Cycle News

VOL. 55 ISSUE 2 JANUARY 16, 2018 P89 next lap by Lawwill, Dick Mann and Dave Sehl. Seeing Mann pull off was probably the trigger that caused the officials to throw the red flag two laps later. When a rider of Mann's reputation says it's time to pull the plug, you know it has to be bad and you've got to hand it to the AMA's referee Charlie Watson and manager of racing Bill Boyce for recognizing the problem and stopping the race. A meeting with the riders was held. Opinion was split. Most younger riders wanted to race, while established veterans generally fell on the side of canceling. When it was decided not to restart, tempers flared of a few riders, but was quelled when it was announced the purse would be paid. Unfortunately for poor Scott Brelsford, his one and only national victory came at what ultimately was a non-race. Fans were not pleased. It was made even worse since they were not told what was going on, only to realize what was happening when teams started rolling their bikes back into the pits. "I remember the fans being irate," said David Aldana, who was squarely in the middle of the dusty pack of riders. "They threw ice chests, beer cans, trash, over a high chain-link fence. I thought that the announcer could have quelled the situa- tion, but dead silence. He never said a thing. No explanation, reason, nothing." John Blackstock would also become a racer, but in '73 he was a 12-year-old spectator and says, "I can't remember who came in first, but one by one, several of the top riders rolled to a stop at the flag stand. A few laps later it was red flagged. As I remember, a few cups and bottles were tossed over the fence onto the front stretch. The riders and tuners began grabbing bikes and heading to the pits. Then everything in sight was thrown over the fence including whole coolers with all contents. In those days the popcorn machine was a big glass box on the concession stand counter. Pretty sure it was shattered as well." The press box was bombarded with bottles and reporters and VIP guests were forced to take cover. Someone was quick thinking and turned off the lights so people would think the press box was empty. Eventually police had to clear the grandstands. Promoter Don Brymer called the day the "low point of my life." Cycle News West editorialized about the race calling it the Atlanta National Bummer. The piece at the same time sided with the fans and racers, saying fans waited patiently all afternoon in the hot sun through numerous delays, as seemingly endless efforts to make the track rideable con- tinued. Of the race, the editorial said: "They [fans] went home angry and seven bucks poorer. The more outraged and or juiced, had to be urged by police to depart. But had such a fiasco occurred at any of a dozen north- ern tracks, the place would have to be rebuilt. Now only Don Brymer's reputation stands in need of reconstruction. That, and the image of championship motorcycle racing in the Atlanta area. But regardless of the outcome, notice has finally been served: Professional racers will not, and must not, compete under unsafe condi- tions." Going unannounced was the fact that Kenny Robert clinched the number-one plate that day. With the cancelation of the race there was no longer enough points available for Gary Scott to catch him. No fanfare. Instead of a champagne podium ceremony with Roberts thrusting his index finger into the air in celebration, there was only Roberts walking quietly through the littered infield carrying on quiet conversations with other riders. CN Subscribe to nearly 50 years of Cycle News Archive issues: www.CycleNews.com/Archives

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