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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125748
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National Speedway Title to Mike Bast
Event 15 was the deciding race fOf
both Mike Bast and Larry Shaw as they
were pitted against Sonny Nutter and
Scott Autrey. Nutter and Bast came out
of the first comer side by side and
pulled down the back straigh t even, but
into the next comer, Mike gave it his all
on the outside and took the lead. Sonny
tried his best to get it back, bu t Mike
could see victory staring him in the face
because Shaw was in third which meant
he would only get one poin t dropping
him back to nine while the win for Bast
meant a tie with Konle for the lead with
ten oints.
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By Mike Capalite
COSTA MESA, CAL., Oct. 8, 1971
By changing the method of obtaining
positions in the championship to a
ballot system instead of the usual
method of just putting the top four men
in the last race, the races tonight at the
Orange County Fairgrounds provided
maximum excitement and suspense as
the United States Championship went
down to a special run-off between Mike
Bast and Mike KonJe.
The crowd was about evenly
distributed between Bast, who has
always looked good this year, and Konle
who has just been getting it together in
the last few weeks.
Crowd favorite Rick Woods, who was
favored to retain his title for another
year, took a bad spill in the third race
and had to go to the hospital.
With a scoring system of 3-2-1-0, the
lead in points changed back and forth
through out the evening.
Scott Autrey looked good in Event 2
as he took the lead with Mike Konle
pressing him.
Next race, Mike Bast could be seen as
a threat for the Championship as he
took an easy win over Bruce Haserot,
Mike Clancey, andJoe Fitzpatrick.
State Champ Steve Bast lost valuable
points in Event 5 as he finished third
behind Dave Gifford, who took the lead
at the start but lost it to Sonny Nutter.
Event 6 pitted brothers Steve and
Mike Bast along with Les Chankey and
Mike Bast hard-charged around Cody
in his last ride, Event 17, to take the
lead with 13 points.
Much hinged on Mike Konle's last
race since he was the only rider who
could tie Bast for the lead, but he would
have to win this one to do it. Konle
went into the lead off the line, but
Sonny utter was making this his best
ride of the evening as he pushed Konle
for the full four li'ps and as they came
down the track for the checkered flag,
they were side-by side. Every fan was on
his feet and screamed at the top of his
lun as Konle took the win by about
Larry Shaw. Mike Bast and Mike Konle
happily show off their top brass labovel while
moments earlier overall winner Mike Bast was
met by the Bast clan after his run-off win
(below).
Check out the winner's form.
six inches over Nutter, making it a tie
between Mike KonJe and Mike Bast,
which meant the run-off.
With every fan glued to his seat, the
run-off between Mike Bast and Mike
Konle puUed to the line. Off the line
and into the comer, it was Bast on the
inside and Konle on the outside. Konle
was giving it his all. Each comer, Mike
Bast would gain a little, getting a little
more wheel to the ground. As they
came across for the checkered flag it
was Bast abead by a couple bike lengths
to take the win. Mike Bast will now
carry the coveted "1" on his back for
the 1972 season as the new United
States Champion.
RESULTS
MIke Bast
16
2. Mike Konle . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..15
3. Larry Shaw
12
4. Dave Gifford
11
5. Scott Autrey
10
9. Les Cnankey
6
6. Sonny Nutter
9
7. Steve Bast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . •8
8. Bill Cody . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . .8
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
Ed Williams . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . ~ .. .•6
Rick Woods
5
John Fishburn . . . . . . . • . . . • • . . . . . . .5
Dennis Gildehaus .... . • . . . . . . . . . . ..4
Mike Clancey
4
Bruce Haserot
4
16. Joe Fitzpatrick
17. Don Cullum (R)
18. Greg Haserot (A) .. '.'
Dennis Gildehaus. Off the line, Steve
took the lead with Mike on his rear
wheel with both of them riding as hard
as they could. Mike wanted this win but
had to settle for a second to tie with
Autrey for the lead with five points.
Mike Konle started to get it on in
Event 7. He stuffed a wheel under
Haserot to take the lead. Haserot went
down, putting Larry in second, but he
was unable to catch Mike. Konle and
Shaw now had a total of five points.
Sonny Nutter fans were disappointed
as he fell in Event 8, ruining his chances
to take the overall lead. Woods moved
into contention as again it was
anybody's 'championship as it was
impossible for anyone man to have a
perfect score of 15.
Beyond a doubt the most important
race of the evening was Event 12. It
pitted Woods, Mike Bast and Konle in a
do-or-die role as all three of them had a
chance to tie Larry Shaw for the lead as
each went in with five points. lnto the
fust corner, John Fishburn crossed up
and was hit by Woo'ds, spilling both of
them causing a restart. In the restart,
going into the second comer, Woods
tried to squeeze between Bast and
Konle and collided, going over the high
side and splitting open his knee-cap.
When the race was finally started, Konle
charged on the outside to take the lead
and the win but Mike Bast stayed in
contention with a last lap drive to move
into second spoL This tied KonJe and
Shaw with eight points.
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NATIONAL CLASS A SPEEDWAY CHAMPIONSHIP PROGRAM
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