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/125879
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PENNZOIL
AND HONDA
WI ··EVEL KNIEVEL
race that saw Scott challenging in every
co rner of every lap. The win was even
more impressive when Gilles pie's
mechanic discovered a broken right rear
shock. That, combined with shock oil
on the rear brake disc, made Frank's
ride all the more remar kable.
Rex Beaucha mp chose the ou tside
pole for the National, favoring that
position beca use of th e be tter line into
the first turn. The track by this time
had changed a.dozen ways an d it was a
decision of scrub in a new tire or run
with the o ld. Th ere was also a good deal
of difference in gea ring for some , even
with the sarrre basic bike. Steve Dros te, spurred on by his win a
wee k ago on a sim ilar surface , to o k the
lead a t the flag b ut it was Rex
Beauchamp who emerged righ t o n his
rear wheel as the pack exited turn two.
Gary Scott's first tum outside line
proved a wrong move as Scott was
pushed off the groove when the riders
bunched up and lost three spots and , he
felt, his chance at the victory.
Beauchamp took over the lead with a
hard drive that carried, him past Droste
at the start/finish line. Droste hung on
for two laps in second until Keener
made his move. Beauchamp and Keener
then drew away from the res t of the
field leaving them to fight over the
scraps. And fight they did.
Gary Scott moved into challenging
position for thi rd on lap seven, taking
Droste a lap later. However, third was
not entirely a . secure spot as Droste,
Dave Sehl and Denny Palmgren all had
thei r eyes on it. A little further back
Terry Dorsch, Kenny Ro be rts and
Chuck Palmgren . were going at it in
another fight with Steve Morehead
about to move .in to th e fray. Ro berts,
withou t adequate brakes, would m ove
up a spot or two only to slip back again.
By t h e 14th la p things had
sorted themselves ou t w ith Beauchamp
pu lli ng away an d Keene r wa iting for a
m istake. Gary Scott had gotten free in
third while Droste and Dave Sehl fough t
for fourth. Chuck Palmgren ru mbled
into sixth .
John Gennai, in last place, had
gotten a bad start . Doug Sehl had vision
problems with the dust. Eddie Wirth's
Harley wouldn't fire properly while
MOTOCROSS
.
Terry, Dorsch had co mpromised his
gearing for the corners which made his
points run hot. Dorsch said the
equipment was a little ti red after a lot
of racing a lthough "at least now I only
have to unload one bike."
The win buoyed Rex Beauchamp's
spirits and his pocket since he now has a
new motorhome to take care of. Keener
pai d Rex his due when he offered, "Rex
is tough. I co uld ge t close but th en he
wo uld just pick it up again. Second isn't
that bad."
•
Results
EX PERT: 1.
Re x a eaucn ame
(H·D ). 2.
C orky Kee ner (H -D) . 3. Gary Scott {H ·D }. 4.
St ev e D ro st e (H-D ). S. Da ve Se n t (H-D). 6.
Ch uc k Palmgren (Yam). 7. Ke n ny Rob er t s
(Ya m) . 8 . D en ny Palmg ren (H~ D) . 9. Ri c k
H oc k in g {Ya m }. 10. Terry Dorsch (Y am ) . 1 1.
St eve M ore hea d (Tri) . 12. D ou g Seh i (H · O ) .
13 . Edd ie Wirt h (H- D). 14. John Gennai
( H · D ).
TROPHY FINAL:
1. Frank Gillespie
(Y am ) . 2.
Hank Scott (H-D) . 3 . Tom
Cummings (H~D). 4 . Gene Romero (Yam). 5.
Mark Williams (Tri) . 6. RiCky Cam pbell
(Yam). 7. Charlie c naocte (Yam). 8. Bill
Schaeffer (Yam). 9 . Joh n Ha teley (Ya m) . 10 . '
Ron Moore (Trl). 11. Larry Carr (H-D). 12.
Randy Scott (Tri).
Trophy race winner Fran k Gillesp ie
demonstrates how he gassed it.
Marty Smith
125cc Class Winner
III
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