1970 Ascot Park TT

[@clpeal57]

This brought back some of the best times of my life. I grew up about a mile away from Ascot. My Dad raced a Triumph, mostly desert, but he did race a few TT's at Ascot. I knew Tommy Rockwood, who finished 2nd in this race. We both grew up in Gardena, but Tommy was a couple years older than I was. Sadly Tommy took his own life about 7 years after this race. We used to flag the motocross races and instead of getting paid money, Chris Agajanian would give us free passes for the TT and flat track races. Growing up in Gardena we would be at Ascot 2 or 3 times a week. When the nationals came to town we would always go with my Dad and sit in the middle of turn 1. I remember that when a rider would get taken out in an ambulance my Dad would go to the top of the bleachers to see which way they went. When I asked him about that he told me, if they go north they're going to Gardena Memorial Hospital and they wer'nt hurt that bad, if they went south, they were going to Harbor General and probably hurt pretty bad. When they closed Ascot it was like losing a close friend. It literally altered our lives. Ascot Park was a big part of my childhood and into my early twenties. If I close my eyes, I can see, hear, and smell 10, 15, or even 20 Harleys, Triumphs, BSA's, and Nortons taking off from the starting line. It's one of the most exciting things a person can witness.

[@stevematz7354]

Tom Rockwood's Dad Rocky(Roxy) announced the races at Ascot for years and he wrote a weekly column in the old Motorcycle Racing News mainly concerning Ascot. Tom and Mark Brelford were the top 2 Amateurs in 1968, however Brelsford was the only one of the 2 that received a National Number as a rookie expert (87) Something that probably disappointed Tom because there were a couple other available numbers that AMA could have given. Tom, another victim of getting involved in Drugs which always has some kind of consequences; either Prison or the Graveyard. Such a waste he was a gifted rider and liked by all...

[@markopolo5123]

We used to go there all the time as kids & I raced there when they added the Moto-X. Dad was friends with Roxy for many years.

[@Balithazzarr]

Wow that's a beautiful write up. I looked up the ascot track because I'm researching bikes and found the Honda ascot so I wanted to see what a flat track looked like.

[@richardortiz8704]

P high maintenance today Japanese are number one

[@rcnelson]

Excellent. Sound, good video, interviews, those great-sounding Brit bikes, and the famous Ascot track. Many thanks.

[@markopolo5123]

Great Post !! Thx... I knew Skip, he was a great guy and had a wicked sense of humor.

[@larryt.atcycleitalia5786]

Great stuff! Grew up less than a mile from Ascot. A few years after this I raced CMC "Motocross" here though they kept us off the 1/2 mile circuit. The "big" jump was plenty big back then, but looks pretty wimpy these days. Thanks for putting this up!

[@markopolo5123]

LoL.. I raced CMC Moto-X there too, "Friday nights under the lights".

[@CinematicFool]

Thank you, so much. This really brought back fond memories. There was fantastic racing at Ascot. Imagine this race getting such great TV coverage in 1970. We (motorcyclists) have been doing something wrong for a long time, apparently. I still hold some little hope that we will see this kind of broadcast, again.

[@gregshamieh6339]

+CinematicFool CF ~ The reason for this fantastic coverage is buried in the Narration -- listen carefully when they do the initial camera-on-helmet lap. "Our director, Bruce Brown, wants you to know exactly what this feels like..." Bruce Brown, better known as the Director of "On Any Sunday". Bruce knew and loved his subject...no wonder this might have been the best TV coverage of FlatTrack before the modern era.

[@floydblandston108]

The Paul Bostrom they mention is the Uncle of Ben and Eric.🙂

[@dandowney685]

Lots of great memories at Ascot... Van Leeuwin, Mulder & Lawwill all time greats!

[@RR83y]

What an awesome video. Thank you for posting. I sure miss those days.

[@teemlee51]

I grew up in Orange. Ascot and Costa Mesa speedway where often events. I was fortunate to become friends with Eddy Mulder when i started racing Pikes Peak in '87'. He's a class act!

[@chucklaneChuckylane]

+Scooter Lee My good friend Frank Gillespie rode for Eddie Mulder.

[@chucklaneChuckylane]

Thanks for posting Phillip.

[@rolandrodriguez3854]

Nice tie Bill!

[@daviddahlgren8792]

Crying shame this track no longer exists.

[@dennisfoster6937]

Wasn't that the greatest SoCal track. Watched and rode many a races there in the late 60s early 70s. Rode a Triumph 650 in a Rickman frame. this is about the time Harley started coming on strong. I can still recall the rumble and noise when taking off from the starting line. Memory not so good now but a few names I can remember were Gary and Hank Scott Jr, Corkey Keener, Gene Romero and watched a lot of great work their way up the ranks Roberts, Springsteen, Aldana and a bunch more. Was sad to see Ascot go and miss it.

