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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125690
iSACRAMENTO' WIN GIVE '" ~ w Z W ...J U >- U SACRAMENTO, CALIF., Sept. 13, 1970 - A cool-headed Gene Romero stunned a wildly enthusiastic crowd of 15,000 by showing a rare bit of superiority enroute to winning the Mile Dirt Track National at the Old State Fairgrounds and the coveted Grand National Championship in the process. The National Number Three rider who will take over Mert Lawwill's plates in 1971, showed his determination from the very beginning of the day's action by setting the fastest qualifying time before pushing his Triumph twin to the fastest of the four heat winners. The five-year Expert then made it a . clean sweep by leading from flag to flag in the 50-lap Expert Main. In aIt; his efforts gave him a $5000 chunk of the _$16,000 purse. Romero and Don Castro opened the action, running a duel all the way for the heat race win. Dave Aldana took third with Eddie Wirth fourth and Mark Brelsford in for fifth. The second heat race saw Dick Mann lead all the way on a BSA twin, winnin~ out over Eddie Mulder, Keith Mashburn and Lloyd Houchins. The third heat race was another close one 'decided at the flag with Mert LawwiII giving Harley-Davidson their only win of the day in the Expert class. J ody Nicholas was a close second with Cal Rayborn third and Frank Gillespie fourth. The last Expert heat race was a five rider battle to the finish b.etween Jimmy adorn, GarY Nixon, Chuck Palmgren, Jim Rice and Tom Rockwood. Three different riders led before adorn took the win. Coming down the final straightaway all five knew that only four riders would, make the direct transfer. Rice and Rockwood crossed the line side by side with fourth going to Rice. The expected tight battle between Romero and Rice was shattered after tltis qualifying heat, however, when Rice failed to maneuver the turn after the checkered and crashed into the rail to completely wreck the front end of his BSA 3. Rice was taken from the track via Cal Rayborn made his best showing of the year with a third place finish. ambulance, but was never removed from the field. He laid in a lounge chair in the pits ice-packing his broken nose wh'ile his crew of six pitmen worked for more than an hour rebuilding his machine. Rice then entered the Main Event, but could only manage a last place after the race got underway and this, coupled with a sick engine, kept him out of major contention. As other riders began dropping out, however, Rice's position began moving up until Romero crossed the checkered with Rice 15th. Earlier, Dave ,Aldana, -.yhose performance in the qualifying neat gave him a berth in the main, lost his chance at National Points when he failed to take'the third turn and crashed his bike into the haybales. Although he was all right, his gas tank had heen dislodged and, with the race being black-flagged, Dallas Baker took his place. Dick Mann, who was expected to miss the remainder of the circuit suffering from a broken leg, showed up with a very noticahle limp but it did not affect ·th'e veteran as ne pushed his BSA to the second fastest qualifying time before displaying a strong performance in his heat. Romero had jumped into the lead at the start of the Main with Mann second and Lawwill in third. Rockwood missed 'two shifts and was into the corner in 20th place. LawwiII took second place away from Mann on lap four with Dick dropping to fourth on the seventh lap and out of the race moments later. Rockwood had maved up seven places at the end of seven laps. LawwiIl then tucked in to do battle with'Romero for the next ten miles but it was then apparent that the Harley was The destructive third turn claimed several bikes including the ones of Beauchamp and Chuck Joyner during the Amateur Final. slowing and losing ground around the 20th lap. Gary Nixon and his Triumph three started to move' on the 10th hrp and was aided when Jody Nicholas who had clim\?ed to third from laps eight through thirteen retired to the pits. Nixon then caught and passed Chuck Palmgren' for third on lap 17 but was still far back behind Lawwill. Rockwood and his horsepower had , If it weren't for Gene Romero, Tom Rockwood (38) could have been the standout as he moved from last to finish second in the Expert Main. Jim Rice lays quietly in the shade recuperat his heat race. Fifteen feet away. his pit en BSA.