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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125830
October 16, 1973 Page 12 e _ast • atlona Roberts caps an incredible season Photos By Dan Mahony GARDENA, CAL., OCT. 6 At last year's Kenny Roberts program. Gary event and the two nights earlier. Roberts came to this year's Imal meeting with the National title sewed up, but he wanted this one. Mert Lawwill indicated his desire by winning the Ilrst and fastest heat, followed by Gene Romero and Pat McCaul. Eddie Wirth was fourth and Jim Rice finished flfth with engine trouble. In the second heat Cal Rayborn took the point, with Dick Mann ("Yaaayy," from the stands) and Ron Moore ("Who?", from the stands) immediately behind Calvin. Moore cut past Mann into the back straight and dispatched Calvin on the next lap. Bugs was by Rayborn on the next circuit, but Moore was gone, well in front. Tom RockwQod Ascot National, didn't make the Scott won the preliminary race made a blazing charge to finish third and Mike Collins (H.D) of Albuquerque also got by Calvin for fourth. The third heat was a real buttkicker, with Don Castro gunning away as Tom Horton and Oregonian Randy Scott went after him. Ken Roberts was momentarily delayed in heavy sideways traffic. Horton and Scott swapped places until Roberts got loose and passed Horton for third. Seconds later Castro slid wide and Scott and Roberts zipped by, as Don recovered to battle Horton for an increasingly distan t tlUrd. Scott and Roberts ran handlebar·to.footpeg for two laps, with Roberts pulling ahead once and Scott getting it back. They went side by each into the last turn, and Roberts powered around on the ou tside to take the win by a few feet. Dave Aldana owned the fourth heat after taking the lead from Scott Brelsford on the first lap. Mike Kidd dropped ou t on lap two and Brelsford retired on the next round. Northwes temers Mark Williams and Steve Baker moved upon Castro in the early laps, with John Hateley displacing Baker for third toward the end. Castro won with a big gap over WiUiams and ·Ha teley, with Baker fourth and Floridian Charlie Seale (H.D) fifth in his Ilrst go at Ascot. Tom Horton and Pat McCaul clashed in the first semi, with Horton getting the nod and McCaul getting dropped to tlUrd by a last lap charge by Jim Rice. Steve Baker was fourth, followed by Denny Kanagae and Mike Collins. Ascot's resident specialist DeWayne Keeter took the second semi, despite persistent efforu by John Hateley to have it otherwise. They left Tom Rockwood, Eddie Wirth and Don Castro to dispu te slots three through five, and in that se,quence they finished. Charlie Seale was sixth, followed by Frank Gillespie and Cal Rayborn. Eddie Wirth took the lead in the Ron Moore tlIkes a well deserved slug as Roberts looks thirsty, but weH decorated. Randy Scott is saying. "Gee, you have nice shoes." Trophy final and held on to it. Steve Droste ran an early second un til Pat McCaul moved him back a slot. Tom . Rockwood launched another of his catch.up charges, getting detained in a tussle with Steve Baker. Rockwood got away and passed McCaul in the final turn to finish second to Wirth. Baker was fourth, trailed by Droste and Charlie Seale. Lawwill, Mann, Rice and Aldana all stood to improve their final positions in the point standings with a win tonight, but only Mert and David figured in the course of events. The Mad Mexican was first into the tum, with Mert going high and nearly driving by into the straight. But Aldana held and stretched out a bit as Roberts trailed Lawwill and Randy Scott moved around DeWayne Keeter and into fourth. Aldana maintained his margin for five laps as Roberts passed Lawwill and Ron Moore (who?) went by Romero, Keeter and Scott to take over fourth position. Two laps later Aldana slid out and wen t down, and Roberts and Lawwill were out front. Second year Expert Ron Moore was now leading a freight train that included Randy Scott and Gene Romero, all of whom trucked on through when Mert got troubled. Moore was riding flawlessly, but couldn't close