by John Huetter
Photos by Dave Schoonmaker,
Randy Dietzel and Huetter
CARLSBAD, CAL .• Nov. 5, 1972
While munching a steak sandwich on
Thursday, Heikki Mikkola made some
general inquiries about the Carlsbad
International course for the Hang Ten
U.S. Grand Prix and, subsequently,
renected as how he could beat Ake
Jonsson, liP to this poin t the star of the
Trans-AMA series. By 2: 30 on Sunday
afternoon. he had made a good start
toward making his claim good by
winning
tbe
first
International
45-minute moto with a comfortable,
though not overwhelming, margin. Ake
Jonsson was behind him and Roger
DeCoster was an even grealer distance
ba k at the finish.
It didn't start out that way, though.
When the gate dropped, the usual mad
rush down the short start straigh t put
about three riders abreast into the first
tum. When the pack had cleared ou t by
the second tum around the off-camber
uphill, the point man was Brad Lackey.
And he was haul;n'. The fans went wild.
For' three laps Lackey held the lead
against hard, determined riding from the
fresh International class riders. Then he
went hot into a turn, slid out too far
and Jonsson and Mikkola went past
him. Jonsson hung onto Mikkola for a
couple of laps and then the Flying finn
flew. He was going horrendously fast
during that first moto and. short of his
dropping it, there was no way anybody
could reach him once he got ou t in
front. Mikkola looked good, fast and
controlled. DeCoster had begun working
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At the last turn before the checkered fla~, Tripes (141 had come up to pass Grossi for the lead,
which h"e didn't!gei. ·Gros~twon.
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