! Mike Gerald's Second Santa Fe
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By Gary Van Voorhis
Photos by Bob Lenk
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HINSDALE, ILL., AUG. 3
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Cajun Kid Sweeps
Santa Fe
Santa Fe Speedway hosted its
thirteenth Annual Short Track
National, and when the action was
over it was 1972 again: Mike
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Gerald, Don Castro, and Darryl Hurst
ascended the winners podium to accept
their trophies in the same order they did
last year. The conincidence even carried
to fourth place as Ken Roberts
repeated.
On the podium winner Mike Gerald
grinned his best grin and was- so elated
that he couldn't stand still, alternately
swigging champagne, congratulating
Don Castro on his second place ride,
g1adhanding his teammate, Darryl Hurst,
and calling for his girlfriend. Darry I
smiled and Castro shared his piece of
the stand with the foxiest trophy girl
around.
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Cast of Characters:
No Names Have Been Changed
Mike Gerald looked beat as he
slouched in a chair near his van before
the start of practice. The visihle nervous
energy, the glib Cajun bomilies, and the
everpresent Gerald smile were strangely
absent, replaced by ~ quiet
thoughtfulness or perhaps just a
conscious conservation of energy for the
task at hand. "I've been sic k lately with .
the flu, and I don't feel as strong as
usual bu t if I can make the Main and
last the 25 laps, then I think I can win."
If Mike was sick then racing was his
cure and doctor. He set fast time (the
only rider to break the 15 second
bracket - 15:96), won his heat by a
wide. margin over Mike Kidd, then did
the Cajun shuffle for 25 laps to win his
second consecutive Santa Fe National.
Don Castro placed second in the
National, picking up 120 National
Points in the process with a relatively
easy ride. Castro lapped in second place
but was only aQle to loosen up a bit
after Rex Beauchamp's engine swalled a
valve on the twenty·second lap. Starting
from the penalty line in the heat is not
the best way to pick up a transfer
position but that's what dandy Don did,
picking off the opposition one by one,
including teammate Ken Robetts (who
was leading at the time) to win the heat
and a front row start for the Main.
Mike Gerald sped to his second Santa Fe Speedway Short Track win in a row.
Chuck Palmgren and Corky Keener had it back and forth
in the Main.
Robert E. ·Lee broke a bad luck
streak, making the Main and
finishing tenth in the National.
Don Castro and Kenny Roberts represented the Yamaha factory
contingency. with Castro nabbing second and Roberts. fourth.
