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/125676
~IROCKWOOD COLLECTS ANOTHERI '" ~ By Dewitt Thuett ~ Photos by Eric Raits ~ -l ~ U GARDENA, CALIF. June 5,1970- Tom Rockwood came within inches of scoring a total sweep on the Ascot half mlle Friday night, taking fast time honors, his heat race, and the Main Event. His only defeat came in the Trophy Dash, where, DeWayne Keeter and his Norton held off Rockwood'S Triumph. The rest of the Expert program ,.belonged to Rockwood and his Triumph. Keeter gave chase ail the way in the final, but could not race on the turns with young Tom, who is bidding to become the first teenager in racing history to capture high point dirt track honors over ail other EJqlerts in the nation. Rockwood became the first Expert at Ascot this year to win three Main Events, and has established himself as another in a long line of EJqlerts who have learned their trade at the Gardena racetrack. Tom defeated Mel Lacher in the heat race, with Lacher then coming back to finish third in the flnai ahead of Paul Conserriere and the surprising Eddie Mulder. Mulder wa.l;j back on the half mlle for the first time this year .Also returning to action for his first 1970 ride was Alex Chinowski. Back for the first time in two years after a hitch in the Army, was Johnny Isaacs. Mulder was the only one of the trio to make the flnai. Chinowski is the EJqlert class heat race track record holder from last season and wlll now team with Rockwood on the Triumph for Danny Macias. Isaacs, a former ranking Novice will ride a BSA for K & N. Mulder, turning in one of his best rides ever on the Ascot oval, teamed with Bill Love on one of the Romero's Triumphs. The largest field of Amateur riders in five years was on hand to battle in three heat races and the flnai. Chuck Hart and Don Emde both qua1tfled for the clash in time trials. Emde and his BSA held off repeated bids by Triumph ace~ John Hateley, to win the Amateur flnai for the third time this year and the second time in three weeks. Iowa'S Lynn Holloway, now in the Marines and stationed at El Taro, surprised maJ!Y by wheeling an ancient Vela 500 in for third place ahead of Hart. Holloway pulled another surprise by winning the Semi, before placing the small: est machine in the Amateur program in the ten lap flnai. The Novice affair was a Gary Scott and Yamaha affair. Scott far outdistanced the 250cc field, winning both the heat and the flnai with room to spare. Amateur wi nner Don (35) Emde eyes the inside groove as perpetual foe John Hateley goes for the outsi de. The largest field of Amateurs in five years was on hand to batt lei n tbree heat races arid the f ina I. Point leader Kenny Roberts was again knocked out of action due to m('Chan1ca! troubles during the first lap of the heat race. Leading, of course. Ron 'Moore guided his Suzuki for second, with Tom Vardeman and a Yamaha taiclng a close third. Jim Crenshaw was fourth, with Carl Byers uP from San Diego taiclng fifth. The Ascot professional scene this week finds a double-header, with the half mlle on Friday night and the now once a month TT race going on Saturday night. The entry list should again increase with a large grOuP from Northern Calif. expected to invade for the twin blll. There wl11 be only two more TT's at Ascot before the annual 50 lap national Steeplechase on Saturday night, July 18. (Results on page 22) Sammy (Flying Flea) Tanner makes bid on outside a"s Tom Rockwood heads for another Friday night win. Gary SCott slides by photographer sporting his Suzuki leathers riding a Wi nner of the steer wrest Ii ng event••.