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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126317
Skip Aksland (271leads the National field off the grid. ahead of Wes Cooley (341. Harry Klinzmann (871. Rich Schlachter (481. Steve McLaughlin (831. Dave Aldana 11 01and Steve Eklund 1111. Aksland and Schlachter fought an exciting mid-race duel. AMA Grand National Championshipl Camel Pro Series - Round nine Aksland tops Connecti . . By Jack Mangus Photos by Gary Van Voorhis LOUDON , NH.JUNE 18 Despite the best efforts of Connecticut Yankees Mike Baldwin and Richard Schlachter, it was Skip Aksland who occupied the highest platform -in winner's circle following Sunday's. Pentax Laconia Classic . The second road race of the '78 Camel Pro Series was run at record pace over the newly re -paved 1.6 mile surface of Bryar Motorsports Park. and despite some blistering mid -race laps in the lead by Schlachter, the race belonged to Californian Aksland by a 10-second -plus margin at the end of the 76 mil e. 47 -lap event . Heats With King Kenny Roberts in Europe , most road race followers hav e iagged Aksland as heir apparent to Kenny's throne. and he ran true to form in capturing the first five -lap qualifying heat with a three -second margin over runnerup Harry Klinzmann . Rounding out the top five were Gary Nixon (who posted at Loudon "on lv because two friends, Don Moran a~d Don Cochran gave me expense money"). first la p leader John Lon ger and Canadian Jim Allen . Heat number two provided a fireworks battle between Mike Ba ldwin and Georgia's Dale Singleton. Singleton bulled his way past Baldwin to take the lead on the third lap only to pitch it away in Bryar's turn two when " the front tire just washed out on me." Baldwin led Wes Cooley, Schlachter, and former Grand National Champions Gary Scott and. Gene Romero across the finish line in what turned out to be the faster heat of the pair. National The front row of the National saw self-sponsored Baldwin on th e' pol e joined by Wes Cooley, PJI Lubricants sponsored Aksland , Schlacter aboard the Kevin Cameron-tuned . R&J Builders-sponsored Yamaha , and Mr. AI's Restaurant /Paul Dahmen /D ,G.sponsored Harry Klinzmann . On the eighth and last row sat Da le Singleton . thanks to a rebuild job on h is Taylor White Special that was feverishly performed by a n ever cha nging cre w led by Dale's right hand man Melvin Terry and brother Toot. Aksland led the 40 ·man field around on the first lap , followed closely by Jim Allen, Klinzmann and Schlachter. But by the end of- the second tour of the circuit Aksland had a three- second lead over Allen and the rem a ind er of the field a nd pit wall occ upiers were a lready listi ng Skip as the winner. W hi le Aksla nd wa~ doing his thing out front, the field was sorting itself out with the fastest sorting out bei ng done by "Pig Farmer" Singleton. By the end of the fourth lap , Aksland had built up a five -second lead and Singleton had worked his way up to l l th , having passed the likes of Romero, Cooley and Long. Lap six saw Aksland's lead built up to six -seconds, Schlachter take over a strong second . McLaughlin and Baldwin hassle over third , Singleton add Steve Eklund to the list of peopl e he had passed , and Klinzmann pull out of the race with a " tied up" engine. Lap nin e wrote " fin ished " on Gene Romero's day when his Don Vesco /Ocean Pacific Yamaha "seized going up th e hill ," At th e end of the following lap . th e l Oth , th e order across the start/finish line read Aksland , Schlachter. Baldwin , McLaugh lin . Scott . Aldana , Nixon . Allen. Singleton and Eklund . McLaugh lin 's ride was noteworthy in that he was com pe t ing aboard a bike made up of "do na ted bit s and pieces." The paint didn't match and th ey may have been bits and pieces, but McLaughlin was giving . Mike Baldwin fits in their fight for th ird on what many call Mike's " home cou rse ." Schlachter brought the crowd to its feet on the l Sth la p when he eliminated Aksland's lead and raced ·Skip side-by -side around Loudon's "bowl" turn in front of the grandstands. T he following lap saw Mike Baed er get sideways in turn eight. He "knocked a carb off I was so out of shape.' Two laps later the absolute master of Loudon, the crowd's definite favorite , the man the program called "the old man of racing," Gary Nixon pulled out of the race after running a non-competitive eighth. "I thought something was wrong with the bike, but Erv tells me I was cutting I . 12s just like I had been doing all weekend . But that doesn't get it when guys are turning 9's or better. I was just going slow , admitted the Erv Kanemoto/Roy Page/J.R . Kelleysponsored Nixon . As Nixon was calling it a day, Schlachter was doing his best to make it his day . The Old Lyme. Connecticut carpenter took the lead from Aksland on the 17th lap and held the point pos ition for the next three go-arounds . Aksland grabbed the lead back with a heavy move through heavy traffic in turn eight . and it was Number 27 in front for seven laps until Schlachter again took over on the 26th circuit. For the next four laps. it was a crowd -pleasing . Schlachter/ Aksland then Aksland /Sch lachter dice that held everyone's attention. Almost lost in the excitement of the ....