Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

~ Ron Rail Outruns Markel In Astrodome, Briggs And Nixon Last win for BulRail grins back at bls competition. It was Ibe first National expert Trailing string and straw from a close baybale encounter, Ronnie taca. By Chuck Clayton Photos by Dennis Greene HOUSTON, TEXAS, Feb. 7 & 8 - Ronnie RaIl cocked his Bultaco in aperpen dicuJar slide, grinning back over bis halfshrugge d shoulde r at Bart Markel, safely behind. All around the vast Astrodo me 15,800 stood cheerin g, or sat on their hands in varying stages of particip ation, as the Ohio dairyma n Rall outran bis favorite foe, the Michigan toolmak er. "Ronni e's been m il kin g all those cows," Bart uddered good natured ly, during the post race intervie w. "I was just lucky," grinned Rall. Luck did playa big part, as it did last year, in decidin g the AMA Nationa l Indoor Short Track Champi onship. Fred ANteur CUmp Dave Aldana (BSA). by Milne Brother 's in Pasaden a, Cal. was capable of kicking dirt up 40 feet in the air. Afterwa rd Barry said, "I was rooted (tired)l I balled uP on the first turn, tried to pace myself and tired out." He said he wanted to come back with a bike set uP somewh ere in between an all-out speedwa y rig and a Class C motorcy cle. "I was amazed by the power (Mark) Brelsfo rd's Harley bad. It sure pulled me." Briggs and Nixon bad bumped sometime during their semi-fi nal qualifyi ng race and nationa l #I's new brake lever broke off, shorting his Triump h's kill button intermi ttently. He and Briggs tied in a dead heat for last, and no transfe r to the final. $2,350 of the $10,000 purse went to winner Rall. Another uPset took place in the Amateur champio nship, and again, luck bad somethi ng to do with it. In golfing terms, International Champ Tires Out Dave Aldana took a 4-strok e lead over England 's Barry Briggs was learning the rest of his compet itors and held it. finished the second semi with a lot. He all around the course. out so far it looked his tongue hanging Favorit e Keith Mashbu rn dropped his like a red necktie . Briggs' spectac ular, Yamaha 's chain in the early laps, andas stand-u p speedwa y style of riding deluck would have it, the race was blacklighted the fans, but it just didn't do the flagged just as Keith pulled off the track. BSA 250 prepare d job. His ultra-sp ecial A four-rid er plieuP had sent Terry Sage of Stockton, Calif. to the hospita l. Referee Bill Magara ni decided not to let Mashburn" restart with the rest, and the grandst ands proteste d loudly, but to no avail. Aldana piloted his Ken Noggle tuned BSA to the win with Tacoma , Washin gton's Squlre Tomasi e following bim in on a Bul. RaIl's expert victory was the first national win for Bultaco . The stock looking red bike was a Sherpa S-200 model with 250cc barrels . Ask your dealer to make one for you, too! Cemoto -ea.st (Bultaco ) sales manage r Bill Dutcher reinforc ed his faith in his product by capturin g 5th in the Amateu r final on one. Gene Romero , the third place expert, led the race one lap with his "Gary Nixon Rent-A -Cub"'e nglne. Briggs flew in from a holiday in Spain to set the twelfth fastest time in qualifyHometown favorite Harold Slater took 6tb. ing. One of the most likeable persona lities in racing, Briggs was unable to capitali ze on his style while running with the pack. "The leader control s the race," Barry observe d. Dusty Coppage fell back in the final with a flat tire after holding second place in the early laps. Texas h 0 s pit a Ii t y and friendli ness ranks with the greates t in the nation. Altoget her, the Astrodo me has to be the best show in racing. (Result s on page 16) NiX, Harley- Davidso n m 0 u n ted and sporting his new national number three took a first lap lead, seeming to have the title in hand. But bis bike gotlnto a tankslapping wobble and Fred bailed off over the handleb ars in exactly the same spot where Dan Haaby lost it last year. Nix was unhurt. Gene Romero took over the lead after a bobble by Cal Raybor n. Rall had started tenth in a 120man field. Now he was up to third, and then he followed Markel around Romero . It was Markel and Rall elbow-t o-elbow in tremend ous slides around the rough 1/8 mlle circle, followed by Romero , Rayborn, Roger Rieman and Dusty Coppag e. Cutting so close to the pole that his left handleb ar grazed the haybaie s, Rall aced Bart out and led the field to the checker with a streame r of hay and twine trailing from the Bultaco . Wearing bls new nlllllber 3, Fred Nil leaps off Ibellne, but lallr._ Above: Oblo rid. Frank Humpbrles balls off bl s Bultaco In a controlle d crash. Amateur f1ul Lelt, rl_s and reler.. discuss lettlne Mashburn back In Ibe (rigbt) before the restart. Ref said no. an.. sIIed'" chain

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