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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125746
Records Shattered at Ascot - ..... en It; ::; o ~ w Z W ...J (.J > (.J Photos by Don Mahony GARDENA, CAL., Sept. 25, 1971 For at least a dozen years the most sought-after win on the National circuit is the Half Mile National at Ascot. Many have tried, most have failed. The Ascot National each year has usually been a runaway for the very few that have ever won. A new record crowd was on hand for the 13th annual running of the event Saturday nigh t and they saw what is rated as the best Half Mile National ever run in the West .,.- and maybe the East as wdl. Two young speedsters, neither old enough. to vote until the new law went into effect, flat put it on the troops from start to finish with an assist from a road racing old timer but a new sensation in half mile racing. The crowd never left their seats from start to finish in the 20-Lap National Final that saw the lead change at least 14 times on one part or another of the famed oval in Gardena. Many have been on hand for every national but had never seen one like this epic. Mark Brelsford took fast time honors but seven other riders were close behind and all eight were in .the 22 second bracket for another first at Ascot. Then the three heats came out and the real action started happening faster than ever before. Brelsford kept going to take the win over teammate, Dave Sehl and it looked like the Harley hopes were righ t as Mark set a new 10-lap record by more than two seconds. Lloyd Houchins grabbed third and last direct transfer to the final. Terry Dorsch, Jim Rice, Mark Williams and Carl Patrick moved to the semi main. The second heat was loaded with talent. Romero got bottled up in traffic early and tried to cut the high groove and fell off midway through the race. The duel was up front with Nicholas in the lead and Tom Rockwood right on last direct transfer. Sammy Tanner, Don Castro, Eddie Wirth and Dick Mann went to the semi. Mann was the 25th qualifer and ran seventh in the heat for the last transfer in the semi·main event. Eddie Mulder tried to catch Mann for the last transfer position but failed. The Semi, always a good one at any dirt track national, could transfer only three riders on to the national final. The quick five-lapper was a bomb from start hot trying to keep pace and it cost him ground. The last five laps found J ody trying to hold off Hateley who has also become a late lap charger like Rockwood. With two laps to go John picked off J ody and took after Rockwood. The two started the final lap running end for end but Tommy again put on a last lap surge that was the fastest lap of the night and open the gap at the finish to three lengths. Carl "Frenc hy" LeBlanc had a heartbreak of a fall in the third Junior Heet while leading. to finish with Keeter off to a perfect start and Leading all the way for the win. Jim Rice got going to take second and Mann came from the back row to take third, again for the last transfer spot. It was rated as the best oval track ride that Mann has ever turned in at Ascot. Cancelled out of the final were Mashburn, Dorsch, Castro, Tanner and Williams. Rayborn had earlier failed to make it from the heat to the semi. Now the stage was set for what was to be a record shattering ride and a duel never before seen at any of the previous The young Triumph team rider, who celebrates his 21st birthday on Sept. 29th, completely destroyed the 20-lap record set by Mer! 'Lawwill in '69 by nearly eigh t seconds! In additiona to the largest share of the $10,000 purse, Tom also picked up additional contingency money from Bates Leathers, Bell Helmets and Cycle News. His tuner, Danny Macias, who had tuned many National IT winning Triumph, got his first oval track champion and was the second most elated person at Ascot. Tom Rockwood happily displays his t his father, announcer Roxy Roc interviews his son's tuner. Kenny Roberts wOl) the Junior Main, but Ron Moore made a valient bid near the end but just couldn't quite catch the fleet Yamaha rider from Northern California. his rear wheel. Rockwood kept the pressure on and took the lead in the closing laps to win - and set a new track record, three seconds faster than the time turned in by BreisCord! Keith Mashburn came Crom far back to take 'fourth. Frank Gillespie took third and last direct transfer but crashed one lap after the teI) laps had been completed due to an error by the starter which flagged the race off after eleven laps, instead of ten. Official scoring and timing ended at the ten lap mark. Gillespie was hospitalized with a broken collarbone and automatically placed in the final and awarded 12th position. Mashburn, Keeter, Paul Bostrom and Ron Kruseman transferred to the semi main from the heat. Rookie John Hateley came up late in the final heat race to take the win with the identical ten lap time turned in earlier by Brelsford. Dave Aldana ran second with Mel Lacher in for third and dozen Ascot Nati';naIs. Rockwood was off the line from the pole and the Leader into the first tum.. Brelsford came up with engine troubles on the first lap. Nicholas and Hateley and a flock of others were right behind Rockwood at the end of the first two laps. By lap eight Jody and Tom were nose to nose and the Triumph and Norton were equal in the h·orsepower division. Then Nicholas forged to the front on lap nine and opened a slight lead by the halfway mark on lap ten. Back came Rockwood and the Lead changed four times on lap 12. Hateley was again closing from third. The final seven laps was a three rider dud with Rockwood leading most oC the time across the Line to pick up the lap money but Nicholas pulling even and many times passing on the turns. Then Rockwood, gunning for his fust national win, started to we",r Nicholas down with some tremendous drives into both turns. J ody started getting in too Rockwood, Hateley and Nicholas were the only riders ever in contention for the win. This was the closest battle' ever for an Ascot National and the first time it has ever been decided in the final two laps. It was the third win for Triumph this year on the national circuit. Gary Scott was missing from the Junior class action due to an injury from the week before. So it appeared that the duel was between Yamaha mounted Kenny Roberts from California and Alabama's Frenchy LeBlanc on a Triumph. Roberts posted the fast Junior time trial, LeBlanc was third fastest. Roberts won his heat race bu t his ten lap time was topped by Ron Moore, Triumph, who won the second heat. LeBlanc came out for the third heat and looked like an easy winner but with nearly a straightaway lead on the final lap he fell off, much to the surprise of the corwd and himself. No reason was given and it was Idaho's Tom Sawyer on a Triumph, backing into the win. It looked like it would be a runaway early in the Junior final for Roberts, but Mark Brelsford (7) had early troubles and here he is getting lapped by Tom Rockwood (91 and Jody Nicholas.