Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

walking his bike back to the pits from the far reaches of the 2.5 mile oval. Now for Bob M<;Coy. What makes him unique? Well , he rode a Norton Manx - that's what. The bike that never could receive AMA approval ba ck in . t he Harley-Davidson cont rolled association days - if you're under 21 you weren't around - was brought to Pocono to "make th e AMA crazy. 1 know it' s not competiti ve - it d oesn't have any brakes for starters so I'll only ride a few laps of the National and then get out of the way," was how McCoy put it. Whatever his motives, he provided the unique sound of the Manx for all to hear. And that single four -stroke jewel could be heard above all 33 of the bikes that started the National. Beautifull The 27 -lap National grid saw the first four finishers from the first heat occupying the front row and .when the green flag was waved it was a yellow blur darting into tum one. Yep , King Kenny. And that was that. Roberts pulled more than two seconds a lap on 'Aksla nd , who was riding a lone second ahead of the race-within-a-race. That.battle for third was a five man affair in the early laps featuring Baldwin: Singleton, Romero, Nixon and Allen. Romero dropped back and Nixon and Singleton went at it for several laps until Nixon broke away. " I should have just hooked up with Nixon and followed him home," said Dale " Pig Farmer" Singleton after the race. But he didn't and after losing his 'hook-up' with Nixon he was dropped back to fifth by Mike Baldwin on the 18th lap and then back to sixth by Jim Allen on the 22nd circuit of the 2.8 mile course. Behind the front running six riders a heated battle went on for most of the race between Romero and Long. But that came to an end on the 19th lap -when Long and back-marker Torello Tacchi collided . Long was not injured but his bike suffered quite a bit of' damage. "T he guy was two laps down and yet he tries to race with somebody lapping him . Why doesn't the AMA ,d o something about some of the old slow guys rid ing around?" said Long's dejected father after the race. Rounding out the top 10 at 'the finish were a jubilant Ron Mass ("Thank the guys at Dobbins (Georgia) Naval Air Station for all their help ." - was the first thing Mass said fter his first top 10 finish in Grand National competition) , Pittsburgh's Robert Rectenwald and Californian David Emde. The top three - Roberts, Aksland and Nixon . - celebrated briefly in the winner's circle and then hosted the press to a question and answer session . When Roberts was asked what turner Kel Carruthers had done to the bike between his heat and the National , the Yamaha -sponsored r id e r said , " Nothing." He was then reminded, that he had stated earlier in the season that he never "sandbagged. " That brought a sly grin from Roberts and a raised-eyebrow, mock grin from Nixon accompanied with a tapping of an index finger on his temple. Nixon was saying what we all knew - Roberts is smart. We'll have to wait until next season for a Baker/Sheene/Roberts showdown, but in front we'll tell you we're putting our money- on King Kenny . • BITS & PIECES : Gary Scott dropped 'ou t of the National after 15 laps with I reported failure of h is d monoshock . .. Conrad Urbanowski claimed Roberts' engine, but Roberts' number was drawn and he (Yamaha) ( retained possession ... Kurt Lentz got off entering turn one on the fifth lap . .. Wes Cooley's Yamaha seized on the fourth lap ... Roberts continually broke the lap record formerly held by Nixon. He turned several laps at 98 .25 mph , compared to 94s in the heat race .. . Roberts earned $3,715 in purse money and in excess of $1 ,000 in. contingency awards for his win .. . Richard Chambers DNF with a flat 'tire on the fourth lap. • Results IAbovel Randy Mamola 1261 was first off in the 250 Expert Final. alMlad of winner David Emde 1251. Baldwin 11861. Allen 181. Cooley 1331 and Lyon 12361. IBelowl Wayne Lougee/Randy Hough IKawl pitch it into a tum ahead of Larry ColemanlWendell Andrews ISuzl in the sidecar race. • _ EXPERT 750 FINAL 127 LAPSt. 1. Ken Roberts !Yaml. 2. Skip Al

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