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/125797
IT'S GERALD Story by Gary Van Voorhis Photos by Gary Van Voorhis and Bob Lenk HINSD ALE, ILL., Aug. 18, 1972 - A broken coil bracket , a sticking compre ssion 'release and a flawless ride put Ossa rider Barry Gerald of Baton Rouge, Louisia na in the winner' s circle at the Santa Fe Short Track Nationa l. Mike Kidd was the victim of the broken coil bracket , a blow that quieted Kidd's Bultaco only nine laps away from victory. The malfunc tioning compre ssion release was the downfa ll of pre·race favorite , Robert E. Lee. Seeking his second Nationa l win at Santa Fe, Lee spent four laps in the pits disconn ecting the release; then returne d to action to wrestle his Ossa for the remaini ng laps. Mike Kidd pu t on a quick claim to fast Expert time knockin g four seconds off fast time of Wednes day night's prelim. Lee, apparen tly trying some psych tactics, calmly wen t about this race prepara tion content to be the last rider to qualify; turning fourth fastest. The clay quarter· mile at Santa fe is hard and fast but withou t anyon e special groove. The riders experim ented in the turns, going high, low or staying in the middle with no one rider taking the same line twice. Passing took skill, too. Charge too hard 00 the straight and you risked being shut off in the turns taking your chances with the wall. Play it safe and the heat was as far as you got. Harley riders Mark Brelsfo rd, Mert Lawwil l, Cal Raybor n, Dave Sehl and Larry Darr got the heat race blues, along with Mike Haney (Yam), frank Gillespi e (Yam) and Neil Keen (Kaw). A sligh t malfunc tion of the starter's stand caused a red flag of lap one of the first Expert Semi. On the restart, it was Gerald, Kidd, and Beauch amp ioto tum ooe. Beauch amp went high·, finding himself nin th with seven laps to work his way back. Bart Markel, running sixth and chargin g on lap three, found himself shut out goiog into turn three .and laid it down to avoid a crash, ending up slightly shaken. Beauch amp put himself right back in the race by lap five behind fifth place "French ie" LeBlanc . In the back of the pack., Aldana (Oss). Scott (Ric), Keener (H-D). Chuck Palmgre n (Bul) and Dick Mann (Ric) were watchin g their transfer chances grow slimme r on each lap. Kidd and Gerald battled to the flag. Darryl Hurst (Oss) led flag to flag in Semi two with the action focused on the duel between Robert E. Lee and Don Castro for second. ·Lee led the first four laps with Castro moving ahead for Charlie Chapple (Kaw), Rex (H-D), and Gene Romero (Ric) filling out the two row final. Don Castro pulled a hole shot on the field only to find himself broadsl iding the outside groove while Kidd, Gerald, Hurst and Lee dove underne ath. Kidd and Gerald remaine d glued togethe r, wheel to wheel, for the first seven laps until Kidd began to open a slight lead. Castro, Roberts , Hurst and Chapple began a terrific duel for third place on lap eigh t followin g each other in a line wi th Rex Beauch amp, Jim Rice, uFrench ie" LeBlanc and Gene Romero stringin g out. John Skinner was the first race casual ty with Lee followin g on lap ten for a four lap unsched uled s1;Pp. Kidd coasted to a stop on the back straigh t 00 lap 17 and dejected ly sat there as his chance for a N atiooal victory disappe ared with a broken coil bracket . It took Ossa-m ounted Barry Gerald only a split second to realize that he was eight laps from his first Nationa l victory, and he poured it 00. Darryl Hurst sensed the chance and immedi ately, picked off third place Keo Roberts in turn three. Roberts pressure d Hurst to the flag but could not get around while Castro ran out of laps behind Gerald. Rex Beauch amp made good his hope to "beat a few ring-din gs" and finished fifth ahead of Jim Rice. The winner' s circle belonge d to a jubilan t Gerald while Kidd stood in the pits lookiog as though the world had disinteg rated., exclaim ing HI can't believe it. It's heartbr eaking. " with Santa Fe Sh ort Tr ack National ~eauch amp JUNIO R FINAL the last four. John Skinner (Bul) settled into a safe fourth while :Jim Rice and Gene Romero moved up lap by lap to capture the last transfer spots. Three time Santa fe winner Gary Nixon (BuI) led the list of casualti es with Al Kenyon (Bul), Keith Mashbu rn (Yam), Charlie Seale (Bul), Dave Atherto n (Oss) , and Ron Kemper (Bul) joining the sideline spectato rs. He mainlv just ride...l'lort track, burh. rides it _II enough '. ... . '1'·' ~. l ' •. £ ' . • to win a Nation.1 . ~ , M:ann, Scott and Romero were aboard "box stock" Rickma ns and, with some refinem ent, they could tum into a threat. It was two stroke paradise 00 the line. Ossa riders Barry Gerald, Darryl Hurst , aod R.E. Lee agains t Bultaco -mount ed Jim Rice, Mike Kidd and John Skinner and the Yamaha s of Ken Roberts . LeBlanc and Don Castro Mik.e Johnso o (Oss) added his name to the list of Junior winners this season, narrowl y beating Ted Poovey (Bul) to the checker s in the ten lap fmal. Don Wiley (Yam) was first off the line followe d by Johnso n and Poovey with Johnso n taking the lead on the back chute. Poovey got by on lap two as Rawls (Bul) moved into third just a shadow ou t of first. Johnso n regained the lead of lap five, but could not shake Poovey and Rawls. Fred Smith (Yam) and fast J uoior qualifie r, Gary Horton , had a duel going for fourth while Dale Furst (Oss) and Dave awhill (Yam) closed in behind. Rawls' remaine d within a few bike lengths of first un til lap eigh t when his engine quit, letting Fred Smith into th'ird ahead of a fast closing Gary Horton . Then it was furst, Wiley and Sawhill , remaini ng in position to the flag. l?l 1 ... N Cl l'S gi « ~ w z W ..J U > U