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1 ... N by Roy Strawn Photos by John G. Kink<:r ATCO, NJ., Oct. 29, 1972 - Drag ~ racing of the two-wheeled variety has come a long way in the past six years. The crowd of more than 350 competitors who braved the torrcn tial ~ w rains at the AMD RA Nationals will Z sutely attest to this. W When the Atco gates opened ..J o Saturday morning, the sky was black > and the rain was pouring down. Rather u than waste the day, the AMDRA staff and the Areo officials got together and opened the Atco souvenir stand ani:! tech inspection was .held· inside for the remainder of the. day. Ovcr 185 machines we.re inspected and all prescn t were told the gates would open at 6 a.m. Sunday to make up for lost time. By 10 a.m. Sunday the track was dry and the bikes in the crowded staging lanes began to make their runs. One of the first to run was Dan Johnson's new monster double - "Goliath." Sporting a pair of 107 cu. in. JHP-prepared killer motors, the big double made an easy pass in the mid nines and soon came back to scorch the Atco quarter-mile with a 9.03 at 172.08 which was to stand as low e.t. and top MPH of the cvcnt. Larry Welch was a whisker behind on Routt's double Triumph fucler at 9.04. Henry Moore piloted the JHP "Super Rat" to third low with T.C. Christenson's Norton double holding down fourth with a 9.45. Dick Prime and Virgil Naff were next with 9.51 and 9.68; Oklahoma-bascd Bob Dose held position sevcn with a 9.69 charge. As you can see, Saturday's rain took its toll of the traction and the big machines seemed to suIfer the most. The remainder of the qualified fuders considered themselves lucky to make the 16-bike field at all. The going wasn't any easier in Top Gas with Sonny Routt, Marv Jorgenson, Bob Mauriello and Californian Ed McDonald taking the first four spots in the 16-machine qualifying group. The immaculate super-eharged Honda of Russ Collins made the 3,000 mile journey and fell in the horrible spot of number nine qualifier. Frantic work was in store for the rest of his day as he would have to face low qualiIer Routt in round one. The Junior Fuel and Gas macpines also had to qualify in their own eigh t bike brackets. Ray Bellucci's record-holding Triumph led the way in Junior Fuel wi th Joyce Smalley slipping into number eight spot on her recently-eonvcrted BSA. Junior Gas has become 'Honda Heaven' as only two of the eigh t qualifiers were not Honda powered: Wes Nyce captured second spot with his 750 Kawasaki and Jim Futch picked number seven with his H-D. First to fire foe eliminations was the tremendous field of Competition Eliminator. A total of 58 entries meant the winner would really have to work for it. The final run was between Tony Mazziotlo and his brother-in-law, Charlie Bond. Tony's record-holding CIA Honda found too much traction and a giant wheelie put Bond in the Winner's Circle. More than 60 class trophies were awarded and some of these class champions were eligible for the Little Eliminator run-<>ffs. Coming out on top was Bill Gray from Ft. Wayne, Indiana. His II/Modified record-holding Bridgestone bested 0 & A Kawasaki's Steve Knapp for the final. Thirty machines faced off in Street Eliminator and the racing was hot and heavy. Steve Parker from H-D of Rockland had to face record h older Vic Foree in the final. The Chrondek handicapper gave Foree the head start, but.Parker rode his record-breaking Sportster to a catch-up victory. The Hondas pro¥"d dominant in Junior Gas, as the non-Honda entries were defeated in the first round. Defending champion Bill Smith blasted Joyce Smalley and Sonny Routt to face Ken, Jr. for the big bucks.Spiller's hole shot, a 10.22, put him in the winner's circle. Top Gas action was heavy from the start.' Russ Collins' beautiful blown Honda faced-<>ff against Sonny Routt's Triumph double. The Honda had run 9.70 at its bome track in California, but lost fire on the line. Routt waited like a true racer while the R.C. Team tried to kick-start the big Honda. But then he _could wait no longer. Collins loaded up for the coast and Routt soloed for the first round win. Harold Eide sen t J eery Suchy back to Oklahoma and Heidt's Gl ~ T.e. Christenson makes a solo run aboard his Wisconsin based Nona" Double for National Top Fuel honors.' closer to National number one. But it National number one plate for his "Tractor" did in Don Sonderegger's was not to be. The back motor let loose machine. He wen t in to the even t tied in dual-carn Sportster. Mauriello trailered at the finish line and Welch could not points with Larry Welch and now Welch Elmer Trett and Jorgenson got by Chet was out with a broken motor. Both con tinue in eliminations. The winningest Stupcenski's Triumph