Mulder Makes It Three
CAROL SIMS
THE NIGHT BEFORE the running of the 50-lap National Championship TT at Ascot Park in Gardena, California, was suspenseful, indeed. Valuable National points and a $6,200 purse had lured 60 top-ranked AMA Experts from seven states to do battle, and over half of them were due for disappointment, Tonight’s qualifications would narrow the field to 36, tomorrow night’s heat races would eliminate all but the fastest 24.
An appreciative murmur from the crowd greeted news that Eddie Wirth, ever improving, had broken the one-lap track record on his first attempt! Despite recent lengthening of the course (by 60 feet), Wirth’s time of 45.55 erased Skip Van Leeuwen’s former mark by over a second, and he picked up $100 for his efforts.
Seven other riders, all possible winners, bettered the old record during time trials — Gene Romero, Eddie Mulder, Dick Dorresteyn, Ralph White, Dick Hammer, Dan Haaby and Jack Simmons.
Eddie Mulder had to rank as the top favorite, however. Fresh from victory in the Castle Rock (Wash.) National Championship a week earlier, Mulder’s incentive was at an all-time peak. The 1965 Peoria TT champion now had a two-in-arow National win streak going . . . and no rider had ever won all three.
The Ascot TT course is a particularly demanding one. While twisting, turning and jumping their way through 50 laps of California-style steeplechase racing, riders shift gears a total of 300 times — six times a lap.
Eddie Mulder describes the shift pattern for a rapid trip around the 5/8-mile course like this:
“You start in second, shift into third just before you go into the corner, backshift to second as you start into the infield, and stay in second all the way around the six infield turns.”
Mentally riding the course, Eddie gestures appropriately. “You’re still in second coming for the jump. You can run over in second or shift to third, whichever you want. Some guys like to turn ’em a lot tighter, or when it’s close — like in a Trophy Dash — you won’t shift.
“Over the jump you keep the front end up, then back to second for the righthander. On through the pit gate you’re still in second, hitting third as you come onto the half-mile, then into fourth just as you go into the half-mile turn.”
Of all the turns, Mulder feels the righthander before the jump is most critical. “It’s the one you have to get around best, to get a good run at the jump.”
On race night, the air was electric. Three banzai 12-man heat races decided final starters, and Dick Hammer sliced three full seconds from the four-lap record to take pole position for the 50-lapper. Joining him in the front row were Mulder, Romero, Haaby, Dallas Baker and Chris Draayer.
Off they roared, Mulder in the lead. Close behind were Romero, Haaby and Hammer, involved in their own battle. With only one lap down, Mulder held a solid seven-length advantage, and this proved to be Hammer’s undoing. Momentarily frustrated by traffic, Hammer grabbed an extra-large handful of throttle in the north turn and fell — hard.
Picking himself up and retrieving his slightly tweaked machine, Dick continued ... in 24th place. He wound up a creditable tenth, however, despite handling problems and a pesky brake lever that kept slipping out of hand’s reach.
While Mulder continued to stretch it out, a fierce fight for second place was raging. Baker, Romero and Haaby monopolized the fans’ attention for many laps with their cut-and-thrust tactics, as first one and then another nosed ahead. Finally, midway through the race, Baker was forced to the pits with engine trouble, and Dick Dorresteyn moved by Romero to challenge Haaby.
Standings at the 25-lap mark were Mulder, Haaby, Dorresteyn, Romero, Simmons, Travis Petton and Bob Bailey. On lap 31, Dorresteyn assumed second place as Haaby’s machine began to sputter ominously. The engine later cleared, but not before Romero and Dave Palmer had also slipped by.
Busily lapping slower riders, Mulder now became concerned with the approach of Dorresteyn. “When I saw that big 76 on the scoreboard, I thought I’d better check,” said Eddie, “because he’s too sneaky.”
But Mulder’s lead was unassailable and, coming for the checkered flag on the final lap, he slowed, glanced back, picked up the front end of his Triumph and did a spectacular wheelie across the finish line to the delight of 10,000 fans. In becoming the first-ever rider to win all three TT Nationals, Eddie earned a healthy $2,000 for his efforts.
The smooth and steady Mr. Dorresteyn wound up second ahead of Romero, Palmer, Haaby, Petton, Bailey and Ralph White. Best finish by a non-Californian was the 9th place taken by National Number One, Bart Markel. The Flint, Mich., rider acquired valuable points toward defense of his crown and gave his best-ever Ascot TT performance in so doing.
MULDER MAKES IT THREE
The Amateur class racing was truly of Expert caliber, pitting Rich Thorwaldson and Jim Berry against one another for the 15-Lap Main Event win. Berry, victorious at Castle Rock the week before, led five laps, Thorwaldson led ten. But Richie was leading at the checker — and that’s where it counts.
When the evenly-matched competitors were being awarded their trophies after the race, Thorwaldson gave his rival the ultimate back-handed compliment. Asked how he felt about Berry’s racing abilities, Richie grinned and replied, “I wish he’d stay home sometimes.” ■
Ascot 50-Lap National
