Boody Proves Point With Houston Short Track Win

BOODY PROVES POINT WITH HOUSTON SHORT TRACK WIN

Before the 1979 Winston Pro Series started. Ted Boody told the press that he had something to prove. Boody had been dropped from the Harley-Davidson factory team at the close of the 1978 season and became a privateer. After leading the Houston Short Track from the start and still leading at the finish, an elated Boody declared "There's no better place to start. and this is just the beginning."

Boody had qualified fourth on a Ya maha. behind Steve Eklund (Yamaha). Terry Poovey (Bultaco) and Rick Hocking (Yamaha). Short Track is traditionally full of close racing, and the first 26 qualifiers had lap times within a half-second.

Boody won his heat and jumped into the final race lead at the drop of the flag with Eklund close behind. “I looked back once and Steve (Eklund) was right there, and all of a sudden l cut five smooth laps. My lines were just right and then he wasn’t there anymore. I saw his front wheel come inside one time, but after those five perfect laps he was gone.”

“I could have tried a little harder but I was in second.” said Eklund. “The way things went last night (at the TT) I didn't want to fall again. I'm the kind of guv that doesn't ride over his head.”

Randy Goss and his Klotz Yamaha was third, which together with his third in the Houston TT put him into the Winston Pro Series points lead.

Skip Aksland crashed while fourth.

Jay Springsteen, still ill w ith the 11 u and hurting from his TT crash, didn't attempt to qualify for the Short Track.