Racing Review

RACING REVIEW

ULSTER GRAND PRIX

B. R. Nicholls

Four world championship solo races and two double winners-those are the facts about this year's Irish classic, the Ulster Grand Prix. Little Bill Ivy took both 125 and 250 events, and Giacomo Agostini again was top man in the 350 and 500 races.

For Ago, victory was easy as there were no challengers, but, even so, he claimed a new lap record in the 350 race run in the dry, then was forced to contend with foul weather in the big race. It was a different story for Ivy, however. He was up against Phil Read, mounted on similar Yamahas, in both his races, but with the 125 title already in Read's pocket, Ivy needed to win the 250 to stay in the chase for the title he thought was to be his. However, Read, who is convinced this is Yamaha's last season of racing, and who plans to retire, is anxious to go out with two titles to his credit. In consequence, the two can hardly be called teammates. An undercurrent that has flowed deep all season broke into a tidal wave of recriminations in regard to which of the two is the better rider.

Practice was held in generally adverse conditions, though in the dry Jack Findlay (Mclntyre Matchless) had set the fastest 500-cc time, with Ago best among the 350s, and Ivy fastest in 125 and 250 classes.

Race day dawned bright and sunny, but that means nothing at Dundrod. The sparkling daybreak simply lulls everyone into a false sense of security. The weather held for the first two races, so the first race of the day, the 125, started in ideal conditions. Read and Ivy screamed their Yamaha Fours into an immediate lead. For six of the 11 laps they diced wheel to wheel, until Read left his braking a fraction too late at the hairpin. Vital seconds lost gave Ivy 200 yd. in which to breathe. He went on to win at 99.65 mph, which bettered the old lap record—and proved to any skeptics that Read vs. Ivy was no publicity stunt. This was emphasized as Read, in a superhuman attempt to get back to grips, set the lap record at 102.44 mph to temper Ivy's win.

Such was the pace that 3rd place runner Heinz Rosner (MZ) was lapped.

In the 350 event, which was the next race, Rosner sprinted into the lead on his 300 MZ only to retire on Lap 6 with magneto trouble. Meanwhile, Agostini had taken the lead, with Kei Carruthers (H-D Aermacchi Métissé) in a secure 2nd place. Franta Stastny (Jawa Four) lost time with two plug stops and eventually finished 4th, snatching the place from Derek Woodman (H-D Aermacchi Metisse) 200 yd. from the finish. Local favorite Brian Steenson (H-D Aermacchi), at 21 years of age one of the brightest prospects on the way to stardom, finished 3rd. It was no easy ride because Steenson engaged in a long dice with similarly mounted Jack Findlay and Woodman, until Derek slowed with gearbox trouble, and Findlay retired with a broken rear wheel spindle. Ago rushed on to a record lap at 106.37 mph, only 0.8 sec. outside Hailwood's 500 lap record.

During the lunch interval, storm clouds gathered almost as an omen for the impending 250 battle between Read and Ivy. Then, just as the race was to start, a heavy shower made conditions tricky. Off hurtled the Yamaha pair, with Read in the lead. After five laps, Ivy took over. Two laps later it was all over, for Read retired with a punctured radiator caused by a stone from Ivy's rear wheel. With Bill well out on his own, all eyes turned to the scrap for 2nd between Heinz Rosner (MZ) and Rod Gould (Yamataco). It was touch and go until another shower occurred, at which time Rosner pulled away to insure 2nd spot. Ivy lapped all but 2nd and 3rd place riders, as Ago had done in the 350.

Then the rain really came down. A major cloudburst was in progress as the 500s pushed off. Agostini made every use of his MV's acceleration to pull out a handsome lead on Lap 1. John Har tie (Matchless Metisse) was 2nd, having his best ride since the unfortunate Isle of Man outings. Rob Fitton (Norton) was 3rd. As conditions improved, so did the 40-year-old Fitton. He raced on to pass Hartle and gain his best grand prix placing. Second in the title hunt, Jack Findlay experienced carburetor trouble with his Mclntyre Matchless and could not get the better of Percy Tait (Triumph) who took 4th place.

(Continued on page 102)

Continued from page 101

SANTA FE NATIONAL

Jack Hall

Fred Nix has proved himself master of the mile dirt tracks on this year's AMA championship schedule, but at the short track national at Santa Fe Speedway, near Chicago, he also demonstrated his versatility. On the quartermile oval he set the fastest time in trials— 16.27 sec.-on his Harley-Davidson. He followed up with wins in his heat and semi and, in the final, jumped straight into the lead.

Bart Markel, who placed 2nd to Nix in both the West Coast mile events, chased hard in an attempt to reverse the positions, while Neil Keen (Yamaha), Chuck Palmgren (Triumph), and Dick Mann (Ossa) disputed 3rd place.

Nix refused to make the mistake Markel was waiting for, and raced on to victory—a deserving win, for Fred has dominated the Santa Fe season for four years, but this was his first success in the AMA national event at the track.

Keen fell on the third of 25 laps, while Mann eased his Ossa beneath Palmgren's Triumph, to hold 3rd place to tjie finish. Ronnie Rail also pushed his way past Palmgren, to make the closing order H-D, H-D, Ossa, BSA, Triumph. AMA points leader Gary Nixon placed 6th, adding a single precious point to his slender lead in the national series. This made his total 484, with Cal Rayborn's 463 giving him 2nd place. Meanwhile, Nix and Markel closed on the leaders, with 394 and 404 points, respectively.

Rayborn was one of the stars who was eliminated from competition during the semis, along with fellow H-D riders Mert Lawwill, Dan Haaby, Walt Fulton and Darrel Dovel. Nix, Rayborn, Mann and Keen were the heat winners, and Keen and Nix each claimed a semi.

