Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125496
33 FOR A 100 Skip Van Leeuwea have Dever WOD a DatioDal TT cbampioDship. After last SDDday, be doesn't have to. The Dutchman who DOW calls Hollywood home, took back to glitter-land a total of $1650.00 from the record smasbiDg $'1,000 Ascot TT purse. As DSllal, the 100 lap wiD did Dot come easy to the rider who has finished iD tbe top tbreeplaces at this anDtla! event more thaD any other raceL A spill OD the seveath lap dropped Skip outside the first teD posi· tioas for close to tweDty laps. Another spill, this time by Dick Hamaer, mp.cbaDical troubles for Dallas Baker and a Oat tire for Dan Haaby, shot Skip into the lead for the first time OD the 35tb lap. His margiD over Hammer at tbe finish was aD impressive 16 secoDds. Van LeeuweD DOW joins Dick DorresteyD as ODe of the oDly two riders iD seveD years to wiD the race more than once. Skip also wou back iD 1963. ET TU BRUTE? A record entry of 118 expert and amateurs time trialed for the 33 starting positions with Dorresteyn grabbing fast time in qualifying. Oniy two amateurs, Larry Wilburn and Jim Odom. carried the yellow plates to the starting line. Haaby Gets The Hole-Shot The front row. the three fastest qualifiers. Dorresteyn. Eddie Mulder and Dan Haaby. two Triumphs and a BSA, started fast with Haaby going to tbe front and Mulder right on his rear wheel. Rich Thorwaldson was the first to lead the crash parade as he fell off, not once, but twice, on the first lap. Mulder chased Haaby until lap eigbt when Hammer moved into secood place. Lap seven found Van Leeuwen and Dorresteyn both falling off on the turn after the jump due to oil on the track. Skip was back UP in record time but D.O. took overalap to get his machine righted and st8.1 ted. Hammer zoomed into the lead on lap eleven and looked like he was on his way to his first century win. It was not to be. as he too unload ed on lap 30 with Dallas Baker then moving into the front spot. PUt Goes Dan's Lead! Twc. laps later Baker raised his hand and pulled into the pits with mechanical trou bles and Haaby was again in the lead for the second time. It was short lived. however as Dan then came UP with a flat rear tire. Coming up like a shot and perhaps clocking the fastest laps of tbe day was Van Leeuwen who was right there to take over with Haaby in the pits for a tire change. Mulder was again back in second. Lap 42 and Jack Simmons (Norton) moved to second with Dusty Coppage and Hammer also passing Mulder. Hammer moved Ull to take over second from Simmons on the 48th round with Simmons and Coppage then to stage a duel the rest of the way like a two rider trophy dash. Coppage finally moved into third over Simmons on lap sixty but Jack clung to Dusty's rear wheel and was never more than one Or two len gths back. Mulder waited until the late laps to finally move into 4th place. He passed Simmons on the 94th round to wrap up fourth. It was the same lap that he took the lead in '66 to go on for the win. Bailey vs. 'RolDero Bob Bailey and Gene Romero had their own private race for most of the way with Bailey in front of the Tiger until the 89th lap. Romero then squirted by and set sail on Simmons and Mulder. He missed by two feet at the finish line from passing Simmons for 5th place money. seven riders were all on the 100th lap at the finish for another record of sorts for this event. It was also the largest crowd in seven years for the 100 lapper that payed more mon.ey to Hammer for second place tben Mulder made for the win last year. In the 15 lap semi main event for riders that timed 31 st through 45th, Travis Petton came from a distant sevent.h place to top Mike Konle and Jack 0' Brien. All three then transferred to the 100 lap race. making up the back line, row eleven. It was all Danny Carlton. the first year rider in the novice class that swept the tropby dash and the main event for tbe lightweights. Georke Orno Jr. Ill, who set fast novice time on a Montesa was leading the race when be was invol ved in a collision with another Montesa. Ridden by? Kim Kimball, U.S. Montesa distributor and Orno' s sponsor! Carlton, the fourth fastest timer for the small bikes, breezed to the two lap dash win and then wrapped UP his first main event as a pro. It was a record $700.00 purse for the novice riders with Carlton taking home just under $200.00 for his efforts. Midge Griffith from Bakersfield was second with John Riggen holding off Terry Donaher fOT third, right at the finish line. January main event winner. Carl Cranke, finished sixth. The entire show was video-taped for • ABC WIDE WORLD OF SPORTS· and \vill be shown nationwide on Saturday afternoon, March 25th. Added highlight of the afternoon was Evel Knievel's attempt to jump a motorcycle from ramp to ramp over fifteen cars and trucks. He made it - with room to spare but had to use a parachute to stop the macbine, once he landed.