Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

READING, FA. May 31, 1970- Looking as It he was strapped to an Apollo Space vehicle, Jim Rice literally rocketed away with the 4thAnnualRead1ngNational one-halt mUe race. It was Jim'S 3rd w1n 10 1970 and moved him loto 2nd place 10 National polot standlngs. The Reading course Is what racers call a grooved track. And today the groove was a 2 foot wide striP of hard, rubber coated dirt, that had the appearance of a mW-freeway. The trick was to bang on to tbe groove through the corners without s11d1ng out. Once a rider slides off the groove, he'S 10 very slick, loose dirt and, at best, loses a cOuPle of positions. U he gets way off the groove he usually fals down. After practice and qualIty1ng - fast time belog set by young Ca1Itorn1an, Dave Smith - the three Expert ellmlnation heats got underway, with three riders from each heat getting positions 10 the Maln. Don Castro got off the llne and loto the groove 10 the first heat. He had the groove down pat and was not touched throughout the race. Mert Lawwlll was working his way through the thick traffic, when his kill button shorted, cutting his englne and forclog his retirement. Gene Romero looked as It he had an easy second but crashed whUe golng loto the third corner, abOut one-halt way through the heat. Bill Eves sneaked loto second and Frank G1llesple was third. The second heat was almost a repeat of the first, with Ken Pressgrove dolng the honors. The only dlfference was that there was a lot more raclng for thlrd place and a startlng position 10 the National. Gary Nixon got off the llne right behlnd Pressgrove and had second sewed uP for the whole heat. It was a terrible battle for third between Dave Aldana, Mark Brelsford and Dick Mann. Mann called on his years of experience and got around the younger riders. The last Expert heat saw last year's wlnner, Larry Palmgren, do the groove thlng. Bllly Floyd took second, and Rice, after a rather. slow start, got thlrd. So far a leader had not been passed, and It looked llke the man to get off the llne first 10 the National just might w1n It. The third heat also saw the reappearance of Bart Markel, who looked well .s o ~L • a e ~ ... r.. ~ Q Larry Palm.an leads Bill Floyd, Jim Rica and Rllyal Sherbet through a twn Sunday at Raadlng, Pa. recovered from his bOne-brealdngcrash one month ago. . Too Sloan and Rex Beauchamp won the two Amateur heats. The second heat had a bad crash, when Gary Fisher fell and ,------=~-:._ _-.:.- two other riders hit his bike. Fortunately riders to make the program. Dave Al- there were no serious lojurles, although there were a COuPle of totaled bikes. The Expert semi rolled around, the race that was the last chance. for three dana got blWlped comlng off the line, an~ -=-_~~==;'!=:!!!!~ At t~ls point, Danny Palmgran ,"ds Tod Sloan In the Amala.. raca. Sloan, h_".r, want on to win the a".nl, with Palmgren sac:ond. his bike Jumped out of gear, leavlng him last loto the first corner. MeanwhUe, Cal Rayborn was out fron hang1ng 10 that groove and making sure of his spot 10 the" feature. George Longabaugh and Royal Sherbet held down second and third places, holdlng off a determloed Mark Brelsford. Aldana tried to get loto the race by passlng everyone outside 10 the loose stutr. Dave made some beautiful slides 10 his unsuccessful attempt to pass riders. He f1nal1y got on the groove and passed a COuPle of riders, only to slide off. and crash. The Amateur f1nal got underway, with Dennis Palmgren In the lead and Doug Seh1, the Canadian who has won all of the Amateur one-halt mUes this year, 10 second. Doug was havlnghisproblems with the groove, and Too Sloan got around, then managed to slip under the youngest Palmgren brother. Sloan went on to w1n the race, but not before a hotly contested battle with second place finisher, Palmgren. Sehl was a firm third when his chain came otf 10 the second corner, taking . the rear wheel with it. He fell hard, but did more damage to his new leathers than anythlng else. The program went like clockwork and the feature event was ready to beglo at 4:30 p.m. The riders were lotrOOuced, starter Duke Pennell dropped the flag, and Billy Floyd was into the first corner ahead of everyone. Nixon was right behind, looking, for all the world, like he was lrylog to crawl loto the leaders· exhaust pipe. Gary finally went around Floyd and was the first Expert to pass a leader all day. Nixon stayed out front, and back 10 the pack riders were passing each other and juggllng for position. Jim Rice got off the line poorly and was way back. Larry Palmgren was slowly closlng 00 Nixon, and Rice was beginnlng to move from·the rear. R.lce got by Palmgren and then got under the former National Champion • Nixon seemed to slow down, Palmgren, Don Castro and Dick Mann all got by. Rice looked as If he had thlngs golng (Continued on page 27)

• Cover