| ►For the first time in memory, the opening
event at Ascot Park in Gardena, California, was different! In past years the
season opener found the pits jammed with sparkling new or refurbished racing
bikes, riders garbed in new and colorful leathers and a general air of
expectancies. The pits were the only place where you'd find anything new and
shiney. Over the years Ascot Park has become one of the most dismal racing
tracks in the country.
This year
things were different: Ascot had received a major face-lifting and the fans were
out in record numbers to examine the "new" facilities. From the number of top
caliber racers on hand in the pits it was obvious that the riders were also
anxious to sample the "new" Ascot. A record turnout close to 8,000 fans were in
the stands, while the pits bulged with 165 Professional riders. The scene was
set for some exciting racing.
Practice found all of the
riders trying to familiarize themselves with the new Ascot racing face. Hundreds
of tons of decomposed granite had been brought to re-do the surface, even the
"old" Ascot pros had to learn new riding techniques. Because of the number of
riders on hand practice was run off very quickly and a number of riders fell off
trying to hold traction on the new racing surface.
Once racing got underway upsets
were the order of the evening. One of the major upsets took place in the Novice
250 Main. In the past 15 years no out-of-state rider has been able to capture
this hotly contested event. All of that changed Friday night when Scott Erickson
of Montana put it on the Novices at Ascot. Apparently learning the track, Scott
ran second in his seat race following second-year Novice, Guy Bailey to the
checkered flag. By following Bailey Scott may have been picking up pointers as
to the proper line around the oval.
At the start of the 250 Main
Northern Californian, Rick Hocking squirted to the lead followed closely by
Bailey. Erickson got off the line poorly and had to work his way up through
traffic. By the third lap the Montanan was in third. Hocking, Bailey and
Erickson held position until the fifth lap when Bailey passed to take over the
lead. Two laps later Erickson passed Hocking and set his bike on Bailey. At the
end of that lap the two riders were nearly shoulder to shoulder as they went
into the final circuit of the course. At the wire Erickson nipped Hocking to
take the win.
Erickson's performance is
amazing when you consider the fact that he comes from a state which has no
Professional racing. Even more amazing is the fact that Erickson pulled off the
same stunt at Daytona last March when he won over 150 Eastern Novices on hand
for the Daytona races.
Activities in the ranks of the
Junior competitors offered more in the way of upsets. The two top Novices of
1971, Scott Brelsford and Steve Nichols, had problems all evening. Nichols could
finish no better than second in his heat race, while Brelsford was extremely
erratic in his heat. Fastest in the Junior time trials was Rex Barrat aboard a
very potent Triumph. Al Baker, in his second year as a Junior, wasn't too quick
in time trials but he made up for it in his heat race when he turned in the
fastest Junior time.
The Juniors lined up for the
Main and at the drop of the flag Al Baker assumed a lead he was never to
relinquish. Al rode a dream race and he seemed to have the Ascot surface wired.
Late in the race he appeared to tire slightly but his commanding lead allowed
him to motor home for the win. Late in the race Nichols made his move but by
that time Baker's advantage was too great to overcome. Brelsford finished a
distant third, followed by Gary Lozano in fourth, and Tom White in fifth.
From the number of Expert
riders on hand you might have thought that the event was a National Championship
race rather than just the start of the regular Ascot season. In the first heat
race Dave Aldana, who had turned in the fastest qualifying time in practice,
could do no better than fourth spot.► | 
Competition 
