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Cal Rayborn, the second fastest qualifier for the race, was Harleydavidson’s top road racer in the AMA Grand National series during the late 1960s and early ’70s. He’d won the 1968 and ’69 200-milers with a side-valve KRTT Harley, but the later iron-barrel XRTTS were plagued with overheating issues in a 200-mile race. This time, though, it was a gearbox problem that sidelined the Harley rider while he was running with the leading group. Rayborn later took a rake of victories on the all-alloy XRTT.