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/125529
LAatER AGAIN AT ASCOT Mighty Mel Lacher swept the field again at Ascot last week and closed the point gap to just over 100 markers with only two races remaining In the 1967 season. Lacher has been all-everythtng In the Expert class of late and now has seven straight heat race wins, four straight trophy dash victories and two straight main events. Mel has never been more consistent or more of a threat to the BSA boys who have taken the title for so many years. Point leader Dan Haaby is being pressed and pressed hard for the season potnt battle that is one of the closest in Ascot history. Lacher, La.cher Everywhere Lacher again opened with the fastest heat race win of the ntght, a shade faster than the win turned In by Haaby. The Dash was ail Lacher and his H-D as he turned back three BSA's for the 4th straight time. Mel now trtes to become the only rtder to win five straight dash events In a row this Friday night. Laacher jumped to the front In the tlnaI and was never headed. Haaby again came UP, for the second straight week, from the middle of the pack to over take sammy Tanner and then again try, and fall, in a late laP attemptto catch Lacher. Shorty seabourne also ran a near repeat by coming uP In the late laPs to overhaul Tanner and clinch third place for the second straight time. sammy hung on for fourth spot ahead of Chuck Jones. Tanner and Jones are tlghtlng out the tIna1 nights of 'the season for third in the final expert point standings. sammy is now less than 100 points bIlck. Ten Straight For Todd Phil Todd e%iended his Amateur winning streak to ten straight bY again winning the heat and tIna1 with a minimum amount .of eftort. Phil can make It fourteen In a row with wins the next two weeks. 1b1s will place him second In the all time Amateur win column at Ascot two wins off the record set bY Haaby in 1964. Novice- wise it was again all Rick Durkee as he extended his winning ways to s1%1een stra.tght without a loss. Rick now has the win record at Ascot and he will add to It each and every time out the tIna1 two nights of acti,...;on~._ _ ASCOT TrlLlllDh-moant.d Clyde Lltch (95x) lDok the Expert Semi wln and _nd up 6th In the Main E.-t. First tum Expert heat finds Chuck" J_s C24X) and Phil Cancilla (19Y) ludlnc Eddie Ilammond (&x). RandY Say (17X). Ron Krus.. man (12x) and Ralph Whit. (15). "Cl 6' o '" Ii ;' " a 'Cl " iil '" " With only two races to eo. Mel Lacher won the Expert MaIn Event. and the hleb point suson title I s stili up lor crabs. Durkee did It acaln. Rapid RI ck (162) swept to wins In both heat race and Novice Main, Suxukl mounted. '" Lee Wheeler (Suzuki) ran second In his NovIce heat until 'oreed out with mechanical problellls on tbe last lap. TAKE ALONG LOOK AT IT Sbortr Sub,."ne (47r) dueled for many laps with 5ammy Tanner (7) hef..e taklnc 0_ third spot In the Expert Main Event. SIiCht mls,calculaUon by Novice Ted Newlon sent him tumbllnc. Fortunately, both he and his Sprint were little the worse for wu,. Sparks flew In the Novice heat race when Dave Smith's engine locked uP on the north turn. Dave did an Expert type job of laying It down and all but Wells Gordon managed to miss rider and machine. Gordon hit the bike right down the middle and took an "Ascot Flyer" and landed far down the track. He was taken to Gardena hnspital for a checkup. 1b1s Friday nlll'htfinds the half-mpe!s splitting the cycle weekend with the TT riders who follow them in on saturday night. It Is also the final warmup before the state championship races for all three classes one week from now. The Haaby-Lacher, or BSA vs H-D duel, tops any National event and they will onlY meet In two more Trophy Dashes and two more finals this year. (Results OIl page 12) AT YOUR NEARBY DEALER'S DISTRIBUTOR IN THE lEST: JOHNSON MOTORS, 216'5 E. HUNTINGTON DRIVE, DUARTE, CALIF. au) 681-"255