Kiwis in the Overseas Final - 1992
By Tracy Holmes

Gary Allan wins the NZ Final but does not get to ride in the Commonwealth Final where Mitch Shirra and Mark Thorpe line up. And what a day in the rain! The only Second Division rider in the field, Thorpe, our Newcastle Diamond finishes second! Mitch also safely qualifies and so we have two Kiwis in the Overseas Final.

The stage was Coventry on June 14 with 9 to qualify for the World Championship Semi-Finals in August. British Champion Gary Havelock thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon, winning the meeting with Mitch in second. For Thorpe however, it was the end of his brave shale trail.

Heat 1. Havelock, Smith, THORPE. Miller ef

3. Lyons, SHIRRA, Ermolenko, P Thorp.

6. Dugard, SHIRRA, Smith, Wigg.

8. Lyons, Correy, Faria, THORPE.

12. SHIRRA, Hamill, THORPE, Tatum.

15. SHIRRA, Correy, Parker, Miller.

16. Cox, P Thorp, Wigg, THORPE.

17. Havelock, SHIRRA, Cox, Faria.

20. Ermolenko, Parker, THORPE, Dugard.

Gary Havelock 13. MITCH SHIRRA 12. Kelvin Tatum 11. Sam Ermolenko 10. Andy Smith 10. Martin Dugard 9. Jason Lyons 9. Rick Miller 8. Ronnie Correy 8. All qualify.

Marvyn Cox 7. Shane Parker 7. Mike Faria 5. Billy Hamill 4. Paul Thorp 3. MARK THORPE 3. Simon Wigg 1.

Reserve Bobby Ott 0. Mark Loram dnr.

And again, Mitch safely qualifies from the World Semis to make his 7th World Final appearance. This would however, prove to be his last. But 7 World Finals! Compare this to Larry Ross who made it twice. And one of those was as reserve where he did not ride. Who would ever have thought?

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This article was first published on 3rd March 2018