Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

Tommy "Tomahawk" Croft is comln' on atrongl He put his Roy Turner tuned RC400 Into a 4-2 Hcond place, making it a 1-2 aweep for Team Honda. Jim Pomeroy rode with a very painfulshouldar injury. Tired and dirty, Tony DIStefano could atill manage a smile, Rex Staten put one of the works Harley-Davidsona Into third. After winning the first moto, Bob Hannah was taken out by a Unadilla rock which bent his chain guide on the first lap of the Hcond moto 12 problems -- a soft metal plug in the motor case had worked its way loose exposing one of the Yamaha gearbox bearings to the din -- but he was able to nurse the troublesome machine in to a fifth placing in the moto. With only five minutes to go, Gaylon Mosier suddenly dropped back from his second place to finish a distant 29th. The rough Unadilla course had destroyed both shocks! "Both of 'em broke in haif inside, " Mosier shook his head, obviously very disappointed. "I felt the first one go up by the tower and the other one went at the bottom where we crossed the creek. We had only five minutes to go , so there wasn't anytime to do anything about it." In the final five minutes of the race. it all boiled down to one question: ,., Could Many Smith, now in second IT place. catch up with Bob Hannah Before time ran out? "He was 22 seconds back: ' Team Honda's manager Terry Mulligan said d as Marty gradually reeled in the lead . " but he's got it down to around 10 rl seconds now." By the 39 minute mark, Q Smith closed to within seven seconds m and had Hannah in sight. At the twolaps-to-go sign , Marty had crept up to I a five second range. But that was it . As the crowd watched. expecting perhaps ' to see an incredible last lap charge, Smith set the Honda's cruise control and let the clock run out. \ , "I got him in sight," Many shrugged T about it afterwards, " but 1 figured I'd just hold my pace and see where I finished. Second place is OK ; three (series) points isn't going to hun me. " Hannah took the first moto win, worth 25 AMA Series points. Smith's second place earned 22, the three point dif- 5 ference. < Mosier's demise left steady-riding Rex Staten in third , just ahead of r Tommy Croft in fourth, Rick Burgett :"l rounded out the top five. Maico 's new rider . Furman Gray of Alabama , stole the holeshot from Marty Smith as the green flag cut loose" the second 500cc National moto. Smith had won the drag race to the fir - r st tum but came out third in the traffic jam behind Gray and a totally wired Bob Hannah. But when they came around at the J end of the opening lap, Hannah was no where to be seenl It wasn't until rl minutes later when he came pushing r his bike from the back of the track that the story came to light. "A rock hit my chain guidell was so pumpedl" Hannah said, then added. " I was so bummed when it happenedl" One of Unadilla's rocks had jammed ,. the Yamaha's chain guide back against the rear sprocket, and it prevented the chain from picking up the sprocket teeth properly. The guide was made of such heavy -duty material that Hannah couldn't bend it straight. He had to quit while winning what might have been his first 500cc National victory. With Hannah out, Furman Gray still held the lead at the end of lap one . Tight on his trail . however , was ] im Pomeroy, and Pomeroy- -sore shoulder or not --was flying! Marty Smith was right behind Pomeroy, and keeping Smith honest were Tommy Croft. Tony DiStefano. ]immy Ellis. Rex Staten and Danny LaPorte. By the completion of lap two, the lone Maico rider had been relegated to third . and the Honda Express _. Pomeroy. Smith and Croft .- had taken over . Ten minutes into the moto, "Rocket' Rex" started his move, jamming past' Tony D into fourth place. LaPorte and Stackable trailed the 250cc champ. . ]im Pomeroy was hanging on for all his might. but he knew it wouldn't last . The beginning of the end came ' near the halfway point. (Continue d to page 40)

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