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/125817
... .. iii' ~ ... '" ... C'? > :; .., en ~ Z W ...J U >U The track didn't hold up _II. In fact, it looks like a scrambles. Roberts has just done it to Beauchemp. • popularity he was wasting his time, for the same magical mania still works, or at least it did until the fifth lap when Mann was sidelined wi th an alleged cracked rod. While all the eyes had been on Mann, Rex Beauchamp had passed Aldana for second and was getting down to it in an effort to challenge Mann for the lead. When Beauchamp inherited the lead on the sixth lap, he was ahead of the field behind him by several lengths. The field positions changed so often that it was open to question where anybody was as the rapidly deteriorating surface acted as a speed leveler and no one could get away from his pursuers far enough to securely claim his positiqn, much less break away and challenge Beauchamp for the lead...except for one rider. Suddenly, Kenny Roberts seemed to burst from the field and rocketed his Yamaha away to challenge Beauchamp. By lap eigh t Roberts was visibly closing on the leader and the crowd's heartbeat went up to a new rev limit. . . As if Beauchamp didn't have enough to contend with (the track becoming rougher and more dangerous every moment and Roberts breathing down his neck), his V·twin powerplant started cutting out. Roberts, following right behind, pressed doser and continued to shave off a second here, a second there with each lap. It all came down to the last lap, going into the. third turn as Roberts and Beauchamp both held the inside groove. Coming out of tum three it was Roberts in the lead by a hair and then Beauchamp took it back going into tum four. It was anybody's gue.ss whO' led coming out of tum four for the fmal charge to the checker, as both riders were locked together like a single unit. Roberts tucked in tigh t ~d took the win by less than a wheel. The crowd had a heart attack. RESULTS, FIRST HEAT FIVE MILES: 1. Kenny Roberts (Vam); 2. Rex Beauchamp (H-D); 3. Scott Brelsford (H~D); 4. Charley Seale (H·D). SECOND ttEAT FIVE MILES: 1. Dick Mann (Tri); 2. Gene Romero (Tri): 3. Keith Ulicki (H-D); 4. Frank Gillespie (Vam). THIRD HEAT FIVE MILES: 1. Gary Scott Trl); 2. Dave Aldana (Nor); 3. Don Castro Yam); 4. Stan Johnson (Yam). OURTH HEAT FIVE MILES, 1. Mike Kldd .- (Tri); 2. Gary Nixon (Yam); 3. Eddie Wirth ,. (Yam): 4. Cal Rayborn (H-D). ~IFlST SEMI FIVE LAPS: 1. Chuck Palmgren (Yam); 2. Dave Sehl (H-D). SECOND SEMI FIVE LAPS, 1. Frank Ullckl .(H-D); 2. Terry Dorsch (Tril. TROPHV FINAL TEN LAPS: 1. Steve Droste (Vam); 2. Rpger Reiman (H-Dl. MAIN: 1. ~ Ken Roberts (Vam); 2. Rex Beauchamp (H-D); 3. Scott Brelsford (H·D); 4. Gary Nixon (Vam); 5. Gary Scott (Trl); 6. Dave Aldana (NOr); 7. Mike Kidd (Trl); 8. Charley Seale (H-D); 9. Gene Romero (Trl); 10. Stan Johnson (vaml. ~ Scon Brelsford picked up a friendly third piece.