Racing Review
RACING REVIEW
CAROL SIMS
MARION HALF-MILE UPSET
Top eastern flattrackers gathered under threatening skies for the annual three-star half-mile event at Marion County Fairgrounds, Marion, Ohio, and Ronnie Rall looked unbeatable that day. He set fastest qualifying time by a wide margin, then powered to victory in his heat race as well. But, as every racer knows, the best laid plans can go awry.
Left on the line after a frustratingly bad start, Rail was last into the turn as the main eventers roared away. While George Roeder and Bart Markel fought it out for the lead, Rail frantically began working his way through the field. It wasn't easy with such stalwarts as Dayton's brother team of Ted and Tom Heil trying to hold him back (to say nothing of Ronnie's own brother Norbert). Still, by checkered flag time, Rail had grabbed third behind Roeder and Markel — and turned in a most impressive performance while doing so.
Earlier, Dennis (The Menace) Bullock won the novice final on a Sprint, and Daniel Welty (H-D) followed up with a win in the amateur division. Members of the sponsoring Triangle Motorcycle Club kept their fingers crossed all day in hopes that the rain would hold off, and it did . . . until ten minutes after the final race. But even a good soaking couldn't dampen the enthusiasm of fans who had witnessed a most satisfying day of racing.
MARKEL REPEATS 12-MILE VICTORY
In a carbon copy version of last year's race, Bart Markel pushed his potent Harley-Davidson to victory at Hagerstown, Maryland and retained the title of 12-Mile National Champion. Although a stellar field of half-mile specialists had gathered, all eager to replace him as the champ, it was Bart's day. He got a beautiful start, led Larry Palmgren, Gary Nixon, Mert Lawwill, Dick Mann and Ronnie Rail into the first turn, and stretched it to the checker. (Rail, incidentally, was mounted on a Triumph. His Harley wasn't running properly in practice and the magnanimous Mr. Nixon lent him one of his mounts.)
The track became a one-groove proposition in a hurry and passing was a tricky affair. Since one slip meant a time-consuming loss of speed and traction, eight laps passed before front-running positions changed. First to move up was Nixon. He scooted past Palmgren and into second spot. Then, with thirteen laps away, Lawwill charged by Palmgren and into third.
For nine laps Lawwill gnawed away at Nixon, finally pressuring by on lap 22 after a tooth-and-nail battle. Mann, close on their heels and charging all this time, took third spot away from Nixon one lap later. There the entire field stayed for the final four tours, with Markel covering the 27-lap distance in 12 minutes, 8.70 seconds. The 16-lap Amateur final was won by Chris Draayer, Harley rider from Salt Lake City, Utah. Using tactics similar to Market's, he jumped into the lead and stayed there. Most of the action was sup-
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plied by Larry Rose, who pushed his Harley up from a poor start to third place behind Daytona winner Wayne Cook. Bernard Williams (H-D) was fourth.
Though no new records were set on the race track, spectator attendance was at an all-time high for the 12-Mile event, emphasizing the growing popularity of AMA flattrack events throughout the country.
12-MILE NATIONAL RESULTS:
1. BART MARKEL, Flint, Mich H-D
2. MERT LAWWILL, San Francisco, Calif. H-D
3. DICK MANN, Crockett, Calif BSA
4. GARY NIXON, Wheaton, Md. Triumph
5. LARRY PALMGREN, Freehold, N.J H-D
6. RONNIE RALL, Mansfield, Ohio Triumph
7. GEORGE R0EDER, Monroeville, Ohio H-D
PROMISING NEW TRACK OPENS
Riders and spectators found it hard to believe that only 2Vi months before the opening TT race at Klamath Speedway in Klamath Falls, Oregon, the location had been an open field. Solid wood grandstands and a well-prepared race track gave a look of substantiality to the new layout, a welcome addition to the professional racing scene.
Many of California's top steeplechase exponents were on hand for the premiere event of a 7-race TT season, including Dick Mann and Dick Dorresteyn, both of whom likened the shape of the course to the late, lamented De Anza track in Riverside (Calif.). Although a bit dry and a little rough in the first turn, the track was in amazingly good shape for an initial effort, and interesting to ride.
