Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

WHITE WAILS TO WIN IN ASCOT HALF-MILE ·f.IN L AE By Carol Sims Photos by Dennis Greene GARDENA, Cat , Aug. 23 - For ten years, professional AMA halfmile has been a Friday night fixture at Ascot Park. Last week saw ali era draw to a close. Beginnin g August 30, the regular Novice, Amateur and Expert dirt track program will be replaced by the newly-revived and enthusiastically received Class A J AP a nd Eso speedway show of the National Speedway League, Lacher Unlucky Ralph Roars Last Friday'S half-mile event found Ralph White (BSA) In beautiful form. He won his heat race handily and then, with style and determination, fought his way from fourth place to a close win In the IS-lap Expert Main Event over fastmoving early leader Phil Todd (BSA ) . Another two- ma n battle took place for third spot between Chuck Jones and Tim Harris that kept the crowd entranced. Jones is certainly no stranger to strong finishes at Ascot, but Harris turned in by far the finest performance of his yetyoung Expert career . Riding the Sonic Weld BSA twin tuned by Ray Hensley, Tim passed Jones for third at one point, and ' pressed his more experienced foe fiercely throughout the final. ~ Lacher's Harley ha dn't quit running when the two parted company, and lay revving its heart out In protest until Mel could scramble to his feet and shut It ort, Despite a quick tear-down, the machine failed to make the Main Event lineup. DeWayne Keeter, second in points and always a threat, wasn't faring too well either, and only by winning the Expert semi did he line up for the Main. Bruce Holland (Triumph) , second In the semi, wound up 5th in the final ahead of Keeter (BSA), Ron Kruseman (BSA) and Larr y Earhart (H-D). Neither Litch nor Paul Conserriere (H-D) finished the fea ture. Ha rris Impress es Especially Impressive was the fact that Harris rode a practically stock Rapid Ralph While rode hi s BSA to come-lrom. behind first place finis h In fina l week ly As. co t ha lf-mile go. Class A 500cc speedway bikes will be competing on a l /5-m lle ova'l starting Friday night, Aug. 30 , Running on a specially designed crushed rock cushion fifth-mile oval that utilizes parts of the e x I s ti n g front ,straightaway, quarter-mile track and infield, the exotic fuel-burners are expected to increase spectator interest and provide something d If fer e n t for the riders as well. But more on the new program later••• Mashburn Again•••And Again There were no surprrses In the Novice division . Top green-plate rider In the nation, Keith Mashburn, enhan ced his already formidable reputation by ripping to fastest heat race win and wlre-to-wlre victory In the 8- lap final. At the flag, Keith had built up over a half-a-straight away lead over Randy Smith (Suzuki), Terry Donaher (Yamaha) and Rudy Galindo (Yamaha). And so the curtain fell on an abruptlyshortened Ascot half-mile season - with mixed reactions. But according to promoter J.C. Agajanlan, the dwindling number of riders and spectators made 11 economically Impossible to continue. ThIs Is not to say that no more half-mile events will be held at the famed Gardena oval. Aggie still Intends to run AMAsanctioned TT , half-mile and short track races at regular intervals . .... '" ~ .. ~ ~ Q. ~ en ::. ~ ~ ...:l U t The New Scene Goln' Geezer Emick (BSAl got by all t he othe r Amateur s to score Impressive lO· lap win. ' twin, as opposed to Jo nes ' rapid BSA Gold Star single, an d gave great promise of thi ngs to come. Favored Mel Lacher, point lea der and big money Main Event winner of the season, found that Friday just wasn't his night. After a swift heat race win he unexpectedly slid out in the Trophy Dash, and Clyde Litch (Triumph) went on for the win over Todd and Amateur Alex Chinowskl (BSA ), who has quallfied for the glory race three weeks in a row. a good fight with Ha r ms , grabbed the '" lead with three ci rcuits to go an d held It, q) desplte all Don could do. ~ Steve Pederson (Velo) wound up ahead a, of Chinowski, Cody and Rick Elisarraras (H-D) . ~ Another poi nt leader, Amateur Tom Rockwood (Triumph), was unable to compete In the last regular half-mile event due to mechanical difficulties, leaving the field wide open. Don Harms hurled his Harley into the lead at the start ahead of Bill Cody, also H- D. But Geezer Emick had his own Ideas on the matter, taking ove r second on lap two and, after But the Interest shown in Class A racing in recent weeks at WhIteman Stadium in Pacoima on saturday night and at Trojan Raceway in South Gate on Sunda y evenings prompted the changeove r. Admission and purse set-up will be different tOO. RIder s are to compete for an $800 guarantee against 40% of the gate , and s pecta tor s can see the action for $2.50, a dollar less than the prIce of a half-mile program, with kids 8 to 12 $1. 00 and those under 8 admitted free . The slldy 500cc speedway bikes are slated to run a swiftly-paced 21-event show comprised of heats, semis and a Main Event. Come on out to Ascot Park, 183rd and Vermont, Friday nigh t for the all-new happenings . Action s tarts a t 8:15 p .m , (Results on page 20) BRID_GESTONE Sales-Semce Barney Tillman ' s SPORT CEN T ER 6027 W trier Bl vd., E. Los Angeles hI (213) 723-3523 ' * t ******************************************************i -. * * +I- * +I- * * * * +I- * * * * £ ~ * £ t * * +I- st Sprockets Scrambles August 2, 1968 200 Nov ice Class * +I* * +I- Sprockets Scrambles August 10, 1968 200 Novi ce Cl ass : GIL ROBBINS-BRIDGESTONE 115 2nd DON BACOT-BRIDGESTONE 115 L"i" * DON BACOT-BRIDGESTONE115 _to. L"i" * it : L"i" Cycleland Speedway A ugust 10, 1968 1OOcc Main 1:: -I+ JOHN HARGIS-BRlDGESTONE it ..tl. ..to. ~ * * * * * * * -I+ <{+ +I+I- * : RON TOBEY - BRIDGESTONE J15 * +I* : : 12 WINS IN 11 STARTS : +I- t * . : .fOR THE NAME Of YOUR NEAREST DEALER SO. CAL. McCULLOCH DIST. Inc. (213) 112·2108 NO. CAL. COAST McCULLOCH (415) UN 3·5520 : -I+ ~ ********************************************************'

• Cover