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/125640
Coppage Takes Ascot TT There was no two headed rider enterld at Asco! Friday night. That's Ron PlercI, Davl Aldana and Ralph Whltl all together In thl Trophy Dash first turn. This Friday night the new Grand National champion, Mert Lawwill, heads back for' Ascot for the first TT attempt since he ran In the National TT at Ascot last July. Mert, long one of the top TT riders and a two time national TT winner, will attempt to spot the likes of Van Leeuwen, Coppage and the rest of the EXPerts a full season of TT racing and still get the job done on a one time basis. Lawwlll will be the only HarleyDavidson rider In the lineup when the races get underway at 8:30 p.m. He will ride the same machine that carried him to the National TT win at CasUe Rock, Washington last July. Four more Friday night TT's remain this year for Ascot. The state championship half mile Is slated for Saturday night, November 1st. (Results on page 20) Both men looking back for the other, Rich Thorwaldson and Terry Dorsch cross thellne after colliding on the final straightaway. By Dewitt Tbuett GARDENA, CAL., Oct. 17, 1969 - The parade of new winners from Friday to FridaY continued at Ascot on Friday night with Dusty Coppage ftnally getting his turn In the big hike "A" final. Dusty was bard pressed throughout the entire 15 lap final hy KeIth Mashburn and Ron Pierce. Coppage held on (or the win and closed the point gap on SkiP Van Leeuwen who was absent due to his new job with Buco. He returns this FridaY. Mechanical problems and spills eliminated many of the riders In alllhree classes before the program was concluded. 11 was one of those rare nights which find one rider and then another coming up with plain bard luck, with nobody able to do mnch about It. Mashburn made the final the bard way after breaking down In the heat race. A last place starting position In the Semi, followed by a good ride, elevated h1m Into the final. The same luck did not hold true for Mike Haney who came up with mechanical troubles after a good ride In the heat race. He watched from the plts--when the flag dropped on the main event. The Novice class again put on one of their wild and wooly shows. In one of the heat races Randy Ellis got Into an overslide with his back wheel turning right In front of Freddie Edwards. The two locked together with Edwards getting his leg caught In Ellis' back wheel. The two remained/locked together sliding towards turn two. Edwards was examined at the track but did not take the trIP In the ambulance. The Novice class also suPPlied another comical note In yet another heat race When one rider tried too bard to pass another. After a series of barbanging the two became locked together after going over the jump. One Novice tried to break loose by kicking at hts new partner's machine. The result was that hts skld- shoe became locked In and the two were dragging each other all over the course. Ftnally, the rider with the extra ski-shoe on hts machine, tried swerving to break loose. lbIs fiung the rider that belonged to the shoe off the machine In a "Crack the Whip" type sp1ll. Both riders eventually ended up on the ground, unhurt. Another chapter In the life of a Novice rider. For the second time In three weeks John Hateley put It all together and came up the winner In the heat and eight lap final. Previous winner, Jim Raymond, tried bard all the way but could not touch Hateley this time out. Point leader Tad Sloane, Fresno, continued to bave his problems. A week ago It was a spill and this time mechan1cal troubles knocked h1m out during the first lap of the heat race. Hateley, on the basts of consistent riding and winning, had now forced the Novice point battle right down to the final few FridaY nights. ., r.-----CYCLE IEWS lEST Get Cycle News "est & Cycle News East 1 Yeu for S9 o 2 Years for S16 (VIA 2IId CLASS MAIL> o $7.50 1 year D $12 for 2 years D o IlAME _ ADDRESS _ CITY _ STATE L o o o Via lst class lIail (or one year S18. Via Air Mail lor one Year S26. This is a new subscription This is. ren.ewal I enclose check or monp~ order lIP_ _ _ - -- 0 plea..e bIll me later 0 PLEASE ALLOW THREE WEEKS FOR HEW SUBSCRIPnOHS TO START. ----- - -- I I I I I I I I I I I