Close to 2,000 spectators were lured to the event by well-handled radio, TV and poster promotion, and the fast moving show exceeded all expectations.
Heat race winners Mann, Dorresteyn and Dave Bostrom were joined by rapid amateur Richard Chambers in the Expert Trophy Dash (which Dorresteyn won wire to wire). Chambers, from Grants Pass, Oregon, clocked the fastest amateur heat by two full seconds and Led the amateur main all the way, followed by Californians Larry Davidson and John Spiekman.
In the novice events, an impressive young Honda rider named Parker scored a solid sweep — fastest heat race, Trophy Dash and Main Event.
As the Expert Main Event was flagged off. Rick Scardigli got a good start and led into the first turn ahead of Mann, Bostrom, Glen Adams and Dorresteyn. Halfway through the second lap Mann took over the lead and Bostrom moved to second ahead of Scardigli . . . but not for long. Dorresteyn soon roared into the runnerup position and began to close on Mann. The expected battle did not materialize, however, for Dorresteyn's engine went sour on the fourth lap (it was later found to have suffered broken pushrods, lifters, motor mounts and a threeinch crack in the transmission). Still he managed to stay in second with Bostrom a close third.
Overwhelmed by ambition on the 6th time around, Bostrom overshot the first turn, slipped out and fell, nearly causing Dorresteyn to unload in the process. Meanwhile the rest of the pack closed in. As Mann stretched his lead, lapping slower riders, Dorresteyn fought hard to maintain his position. Although able to lead through the turns, he couldn't keep up speed on the straightaways, and eventually drifted to sixth place behind Mann. Scardigli, Adams, Ray Rice and T. L. Hoagland.
When Mann began the 10th of 15 laps, it became apparent that his BSA twin was running on only one cylinder and, despite his tremendous lead, it seemed unlikely that he could sustain the pace required to win. Glen Adams had taken over second from Scardigli and really cranked it on when he saw that Mann was in trouble.
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With one lap to go, the suspense was tremendous. While Mann clung desperately to the lead, Dorresteyn made a last-lap, last ditch effort to improve his finishing position. He passed two riders on the final tour, only to lose one place in avoiding a fallen rider.
A total of nine minutes, five seconds had passed when Mann received the checkered flag, but those last few laps seemed interminable, to the winner at least. And second place Adams was undoubtedly wishing for "just one more lap." Scardigli held on for third ahead of Rice, Dorresteyn and Bill Verbiscio.
Five more TT programs are scheduled for Sunday afternoon presentation at Klamath Speedway — July 5 and 11, August 22, and September 6 and 19. Race time is 1:30 PM for all events. Further information may be obtained from Klamath Speedway, P.O. Box 1012, Klamath Falls, Ore.
A JOB WELL DONE
An excellent job of organizing the motorcycle events at the 23rd Santa Barbara I car races, by the newly formed Santa Barbara, Calif, chapter must rate them among the more progressive in the AFM. Buddy Parriott won the big event on Sunday with Don Vesco, who has won eight times previously, finishing second.
NELSON LEDGES ROAD RACE
Over twenty-five hundred racing fans braved threatening weather to watch AMA road race competition at the famed Nelson Ledges course in Northern Ohio recently. The rains finally came, but the show went on, and contestants from seven states and Canada put on such a skillful display of riding that the crowd remained, soggy but intact, 'til the last lap was run.
Local favorite Doug Showier of Parma, Ohio dropped out with brake failure in the early going, and attention focused on Myron Nagorski of Cleveland. Nagorski rode his stroker H-D XLCH magnificently in the Open Class. He came from a fourth
row starting spot, charged through the field with his front wheel in the air and was first into the turn. Never seriously threatened, he won the 16lá-mile event by over two full seconds.
Fastest machines on the course were the 250s, and Jess Thomas came from behind to win the final in this category on a Bultaco. Thomas set a Nelson Ledges track
record of 55 seconds in 1963 which was lowered to 52 seconds by last year's 100Mile National winner, Jody Nicholas. Now, after a year of traveling the European circuit, Thomas is back and looking better than ever. Three more AMA road races are scheduled at Nelson Ledges this season — August 8 and September 26 in addition to the 100-Mile National Championship July 11.
