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/125724
-i .. > :< ~ w Z W ..J o > o Hately wins Ascot Photos by Dan Mahony GARDENA, CAL., April 23, 1971 - After two straight weeks of just missing the Expert win at the finish line, first-year Expert John Hateley finally put it all together and scored his first main event win of the season. He turned on the gas in more ways than one. J obn is not known as a fast starter in the heat Taces and Dash events and he followed the pattern again Friday night. Dan Haaby returned for the first time this year and defeated John in the five-lap heat. Lloyd Houchins and Mel Lacher also came up as heat winners with Houchins clocking the fastest time of the three. Houchins also had earlier clocked the fastest time trial on his BSA 650 and then came back to top Hate1ey and Lacher in the Trophy Dash, his first one of the year. The Dash has been run five times this season and has produced a different winner every time. But the main event was a different story as Hateley and his Triumph got going early but it was a battle part of the way between the seasoned Houchins and last year's high point Ascot Junior. Hateley had forgotten to turn on the gas taps for the main. It wasn't until late in the race that he opened the petcocks, just in time to pass Houchins and Lacher in the last turn. With Hateley finally getting a feature win it now leaves Houchins and Lacher still looking for the front spot. Houchins has been close this year and Lacher is still trying to find the groove that won races for bim in '68 and '69. Haaby looked in the heat Tace as though he had overcome his recent mechanical troubles, but was forced out of the final, as usual. SCOTT CONTINUES TO TEAR 'EM UP Junior Gary Scott continued his rampage in the yellow plate class. First he broke the old one-lap Junior record in time trials set by Dave Aldana and then wen t on to remain undefeated in both the heat and fmal. Scott and his Triumph have now broken four Junior track records this past two Friday nights. His smooth, effortless style has made him a marked man this season but it will take a Junior of Expert caliber to beat him on any track. Gary now has four straight weight Lifti~ heat race wins and four straight main event victories with the streak now standing at eight straight without a loss. TOP NOVICES SHINE Like Hateley, Novice Steve Nichols also put it all together after knocking on the door the past few weeks of the new season. The K & N Yamaha rider was the man to beat in the 250 class right from the opening lap of the heat race. Steve's consistent riding since the season opened makes him another in the long list of top riders that have come out of the Ascot Novice ranks. Another is Steve Mudd, who started the season with little fanfare and fmished second in the Novice final last Friday. Mudd lacks horsepower but makes up for it with natural ability. He has placed in the top three every week but has yet to win the final. Gary C~dwell had his best night as a Novice, finishing third. Again the night was action-packed with some wild get-offs. Tom La Fortune did two end-over-end flips in the Junior semi, trying for a position in the fmal. The machine was still flipping when three riders had to duck under it and keep going. Nobody was injured. I HARLEY-DAVIDSON I L.A.'. #) Harley-Davidson Distributor "Where the price is righl...the service is best and we are just good people t.o do business with." Volume dealer means lower prices! • In last corner The Juniors gave the crowd another thrill in one of the heats when three riders were abreast most of the way until the one on the outside hit the front straighaway fence. Rider and machine were quickly dragged off the track as the Tacers completed the final lap. NEW ATTRACTION AT ASCOT An addition to the Ascot program was announced to take place the flfst Friday nigh t of each month. This will be a double-header program, starting May 7 tho It will be a full nigh t of Expert and Junior TT racing and then the Novice, Juniors and Experts will compete against each other on 250's on the quarter-mile short track in a regulation AMA short track program. This event. will be run on a once-a-month basis the flnt Friday of each month. The rest of the Fridays will continue to be devoted to half-mile racing. (Results on page 24). • .aJa Wins again! lOO's M.C. Hare Scr. Adelanto, Cal. - 3/14nl 1st Trailbike Mitch Mayes - Baja 2nd larry Rosier - Baja 3rd Jim Sumners - Baja 5th Tom Sawyer - Baja (1st Junior) Optimist Combo-Cross Indian Dunes - 3/14nl 100 Expert Class 1st Terry Clark - Baja Our 50th year at the same location. Here today - here tomorrow to back the Harley-Davidson of your choice. Harley·Davidson/Los Angeles 2531 S. Main at Adams RI9-6235 GET IT l-" WITH A 'FlOATER' SUP£A uGKr21,. FRONT WHEEL 'II::: $!j9ll5 'lIl:l $69"5 ~ c.n-,be Far........ 5 _1011I _ _ *_....-_-...- ___ ~ l o g N t _ . ThoFlOo\TBI IigIll MigIlI ~ _ =--=ee:juIlJ:::.:.'"l.l'l\Iersity Honda BUtaco KawasakI & Ctz 5008 Fmse\IeIt Way NE seattle 206 LA4-6282 v.asn •••i....• • . m C 'OGIIE the HarleyDavidson ~;;;;=.I oDtpBrformBrB