Saturday was Post-Vintage. Bill Cappel had broken a bone in his foot, and was unable to race his brand new 1980 Husqvarna 390 (now a 410) built by John Kovalcik. I was given this beautiful bike to race after my first factory ride (James Sharp's AW440 Maico) had last minute jetting issues.

MOTO ONE • I got a very good start- 3rd I think for the first several corners. The Husqvarna pulled like a train, and I had absolutely no problems adapting to it. Then I began to lose a few places- ...about 2 or 3 riders went by me. There were a lot of jumps, and each one I was keenly aware that it was NOT time to throw it away. But I was jumping over them- I spent a lot of time in the air, and it was apparent that I would have to get used to flying.

I held my own till the last few laps of the race when a person on a 4 stroke Honda went by me, and then Rik Smits went by me. I thought OK I beat Rik last year. This was my first race back after 4 months off after the Jawa Arm injury. Rik pulled some distance and I thought ok I'm out of practice, but I can do this, and I tried to pile on the coals.

It was the last lap. I redoubled my resolve and hung on with my fingernails. Rik who was pushing got by the other rider, and I followed him through at the same time. I was thinking this is your to win or lose.... Then he and I went over the very far return 180º as you begin to come back to the flag, and I drew alongside him, and drifted over into his way to close the door. So that was wonderful. The bike was absolutely fantastic.

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MOTO TWO • I got a less good start. There was a pileup, which I managed to miss by braking and going around the outside, and immediately there was another pileup. I went around this one too, and was hit by a rider on my left- this bike hit me hard enough to mash my knee into the tank of Bill's brand new Husky.

I saw the rider flying off his bike like a toy still in the position with his knees bent, and arms in position. But this glimpse vanished and the chase was on.

Rik had gotten a better start than me, and I could see him ahead. The classic thing when you're trying to catch a guy is that however hard you push the fellow ahead is exactly the same distance ahead. You draw near in hairpins, and then he pulls away on the way out.

I pushed and pushed and managed to draw close when I went by the place where Dirk and Bart were sitting in chairs beside the track. But I was fading and all of a sudden I realized that it was all I could do to hold on at all. So I tried to keep the pressure on and just hold on to the spot that I had- it was in fact 4th again. And Rik drew away from me on that last lap.

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