1966 Eddie Mulder Peoria Illinois TT Race - 1-Page Vintage Motorcycle Article

Description

1966 Eddie Mulder Peoria Illinois TT Race - 1-Page Vintage Motorcycle Article
Original, Vintage Magazine Article
Page Size: Approx. 8" x 11"  (21 cm x 28 cm)
Condition: Good
Peoria TT
EDDIE MULDER, Triumph’s num-
ber-one rough rider, dropped in at
Peoria to ride his third TT “Na-
tional” this year and went away with all
the money—again, for the third time this
year. Actually, this marks his fourth
straight National TT victory, as Mulder
won at Peoria last year, too.
The affair at Peoria was a carbon-copy
of previous Mulder wins this season, for
the flamboyant Eddie flew away from the
field. From a perfect start, he rushed into
the lead and was never headed. There were
no real challengers in sight when Mulder
did his usual wheelie across the line to take
the flag.
The 1965 Peoria TT saw Bart Markel
nipping at Mulder’s heels all the way, but
although Bart again finished second, he
followed far enough behind to avoid the
spray of s^nd and rocks from the Tri-
umph’s back wheel—though probably not
out of choice.
Chris Draayer again had problems. As
at the last National TT, Draayer moved
rapidly into second place behind Mulder,
only to fall by the wayside with mechani-
cal troubles. In Draayer’s case, it is prob-
ably a pure matter of bad luck, for Chris is
a very smooth rider who does not appear
to be at all hard on the equipment. He is
one of the best first-year Experts we have
seen.
Frustration was the lot of a couple of
other former Peoria TT winners. Dick
Mann’s faithful old Matchless, which has
more miles behind it (all racing) than the
average 10-year-old family sedan, expired
in the 12th lap. Dick Hammer, who won
here in 1962, did not finish near enough to
heat-winner Eddie Mulder to make the
main event.
Hammer was not alone. Only the first
four out of each heat-race qualified for the
main, and Roger Reiman, Ralph White,
Skip Van Leeuwen, Bobby Winters and
Jack O’Brien didn’t get close enough to the
front of the line. And there were plenty of
top-ranking riders who were eliminated in
the time-trials that preceded the heat races.
Gene Romero and Chris Draayer were the
only first-year experts to ride their way into
the final.
Those who did not go to Peoria might
like to know that an ABC-TV camera
crew was there to record the event for the
“Wide World of Sports” show. Race high-
lights will be seen on network television in
the near future.
Mulder won his heat, as we have said.
Other heat winners were Jim Corpe, the
only rider on a BSA to make the final; and
Ronnie Rail, who usually rides a BSA,
switched to Triumph for this event.
Markel’s second-place finish might not
have given him unalloyed joy; there was
considerable satisfaction for him in the
points he collected toward the National
Championship. Bart looks to be a sure bet
for the National title and the big ONE on
Draayer and Market in pursuit of Mulder
the number plate again next year. That
would make him the third rider in AMA
history to win the title three times. Con-
sidering that Markel is one of the most
durable and hard-working riders in racing,
there is a strong possibility, too, that he
will win it at least once niore.
The Peoria TT rang down the curtain on
the round of Nationals in the midwest.
From there, all of the top riders move to
California for the final trio of west coast
Nationals that will close the 1966 season.
As the points were tallied after the Peoria
TT, Markel was at the top, with Gary
Nixon second, Eddie Mulder third, and
Chris Draayer in fourth.
4
RESULTS
20-LAP HEAVYWEIGHT NATIONAL
CHAMPIONSHIP TT RACE
PEORIA. ILLINOIS
1.
Eddie Mulder. Burbank. Calif.. Tri.
2.
Bart Market. Flint. Mich.. H-D
3.
Gene Romero. San Luis Obispo. Calif.. Tri
4.
Dusty Coppage. Santa Susana. Calif.. Tri.
5.
Sonny Burres. Portland. Ore.. Tri.
6.
Ronnie Rail. Mansfield. Ohio. Tri.
7.
Bennie Bowden. Kalamazoo. Mich.. H-D
8.
Jack Simmons. Artesia. Calif.. Nort.
9.
Jim Corpe. Washington. III.. BSA
10.
Dick Mann. Honolulu. Hawaii. Match. *
11.
Don Howell. Canton. III.. Tri.‘
12.
Chris Draayer. Salt Lake City. Utah. H-D
Time: 10m.32.06s
* Did not finish
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