Ascot T.T. Decides Championship

ASCOT T.T. DECIDES CHAMPIONSHIP

CAROL SIMS

CHUCK CLAYTON

A SENSE OF impending drama hovered almost visibly over Ascot Park. Not only would the 50-Lap Tourist Trophy National be decided on this mild California evening, but the 1964 Grand National Championship as well. Incumbent champ Dick Mann, ribs taped from a spill at Sacramento the week before, trailed leader Roger Reiman by 30 points as riders converged for the AMA season finale. Sixty-two points would be awarded to the winner, and Mann desperately needed a win to assure his wearing the No. 1 plate for 1965.

But first came the fierce 15-lap Amateur battle, hotly contested by a field of soonto-be experts. Much jockeying for position took place before Bill Manley guided his BSA to well-earned victory over Bill Riley. Dan Haaby and Dusty Coppage. And now the spotlight of suspense swung to the experts.

Fastest overall qualifier was F'diiie Mulder. I he talented young Triumph rider wheeled around the sk-mile twist, turn ami jump course in record time — 47.15 seconds and set himself up as a pre-race favorite. Others expected to challenge strongly were Skip Van leeuwen. Sid Bayne. Bob Bailey. Dave Palmer and Clark White, all aboard Triumphs.

Atter hopefuls were sorted from finalists in preliminary events, a strong 24-man championship field lined up impatiently for the starting signal. Clutches straining, they edged forward «is one — then roared off. with Mulder quickly taking the lead from Bailey.

Sweeping through t fie first turn en masse, they threaded themselves into the tight left-hander, then cut an even sharper left along an infield lake before swinging to the right and over the jump. Quick downshifts preceded the next 90-degrec right-hander, followed by a dash across the infield toward the back straightaway. There, a hard left onto the half-mile turn led back to the starting point — and the first of fifty laps had been completed.

Mulder still led. and after five circuits stretched his advantage to a full straightaway over Bailey. Payne and Van Leeuwen. From the midst of the pursuing pack. Mann rapidly ground his wav forward. improvising a spectacular groove as he went. The expertness of his ridjng style more than made up for any lack of cubic inches, though his 50()cc Matchless G-50 single gave away at least 150cc’s (and in some cases as much as 383cc’s) to his big-twin competition, and hadn’t been overhauled in over 400 racing miles.

By the tenth time around. Mann was up to fourth behind Mulder. Van Leeuwen and Bailey. Mulder lost the tread on his rear tire three laps later and slid wide on one of the infield switchbacks. Recovering control quickly, he still forfeited considerable ground, and an observant Van Leeuwen zipped into the lead. Within moments, however, the Flying Dutchman's machine slowed noticeably. Piston trouble had relegated him to one cylinder, and he finished out the race as an also-ran.

With Reiman maintaining a steady, if unaggressive mid-field pace. Mann's chances looked bright. Now second and gaining, all he had to do was finish in a front-running position, and the championship would be his. But Dave Palmer had other ideas. At the halfway point lie was a close third behind Bailey and Mann, riding slipstream on the champ to learn his line. Finally, he knew enough. Going high on the trickiest turn of all — the narrow ISO buttonhook that links the infield course with the north turn — he bored through, though the turn was not wide enough for two. Mann unloaded, over the high side. Remounting instantly, he took up the chase more intently than ever. Palmer retaliated by quickening the already frantic pace: he outdistanced his rival, passed the leader and went on to win the first National of his career, over Bailey and fast-closing Dickie Newell. But all eyes remained on Mann.

Suddenly, with only ten laps to go, a roar of shock and anguish went up from the crowd. The champion’s machine had run out of gas! Desperately he pushed it across the infield to his pit. as the field roared on without him. Though only a lap went by before the refueling was complete, it seemed an endless task. And in the cheers that greeted his return to the fray were overtones of informed doubt that even he could make up so much lost distance.

For once, the doubters were right. Although Mann rode the race right down to the wire, passing as irresistibly as ever. Reiman crossed the line ahead, gathering for himself. Harley-Davidson and his tuner-father the title, the purse and that heavy badge of honor, the Number One plate.

But to Dick Mann went the glory.

50-LAP TOURIST TROPHY RACE

Time: 40:24.08