Nixon Takes 20-Miler

NIXON TAKES 20-MILER

CAROL SIMS

LONG BEFORE the bikes fired up for practice, a supremely confident Gary Nixon predicted he would win the 20-Mile National that day. And win he did, despite the efforts of 19 other hard-riding flattrack specialists to keep his prophesy from coming true.

The Sacramento Fairgrounds track had never been in better shape. Carefully prepared for J. C. Agajanian’s sixth annual California classic, the smooth circle invited record-breaking, and Nixon was first to oblige. During time trials he sent his Triumph scurrying around the one-mile oval in 40.43 seconds, half a second quicker than the old mark. Then, while roaring to victory in the final, he not only lowered George Boeder's 20-mile record by a stunning 25-second margin, but clocked an almost unbelievable 39.45 lap in the heat of battle!

Meanwhile, another significant battle wats taking place. Dick Mann, leading Roger Reiman in national standings by a mere five points, was determined to stretch his advantage at Sacramento . . . but his plans went awry. While fighting with Reiman for first place in their heat race. Mann was forced out of the groove and down, receiving several cracked ribs in the fall. Only the 50-Lap Ascot T.T. race remained on the National Calendar, and the Grand National Championship wouldn't be decided until then.

At the start of the 20-miler. Ronnie Rail romped into the first turn ahead of Nixon. Mert Lawwill and Sammy Tanner. But. after one lap. Nixon was leading — and there he stayed, though challenged strongly at one point by Rail. Behind these two. a six-way struggle for third place occupied such stalwarts as Reiman. Ralph White. Lawwill. Red McKeen. Babe DeMay and Neil Keen. To illustrate the frantic swapping of positions during the 20 laps, third place changed hands 12 times, fourth place 12 times, and fifth place 13 times!

Nixon led by a wide margin at the finish. and Rail was quite a distance ahead of the rest, but White and Reiman were so close for third that an hour-long post-race discussion took place before White was awarded the position. Time for the race was 13 minutes, 20.52 seconds, and Keen. McKeen and DeMay followed the first four to the checker.

Spirited amateur action preceded the expert events, and only a spectacular last lap spill deprived Swede Savage of the 10-mile feature win. H-D mounted Tom Heil, who had carved through the pack after a slow start to take over second on hip 7. found himself first to the checker ahead of Dan Haaby. Larry Stockham and Don Butler. His time was 6:54.38. over nine seconds quicker than the old record set last year by Dickie Newell. •-