Edinburgh vs Newcastle 13/08/1938

Edinburgh 31 13 August 1938
Newcastle 23 Challenge
Edinburgh 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 T B
1. Oliver Hart 3 3 3 9
2. Jack Gorst 1 2' 1 4 1
3. Alan Butler ef 3 3 6
4. Bill Nisbet 2 1 ef 3
5. Harold Jackson 3 3 3 9
6. Leo Lungo 0 0 r 0
.
Newcastle
1. Kid Curtis 2 2 2 6
2. Maurice Stobbart 0 1' 1' 2 2
3. Rol Stobbart 1 1 1' 3 1
4. Bob Sparks 3 0 2 5
5. Reg Hay 2 2 2 6
6. Elwood Stilwell 1' 0 0 1 1
Heat 1 Hart, Curtis, Gorst, M Stobbart (F/Rem) 1min 24
Heat 2 Sparks, Nisbet, R Stobbart, Butler (E) 1min 25.6
Heat 3 Jackson, Hay, Stilwell, Lungo 1min 23.6
Heat 4 Hart, Gorst, R Stobbart, Sparks 1min 25.2
Heat 5 Butler, Hay, Nisbet, Stilwell 1min 23.6
Heat 6 Jackson, Curtis, M Stobbart, Lungo 1min 24.4
Heat 7 Hart, Hay, Gorst, Stilwell 1min 24
Heat 8 Butler, Curtis, M Stobbart, Nisbet (E) 1min 23.8
Heat 9 Jackson, Sparks, R Stobbart, Lungo (Ret) 1min 24

Match Races
Jack Milne Bt Goldie Restall (NF) 1min 25
Goldie Restall Bt Jack Milne 1min 23.2
Jack Milne Bt Goldie Restall 1min 22.6

Reserves Race
Dick Dennie, Clune Johnstone, Bill Little (F) 1min 28.0

Scottish Silver Gauntlet
Heat 1 Oliver Hart, Reg Hay, Elwood Stilwell, Leo Lungo 1min 24
Heat 2 Harold Jackson, Kid Curtis, Maurice Stobbart, Jack Gorst 1min 24.6
Heat 3 Goldie Restall, Bob Sparks, Rol Stobbart, Clune Johnstone 1min 25.8
Heat 4 Jack Milne, Bill Nisbet, Dick Dennie, Alan Butler (F) 1min 20.2
FINAL: Jack Milne, Oliver Hart, Harold Jackson, Goldie Restall 1min 21.4
Edinburgh scored a decisive victory over Newcastle on 13 August when they defeated a visitors by 31 points to 23 at the Marine Gardens Speedway. A large crowd witnessed some very fast racing and the times returned were fast.

The main attraction of the day was the appearance of Jack Milne, the world champion speedway rider in a best of three series of match races. Stan Greatrex, who was to have been Milne’s opponent, was unfortunately unable to appear owing to injuries sustained while racing the day before. A well known Canadian rider, Goldie Restall, deputised for Greatrex.

The team races were very keen and the first heat saw the two captains, Oliver Hart (Edinburgh) and Kid Curtis (Newcastle) riding in opposition. Hart rode a magnificent race to win easily, Curtis just beating Jack Gorst for second place. Hart continued his fine riding in heat seven, which he won in fine style and then he completed a hat trick by winning again in heat ten. Another Edinburgh rider who excelled himself was Harold Jackson, who also completed a hat trick.

The match races between Milne and Restall were quite interesting although the first was disappointing as Restall’s machine failed in the third lap, leaving Milne to finish alone. Heat two was more exciting, Restall holding on to Milne all the way to win by a very narrow margin. The Champion’s perfect sense of anticipation and masterly handling was shown in the last heat when he drew away from his opponent to win easily thus defeating Restall by two races to one.

The opening heats of the Scottish Silver Gauntlet race saw Hart, Jackson and Restall qualifying easily for the final but it was not until Milne came out in the fourth heat that the crowd saw thrills. With Alan Butler close on his heels, Milne forced the pace. Suddenly Butler over slid and came down on the stand bend and Dick Dennie, who was close behind, collided with Butler’s machine and was catapulted into the air. Milne by this time was well clear and he went on to win in the very fast time of 1 min 20 and one fifth secs, which beat the existing track record by two fifths of a second.

A fine display of riding was given in the final by Hart who at one time actually led Milne, but the champion soon drew ahead to win the Gauntlet.