Shobert Hopes to Add to Lead in Ascot Motorycle National

With the thrill of sompleting a “cycle slam” fresh in his emmory, American Motorcyclist Assn. rider Bubba Shobert, the defending champion in the Camel Pro Series and current point leader, will try to add to that advantage in next Saturday night’s Half-Mile Spring Classic at Ascot Park in Gardena.

Shobert, 24, who moved from Lubbock, Tex., to Carmel Valley, Calif. this year, finally won his first national event on a half-mile track on April 26 at Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix. With that victory he became only the third rider to win races on all five types of tracks--short track, half-mile, mile, tourist trophy and road race.

The victory also gave the Honda factory rider a five-point lead in the 1986 standings over Chris Carr of Stockton, a Harley-Davidson factory rider who will turn 19 Monday.

Shoebert’s top competition figures to come from Randy Goss, Jay Springsteen and Honda teammate Ricky Graham, all former national champions.

Both Goss and Springsteen have four Ascot national wins, tying them with retired rider Sammy Tanner for the most national half-mile titles at Ascot. Graham has only one Ascot victory, but it was a whopper. It came in 1983 when he set both the one- and 20-lap records of 21.419 seconds and 7 minutes 15.43 seconds, respectively.

Despite stomach problems that have curtailed his racing the past several years, Springsteen is both the winningest half-mile rider with 19 nationals to his credit and winningest rider in AMA national history with 40 since he began back in 1975. He was the national champion three straight years, from 1976-1978.

Also entered is Ronnie Jones of Oklahoma City, who upset Shobert in this race last year.