double. Mike machines carefully staged and the fueJer in the nation had to settle for Schmidtman couldn't handle Mike Chrondek starter flashed the 'go' signal. National Number Two for the second Fedyk's 10.66 bJast. Joe Havelka 10.29 seconds later Bob Mauriello was season in a row. Mike McLaughlin was knocked out teammate R.B. Blackson National Number One. His victory was shu t down by Virgil N aff, but got a with a 10.45, and Connecticut-based only half complete as Welch's second chance. With Welch unable to Mark Davis sent Ed McDonald's teammate, Sonny Routt, did a number continue, McLaughlin got back in as low shovcl-bead H-D back to California. on him in the semi·final round. The e.t. fIest round loser, but was defeated The first round of Top Fuel tmal ~ .was to be between the first Eliminator saw some heartbreak and by NaIf again. Jack Bums scattered an two qualifiers, Routt and Jorgenson. some super-close runs. National Number engine at the half-way point to give Marv fired up his 100 cu. in. Sportster One Dan Johnson unloaded a 9.48 Lucky Lindy an easy win on the Sunset and Rou tl was heating the M & H slick against Ted Sonderegger and Dick Motors number two Norton, while T.C. on the double Triumph gas burner. Prime's new 107 cu. in. motor nosed Christenson guided the number one Sonny got the jump and took the win out Bill Faor, 9.65 to 9.70. Bob Dose's Sunset machine past a smoking John with a 10.03. With his victory Routt "Hawaiian" motored by Tom Gaff's Dixon. picked up some big bucks and contingency cash (Triumph Corporation being one of them). The ~ig Go in Top Fuel was all set up. Dick Prime had beaten Dan Johnson's "Goliath" double when DJ.'s oil tank let loose and coated the back tire with slick sttiff; then the "New England Flash" sen t Bob Dose back to Oklahoma. T.C.'s Norton put down teammate Lindy and then soloed when Naff stalled just off the starting line. The Norton doubled fired for the last run and Prime came off the rollers loaded for bear. T.C. had won the meet in 1970, but Prime's big inch Harley was getting quicker and had run a 9.32 in the previous round while the "Hogslayer" had run !l.3t. The final round of Top Gas competition. Sonny Routt aboard his Triumph double has gotten the When the big H-D readied for the drop on Marv Jorgenson's H-D. Routt captured the National gas title. burnout, Dick lost his clutch adjustment and shut down. The injected Norton double soloed for a win in the richest and biggest race ever held. Prime fixed the bike and made a solo after the fact, and recorded a too late 9.24 - shutting off four times for whee/stands - a real heartbreaker as T.C.'s winning e.t. was 9.56. _:"aiii~_. QUALIFIERS TOP FUEL: - NAME 16 open positions. Dan Johnson Larry Welch Henry Moore T.C. Christenson Dick Prime Vir911 Naif Russ Collins on the R.C. Engineering supercharged Honda turned in the nines. Dick Prime blasts his way to a 9.24 sec run - during which he had to shut off four times because off-lbe-pace 10.57. AI Charlier eased into round two as Henry Moore bogged Johnson's "Super Rat" 100 feet out. Larry Welch piloted Routt's double Triumph to a first-round win over Leo Payne's H-D and it put him one step Bob Mauriello got set for round two. of Top Gas and had to face John Heidt's Wisconsin "Tractor" Harley. The chips were really down for Bob on this run. Not only were the Nationals at stake, but he had to win this run to insure the H·D Bob Dose H-Q Jack Burns H·D Ted sonderegger H-D Leo Payne "H·D AI Charlier H-D John Dixon H·D Bill Faor H-D Mike McLaughlin H·D "tom Gaff H·D Nor dbl Lucky Lindy JR FUEL-8 open pOSitions Ray Bellucci Trl .Sonny Routt Tri Tri K.C. Spillers Bill Smith of wheeHes! BIKE H-Q dbl Trl dbl H-Q Nor dbl H·D Trl Trl Nor BSA K.C. Spillers, Jr. T.C. Ch rlstenson Bill Lawrence Joyce Smalley BSA TOP GAS-16 open positions Sonny Routt Trl dbl Mary Jorgenson H·D Bob Mauriello H·D Ed McDonald H-D Harold Elde H·D Joe Havelka H-D John Heldt H-D Mike Fedyk H-D Russ Collins ~,~ndbl Chet 5tupcenskl Elmer Trett H-D Mark Dayis H·D Jerry Suchy H-D H-D R.B. Blackson Don Sonderegger H·D Mike Schmtdtman H-D JR GAS-8 open positions Hon Jim Ludiker Kaw Wes Nyce Hon Vince McCormick Hon Paul Nault Hon Jim Mullis Hon Don Land H-D Jim Futch Hon Paul Ray MPH 172.08 162.16 158.73 153.32 149.25 9.68 149.75 E.T. 9.03 9.04 9.32 9.45 9.51 9.69 9.72 9.74 149.00 9.82 9.83 137 9.95 10.00 10.02 139 10.15 147 10.27 156.79 10.19 10.20 10.25 10.58 10.61 10.67 10.93 11.25 10.01 10.03 10.05 10.20 10.40 10.54 10.64 10.70 10.74 10.77 10.81 10.83 10.83 10.85 10.98 11.01 144.69 135.49 135.95 134.32 131 143.76 138.67 133.72 135.33 128.57 132.93 132.93 130.91 135.33 133.13 135.13 130.43 10.84 10.93 124.65 10.97 12S.17 11.08 11.26 124.30 11.29 11.57 "-1.59