Jorgensen Attempts to Tie Scott at Ascot

Gary Scott of Springfield, Ohio, a 14-year veteran with the American Motorcyclist Assn., will be out to protect his record as the winningest national TT rider at Ascot Park when he competes in the 24th annual Camel Pro Series TT steeplechase next Saturday evening.

Scott, 33, a former Baldwin Park resident, accumulated five national TT victories at Ascot from 1974-77. However, Alex Jorgensen of Stockton, picked up his fourth TT win last fall and will try to match Scott’s total this time.

Although Scott, who first rode the Ascot track with its 75-foot jump in 1970, may have more races on the circuit, Jorgensen, 32, sppears to have momentum on his side.

Scott failed to qualify for the feature when Jorgensen won last fall. Also for the first time, Scott was unlisted in the top 10 in the final Camel Pro Series standings in 1984. However, Scott still holds the 25-lap record at Ascot which he set in 1976.

During the off-season, Scott said he considered retiring, but decided instead to continue and bought a new Honda. He’ll be aboard it Saturday night while Jorgensen will ride a Wood Rotex.

Scott, who rode Harley Davidsons for years, move to Honda is certainly no surprise for the Japanese bikes dominated the circuit last season.

Doug Chandler of Salinas took the spring TT last year on one (Scott was eighth). Also, Ricky Graham of Seaside, Calif., and Bubba Shobert of Lubbock, Tex., dominated the AMA circuits last year on Hondas when Graham finally edged Shobert for the Grand National title by one point, 285-284.

After two AMA dirt-track races, Scott Parker of Flint, Mich., leads the early standings with 28 points, followed by Scott Pearson, 25, and Steve Eklund and Jorgensen with 24 each.

Shobert, who finished second to Jorgensen last fall, is still trying to crack the top five in the standings.

Graham, however, will be missing with a broken leg he sustained trail riding two weeks ago with former national and world champion Kenny Roberts.