50-Lap Tt National Brelsford Wins A War of Attrition

50-LAP TT NATIONAL Brelsford Wins A War Of Attrition

DAN HUNT

HEARTBREAK is the key word for the AMA 50-lap National TT. It's a long race, and the big jump at Ascot Park manages to tear up a lot of machinery.

So it was that Harley-Davidson's Mark Brelsford won, after all the usual favorites had retired along the way. Fastest Experts in qualifying were Eddie Mulder and Skip Van Leeuwen. Eddie won his heat, as did Skip. Noth ing out of the ordinary there. Dusty Coppage won the third heat. All three were on Triumphs. In the Harley camp, Dan Haaby was going surprisingly well, as was Brelsford. Mert Lawwill, of course, would be Harley's strongest contender. BSA's fastest men were Dick Mann, who was running extremely fast on the half-mile turn, Dallas Baker and Eddie Wirth.

Haaby made the opening bid in the Expert main event, and then was passed by the irrepressible Van Leeuwen. Then Lawwill, who heretofore has been H-D's only hope at the TTs, took over. Then the attrition started. Haaby's H-D started running on one cylinder. Mann's BSA blew up, as did Baker's. Then, on Lap 19, after Lawwill began stretching his lead, the axle adjuster broke, causing his Harley's chain to jump its tracks. Van Leeuwen once again took the lead, followed by Brels ford, Coppage, Paul Bostrom, and, at a distance, Mulder. Back in the pack, Triumph riders Chuck Palmgren and National No. 1 Gary Nixon were bat tling as if they were members of op posing teams; Pomegranate held off No. 1 for a long while, but Nixon finally managed to pass him for good.

iiostrom aroppea out, ieavmg ira to Mulder. Breisford now was pressing very hard on Van Leeuwen. On Lap 45, the Harley rider made bis bid, just getting inside Van Leeuwen over the jump. Skip looked like he might hold off the young first-year Expert on the next right hander, and then he was suddenly slid ing off the course with his back wheel locked up! Van Leeuwen was out for good with a broken primary chain.

The order was now Breisford, Mulder, Larry Wilburn and Gene Romero. Then Mulder's rear tire went flat. For most riders this would be tragedy, but Eddie proceeded to make it high comedy, continuing to race, weaving sideways up the straightaways, with both feet dangling for support, sparks showering from the exposed rim. - -

At the hlfllSfl, Isreisiora lea comtort ably, followed by Wilburn, Romero, a steady Cal Rayborn, Tom Rockwood, the comic Mulder (who did an extra lap just to show everyone what fun riding on a flat tire could be), Mike Haney, Rick Thorwaidsen, Nixon, Palmgren, Ralph White, Lloyd Houtchins, and Sonny Burres.

The topsy-turvy race put Cal Ray born into the lead for national points (339), with Lawwil and Nixon tied for 2nd place (332). Romero is also within good striking distance (298).

AMATEUR MAIN

Leads changed several times in the Amateur feature, but the top three places finally went to Triumph riders. The early leader was Bob Haynes, a northern Californian who has shown great improvement this year under the sponsorship of Precision Machining. Then BSA's Dave Aldana took over, but spun out on the tight turn approaching the jump, leaving the lead to Frank Gifiespie. Keith Mashburn pushed into 2nd place, but dropped back, troubled by misfiring. Gillespie won, 2nd place went to Dave Hansen, and 3rd to Haynes. Aldana managed to work back into 4th place for the finish, and Mash burn salvaged 5th.