H-D machinery placed 1st in each of the three Amateur heats. Mike Anderson, from Illinois, Ohioan Larry Darr, and Oklahoman Danny Ware, were the riders. In the final, Ware, Darr, and Suzuki pilot Mark Brelsford—who had placed 2nd in his heat behind Ware-battled for honors. Brelsford, a star-to-be in the Expert division, held the lead for the entire 10-lap race distance. Local riders Frank Fudala and Anderson followed them home.

(Continued on page 104)

IN MEMORIAM: JOHN HARTLE

European road racer John Hartle died from injuries he sustained while competing in the Scarborough International race meeting in England recently. He was killed doing what he enjoyed best, racing a motorcycle. At age 34, considered by many to be too old for competition, John was by far the most successful private runner racing in Europe. During his 15-year career he had amassed an enviable list of successes.

In 1953, he started racing, and within two years was chosen to join the official Norton Racing Team. In 1956, while riding for Norton at the Isle of Man, he gained 3rd place in the Junior TT (350 race), and 2nd, later in the week, in the Senior TT (500 race). At the end of 1957, John was invited to join the Italian MV Agusta firm as No. 2 rider to team with reigning 500-cc World Champion John Surtees. Hartle was not cut out to be second runner, riding to orders. He enjoyed racing. Because of MV's limited racing program, he resigned from the MV Team early in 1960, to concentrate his efforts on more racing with a pair of private Manx Nortons. Having left MV with no hard feelings, he was asked to ride MV machines in the 1960 Isle of Man TT, where he rewarded Count Agusta with victory in the Junior TT, and a 2nd-place finish in the Senior TT. The 500 Ulster Grand Prix of that year was another victory for Hartle, who was back on his private Nortons. He also finished 2nd in the 350 race.

Throughout his career, John had been plagued by injuries. At the beginning of 1963, after a year of enforced retirement, recovering from a 1961 arm injury, he was signed on by Geoff Duke to team with Phil Read on the Scuderia Duke Gilera Team. John's past MV Agusta experience made him a prime choice for the Gilera Team, and he was always a threat to MV's only runner, Mike Hailwood. Hartle's best performances came while riding the Gilera. In the 1963 TT he finished 2nd in both the Junior and Senior TT races, with a fantastic lap speed of more than 105 mph and a race average of 103 mph in the Senior. In Holland he won the 500 cc Dutch TT race and, a week later, finished 2nd to Hailwood in the 500 race at Francorchamps, scene of the Belgian Grand Prix. The 1963 season ended with Hartle finishing 2nd in the 500 World Championship.

But second was not good enough for Gilera. In 1964, that marque again faded from the racing scene.

In April, 1964, back on his private Nortons, at a small International meeting in Italy, John crashed heavily, and thus incurred several hairline skull fractures. Upon his recovery, he retired from active participation in racing and turned his attention to developing a mobile spare parts service for racing. Although at times lucrative, the business lacked the color and glamour offered by professional racing.

So, in 1966, John returned to full-time competition. That year saw little success for Hartle, as riding styles and techniques had changed considerably since 1963. John persevered with an underpowered 500 Triumph Metisse and a 350 Aermacchi Metisse.

Not easily discouraged, John teamed up with Ray Cowles for 1967, and was soon scrapping with the best private runners on the Cowles' Matchless. By the 1967 Isle of Man TT, John had regained all his old style and confidence, and appeared next in line to be offered a works contract. Production machine races were incorporated into the 1967 TT, and John scored a win in the 750 Production Machine race on a 650 Triumph Bonneville, averaging over 97 mph, with a fastest lap near the coveted 100 mph mark.

Just prior to leaving England for the Canadian Grand Prix in September, 1967, John crashed at a smaller meeting in England and again damaged that vulnerable arm, which had been broken so many times in the past. As always, he made a quick recovery, and early this year displayed all his old ability as he frequently outpaced Europe's best, often while riding inferior machinery.

Over the English Bank Holiday weekend, John had a busy schedule. It is possible to compete in as many as four separate race meetings. On the Saturday, at Oliver's Mount, Scarborough, he was accidentally forced off the narrow course while overtaking a slower rider. He crashed against a footbridge scaffolding.

John Hartle, a rider whose style was always recognizable, was regarded by many as one of the best riders of the time. Other riders respected him as a gentleman on and off the track. He was equally at home on the Villa Marina stage, replying to the applause of his many fans, or elbow-deep in grease and oil in the paddocks of remote motorcycle racing circuits on the European Continent. John Hartle, his familiar white helmet, and his aggressive riding style, will be sorely missed. Motorcycling has lost a true sportsman.

REVENGE FOR U. S.?

Canada beat America in the 1968 internation scrambles series, and French Canadian Yvon du Hamel has shocked Americans with his performances in road race events. But Canada is offering its neighbors a chance for revenge...at the Sportsman Motorcycle Club Challenge Trial, Nov. 3.

Three-man American teams are invited to enter, by contacting the club at Postal Box 5016, Station F, Ottawa, Canada. Machines of any displacement, and riders of any classification, are eligible. Clubs, dealers, and individual riders may enter teams. Riders must first be members of the Canadian Motorcycle Association (memberships, at $5 per year, will be sold at the trial).

INDOORS EAST

A schedule of three-star weekly indoor motorcycle racing starts Saturday, Oct. 12, at the coliseum in the Tennessee State Fairgrounds, Nashville. The promoter, Fairground Speedways, says the program forms the first weekly indoor races in the Eastern U. S.

A $600 purse will be posted for each of the AMA-sanctioned meets on the coliseum's one-eighth mile concrete oval. The promoter also plans a $1000 championship. More than 3000 fans attended each of three preliminary events last season, when Gary Nixon, Fred Nix, Roger Reiman, and Neil Keen were among the competitors. 1