Marine Gardens Track Championship 1939

Marine Gardens Track Championship	18 July 1939
1 2 3 4 5 T 1. Ted Bravery 0 2 1 2 2 7 2. Ernie Evans 3 2 1 3 3 12 3. Gruff Garland 1 2 1 2 1 7 4. Leo Lungo 2 0 1 1 1 5 5. Morian Hansen 1 0 2 0 0 3 6. Oliver Hart 2 3 2 3 3 13 7. Jack Hyland f 0 8. Jack Chapman 3 2 0 1 0 6 9. Bill Kitchen 3 3 3 2 3 14 10. Aub Lawson 1 1 3 3 2 10 11. Cordy Milne 2 3 3 3 3 14 12. Laurie Packer 0 3 3 1 2 9 13. Cliff Parkinson 3 1 2 0 ex 6 14. George Pepper 2 0 2 2 2 8 15. Jack Tidbury 0 0 0 0 1 1 16. Harry Whitfield 1 1 0 1 0 3 R1. Fred Belliveau 1 0 0 1 2 R2. Norrie Isbister dnr
Heat 1 Evans, Lungo, Garland, Bravery 1min 20 E/T/R Heat 2 Chapman, Hart, Hansen, Hyland (F) 1min 20.2 Heat 3 Kitchen, Milne, Lawson, Packer 1min 18.2 T/R Heat 4 Parkinson, Pepper, Whitfield, Tidbury 1min 20.8 Heat 5 Kitchen, Evans, Parkinson, Hansen 1min 18.4 Heat 6 Hart, Bravery, Lawson, Pepper 1min 20.4 Heat 7 Milne, Garland, Belliveau, Tidbury 1min 20.4 Heat 8 Packer, Chapman, Whitfield, Lungo 1min 19.8 Heat 9 Milne, Hart, Evans, Whitfield 1min 19.6 Heat 10 Packer, Hansen, Bravery, Tidbury 1min 22.6 Heat 11 Evans, Pepper, Packer, Belliveau 1min 20 Heat 12 Lawson, Parkinson, Lungo, Belliveau 1min 20.8 Heat 13 Kitchen, Pepper, Garland, Chapman 1min 20 Heat 14 Milne, Bravery, Chapman, Parkinson 1min 20.8 Heat 15 Lawson, Garland, Whitfield, Hansen 1min 21.8 Heat 16 Hart, Kitchen, Lungo, Tidbury 1min 22.4 Heat 17 Evans, Lawson, Tidbury, Chapman 1min 19.4 Heat 18 Kitchen, Bravery, Belliveau, Whitfield 1min 22.8 Heat 19 Hart, Packer, Garland, Parkinson (X) 1min 22.2 Heat 20 Milne, Pepper, Lungo, Hansen 1min 22.6 Final: Heat 21 Milne, Kitchen, Evans, Hart (EF) 1min 18.6
Under ideal weather conditions the largest crowd seen that season at the Marine Gardens was kept at a high pitch of excitement on 18 July by the magnificent riding of Cordy Milne, who won the Marine Gardens track championship. Milne’s riding was consistent throughout and along with Bill Kitchen he scored 14 points, only one short of the possible. The elimination process was by means of points, the four riders gaining the highest number over 20 heats qualifying for the final. The riders appearing were representative of practically every track in Britain, some of them being entrants for the World Speedway Championship. In heat one Evans equalled the track record and Lungo, the local rider, who was deputising for Greenwood, rode a magnificent race for second place, keeping out such men as Garland and Bravery. The first casualty of the evening was in the second race. Hyland and Chapman were fighting for the lead, with Hart a close third. On rounding the bottom bend Hyland attempted to pass Chapman and came down heavily. He was carried off and was reported to be suffering from concussion and was unable to ride for the rest of the meeting. Milne encountered his only defeat at the hands of Bill Kitchen, who set up a new track record, his time being 1 min 18 and one fifth secs. The original track record of 1 min 20 secs was broken no fewer than six times. Kitchen’s fast time put the crowd on their toes and when he again put up a fast time against Evans in heat five he immediately became first favourite for the trophy. In this race Evans gained the advantage of the lead and looked like holding it when, in a magnificent display of anticipation, Kitchen outwitted Evans to win comfortably. Hart, the popular Edinburgh rider won his second race and Milne did likewise. Packer showed a return to his old form when defeating Chapman and Whitfield easily in the good time of 1 min 19 and four fifth secs. Milne, by defeating Hart, took second place. In heat ten Packer again rose to the occasion by riding a thrilling race against Hansen. Packer lost a footrest in this race but despite this handicap he managed to hold his lead. The most thrilling event of the night culminated in the first defeat of Bill Kitchen by Oliver Hart. As usual Kitchen got well away, but Hart, by magnificent cornering, snatched the lead. Kitchen made a last minute spurt but the Edinburgh man had the advantage and won in the surpisingly slow time of 1 min 22 and two fifth secs. The last of the heats were run off without any outstanding incidents. Evans, Kitchen, Hart and Milne recording easy victories. An unfortunate incident occurred in heat 19 when Parkinson, over eager at the start, tore down the standing tapes and was disqualified under ACU ruling. The line up for the final read Milne, 14 points. Kitchen 14 points. Hart 13 points and Evans 12 points. Getting quickly away, Kitchen took the lead with the other riders bunched together behind him. He was not in front for long, however, as Milne, cutting through the field, slipped into the lead and stayed there until the end. The Edinburgh man was unfortunate enough to over slide but he suffered no serious injury.