1970 Houston Astrodome Grand National Motorcycle Race - 4-Page Vintage Article

Description

1970 Houston Astrodome Grand National Motorcycle Race - 4-Page Vintage Article
Original, vintage magazine article.
Page Size: Approx. 8" x 11" (21 cm x 28 cm) each page
Condition: Good
by Eric Raits
Houston National opens
1970 championship season
astrodome
Houston. Tex.. Feb. 6 & 7. 1970 —
Houston's Astrodome drew the cream
of America's professional racers out of
winter hibernation to kick off the 1970
battle for the Grand National Champion-
ship points race. Nearly 44.000 fans
were in and out of their seats screaming
approval of two nights of talent loaded
steeplechase and short track racing.
Jim Rice showed his qualifications as
Captain of the 1970 BSA factory racing
Terry Dorsch showed all the
other amateur TT riders how to
do it, and won going away. He
really looked good.
team by outlasting a field of veteran TT
riders, and earning the season's first
points toward the coveted number one
plate. The Palo Alto, Cal. youngster
placed 1 1 th in last year's standings,
winning three Nationals.
Friday night's first few minutes in the
Expert Final belonged to Eddie Mulder
The first few minutes of almost all TT's
belong to the Burbank, Cal. holder of
National number 12 but Eddie s hex
lasted only for four laps. His out-of-the-
crate Montesa began running lean,
dropping him back to an eventual sixth
place finish.
Steeplechase perennials Dusty Cop-
page, Skip Van Leeuwen. Sonny Burres
and Paul Bostrom swapped places in
Dick Mann rode a Husky in the
TT races and he piloted an Ossa
in the flat track events.
Believe it or not, Steve Scott
didn't lose it. This type of action
was fairly typical and kept the
crowd on the edge of their seats.
the early laps and then settled down to
watch Rice extend a lead he took over
late in the fourth lap. Lake Isabella,
California's Bostrum took over second
place in the next lap and held it despite
Van Leeuwen's desperate efforts in the
last three laps. Coppage, Aldana, Mul-
der, Odom, Burres Brelsford and Mann
rounded out the top ten.
Van Leeuwen, Bostrum and Burres
took their respective heat races, Burres
really running away from the likes of
Coppage, Odom, Mann. Wirth and Law-
will for an impressive victory, but Port-
land's Golden Boy came up short in the
Main
Many fine racers watched both nights
of competition from the sidelines and
Looking very stylish, Dave Aldana
didn t fare too well and finished
down on the list.
Romero (3) and Jim McMurren
tried to occupy the same place at
the same time. Gene sustained
minor injury.
bemoaned the two quick laps of time
trials that decided their qualifications to
race under the weatherproof dome.
Most who didn't make it Friday night
were entered in Saturday's short track
National and could hope for better luck.
Restarts were the name of the game
when last year's Novices, the 1970
Amateurs came out for their turn. The
heat races featured three restarts apiece
and were won by Triumph riders Tod
Sloan and Chuck Joyner. Terry Dorsch
topped the list of six Triumphs in the
first six places of the Amateur Final.
Wayne Hosaka, Joyner and Sloane tan-
gled in the fifth lap, running fourth, third
and second at the time to let John
Hately slip by for a second place finish...
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