Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

i ASCOT...:tOO JUMPS, 700 TURNS ~ Skip's Spectacle 4th Tille By Maureen Lee Pbotos by Dennis Greene GARDENA, earn. March 2; 1969. Skip Van Leeuwen continued to live up to his reputation as the best TT rider around today by wlnn1ng the 1969 100 lapper and establisblng more records in the process. He's the only man to have won it four times, three times straight and as Amateur in 1961, he still rema1ns as the only Amateur to have started In row ODe. The top twenty-seven fastest quaIlf1ers made it straight to the main, with San Bruno's Mark Brelsford (Harle;r-Dl.vtdson) settlng the fastest time and a new quallfJ1ng record of 49.50. Eddie Mulder (Triumph) took second with 49.56 and Alex Cbolnowsld rounded nut the froot row on his Triumph with a 49.74. Van Leeuwen.qual1fied sixteenth with a 50.28 on his Dl.nny Macias-tuned Triumph. Around And Over With The Amatenrs Mter the top twenty-seven, the next twenty-four went into two semis, ten laps each with the first three transferring. The first semi bad to re-start wilen David Aldana (BSA) and Steve Bast (Triumph) tangled on the lloe and both went down. Later on Ron Kruseman and Ron Pierce went down 011 the turn after the jump with neither one maIdng it back to the races. Ben Fakkeldry (Triumph), wIlo bad set the fastest Amateur, qua.llfying lap of 50.73, won with Aldana second and Bruce Anderson third. The second semi was the fastest with a solid hunch of Triumph riders leading. Keith Mashburn shot into the lead with Don Dudek right after him. Some laps later Butch Landguth took over from Dudek with Carl Patrick moving UP into fourth spot and holding position as first alternate. Butch Turner and Chuck Palmgren bad been fighting for the fourth when both of them went down and out at the running on the turn approacblng the jumP. 100 Bil!: Ones To Gol The ,sound or those 33 big bike engines bad most of the fans standing when it came time to get the main under way, and it was Mark Brelsfo~ who took the lead with one of the best starters in the business, Eddie Mulder right after him, followed by Chinowsld who was to retire a few laps later. Brelsford continued to build UP a lead, with Mulder well set in the second spot. The fir st rider to be lapped was Ralph White (TriUlllJllll) 011 the tenth lap after he bad dumped it, bat be still flnished lOth over-aU. Brelsford still led, but ever;rone bad their e;re on Van Leeuwen who was working up slowly but surely. He admitted after the race that several times he tried ton hard, but with the slick t:rac:k couldn't keep the power where it belonged, on the ground. By going a little ea r, he went faster. Also moving up adily was Dick Mann (BSA). Just past the halfway point, with Van Leeuwen about to make his move and take over first, he and Mulder caught Larry Wilburn (Triumph) going into turn one. Sldp tonk the pole and Mulder wenttothe outside sandwiching Wilburn in the middle. Sldp made it through in great shape with Mulder and Wilburn having their jollies for a few seconds although no one was in danger of crashing. Brelsford was back in action by this time and was soon In second, followed by Mulder, Lawwill, Haaby and Dick Mann now running sixth, but Brelsford's effori to regain the lead was taken away wilen he was forced to retire with what appeared to be troubles with the front end. From then on the toll of the long banl built UP. Jack Simmons (Norton), who was easily a contender went out with a broken primary chain, Haaby retired about laP BO, and Jim Rice (BSA) about five laps later. Dick Mann made a pit stoP dropping him back, but shooting Into contention came Dusty Coppage who had all stoPs pulled when he realized he had a c!wIce uP there, and by the end of the race Dusty was going very fast indeed. The race ended with a triumphant Skip Van Leeuwen going Into the winner's circle to be interviewed for "Wide World of Sports" followed by 18 other f1n1shers and a whole gang out of the original 33 ,starters in the pits hoping their luck will be better next year or else making resolutions to prepare more carefully. Last man over the line was BSA rider Jim Rice who had been nuring a horrible sounding engine for several laps. To the cheers of the crowd, Rice pushed his machine trom just over the jump, all around the half-mUe and down the straight to f1n1sh. The time wasn't a record but it was one beck of a good race with several riders having the win in their grasP. Abow: Amal1lur Dav. Aldana I.adlnethr.. nallonal numbers. Rlpt Eden. Muldw bold.r of lb. I.ad position In lb. urly laps, blp rankIne num_ & movie stuntman display. pit bUd,.ar. &.Iow: Dick Mann roa wltb skill that plac.d b1m , . . Ascot Parking 25¢ For Bikes The TT schedule at Ascot now goes to night racing commencing in April It was announced that parldng for motorcycles for the rest of 1969 will br 25~ per bike In a fully patrolled lot. Promoter J.C. Agajanian also had announced that he wished the fans to know that he had no control of parldng or concessions and that there were actually three parties who governed the running of races at Ascot. (Results on page 16) Skip Works U.J Mter the two front rumiers, Brelsford and Mulder, Mert Lawwill and Dan Haaby, botb Harley-mounted, were puttlng OIl a good show for third and fourth. Heavy lapping of the slower riders started about lap twenlJ-five and by lap twenty-sb Van Leeuwen was up to third place, hIn'ing pasSed Lawwill and Haaby, and Mann bad moved from 16th to 6th. Brelsford dropped it about the 29th and Mulder shot into the lead, lapping at about 49.03, and showing no signs of tiring, with the Flying Dutchmen In full cry behind him. In clrclu 1.,1 to rlpt Va. LM_. P.,I Bostrom, Dan Huby, & G••• RomllO. In~ H.lan But. Van LHUWH lurk.d befor. taklne III. Iud to tb• •111. Van L•• u_ launcbu an aerial attack on Sonny Bu".s.

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