Peoria National Tt
PEORIA NATIONAL TT
JACK HALL
MORE THAN 15,000 fans lined the hills surrounding the beautiful Peoria Motorcycle Club track, as there were over 35 Experts and 40 top Amateurs on hand for the 21st year of National TT racing at Peoria.
Jim Odom, the young California amateur who is hotter than the proverbial two dollar pistol, got things off to a bang, nearly breaking the track record held by Eddie Mulder. Odom clocked 30.70; the record is 30.30.
After the traditional Motor Maids pa rade and the raising of the colors, the yel low plate class moved to the line before official starter Don Moreland. Odom had no trouble in taking the first heat over fel
low Triumph rider Gary Cape and BSAmounted Sam Ingram. The second Amateur go was a battle between local rider Dale Harding from nearby Pekin and Californian Larry Wilburn. Harding reached the pay window first. Two Michigan riders, Bill Davis and Dave Franks, battled their Triumphs for the checker in the last Amateur heat, with Davis winning out and Franks a close second.
George Roeder, National No. 94, failed to qualify for the Expert final with the tremendous group of TT riders. Bart Markel crashed in his first attempt to qualify, but in true never-give-up spirit came back and attempted to qualify with the front forks frozen solid. When this proved fruitless, he quickly mounted his other machine and managed to make the program.
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Dick Mann managed to take charge of things in the first Expert heat, - winning over National No. 95, Fred Nix, and California rider Dave Palmer. Mann was mounted on his BSA, Nix on Harley and Palmer on a Norton. Only four riders were taken out of each heat for the National.
Eddie Wirth, Triumph, took the last qualifying position.
The second heat saw the hopes for the Grand National Champion go down in a cloud of dust on lap five, as Markel lost it into the last turn. Another local ace,
Roger Reiman, took the victory over Jim Corpe and Indianapolis winner Cal Rayborn, and last year's Amateur champ,
Harold Lyons.
Gary Nixon surpassed everyone by taking the last Expert heat over defending champ Eddie Mulder and Dusty Coppage with another California man, Dallas Baker, moving in to qualify fourth.
The 10-lap Amateur final saw the Michigan team of Davis and Franks jump out in front of Odom and Bill Kennedy. Odom immediately went to work, getting by Franks on lap two to move into second behind Davis. Davis held on for one more lap before Odom settled the issue for good on the last turn, getting by Davis to lead home Davis, Franks and Kennedy.
When 12 Experts moved to the line for the 20-lap Championship, such names as Lawwill and Draayer were missing.
Draayer had gone down in his heat. Lawwill, who was leading the National points standing at the start of the day, blew his engine in the heat.
At the drop of the starter's flag, Mulder jumped into the lead with Jim Corpe close behind, followed by Reiman, Nixon and Mann. This was the order for the next two laps when Nixon moved from fourth to second on lap four; then it was Nixon's turn to pick up the $10 a lap money for the next 14 laps, while Reiman and Corpe were having their own race behind Nixon. By lap 11, Mann had passed Corpe to move into third behind Nixon and Reiman. Mann got by Reiman on lap 15 to close in on Nixon. It looked like Nixon would have a good chance to gain points on Lawwill, when on the final lap coming onto the straightaway, Mann moved along side Nixon. The crowd was on its feet as Mann, on a BSA twin, carried in one of his specially built frames, surged past to become a three-time winner at Peoria. ■
