Flea Flies To Second 8-Mile Win
FLEA FLIES TO SECOND 8-MILE WIN
JOE PARKHURST
CAROL SIMS
8-MILE NATIONAL 1. SAMMY TANNER, Long Beach, Calif BSA 2. BART MARKEL, Flint, Mich H-D 3. BLACKIE BRUCE, Norwalk, Calif BSA 4. ELLIOTT SCHULTZ, South Gate, Calif. Royal Enfield 5. GEORGE ROEDER, Monroeville, Ohio H-D 6. MEL LACHER, San Diego, Calif H-D 7. BOB BAILEY, Torrance, Calif Triumph 8. GUY LOUIS, Long Beach, Calif Royal Enfield 9. DON HAWLEY, Los Angeles, Calif Triumph 10. BOB EMDE, National City, Calif H-D 11. RON NELSON, Palmdale, Calif. .... Triumph (DNF) 12. NEIL KEEN, Pasadena, Calif BSA (DNF) Time: 8:05.21
7-MILE AMATEUR FINAL 1. DAN HAABY, Redwood City, Calif H-D 2. FRANKIE SILVA, Orange, Calif BSA 3. LARRY STOCKHAM, Vallejo, Calif BSA 4. SWEDE SAVAGE, San Bernardino, Calif H-D 5. JIM JONES, Huntington Beach, Calif BSA 6. BILLY BENGSTON, Venice, Calif BSA 7. FRED EADIE, Norwalk, Calif Royal Enfield 8. BOB BLEDSOE, Paramount, Calif H-D 9. SKIP KREPS, Santa Monica, Calif H-D 10. CLIFF LAMB, El Monte, Calif H-D 11. GARY BRAY, West Hollywood, Calif BSA 12. DON BUTLER, San Dimas, Calif Triumph (DNF) Time: 6:12.83
SAMMY TANNER WAS FIRST MAN on the track for practice the night before the 8-Mile National. Not only that, he followed up with fastest qualifying time, fastest heat race time, and a wire-to-wire win in the 6th Annual Ascot Park Classic at Gardena, California.
Leaping off the line and into the turn ahead of eleven eager adversaries, the BSA-mounted "Flying Flea" set a breathtaking pace as he flew to his second 8mile title. But the action astern was enough for anybody.
Equally favored Elliott Schultz got a bad start and was last into the corner, accompanied by the disappointed groans of his fans. Groans changed to cheers, however, as he clawed his way through traffic, moving in inspired manner from the rear to an impressive fourth at the finish.
Bart Markel, only easterner ever to win an Ascot main event, ran fourth behind Tanner, Blackie Bruce and George Roeder for half the race. Then, changing tactics and developing his own spectacular groove, he sailed by Roeder on the 11th lap and Bruce on the 14th to nail down second spot and take over the national point lead as well. Bruce held on for third ahead of Schultz, Roeder and first year expert Mel Lacher.
The amateur portion of the program was a walkaway for Dan Haaby. He led the 7-miler from start to finish, after posting fastest amateur time trial and winning his heat race. Much-improved Frankie Silva grabbed runnerup honors in front of Larry Stockham and Swede Savage.
A complete novice program was held the previous night, along with qualifying runs for the National, and Jim Nicholson was the star of the evening. Riding his Sprint with style and verve, he whacked a full seven seconds off the 10-lap track record set in 1962 by Dick Guglielmana, and held a straightaway lead over Randy Say and Steve Scott at the finish. •
