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•
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E
o
III
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Billy Labrie stays down low while Marty Bushman works the high line during their heat. Labrie led the National wire
to wire. Bushman finished 12th.
Steve Moreheed end Gary Scott
bettie.:.. They finished 2-6,
By lap nine third was a three-wa y
battle among Graham , Pearson and
Eklund while sixth had Jorgensen and
Spencer wheel to wheel and eighth was
a seven rider snake led by Haney.
The 12th lap saw Kidd's ride come
ot an end as his Army-sponsored mount
tied up an engine in tum four. The
battle for third now became second.
One lap later Parker and Gary Scott
played bash and bash again. Parker
dropped back. Goss was 10th.
Pearson was putting heavy pressure
on Graham as Eklund shadowed.
Spencer had pulled clear of Jorgensen
who, on lap IS , parked it with "engine
probblems."
Hitting a tire bent Pearson's shift
lever and Eklund was by in a flash .
One more lap and Pearson was on his
way to the pits with a flat rear tire.
Meanwhile, Jones cruised safely out
in fron t. However, he had a few anxious
moments do ing magic tricks twice
after getting deeper into a comer than
he wanted. " I was trying too hard and
nearly lost it ," he would say later. " I
thought the 25 laps would never end."
From lap 20 on the fin ish was set with one small change: Goss took
seventh away from Boody with one lap
togo.
Wi th one fist waving in the air to the
cheers of the crowd , Jones took the
checkered flag. It couldn't hav e
happened to a nicer gu y.
by tossing his helmet into the cheering
throng and then signing autographs at
the grandstand fence until the National
came to the line. "Hey," he said, "the
fans are the ones that make Columbus
my favorite place. "
Results
NATIONAL: 'l, Ronnie Jones (Yam): 2. Ricky Graham
(H-D!; 3. Steve Eklund (Yam!; 4. Rod Spencer (Yam); 5.
Jeff Haney (Hon); 6. Hank Soon ITri); 7. Randy Goss
(H-D!; 8. Ted 800dy (Yam!; 9. Billy Labrie
