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/126040
Aldana (10) led Jo rgensen (44) off the line, but didn't mainta in. , S'Norlon Jorgy at Ascot Opener By Bob F.,Re l!d GARDENA, CAL., APRIL 2 Pro weekly racing opened at Ascot for the ,2 0th year and the changes were .m an y . Rick Hocking bowed in on a Harley-Davidson, so ' did Gene Romero, so did Rob Morrison . The only thing different about the Ron Woods Norton was , the new National No . 44 p ain ted OIl the fro n t and sides. Last year's top J unior, Steve Ek lund, showed up with a brand new Yamaha and parked it on the time trial lines well over a half hour before the trials took place. It never went a lap. Steve had to borrow a spare Yamaha from last year's top Novice, Ted Davidson. Ted may have loaned put the wrong bike. , Alex Jorgensen wheeled the Woods Norton in'to top spot in the time trials c in the Expert class with Harley mo unted " Eddie Wirth in second, Skip Aksland • (Yam) third, ahead of Hocking. Trouble c for Aksland came in the heat race on ;, the South turn. Skip got wide and into a wobble with rookie Jim Wright running inches aw ay on the inside. The two - made contact and 1\ksland went down with the bike later taking a dump on ' t op of him. He was hospitalized at Harbor General with broken ribs, collarbone and shoulder. On the restart Dave Aldana wheeled his Harley into front spot with Romero ' a somewhat surprising second over Jorgensen. Eklund, picked by many to win it all, was fourth , The second heat loo ked like Hocking, the hottest rider on dirt in the country at this time, was going to ' chalk up another, until electrical problems set in, late in the race and Rick was lucky to finish fifth. The win went to Wirth who has found new' horsepower th is year. Aldana fou nd the fast way off the line in the fin al and looked like he was on his way to the opening night win during the first third of the race . Bu t Jorgensen had a lower and faster line running second and closing on every lap , Jorgy finally took the lead away on lap nine with Aldana tiring badly in the late laps and dropping to sixth by finish flag time. _ Romero turned in one of his best Ascot rides in recent years. He held a close third most of the way and finally ended . up four th in the closing ro u nds. Wirth and Eklund we re "th e late lap chargers this ti me as both started to , move after t he race was half ove r . Eddie ca me on stronger in the late lat e laps to finis h a closing second on the Sal Acosta, H·D and Ekl und showed why he is ranked as the top rookie threat, taking third away from Romero in the last rounds. Before the show opened the nod was going to Te'd Davidson to pick up right where he left off last ye ar. But time trials 's howed Scott Pearson and his Harley with the fastest Junior time of the night. Ted was far down in 13th . place. Craig Armstrong tried to stay with Pearson in the first Junior heat and ended up on his head in the south turn. It was no contest for the rider that chose to remain a Junior by choice for ~ extra season to get more experience and recognition. It was the battle of the "Ricks" in the second heat with Rick Warren taking Rick Reed to task. Then Davidson came ou t and rode a silk smooth five laps to win his first big bike even t. Steve Fortune did the same in the fourth and final Junior five lapper. ' Davidson was off to the early lead on his Yamaha in the final and appeared to hav~ it all under control. But Pearson, who has been trying towin a Novice or Junior main event at Ascot for over two seasons, just kept coming and closing. On lap nine it paid off as he caugh t and passed last year's number one Novice. Ascot h as created another Novice hotshot in the form of one Don Grigsby. Dashing Don looked like anything but a rank beginner as he zipped and zapped his way to impressive wins in both the heat ra ce and the final. "T'h e expected runaway by Bultaco-rnounted Eddie . La wson never ~ook place. • J.C.' Agajanian presents . Half Mile Night Races AMA.National Numbers Experts Juniors Novices Every Frida Night 8 -~; Next Novice qualifying Thurs., April 8 Also 3 Amateur races Mini, 125c c, & 250/360cc classes All events on Quarter Mile Track , Pit Gate 5 PM, 1st Race 7 PM (Top 40 'Novices qualify for April 9t h y, mile) . f f or In 0 . 213 - 321·1 100 213 -323- 1142 FREE parking for motorcycles 18 300 'S. Ve rmont, Gardella, California " _ _ (junction Herber & San Diego Goodyear is Carroll Shelby, 213 -538-2914 Hand Wuhable St ay Soft ' FreewaY5)_~" .~:~ Othman Distr ib uting Co. Box 356 San Luis Obsipo , CA 93406 (805) 544-6181 • Ridi ng • Rac ing • Street GLOVES Dealer Inq uiries Invit8d 13