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Sloppy Track for Motor Racing
A stopbank erected to keep out the sea gave way beneath exceptionally high tidal water and almost disrupted the Nelson Car Club's Easter motor racing on the Tahunanui circuit. Some events had to be cancelled and the start of the meeting was delayed two hours while members carried out frantic mopping-up operations. Their efforts were successful in that much of the surface water was removed, but cars and motor cycles had to compete on a very sloppy track. However, there were no major casualties. Neil Stuart, driving his Corvette-powered Stuart, won the South Island beach title for the fifth time in his five starts. His car was too powerful for all other competitors and after some early competition from N. G. Smith, P. S. Leversedge and Charlie Bensemann, he cruised home an easy winner.
Some idea of conditions can be gained from our top picture, taken as cars had a practice run over the slippery course.
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Radiators were quick to clog and boil-ups, as with R. H. Nicoll's Ford, were not infrequent.
A motor-cyclist casualty. Both the eyes of Don Brandon (Kaiapoi) were covered in dirt and had to be washed out.
Top motor-cyclist was Blenheim rider R. Udstrom.
A slight mix-up on the eastern bend.
Water, water, everywhere.
Eric Peterson gets on with the mopping up.