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/125737
'" OTT FEUD Photos by Walt and Dan Mahoney. ~ w Z w oJ U >- U Mark Williams (41) held thil'd earty but Eddie Mulder finally overtook him for third. troubles during the last National IT of the year. Williams stopped for the first of two times on Lap 31 but still managed to come back later to finish 11th. Aldana crashed running second late in the race trying to pass a slower rider but still got back up to hold a close second over Mulder at the finish for his best fmish in a National this year. Dave broke his top oil breather tube in the fall and crossed the finish drenched in the goo. Jimmy Odom also crashed early in the race but got back up to finish a strong seventh after starting in the number ten slot. Tom Rockwood, starting 21 st on th e rear line, worked his way through to finish inside the top ten for the third straight year in eighth paying position. Cal Rayborn was thanking the Ascot promoters after the races, stating that this was the first Narional in a year-and-a-half that he has finished with the engine running in good form, or the engine running at all! His fourth place was the second time in three years he has been in the top five. Last year's Junior winner John Hateley ran off the track twice in the heat race and did not transfer. The same for Don Castro who couId not master the infield turn-in. Brelsford, Aldana and Mulder were the three heat race winners. Mark was also the fastest qualifier. Dave Sehl did a surprise job in the heat race for only his second time on the track and then started ninth in the final. He later came up with a sick engine, forcing rum out. of the event in 18th position. Gary Scott and his Triumph was the fastest qualifying Jurrior combination with Gary also winning his heat race and hreaking the Junior record for six laps by over ten seconds. Kenny Roberts (Yam) also won his heat and the stage was again set for the best with the yellow plates in the 14-lap final. Robe,rts got the jump off the line with Scott dogging his track all the way. Roberts won the event by making a mistake on one of the turns late in the race that forced Scott to drop back, giving Roberts the margin he needed in the final two laps to win his tturd Junior fmal on the national circuit this year. The two top Juniors now head for the Corona National Half-Mile Saturday night with three wins each, rugh for the Junior ranks this year. Oregon's Randy Scott, the Castle Rock winner, could pull no better than a distant third behind Kenny and Gary on their home track. Gene Romero was on hand finishing out his suspension and doing "color" announcing with Roxy Rockwood- in the press booth. Romero has offered $200 to any Expert that can beat him at the Ascot half mile next Friday night when he returns to action. He says he is going to win and is ready to go both at Ascot on Friday and Corona on Saturday. Young Steve Droste topped off a perfect night of racing by extending his ramp jump to seven cars. His entire act came off without a hitch this time and the more than 10,000 people on hand gave him a standing ovation as the curtain came down on the first of four national events to be held in Southern California this year. Now for Corona, the Ascot half-mile and rhe final National of the year at Ontario in October. (Results on page 28)