Scottish Auto-Cycle Union, Scottish Speedway Championship 1938

Scottish Auto-Cycle Union, Scottish Speedway Championship 25 June 1938
Marine Gardens
Riders 1 2 3 4 T
1. Arthur Atkinson 3 3 3 2 11
2. Phil Bishop 1 2 3 2 8
3. Alan Butler 1 2 2 0 5
4. Eric Chitty 2 3 1 3 9
5. Tommy Croombs 3 2 3 3 11
6. Jimmy Gibb dnr
7. Morian Hansen dnr
8. Steve Langton 2 1 0 0 3
9.. Bob Lovell 0 2 2 1 5
10. Cordy Milne dnr
11. Drew McQueen 0 0 f n 0
12. Tommy Price 1 1 1 1 4
13. Charlie Spinks 2 0 2 2 6
14. Tiger Stevenson 2 3 2 3 10
15. Colin Watson 3 3 n 1 7
66. Bluey Wilkinson 3 1 3 3 10
R1. Dick Geary 0 1 1 2 4
Heat 1 Atkinson, Stevenson, Butler, Lovell 1min 20.8 (TR)
Heat 2 Croombs, Chitty, Bishop, McQueen 1min 21.4
Heat 3 Wilkinson, Spinks, Milne (N), Gibb (N) 1 min 23.8
Heat 4 Watson, Langton, Price, Geary 1 min 21.6
Heat 5 Stevenson, Croombs, Wilkinson, Milne (N) 1min 23.8
Heat 6 Atkinson, Bishop, Langton, Gibb (N) 1min 25.2
Heat 7 Chitty, Butler, Geary, Spinks 1min 23.2
Heat 8 Watson, Lovell, Price, McQueen 1min 22.4
Heat 9 Wilkinson, Stevenson, Chitty, Langton 1min 22.4
Heat10 Bishop, Lovell, Geary, Milne (N) 1min 22
Heat11 Croombs, Butler, Price, Gibb (N) 1min 24.2
Heat12 Atkinson, Spinks, Watson (NF), McQueen (F) 1min 21.8
Heat13 Chitty, Atkinson, Price, Milne (N) 1min 24.6
Heat14 Wilkinson, Bishop, Watson, Butler 1min 23.4
Heat15 Stevenson, Geary, McQueen (N), Gibb (N) 1min 29.8
Heat16 Croombs, Spinks, Lovell, Langton 1min 23.8

Top Four Final
Heat17 Wilkinson, Croombs, Stevenson, Atkinson 1min 20.6 (TR)
Midget Cars
Walter MacKereth, Les White, Stan Mills, Spike Rhiando 1min 22.4
Latecomers Extra Race
Cordy Milne, Morian Hansen, Jimmy Gibb 1min 26
A crowd of about 17,000 were brought to their feet with excitement on 25 June in the final of the Scottish Speedway Championship at the Marine Gardens Speedway, by the daring riding of Bluey Wilkinson, of the West Ham track london, who won the championship and the Scottish Gold Gauntlet outright in the record time of 1 min 20 and three fifth secs, the fastest time ever put up on this track.

Wilkinson, Arthur Atkinson, Tommy Croombs and Tiger Stevenson rode brilliantly in the final. Gaining a narrow lead at the first bend, Wilkinson kept ahead until the finish. The Gold Gauntlet was handed over by Wilkinson’s mother, who is at present on holiday in this country.

The eliminating process was by means of points. 3 points for a win, two for a second and one for a third, each competitor taking part in four races on the league system, in which they met all the other riders in turn. The four men with the most points then met in the final for the major prizes.

In the first race Arthur Atkinson gave the crowd a great display of racing when lowering the track record by two and two fifth seconds to 1 min 20 and four fifth secs.

T. Croombs next served up the thrills in heat two when he just gained the lead over Eric Chitty, the Canadian champion, almost on the finishing line.

Drew McQueen, the only Scottish entrant, crashed and suffered severe bruising and he was unable to take part in any further races.

During the meeting the track record was broken no fewer than eight times.

Other riders who took part were Phil Bishop, Colin Watson, Charlie Spinks, Alan Butler, Bob Lovell, Tommy Price, Dick Geary and Steve Langton.

Owing to some delay in travelling Jimmy Gibb (Canada), Morian Hansen (Denmark) and Cordy Milne (America) were unable to take part in any of the championship heats but when they arrived half way through the meeting, they staged a match race. Milne and Hansen raced neck and neck for the four laps, cornering together in brilliant style. Milne crossed the finishing line only inches ahead of Hansen.

A midget car race was also staged in which four cars took part. The drivers were Walter Mackereth (Capt. of Coventry Car Speedway), Les White (Coventry), Spike Rhiando (America and Capt. of Lee Bridge Car Speedway) and Stan Mills. Mackereth took an early lead and continued in front for the four laps to finish in 1 min. 22 and two fifth secs, faster time than many of the cycles put up. This time also beat the four laps clutch start record.