leg. Briggs’ fourth outing gained him a solitary point and it looked all over for him. But he bounced right back to win in his last ride.
This led to the runoff with Sjosten, who lost his chance of being runner-up when he fell in his second race and failed to score. He was then beaten into 2nd in his next heat by Nigel Boocock, who finished joint 4th with Hasse Holmqvist of Sweden.
Briggs made no mistake in the runoff, gating perfectly and not giving an inch a fact proved by his time of 70.2 seconds for the four laps.
Perhaps the saddest part of the evening was the poor form of Sweden’s Ove Fundin, who won only one heat, was 2nd three times and failed to score last time out. Not even Briggs can equal his past performance in the championship. Ove first won the title in 1956, was runner-up for the next three years, won again in I960 and 1961, was 3rd in 1962, won again in 1963, took a 3rd in 1964 and 1965 and again won 1st in 1967. So, in a 10-year period, Fundin was never out of the first three. Will such a record ever be equaled?
Nerves of steel are called for in the Wembley atmosphere. The almost enclosed stadium echos back the roar of engines and the even greater roar of 75.000 fans yelling for their man. The 378-yard track consists of slick-surfaced cinder, with a ground basalt rock surface raked and graded between each heat. At the end of the evening, the winner collects $2400.
With the upsurge of the sport in the States, it won’t be long before there are Yanks again at Wembley. Yes, again. Back in 1937, Jack Milne, Wilbur Lamoreaux and Cordy Milne made a 1-2-3 sweep for the USA, a record equaled
only twice since.
