Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

II I C7 .. •• • III . around with ' Berry scooting by and Kenny Roberts overtaking both riders to move into second. Two laps later Roberts challenged Keener for the lead, slipped wide 'and dropped , to third behind Berry , but retained the last direct transfer. Wirth, Randy Cleek and Beauchamp filled ou the next three slots. Gary Scott, David Aldana and Jay Springsteen played one-two-three in heat two in follow the leader fashion. Aldana and Springsteen charged , but could not close the gap while Gene Romero held off Del Armour and Guy McClure for fourth . Sonny Burres put his " Old Faithful" Triumph out into the lead in the third heat and held off all comers for the first three laps until a carb slide stuck and he drifted back into the pack. Mike Kidd, running the new Goodyear front tire on both ends made a pass of Steve Eklund stick, leading from the fourth lap on for the fastest heat of the day . Behind the streaking Kidd, Eklund was trying to hold off Steve Morehead, but with three laps to go Morehead rolled past. Hank Scott became the first rider caught trying to anticipate the starting lights (actually a traffic signal on the track used for auto racing with a green left turn arrow used as the starting light ; a feature which caught Kenny Roberts and many others unaware) and was penalty line bound. Steve Droste took the lead and won light to flag with Ted B60dy shadowing him . Hank Scott cut his way through traffic to third by the sixth lap. Scott nudged by Boody and held second for the next two go arounds with Boody repassing for second and almost stealing the win from Droste at the checkers. Mike Gerald held third for the opening five lap s before losing ground to Scott and Rick Hocking. semis Ed Wirth and Del Armour tangled on the. second lap of th e first Semi while dueling for the lead with Wirth going down and sustaining burns on his leg from the exhaust system. On the staggered restart Randy Cleek sped into the lead with Gene Romero taking it on the next lap. Romero in his Evel Knievel style leathers held the upper hand, but a last tum charge by Armour almost nipped Burritto for the win. Sonny Burres put a holeshot on the field in the second Semi holding off Rick Hocking for two laps until Terry Poovey caught and passed him for the lead two laps later. Jim Rawls pressured Hocking for the next three laps until Rick had his front end wash out in between turns 'one-two , nit ju st didn't ~nt to hold anymore," said a disgusted Hocking; his chance at a place in the National and a shot at adding points to his championship leading total gone. , Trophy Race Rex Beauchamp took the win in the restarted Trophy Race after Guy, McOure turned in a spectacular tum four crash from which he limped awa y after severely bending his new Harley. Del Armour, Randy Cleek and McClure had been the leading trio prior to McClure's crash, but with the staggered restart Rex charged to the front taking Armour on the back straight, then leader Cleek in tum three on successive laps. "It took me all day to get my act 1together. It was frustrating, but there are days like that," said Beauchamp. Truncated National The consensus of opinion in the pits prior to the National was the the first rider in to tum one was likely to hold off the rest of the field for the 20 laps. Most · riders were praying for a good start; Mike Kidd had butterflies so big "there's no room left in my stomach." Gary Scott led off the line and in to tum one turning on the gas and opening up a slight gap between himself, Steve Droste and Steve Morehead. Droste closed the gap only to have his motor go off song ("It didn't blow, but it got very tired.") and drop him back four spots to sixth. Morehead took command of second for lap three with Kidd taking it over on the fourth trip. Corky Keener was fourth and Ted Boody fifth at this stage. Terry Poovey was already out of the battle h aving cr ashed unhurt in tum three on the opening lap. By lap six Gary Scott had about two seconds over Kidd wi th Boody, • .. • = •• • • Morehead, Keener, Hank Scott (all the way from next to last on the opening lap) Droste , Roberts, Springsteen, Romero, Aldana, Berry and Eklund behind. Roberts was beginning to spew heavy smoke from the rear of the bike as an axle nut worked its way loose letting the tire shift and begin rubbing the swingarm. Three laps later he was in the pits. For the next four laps the action cen tered on Gary Scott opening a commanding lead and Hank Scott cutting his way through traffic passing at will where others had trouble : ("The secret was that my Yamaha will stop in the comers and then get right back on the move smoothly.") On the 12th lap Gary had an unofficial three to four second lead with Kidd behind. Boody was being _ pressured by Hank with Keener, Droste, Romero and Morehead, Springsteen dueling it out amongst themselves. It appeared that a rough spot caused Steve Eklund to crash between turns one-two. He was up and off the track quickly. Then Gary Scott, an unofficial four second lead in hand and the National safely won barring any problems, tumbled to the ground in the same place. Hank Scott seized the opportunity to zap Boody for the lead at , that moment. One more lap and Kidd slid to the ground followed in ,quick succession by Keener, Romero and Morehead. One more circuit of the track and the red flag came out. Hank Scott screamed and tossed his helmet in the air then waved the checkered flag as the referee called the race complete. Momentary confusion set in while the second and third place finishers were decided. Even after Ted Boody and Jay Springsteen (who moved from seventh to third as Gary Scott jumped from eighth to fourth) were announced others were wondering. It was agreed by those officials spoke to that the rule needs to be reworded so that the language has clearly only one interpretation. • VI 1: IX: o o > z c( > > IX: c( o > til VI o s :I Q. / Oklahoma short track prelim By Gary Van Voorhis OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA., MAY 21 -22 Guy that back that, McClure (Bul), saying "It was time to get into action," did just as he led Ted Boody (Yam), Tim Cartwright (Yam) and a freight train load of other competitors in the Saturday night 15 lap feature. was a main event as no-mistake ,McClure shot from his center front row starting posi tion to take the lead going into turn one. ' \ Bultaco-mounted Ed Patillo took the win in the Saturday night Novice Invitational over the Yamaha of Lance Jones and the Honda of Jim Pyle. Both Jones and Scott Simmons (Yam) turned in superb rides, moving from the rear of the pack to second and ruth respectively. Friday night's Novice winner Billy Orr, from Irving" Texas, made $3 I 0 for his efforts in only his second AMA Pro race. He had picked up his Novice card just eight days before this even t, More story and pix next week.. The mess that brought the red out. Kidd goes down and sprints for Seconds la18r, Keener, Morehead, and Romero are down and-or tangled with Kidd's bike. ~ty Results 2Q-LAP NATIONAL HALF MILE '(First 12th, 13th, 14th are official. Second through 11th remain under protest.) 1. Hank Scott (Vom). 2. Ted BoOdy (HoD). 3. Jay Springsteen (H-O). 4. Gary Scott (H-D). 5. Steve Droste !HoD/. 6. Oave Aldana (H-Ol' 7. Tom Berry H-O. 8. Mike Kldd-16 aps (H-O). 9. Corky K_ner-16 laps (H-O). 10. Gene Romer-16 laps (H-D). 11. Steve Morehead-16 tap s (H-O). 12. Steve Eklund-14 laps (H-O). 13. Kenny Roberts-II laps (Yam). 14. Terry Poovey-1 lap (H-D) . EXPERT TROPHV RACE: 1. Rex Beauchamp (H-D). 2. Del Armour (H-O). 3. Randy Cleek (H-D). 4. Chuck Palmgren H. DI. 5. Bubbo Rush (H-D). 6. Jay R idgeway Trl) . 7. Terry Dorsch (H-O). 8. Jim Rawls 9. John Ewell (H-O). 10. Guy McClure lH-o/. lH·D . 7

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