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/125631
By Ed YOImgblood HINSDALE, ILL. Aug. 15 - A whopplng big field of 47 6lq:lerts turned out for the National Short Track at Santa Fe Speedway, and Dick Mann beat 46 of them to end a long dry spell away from the winner's circle. One of the thrills of the venlng was the arrival of Barry Briggs, famed British speedway champion, on a Yamaba that looked lIIce it would bave been more at home two weeks before at the York National Hill Climb, Briggs' speedwayshort track hybrid bad a mile long frame, rear vertical front forks, and handlelBrs that looked like a d1v1nIng rod. Californians may be used to such stunts, but mid-westerners bad never seenanythlng like It. DurIng practice laps, with Barry rllDll1Dg the turns full song, standing straight up in the saddle, looking like he was about to take to the high side at any moment, the crowd went crazy. Unfortunately, they were to get little more than an exblbitiOll run. DurIng the first heat Barry, who bad set f1fth fastest t1me, loaded ~ on tbe line, and in National Short Track a cough.at the start is DO less than a delLtII rattle. He got off dead last and went flying after the pack, the Yammy screamlng like a cbaiD saw, but was unable to move up to a transferrlng position. Winner of that heat was Sid Carlson, with Californians Grant Brown, Mert Laww1ll, and Jim Rice placing second through fourth respectivelY. In the second heat Mark Brelsford carried the H-D standard, beatlng Romero, Palmgren, and Duhammel. The third heat brought a tooth and claw battle between Bart Markel and Dick Mann, but Bart was unable to overtake the flYing red Ossa. Bill 0' Brien followed on a Bultaco. In the final Expert heat Nell Keen, a local favorite, came home on his Yamaha ahead of the Bar of Jim McMurren and Roger RelJlllllll4 Things were sbaPIIIg up for a spectacular final with Ma.nf.: Markel, and Keen favored. But first tfIli 31 amateurs bad at It with Gordon Duse~, Ken Pressgrove, and Charlie C Ie w1nn1ng the heats. The first Expert Simi brought back the Markel-Mann battle, and this t1me Bart got sweet revenge, with tile same gears and fire, but a good deal more determination. Bart went at It so furiously that his best lap was a full third of a second faster than the best lap of Mark Brelsford, second Semi winner. AfterwardS, Bart said to Dick 0' Brien, "1bat Mann is mean, he took half of my clutch handle on the first lap." O'Brien said, "I noticed you getting a little close too," and Bart replied, "I was just trylng to get my baDd1e back." In the Amateur final It was a wire to wire race between Don Castro and Charlie Chapple. Don bad gone to a BSA, and Charlie was on a Nell Keen tuned Yamaha, and they both like their rides. Charlle wanted It bad and did everything in his power to go over, under, above, and below Castro, but he took the checker a few inches behind, where he bad been the whole race. For the National ChamPionship they lined up in the order at Markel, Brelsford, Carlson, Rayborn, Mann, Keen, O'Brien, McMurren, Brown, Palmgren, Rice, and Romero. Markel mlssed a shift off the line and fell into f1fth position behind Keen, Rayborn, Mann, and Brelsord. Mann grabbed se,cond away from Rayborn on the second lap, and Markel moved ahead of Brelsford, but Keen collected his $10 per lap to the full amount of $140. In the meant1me Mann was worklng away at him, er more tbanincbes away, and Markel was a short distance behind, having passed Brelsford. On lap thirteen Keen and Mann crossed the line in a dead heat, and Bart was right on their rear wI1eels. Rayborn's Sprint started to sound a llttle hollow, and Mark moved up and started pushing Markel. On the twentieth lap he got him. Keen bad lost the lead on the fourteenth lap, but struggled to regain it all the way. In the fiDal turn he gave up trying to get around Mann, and seemed to try golng over him. When they crossed the line Keen was inches back in a screamlng wheelle that bad begun In the middle of the last turn. (Results on page 20) Gene R_o and llark Brelsford dice w....1to wh"1 while another race just as tleht takes place just behind them. Cal Rayborn and Chuck Palm· pen echo the action at the Sante Fe National Short Track Races. Br Itlsh Speedway Ace Ba"J Brlas wowed ·the crowd by fIIrtlne with the hleh side on his speedway styled Yamaha. A loaded up enelne at the start of his first hat put him out of contention. Bar" must be more used to a one-Iune fueler. "Move your knee, Dick. I can't chock. SH the carb." MaM'S tuner eGeS throueh a IIltle pre·uce Keith 'Mashburn points lhal elbow at the moon over Santa Fe. Dave Aldana tries to widen the hole between to riders In pursuit.