CHAMPION SPEEDWAY IS FINIS
Northern California professional riders expressed little regret at the announcement, on May 29th, that no more half-mile or TT races would be held at Champion Speedway in Brisbane. Although hopeful in the beginning that a multitude of teething problems would sort themselves out, most riders were already resigned to the eventual failure of the track.
Poor track conditions had never been resolved, and lack of promotion kept crowds in the dark as to program schedules. Meanwhile, area scrambles clubs were ballyhooing their events in a big way, drawing more riders and spectators to local sporting events than to the professional races.
Promoter Jim McLennon, also the owner of Halfmoon Bay Dragstrip, said that the Champion track site will be filled in, paved, and transformed into a dragstrip within the next few months. Somewhat coincidentally, the Fremont Dragstrip. announced that it is suspending operation and being turned into a golf course. (!) Ah, progress.
MICUS/FIM POLICY STATEMENT
The following statement was issued at the MICUS-FIM meetings held in Daytona Beach, Florida:
"Following the best traditions of free sport in the United States, MICUS and its affiliated member clubs approve the participation of all motorcyclists in any event in 1965, provided the rider is duly qualified and is willing to observe the rules of the event, which will be properly organized."
A CHAMPION'S CHAMPION
Looking for new hills to conquer is BSA dealer Earl Bowlby of Logan, Ohio. The zestful midwesterner competed in 24 sportsman hillclimbs last season, took five top eliminator fast times, 15 first places, four seconds and one third. His high-flying victories included the Canadian National Championship in Class C-80, the Ohio State 500cc Class Championship, the TriState 650cc Class Championship, and the impressive title of West Virginia State Championship Champion of Champions. (Try squeezing that on a trophy placque sometime.)
OOPS IS RIGHT
In a photo caption for last month's Ascot season opener story, we really blundered. The caption (which began appropriately enough — "Oops") described a fallen rider as Bud Waugh, Class C expert No. 18x, when in reality it was Mert Lawwill, National Number 18. Our apologies to an understandably distressed Mr. Waugh, who makes the Ascot main event with regularity, and hasn't fallen all season. (Strange, Mert didn't say a word about it.)
TRACK MAINTENANCE — A NEVER ENDING JOB
Even the most enthusiastic racing fan is seldom aware of the vast amount of constant effort needed to keep a track surface in top condition. A good example is the Ascot Park half-mile oval in Gardena, California, where flattrack racing takes place every Friday night throughout the 32week season.
Components of the Ascot oval include red clay, decomposed granite and calcium chloride, carefully blended in proper percentage by a time-tested mathematical formula, under the supervision of Track Superintendent John Killough.
At 5:30 A.M. on Sunday, before the sun rises, the first step in manicuring the surface is to recover dirt thrown against the walls during the previous program by means of blading it down, smoothing and reshaping. Then the entire track is "scarified," a process by which a many-toothed tractor attachment is dragged over the surface. Following this is a thorough watering by the 3,000-gallon water truck. Many thousands of dollars worth of mechanical equipment are. in daily use at Ascot, including three tractors, a roller, water truck, A-frame drag, scarifier and various specialized attachments.
On Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, the racing surface is dug, bladed and watered. Then on Thursdays two tractors dig into the track and it is dragged with a "float board" which smooths off all rough, uneven places and grinds any large clods to a fine surface. Finally, it is rolled and watered again. On race day, the surface is bladed, dug, rolled and watered once more, readied for high-speed competition and new record attempts.
Once a month the entire half-mile oval undergoes a major re-shaping and re-surfacing process. New materials are brought in by the truckload and red clay, decomposed granite and calcium chloride are added. Granite breaks up the clay, making it porous and giving better traction, while calcium chloride helps the track hold water, eliminating dust problems.
Although it is estimated that the Ascot track could be paved with asphalt for the cost of a single year's clay surface maintenance, the popularity of weekly dirt track motorcycle races virtually Riles out that possibility. •
