AGOSTINI IN FRONT; HAILWOOD AND OTHERS CATCH UP; HAILWOOD LEADS AGOSTINI AROUND BEND; RIDERS AT SPEED; HAILWOOD AND AGOSTINI PASS CHEQUERED FLAG; HAILWOOD TAKES OFF HELMET AND RECEIVES TROPHY AND WREATH.




Initials LH/V/AE/PC



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Background: BRITAIN'S TOP MOTOR CYCLIST MIKE HAILWOOD, DOWNED HIS ARCH RIVAL, GIACOMO AGOSTINI,THE ITALIAN WORLD CHAMPION TO WIN THE INTERNATIONAL SOLO RACE OF THE SOUTH (1000CC) AT BRAND'S HATCH MOTOR CYCLING CIRCUIT TODAY (SUNDAY). HAILWOOD CLOCKED AN AVERAGE SPEED OF 89.24 MPH. (143 KPH) FOR THE 20 LAPS EVENT, RIDING A 297 HONDA. THIS SET A NEW RACE RECORD.

HAILWOOD HAD HELD THE RACE RECORD FOR TODAY'S EVENT WITH A TIME OF 36 MINUTES 22.0 SECONDS AVERAGING 87.44 MPH. (140 KPH) WHICH HE SET NEARLY TWO YEARS AGO.

A TOP CLASS FIELD CONTESTED THE SOLD RACE WITH THE TWO LEADERS IN THE 1968 REDEX TROPHY CHAMPIONSHIP, DAVE CROXFORD OF RUISLIP AND APT MAHONEY OF GRAYFORD, STRIVING FOR MORE POINTS.

AGOSTINI PRODUCED ANOTHER SOUND PERFORMANCE AFTER HIS RECENT SUCCESS AT MALLORY PARK BUT HIS OWN SKILL AND THE SPEED OF HIS 500 MV MACHINE COULDN'T MATCH HAILWOOD WHO SET A HOT FACE OVER THE 20 LAPS AND FINISHED WITH HIS CUSTOMARY BURST.