The BLRC 1969
By Tracy Holmes

October 18 is the date for Belle Vue and sadly, Coventry's Nigel Boocock was unable to ride due to injury. So to the action and as Wally Loak would say, "Well good evening ladies and gentlemen and once again, it's ahh FRANK MACLEAN behind the type-writer for Speedway Star theeere!"

'Ivan Mauger and Barry Briggs were unbeaten after three rides, as expected, and the big clash was awaited when the pair came out for heat 19. But the formality of the fourth rides did not appear to raise any difficulties for either. Certainly, few of the 20,000 crowd saw any reason for either rider to be beaten before that climax of all climaxes at Heat 19. Mauger raced away to be a good ten yards in front of Martin Ashby in Heat 15 and with just one lap to go the race seemed over. Then suddenly and dramatically , the World Champion's motor cut and amid the cheers and groans of the crowd, he rolled to a stop as the surprised but grateful Ashby headed for the line.

Nothing of the bite was missing when Briggs and Mauger clashed in Heat 19, for Briggs needed the points to become top man and Mauger badly needed another 3 points to earn a run-off with Jim Airey for second place. This race was a classic with Briggs rounding the field on the second bend and Mauger coming up to drive inside the Swindon rider on the second lap. Briggs came back at the start of the last lap and although he closed in two attempts to overtake the World Champion, it was still Mauger in front at the end.'

Yet another night of magic at the Big Top and as Mauger took a dive, it was Briggo's High Five!

Heat 1. MAUGER, Clarke, Eide, Betts.
Heat 2. BRIGGS, McMillan, Airey, Wilson.
Heat 3. Levai, Hedge, Gooddy, Bond. Olsen ex/tapes
Heat 4. E Boocock, Trigg, Ashby, Smith.
Heat 5. Wilson, Trigg, Hedge, Betts.
Heat 6. BRIGGS, E Boocock, Eide, Levai.
Heat 7. MAUGER, Airey, Smith. Olsen ef
Heat 8. Ashby, Clarke, McMillan, Gooddy.
Heat 9. BRIGGS, Ashby, Betts. Olsen ef
Heat 10. Wilson, Eide, Gooddy, Smith.
Heat 11. MAUGER, Hedge, E Boocock, McMillan.
Heat 12. Airey, Trigg, Levai, Clarke.
Heat 13. Airey, E Boocock, Betts, Gooddy.
Heat 14. Olsen, Trigg, Eide, McMillan.
Heat 15. Ashby, Wilson, Levai. MAUGER ef
Heat 16. BRIGGS, Hedge, Clarke, Smith.
Heat 17. Betts, Levai, Smith, McMillan.
Heat 18. Airey, Ashby, Hedge, Eide.
Heat 19. MAUGER, BRIGGS, Trigg. Gooddy nf
Heat 20. Olsen, E Boocock, Clarke. Wilson fall
Run-off for 2nd place. MAUGER, Airey.

BARRY BRIGGS Swindon 14. IVAN MAUGER Belle Vue 12. Jim Airey Sheffield 12. Martin Ashby Exeter 11. Eric Boocock Halifax 10. Roy Trigg Cradley Heath 9. Ray Wilson Leicester 8. Trevor Hedge Wimbledon 8. Sandor Levai Newport 7. Ole Olsen Newcastle 6. Tony Clarke West Ham 6. Terry Betts Kings Lynn 5. Reider Eide Coatbridge 5. Jim McMillan Glasgow 3. Colin Gooddy Oxford 2. Pete Smith Poole 2. Res James Bond Wolverhampton 0. Res Colin Pratt Hackney dnr. Res Col Cottrell Coventry dnr. Nigel Boocock Coventry q inj ns.

This article was first published on 19th July 2020

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