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Dorsch Blasts 'Champs ~ w Z W ...J U :> u , Photos by John Bethea and Dave Swift SAN JOSE, CAL., Oct. 31, 1971 ABC's annual "Race of Champions" was billed to be a showdown between this past season's Half-Mile and Mile National Champions but it was first-year Expert Terry Dorsch who got most of the tv-camera time as he led from the first lap to win the 20-Lap, $8000 Half-Mile show. The Atlanta, Ga_, based Canadian Dave Sehl, after picking off the fastest Expert Heat win, drove to the first turn lead with Dorsch second. But the quickly-improving Dorsch found his early opening out of turn two and got the lead he later stretched to a decisive margin at the checkered. Dave Hansen, Eddie Mulder and Jim Rice were early chargers and after several tours, Sehl was zapped first by Mulder and then by Hansen. Mulder then began to pick up ground on Dorsch, who was cruising undisturbed at the point, and by lap eight had narrowed. the distance considerably. Then, between turns one and two, Mulder went down, leaving Hansen in command of second. By this time, Robert E. Lee, the relativdy- unknown star who aced the best at the Santa Fe Short Track National in mid-August, pushed his way past Sehl to take over third, on the heals of Hansen. Lee, the "Little General", later remarked how pleased he was with this pass. He had trailed Sehl in the heat almost all the way while placing second, but he knew he could pass Dave "because this wasn't a cushioned track and I like grooved tracks; I have no trouble passing on a grooved track." With Lee and Hansen dicing away, Dorsch continued to methodically cover the half-mile circuit while building his lead. On lap 12, Rice also passed the slowing Sehl and began to hound Lee's ext>,ust pipe but couldn't find a way by. While this close battle was going on, Bart Markel, making one of his very rare , and West Coast appearances, was working his way up from a second-row and middJe-of-the-pack start to also pass Sehl, on lap 15. At this point, Dorsch had constructed a strong lead with Hansen second followed by Lee, Rice, Markel, Sehl and Sonny Burres. Both Rice and Markel closed in rapidly on Lee but for two laps he held Dave Sehl leads the second Expert Heat into first lurn. outside to hold second after this turn. Scott Powers Stocker to Down Foe Roberts Gary Scot,'s Triumph mighl have been a lale pUI-together, bUI il certainly did Ihe job. ~../.' W"/ Owe Smith waits for times trials to get undefway. so he chets with the reeovering Men lawwill and the not- raci ng today Cal Rayborn. By David Swift SAN JOSE, CAL., Oct. 31,1971 - Like the Ascot Gold Cup and IT National one weekend last July the Amateur program of ABC's Race of Champion's half-mile was ultimately a Gary Scott-Ken Roberts duel Seldom do two riders spend so much time together on a dirt track, but once again the young wunderltind lofted spectators' spirits with another knuckle.clinching perfonnance here at San Jose Fairgrounds. Scott drove through the gates this mornjng at a definite disadvantage. He had recendy lost his sponsor Ontario Cycle ("We had a contract disagreement so we decided to part while still friends," he said), and gained a new one, City Cycle Center. But just the other day all three of his bikes were stolen. Today he rode his tuner's stock-framed Triumph TT scrambler with a weak engine and dubious handling qualities. Gary proceeded to set fast Junior qualifying time at 27:03, fifth fastest of the day, even after a minimum of practice. Roberts was not too far behind second fast Junior time of 27:26. Kenny was using a tricky-trick Champion frame that he said was probably good for cushion tracks like Ascot but was offering litde help on San Jose's groove. San Berdoo 'shoe Ron Moore looked in bot contention after winning the fJrst heat all the way. Bill Morgan kept a tight grip on second until Scott rmaJly coaxing him out of the way on the last during the last laps. The second heat was Roberts', no sweat, but Torn Phillips, JaD Ogilvie, and Bruce Texeira really pounded each other the whole race for second spot. All of them transferred to the Main, anyway. Mike Collins won the third heat, moving through the pack to pass Gary Kapus, winner during the National here several months ago. Collins barely hdd on to the tight finish. Scott led the lucky dozen into the first corner of the Main and soon grabbed a comfortable lead. Kapus had the honor of coming undone on the first lap, taking Moore with him. Moore was up after the field passed again and made a gallant effon at unlapping himself from most of the riders. Meanwhile, Scott was slowly losing his lead. Roberts had broken through the field and was gathering in great chunks of land. This, however, is somewhat easier than actually passing Gary, stock machine or not. It never happened. Roberts got as close as a person can get without being arrested but once feU off the groove in a pass attempt. Gary is a teeth-gritting rider who can wrestle a bike over any obstacle. While Roberts is just as agressive, his smoother style, despite a quicker machine, wasn't suited for the San Jose Fairgrounds. The performance of Matt Falconer was a commendable one. Falconer is soft-spoken and was rather unnoticeable on the track today because he spent his time in the midst of a tough clump of riders. In the third beat Matt held onto the last transfer position and eventually passed into the third spot. He was nudging Kapus for second on the rma! In the Main, it was a lap. Falconer-Phillips-Morgan show that was, of course, overshadowed by the leaders, but a fme showcase of riding just the same. Falconer never gave up third.