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/125732
KEEPS r- '" ai . N C :0 ..., ~ W Z W ..J U >- U A happy victor, Dave Sehl (leftl right in style. By Bob Lenk Dixie Cycle News TERRE HAUfE, IND., June 20, 1971 Dave Sehl, probably the -only Canadian born Southerner (he resides in Atlanta, Ga., when he lives in the U.S.), brought the lion's share of all the Yankee dollars to Dixie from today's 10-Mile National.. Some 50 Experts and 35 J uoiors assembled at the USAC "Action Track" at the Terre Haute Fairgrounds for the third running of this 20-lap National Championship. It was hotter than a July day in the Mississippi cottonfields. Makeshift lean-tos were scattered from one end of , the pit area to the other. While riders and mechanics were fruitless in their efforts to keep cool, on the other side of the fence, scantily clad fillies basked in the sun waiting for the day's races. During time trials, nine Experts broke the track record set by Dave Aldana when he was a Junior three years ago. Aldana (BSA) once again set the fastest time at 25.63, yet he· didn't make his first heat start due to a miscalculation in engine tuning between time trials and the first heat. Gary Scott (Tri) had the fastest Junior time at 26.65. Aldana's vacant spot in the first moved Dave Sehl (H-D) to the pole. Dave dialed his XR to win and led all ten laps. Keith Mashburn (Yam) held the second sPOt until the last lap when Bart Markel (H-D), riding up high, came around Mashburn. All three transferred to the fmal. John Hateley (Tri) Jed the second heat for the first two laps with Gene Romero (Tri) a close second. On the third, Gene moved into first but held it Rex Beauchamp leads heat into turn one. only two laps when Hateley again came by. Ronnie Rall (Tri) edged Romero oul of second on the seventh lap only to lose it again on the eighth. Hateley finished in front with Romero second and Rall th ird. The third heat was Jim Rice (BSA) all the way. Don Castro (Tri) came from far back in the field to take second by the third lap but was unable to catch Rice. Frank Gillespie held third until the 7th lap when Tom Rockwood (Tri) moved into the last transfer position. Scott grabbed the lead and held it until Kenny Roberts (Yam) came by IUm on the fourth lap of the first Junior Heat. The next lap, Scott's Triumph broke in the first tum and Larry Vetter !BSA) moved into the second spot and Neil Blochinger (BSA) took third. J ames Zeigler led the first three laps Dave Aldana sets record qualifying time, only adjustments. of the second Junior Heat with Keith Ulicki (H-D) right on his tailpipe. Keith pulled out front on the fourth and stretched it out to take first place money. Zeigler held on to second with William Schafer third. The five-lap non-money semi - or second chance heat - moved Rex Beauchamp (H-D), Eddie Mulder (Tri) and Dick Mann (BSA) into the National, they finished )·2·3 respectively. From a back-row start, Vetler led the field of Juniors around the first lap in the Junior Main. Roberts, on his quick Yamaha, 'moved from third place to take first on the second lap leaving Vetter in second and Jim Vieyler (H-D) in third. Schafer (BSA) moved into third on the fourth lap as Roberts moved further and further out in front. Schafer got by Vetter for second on the 6th lap but was still a long way behind Roberts. Ken, the top Novice in the nation last year, won by a staggering margin with Schafer second and U1icki third. Rubber in the corners had turned the hard dirt track into a black, 15-feet wide groove all the way around. This, and the blistering heat, would make finishing the 20-laps quite a feat. Sehl sat on the pole with Romero in the last front row starting position. The starter waved off the 12 Experts -and Romero made a straight line for the ftrst tum. Romero held a narrow lead for the first four laps over Markel in second and Seh! in third. On the fifth, "Bad Bart" stormed past on the outside and into the lead. On lap six, Castro came from fourth and into second as Sehl moved into the lead. He began moving away from Castro John Hatley slides it round.