Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

.... '" Photo by Dan Mahony GARDENA, CAL., May 21, ~971 Jody Nicholas missed the one lap track record held by Mert Lawwill by a mere .02 of a second in time trials. Junior Gary Scott shattered the one lap mark in the yellow plate dass with a time that nearly equals that of the Experts. Jody caught and passed Cal Rayborn for the win in his heat race while Gene Romero started his sweep in another heat, edging Mel Lacher, TeI;ry Dorsch and Don Emde. Scott opened the Junior class with another record shattering five,lap ride, breaking his own record and running his undefeated streak ,to eleven straigh t on the half mile oval. Loyal Penn was fl!st across the line in the second Junior five·lapper. The most unusual Expert trophy dash ever' run at Ascot then took place. Nicholas failed to make the line due to battery problems. This left Romero, Houchins and Lacher to battle. At the drop qf Chuck Murray's flay the three sailed into the first turn. Houchins was way over his head and slid into Romero and fell off. G.ene took off for the wall with Lacher trying to miss Houchins. At th,e last second, .Romero laid his machine down and slid into the southern fence and bounced off. Here comes Lacher, Mel then had to miss the fallen Romero and he too fell off. Three riders start, one in the pits, and not one ~ w Z W -l U >- U 'Gene Romero (1) and J.ody Nicholas (23) battle for the lead while Dave Smith. Cal Rayborn (14) and Terry Dorsch (SSR) await a mistake. of the four made it through the first tum! Houchins get dirt in his engine, Romero was helped off the track and his machine was minus the left handlebar. The three returned but Houchins could not get his engine running properly, leaving Lacher and Romero. Gene went' on for his second win of night and became the first Expert to win two dashes this season. By main event time all riders were ready to go in what was later to prove to be a l5-lap trophy dash between three rider.s. . Lacher led off the line with Romero in second and Nicholas third. Mel held it _oramlllo' around- , Maureen Lee is still very ill and will be unable to supply a column for several more weeks. She is ,currently at Los Altos Hospital, 3340 Los Coyotes D.iagnol, Long Beach, Calif. by inches until Romero got a tremendous drive off the second corner and took the lead on the ninth lap. But, the number one Triumph rider could not break away from the two Nortons of Lacher and Nicholas and the three rode as one. Nicholas got into trouble no less than three times during the final and nearly crashed twice, trying to pass Lacher and Romero. The three came out of the final turn nearly three abreast with Romero holding the lead and scoring the 3-event sweep for the night. Lacher held off Nicholas by inches for his best finish this year. Nicholas, had his four win streak stopped as .Romero scored his first half mile win of the, sea~:m. Ray60rn and Dave SlI\ith both dropped out .due to mechanical troubles. , '-The Juniors lined up for the once-a-week Gary Scott benefit race ,th'at was ,not in the books this time.Gary Was shooting 'to become the flTst Junior to break three records in a single night and try for his 12th straight win. He again was off like a rocket on his Triumph and was running well ahead of' the track record when the engine quit on lap five, halfway through the final. Penn and his Triumph then took over to score tne win and become the third Junior this year to ring 'the victory bell. Ron Moore grabbed off second with Jerry Johson in third. The Novices tried to duplicate the Expert final with two riders going all the way to the wire to -decide the winners. Scott Brelsford, the second year Novice from the north and first year Novice Steve Nicho'!s waged a lap by lap battle' on their Yamahas with Brelsford holding off Nichols right at the finish line after Stev,e had closed and dogged the entire distan~e. The Ascot half-milers open t!>e Memorial Day weekend of racing at Ascot this coming Friday night on the track that ",ill find fOUl" days and nights of . cycle and. -car racing;· over the weekend. " , (Results on page Z6) , JIW.I... WRITE FOR COMPLETE ~ SPECS AND PRICES WA LTD. E••\: 185 EXPRESS STREET. PLAINVIEW. L.I.. N,Y, 13137 '1'••1: 3745 OVERLAND AVENUE. LOS ANGELES. CALI F. 11803 Gran', Zltar' Double Trouble a' Ba, If"re SOMIS, CAL., May 23, 1971 - A good rider and crowd turnout, coupled with a "semi-dust free" track, made Sunday a spectacular day of motocross racing. A District 37 point run put on by the • Side-Hacks Assn. brough t together some of District's best Senior and Junior riders. Of the many exciting start to finish challenges, two riders basically put it all together. Again Kenny Zhart, riding for his newly acquired sponsor, Woodland Hills Sports Cycle, took his Bultacos in the 125 and 250 Novice class and literally rode away! Only in the 2nd 250 moto did Zhart have to really work for his win. His en th usiastic charge over the start hill sent him into the tulie bushes with about 20 riders behind the leader. Twenty-four minutes later Zhart screamed in to first just in time for his fourth checkered of the day. Then not to be outdone, Expert Doug Grant riding his factory sponsored AJS and testing a 400 Suzuki for his employer, Suzuki of Santa Barbara went from wire to wire on four consecutive runs to win two classes. Neither Yamaha nor Maico could even challenge Grant's ability or machines as he thrilled the crowd with his exhibition of speed and one wheel cycling (he seemed to taunt competition with his superb wheelie exhibition). After dimaxing Bay Mare's fantastic Junior-Am program which drew 758 riders (all Juniors) and over 5000 spectators, they are having still another all-Junior card on Memorial Day Weekend. Saturday, May 29, is for 100-125 and Powder Puffers; Sunday, Mary 30, is for 250 and Open dasses (both days 3 dasses..,never raced, 5 or less, and Junior). Monday, entitled "Family Day," the entire park is open for public riding. Hilldimbs, race track, scenic grand prix course is all available for public pleasure. (Resul~s ?n page 26) TT smEBACBS AND ALL THE NATIONAL STARS ON THE HALF-MILE ASCOT PA II: FRIDAY ASCOT PARK. GARDENA TRIPPE. COX PROMOTION CAll (213) 531-0479 • or (21,1, 321 ·1610 for inl",

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