[@chucklaneChuckylane]

My old friend Willy Hockie gave me one of the 81r number plates years ago, I still have it. RIP Willy Hockey #81r & Danny Hockie #84.

[@joederrico6395]

We loved Danny Hocki as kids. We went usually to watch Paul Conserriere #9R who was our neighbor in Redondo Beach. Great memories!

[@stevenpatterson7942]

My bother-in-Law Jimmy Lynch from Bakersfield California use to race at Ascot back in the mid 60" and 70"

[@johnfordyce6791]

Tornai, the Cork, Marsh, Stonyford. Thanks Phil. Remember me and my screamin' Montesa?

[@phillybeef211]

Sorry John, of all that, I only know Stonyford because I've gone off-road riding there almost every year since 1984.... Could you be mistaking me for Phil Ray, whom, now has retired to his ranch in Stonyford?

[@johnfordyce6791]

You're right. 4Q Ranch. Only met Phil once there. The others go back with him. Nick Threau (can't spell name) also dragged the steel shoe. The Cork ran speedway in Auburn. Wasn't there a track in Hayward?

[@johnfordyce6791]

Thanks for the vid, it brought back good thoughts.

[@markopolo5123]

I do

[@floydblandston108]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't all AMA classes back then 'claiming stakes'?

[@phillybeef211]

Seems to me, in my uneducated knowledge on the subject. (...reading Cycle News back in the day....). I remember when Gary Scott claimed a National winning factory HD (at San Jose?)... And the HD Team wasn't too happy... I also kinda remember that the AMA used the claiming rule in years where it benefited what the AMA wanted. And they use no-claiming rules some years for the same reason. Like if a big manufacturer, say, HONDA- was going to go big in many facets of AMA racing, they, Honda would lobby the ama to install the NO Claiming rule... This way, the mfg's could invest in (AMA) racing and that would help Honda to.., Win on Sunday - sell on Monday to recoup their investment $$ .... I don't know about all classes having a claim rule, but I think the rule would be unfair to the amature racers and would probably diminish race participation across the nation.

[@tedcrum]

Triumph TT Special!

[@stevematz7354]

Mert Lawwill had won the AMA #1 Plate riding his dual Carb KR in 1969 which was the year of the 750cc Overhead Rule. When the 1970 racing season began the Interim Iron XR750 was what the HD Factory Riders like Mert were mandated to ride through out the Season as stated by Race Dept Chief Dick O'Brien. Because the Iron XR was having so many reliability issues like Burnt rear pistons, Crankshaft issues,etc. Mert had a lot of DNF's throughout the Season. At one point Mert approached O'Brien and asked if he could ride his Championship winning KR from 69 as it was at least reliable and could finish races. Apparently OB said No with a statement something like "This is what we have developed and this is what we will be racing" Words that would come back to bite him as HD lost the number 1 plate 2 years in a Row and basically lost Mert another #1 plate for the 71 season. Only after the Alloy XR appeared in 72 which was the intended Race Bike all along did HD win back the #1 plate with the like's of Mert's Protégé Mark Brelsford. What happen in the 70-71 race season is a should of / Could of situation and water under the bridge but the Iron XR was just a destroked XLR like Mert is riding in this Race and was really more of a purpose built TT Racer where the rider is on and off the throttle frequently. When the Iron XR appeared which still utilized Cast iron heads and cylinders like the XLR; major heat issues plagued the Engine especially on the Mile Tracks where you were on the gas most of the time. It was 2 years that HD Racing would probably like to forget ever happen. Obrien's Stubborness concerning the Iron XR probably came back to haunt him...

[@phillybeef211]

Thanks for the insight

[@stevematz7354]

I have been trying to find an ABC Wide World of Sports 16mm or tape Copy of the 1965 Sacramento 20 Mile National as it was Mert's 1st National win. Glad to see these WWoS Races up here. Lot of the 16mm Copies that were sent out to ABC Affliate TV Stations back then were copied to 2 inch magnetic tape and the Copy returned to ABC which they chopped up. Some stations direct projected the 16mm print through a Vidicon Camera. Some Stations never returned Prints and ABC really didn't Care. These prints would be in many Stations Film Archieves if they saved their Old Stuff. This is what I would like to come across as most of the time the Print only had 1 or 2 projections so they would be in Mint condition if stored properly ...

[@lotsasnott5589]

Never been to ascot

[@TheStevemcqueen68]

mostly all British bikes, just a sight,

[@Profabdesigns]

Ahh the days of ABC Wide world of sports. When Men raced and the trophy girl was an actual pretty girl!!

[@keithsage7258]

BSA ALL THE WAY......