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/125687
By Ed Youngblood PEORIA, ILL.,Aug. 23 1970- With the outcome of the 24th annual running of Peoria's legendary TT National, it appears likely that both of Joe Leonard's great records will fall. Friday night at Santa Fe, Bart Markel tied him for alltime championship wins with 27 and today Jim Rice neared Leonard'S seven Championship wins in a single season with his sixth. Bart, no doubt, will get 28, and the way Jim Rice is traveling, he may capture one or more of the remalning Nationals. After seconds in the last two Nationals, Rice took lap money for every single lap at Peoria and f1n1shed a full frontstraight ahead of Aldana, and tied for top time with Don Castro, each with 29.83. Among the Amateurs, Chuck Joyner and- Santa Fe TT winner, Ed Hermann looked fast and flashy tn practice, and Joyner backed it uP with top time tn his class. Heat race winners were Doug Sehl, Terry Dorsch, and Buddy Powell. The first Expert heat went to Jim Rice, with Dave Aldana following to establish the pattern for the f1nal. Th1rd went to Dusty Coppage, and Chuck Palmgren, Dave Sehl, and Dan Haaby followed to The front I ine of Experts gets away with the flag. move to the semi-final. Sonny Burres, however, left the path open to Rice by experienc1ng mechanical fallure while / well tn the lead. Santa Fe TT winner, Eddie Mulder won the first beat. Second and third went to last year's Peoria Champion DickMann, and Dave Hansen. Moving to the semi were Dave Lathrop, Moon Buchanan, and Rick Deane. Pole-sitter Don Castro broke a brand new prim;Lry chaln and that f1n1shed his chances to match Rice's performance as he had in qual1f1cations. The third Expertheat was stopped when Gary Nixon crashed hard as he powered out onto the front straight. Gary was carted away but a report from the hos-, pita! stated that he was only bruised. The race resumed from a flying start with Bart Markel pacing the f1eld. But a few laps later be retired with his usual case of the XR blues, and teammate Mark Brelsford continued to the win. Jim Corpe and SIdp Van Leeuwen took the final transfers. The final three riders transferring from the semi lin the, feature were Gene Romero, Steve Lathrop, and Chuck Palmgren. The Amateur F1nal had a surprise ending with local favorite Jerry Powell, wtnner of Peoria's June TT, keeping a cool head and outracing the West Coast's best. Terry Dorsch jumped tnto the lead and beld his position to the beg1nn1ng of the final lap. Powell had worked uP from fourth to a firm second and Ed Herrmann, Chuck Joyner, Doug Sehl and John Hately were pressing throughout. On the final lap everything changed as Hermann made a serious bid for first, shooting past Powell and Dorscb. Powell also passed Dorsch in pursuit of Hermann who grabbed a huge handful of gas tn the f1nal turn tn an effort to keep his lead. But he grabbed too much, crashed, and 0/ Amateur ace, John Hateley. , r :=ddie Mulder won the first heat. Jerry Powell (left), Chuck Joyner and Terry Dorsch got the lion's share of Amateur glory. The surprise finish of Powell, Dorsch and Joyner in that order put the Triumph brand in complete control.