1.
SV riders lined up for beginning of 500cc race
0.06

2.
CU spectator
0.10

3.
GV PAN start of race with No 3 Read taking lead
0.29

4.
CU spectators
0.32

5.
SV PAN NO 3 Read leading from No 7 Barry Sheene
0.43

6.
SV PAN TO other riders in pursuit
0.50

7.
CU PAN Read leading around bend
0.53

8.
CU spectator
0.54

9.
LV Sheene receives chequered flag


10.
CU spectators


11.
CU Sheene with champagne


12.
SV PAN start of 750cc race with Cecotto taking lead on No 5
1.15

13.
SV PAN riders around bend
1.30

14.
SV PAN Cecotto leading No 47 Rougerie and others around bend PAN ON No 1 Agostini
1.44

15.
SV Cecotto receives chequered flag
1.49

16.
CU spectators watch as Cecotto sprays champagne (2 shots)
1.57



Initials RH/AMN/MR/1840


SPORT: MOTOR RACING

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: In Belgium yesterday (6 June) Britain's Barry Sheene broke a lap record in the 500 cc event at the Grand Prix des Frontiers and went on to win the event.

SYNOPSIS: Riders from many countries gathered at Chimay in Belgium for the 500 cc event in the grand Prix des Frontiers. The race got off to an exciting start with seven times world champion Britain's Phil Read breaking into the lead almost immediately. Read has just celebrated 20 years of motor cycle racing and still has a chance for this year's championship. Italy's Giacomo Agostini and Finn Lansivuori had to abandon their machines because of mechanical trouble.

But in hot pursuit of Read was team-mate Barry Sheene, favourite to win the championship. Read could not sustain his lead for long. In the event, Sheene put nearly 10 kilometres (seven mph) on the lap record and went on to win. Sheene's average speed for the eight lap race was more than the previous lap record he set here last year. He fixed the new lap at just over 213 kilometres (132 miles) an hour. Twenty-six year old Sheene is now leading the world championship series in points with Britain's Steve Parrish in second place.

In the 750cc event, Venezuelan star, Johnny Cecotto took an early lead. It was an advantage which he kept from start to finish.

Phil Read and Barry Sheene also competed, but although promising starters they abandoned the race soon after the beginning. Another to leave the 750cc event was American Garry Nixon. the Swiss, Phillippe Coulon and Michel Rougerie of France gave Cecotto a good race but never looked like passing him.

Johnny Cecotto won the 10-lap event in just under 26.55 minutes with a top speed of nearly 212 kilometres (131 miles) an hour. Rougerie was second and Coulon third.