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ROCKWOOD WINS ASCOT'HOT ONE Photos by Tim Byars GARDENA, CAL., Sept. 17, 1971 The national circuit riders are back for the rest of the year and the final tuneup for the Ascot National this coming Saturday nigh t wiI) be hard to top for sheer fine racing. Many of the top California Experts wbo have been gone most of the season were back. One of the rnany was Tom Rockwood, the '70 Ascot point champ. It was a typical Tom, first a third fast time in qualifying and then a poor start in the heat race and a third place finish. Then another bad start in tbe semi and another third place finish and a next to last start position in the ten rider final. Rockwood started to get going in the dash with a good start and a close third in a three rider group finish that was won by Sammy Tanner. Tanner, the fast qualifer, rode his best race in many a season to capture the dash inches ahead of Nicholas and Rockwood. In the heat race Tanner was also leading when he broke a primary chain, dropping him out of a spot in the final. Nicholas, Lloyd Houchins and Terry Dorsch were the three heat race winners with Houchins introducing the 750cc BSA twin to competition for the first time. The Main Event, perhaps one of the best ever for a California half mile final, had Dave Aldana up front early in the race with Nicholas a close second and Rockwood working his way up from the back. Tben Nicholas took over as both John Hateley and Rockwood closed to the rear wheel of Aldana who was still right on the rear wheel of Norton mounted Nicholas. With three laps to go Nicholas dropped out with a broken primary chain and a classic three rider duel was on. Rockwood zipped by Hateley with two laps to go and caught and passed Aldana on the final lap. The two traded the lead three times before the final tum. Aldana led going into the last tum but Rockwood with that uncanny ability to square off and drive in low scooted inside, Hateley was right behind. The three came out of the final tum abreast with Rockwood in the middle and the handlebars of all three machines over-lapping. The last tum is Tom's best as he put the wheel of the Triumph up front in the dash to the finish. Hateley also came in low to nip Aldana for second at the line. The margin from first .. ... & .... aJ Q. en " ~ w Z W ..J U >- U Tom Rockwood pulled out an Ascot win two weeks before the National here, making his prospects look good. to third place at the finish was less than two lengths. Rockwood now has a first and a second his last two times at Ascot and moves into a prime contender spot for the National win along with '70 winner Gene Romero and Ascot point leader, Jody Nicholas. Two Eastern Juniors invaded Ascot for the first time to tryon Gary Scott for size: "Frenchy "LeBlanc, Decatur, Ga., and Jim Weinert, Middletown, N.Y., both Triumph mounted. LeBlanc timed in for third fast Junior spot and won his heat race with a good ride. Weinert, running second in his heat race, fell off and did not make the semi nor the Junior final. LeBlanc came from sixth on the first lap of the final to move into third place on lap two but could Climb no farther as Scott again added a heat and Main Event win to his new streak that now stands at nine in a row. Ron Moore finished a solid second with LeBlanc a distant third but getting the feel of Ascot a little better on each lap. Scott Brelsford also had a new challenger from out of state in the Novice ranks. Mike Johnson, the highly regarded first year pro from Flint, Michigan was on hand for the first time. This did not stop the Yamaha 250 ace as he rang up wins number 15 and 16 to tie the Novice record set in 1963 by Paul Conserriere. Brelsford had an easy time in both ou tings but will have to wait two weeks for the return of Novice half mile racing to try for a new lighweight win record. This coming weekend at Ascot finds a IT race on Friday night for all three classes and then the national troops moving in for the 13th annual running of the Half Mile National on Saturday evening. All bu t four of the top 20 in the National Standings will be on hand. One of the four is ou t with an injury while the other three are road racers only. Cal Rayborn and Don Emde were also back at Ascot Friday with Emde coming up with engine troubles in practice and Rayborn having troubles in the heat and not riding in the semi. (Results on page 14) 2 Separate 4 at Corona Photos by Tim Byars CORONA, CAL., Sept. 18, 1971 SoCal's two top Juniors teamed to edge the Experts in the time trials and the combined Main Event in the latest oval outing at Corona Raceway. Gary Scott set a new one-lap record in time trials, topping the record breaking efforts of four Experts during the nationals last July. His one lap ride at 22:37 knocked out the old mark of 22:44 set by Don Castro. Scott then topped Eddie Mulder, Frenchy LeBlanc and Jim Nicholson in the heat race. Terry Dorsch, Scott's number one threat at the eastside oval, also won his heat, defeating Ron Moore, Lloyd Houchins andJohn Hateley. Then came the trophy dash and the end to Scott's nigh t of racing. Gary took the lead on the first lap from Dorsch as the riders headed in to the tricky south tom. Dorsch lost his rear brake and drove into Scott. Both riders went down hard. Scott was taken to the ambulance but refused the ride to the hospital. He sat out the Main Event, holding one hand in the other and stated that he was on his way the next day to see his own doctor. Mulder went on to win his first dash of M the year with Dave Smith taking second. The Main Event, the best ever at Corona, had three and four riders wheel to wheel and nose to nose from start to finish. On the final lap, Junior Ron Moore, who had held a narrow lead, managed to bold off Dorsch, Frank Gillespie and Hateley. It took quite a few seconds after the flag to decide just who had beat who as the finish was that close, and that crowded. From first to fourth was less than two feet!! . It was Moore's first major win of the season and his first over the Expert in Main Event racing. Tbe crowd went wild the entire 15 laps and cheered the front four from start to finish. Scott Brelsford continued to dominate the Novice class at Corona as well as Ascot and again scored a pair of wins in the 250cc class aboard his Yamaha. Steve Nichols again did the chasing after each rider had won his heat race. Michigan's Mike Johnson, riding Corona for the first time, took a second_ behind Nichols in the heat but pulled only a sixth place in the final, dropping one position down over his previous night's effort at Ascot. THE LITTLE BIKE THAT WINS THE BIG RACES 14 IS OLD ENOUGH TO WIN THE CANADIAN NATIONAL MOTO-CROSS CHAMPIONSHIP.. IF YOU'RE AS GOOD AS LARRY WATKINS, AND YOU RIDE A DKW. On September 5th at Aldergrove, Canada Larry Watkins put it on the best riders Canada eould muster. He had already defeated many of America's top moto-eros ers in the Can-Am series just for the right to repre ent us. In addition to a beautiful trophy and a little speniling money, the Canadians presented him with a British "old medal that is !"ivcn Columbia Centennial Award - a o 0 out only every 100 yt:ars Lo outstandinl?; aLhelete~. SomC'Lhing any man would prize highly, -and somclhiug Lhi~ 14 year·old man will new'r rorl?;el. HERCULES DIST. LTD. 9827 MASON AVENUE CHATSWORTH, CA. 91311 Three of the hottest young pro's4round; Steve Nichols, Gary Scon, and Scott Brelsford. EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTOR FOR THE U.S. & TERRITORIES DEALER INOUIRIES INVITED