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lawwilileaves No Doubt, Takes Ascot This was By Dewitt Thuett GARDENA, CAL., Oct. 4, 1969 - Mert LawwUlll8cked UP his new Grand National title with the most·impress1Te 1nd1vidual performance ever turned 10 by an Ascot national race w1nIler. __ LawwUl and the Barley-I:8v1dsOn 750 that 15 tuned and maintained by Mert, swept the field. LawwUl ll8cked uP h1s '68 win and became only the tb1rd rider In eleven years to win the race more than once. The new number one rider became the onlY rider to ever break both the heat race and main event record 10 a single II1gbt on the track. He just missed the fast time eJ:Pert slot by two ticks of the second hand on the stop watch. the first start of the Expert Main. Shorty (8) Seaborne and Mel (37) Lacher crashed in the first turn. :ne 11th annual event aga1n fOUDd the races being dominated by Callforn1a rlders. The out of state amateurs and ell:Perts proved to be a bJg d1sappoI.ntment 10 that not a single expert from outside Callforn1a made the nat10Dal f1njl1 with the exception of MIke Anderson, Freeport, One Out of state amateur, Squire Tomasi, made It to the Amateur Main but was el1m1nated early due to a crash; This year's national was rough on reputations and national chamPions. The opening heat race fouDd Dan Haaby ql front and 1ook1ng llke a w1Dner unt1l his engine quit on lap eight. ThIs left fast time EJ:Pert AIel< Ch1nowskl with a bJg lead for the win. SId Carlson. well _known County Fair clrcult winner fa1led m. to f1n1sh 10 the first seven and did not transfer. Lloyd Houch1ns also jo1ned Hsaby 10 the plts with mechanical troubles and did not f1n1sh. LawwUl came on strong In the second heat to win with a new track record, break1ng the mark set last year by Lacher. Romero ran second to LawwUl for' the first time during the show - an indication of tb1ngs to come later. Texas rider Gary Corplan failed to finish h1gh enough to transfer. Four time winner Sammy Tanner held on for a fifth spot with Dewayne Keeter returnn1ng trom England to run fourth on the Eddie Wirth BSA. The tblrd and final heat race, the heat with the talent loaded l1neUP, also was run uDder the old recor;d time with Lacher the wlnner. Seabourne ran second with rookies Mark Brelsford and Tom Rockwood rid1ng It down to the wire for tblrd. Rockwood, Rayborn, Pat Gosch and Jim R1ce all transferred to the Semi. Chuck Palmgren, who has been 10 the pits at Ascot the last three weeks just _tch1ng, rode in tbls heat race but fa1led to finish 1nside the first seven and did not transfer. Jody Nicholas was bounced off the groove, crashed and also fa1led to move to the Semi. The Semi took the .first three riders to the final. Rockwood slashed h1s way trom an early fourth position to go on for the win with Rayborn second and Dallas Baker talds>g the last transfer 10 third. Keeter, Tanner, Rice, Gosch and Dusty Coppage were just a few that failed to move out of the loaded event. If there was ever to be a doubt that the new 750-650 engine rule has proven to be the swan song for the 500's It was the national 20 lap final. Lawwill took the lead on a restart due to a first turn, first lap crash lovolv1ng Shorty Seabourne and Lacher. Both riders returned to the l1ne 10 time to try again. Mert casts a look over his shoulder at the rest of the aspirants. Gene Romero fell In Friday's TT but didn't let that stop him from a second place. Campagnolo HUB-DISC BRAKES A.F.S. and Campagnolo team up to provide U.S. dealers & distributors with one of the finest in disc brake and hub assemblies. Available for bikes from 50 to 750cc. Beautifully polished and chromed, they're a handsome addition to any cycle, not to mention the competitive edge they afford the rider. Available, for the first time for general distribution. Dealer and distributor inquiries are invited. ~::N~~ AFS distributors DEPT. eN - 229 E. 3rd ST. LEWISTOWN, PA, 11144 Mert sat In more wlnners circles tb1s year at Nationals than anyone else. (20) Romero and Mel (37) Lacher join 10 the glory. Gene