Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

! Awards of the decade E International Excellence of the 70s Award There are only three choices, and as far as we're concerned, 1979 World Trials Champion Bernie Schreiber, 1978-79 500cc Road Race World Champion Kenny Roberts and 1977 Formula 750 World Champion Steve Baker all have earned the title. Thank you, gentlemen as editors, fOr giving us good news to write about, and as Americans, for giving us something more to be proud oft The You've-come-a-Iong-way-baby Award of the 70s goes to Vicki Miller Haag's U_S. Women's Invitational National MX, filmed by ABC Wide World of Sports on Dec. 2, 1979 for a probable showing date in spring 'SO. The Some-people-never-leam Award goes to Henz, Avis and other rental car agencies who continue to rent their automobiles to racers. The Burning-at-the-stake-.toogood-for-you Award goes to "51. Joan of Claybrook," the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's persistent boss who insists on trying to hide the need for motorcycleldriver education under a helmet. The BAM (Bureau of Animal Management) Award goes to Calfiornia Bureau of Land Management State Director James Ruch, an avid hunter, for having told a group of motorcyclists: "I'd kill 25 deer a year if the law allowed it." The I-bagged-mine Award goes to Kent Howerton for trying to carry AMA Starter (Now AMA MX Manager) CarTolI Chandler home on the front fender of his MX bike at the '77 Red Bud Track 'n' Trail Trans-AMA race. The Tough-act-to-follow Award is preseoted in sympathy to Dave Emde whose father Floyd won Daytona, whose big brother Don won Daytona, whose big brother Bob was an Ascot acl' and whose sister Nancy was Women's MX Champion. The Reeling-in-the-richest-sponsorof-the-decade Award goes to Mike Kidd for signing with U.S. Government (Army). 16 The Whatever-it-takes-to-make-abuck Award of the 70s !toes to the AMA for sanctioning jump-off competition_ motorcycle The Bigger-.beuer Award goes to King Kenny Roberts for riding his TZ750-powered miler to victory at the 1975 Indy Mile. The Bi~r-isn't-better Award goes to the AMA for banning the bike immediately thereafter. The Who-do-l-get-lO-w~my- Award goes to Gary Nixon who broke both arms in a CTash while testing a road racer in Japan. The Why-clo-they-Iet-these-kida-onthe-track Award goes to all the AMA Pro riden who have to compete against Freddie Spencer and Scott Parker. The I-bruDg-bome-the-bacon Award goes to Elmer the Pig for taking Dale Singleton to Daytona. The ApocolypR Now Award goes to Trippe-Gox for successfully placing chain link fence, ABC camera nests, security guards and other obstacles around the Carlsbad USGP MX course, making photo coverage of the event all but impossible except by helicopter. The TaUest-MXer-of-the-decade Award was chopped in two, then presented equally to Mike Bell and Gary Bailey. The Want-a-goocl-deal-on-a-slightlyused-jersey Award goes to perennial winner Marty Tripes who's ridden for more race team sponson than there are presently remaining in AMA competition, Le. Rickman, Bultaco, etc_ The People ProcelllOr Award goes to Mike Goodwin for having profited from the talents of more employees, sponson, press people, riders and other promoten than any other promoter of the decade.. The H_-panlll-Clf~Award goes to Gene Romero, whose roadrashed-to-ribbons skivvies still adorn the wall over Kel Carruthen' work bench. The Proving-the-Pete..Principal (You rise to the level of your own incompetence) Award goes to several recipients: The Bureau of Land Management, the Council on Environmental Q.uality, the U_S. Forest Service, the Environmental Protection Agency, the California Air Resources Board and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The Some-people-Dever-leam Award (Pan II) goes to the following follts all of whom left Cycle News for whatever reason, and returned: Dale Brown, Tom Culp, Dennis Greene, Pat Henderson, Judy Klinger, Edwina Mangus and Terry Pratt. The Danny uMagoo" Chandler U-youdon't~h-onee-in-a- while-you'reDot-going-fast-enough Award goes to Danny uMagoo" Chandler. The Imprasing-the-TV-people-withyour-seat-of-the - pants - judgement Award (with oak leaf pucker clusten) goes to David Aldana, whose finishline wheelie in The Superbiken came to a skidding halt when David pulled the nose of the bike back over and ended up hot-seatinR it down the, Carlsbad drag strip a good 50 yards. The Traveling-ea1esman-of-the-decade Award goes to Terry Tieman, who after spending time in the upper management level of Yamaha, Kawasaki, Triumph, Volvo and Bel-Ray - is presently employed at Interpan ... we think. The N~we-ga-,......mined theD ... Award goes to Husqvarna for backing the likes of former 500cc MX World Champion Heikki Mikkola, present 250cc MX World Champion Haltan Car1qvist, top American in World Class MX Brad Lackey and Team Honda's newest member Chuck Sun during their climb to their present big buck positions. A close second place in this category goes to Cycle News ownen Chuck and Sharon Clayton for having trained most of the editon in the motorcycle publication business. The Are-you~re-thc.e-clocb-are right Award goes to Russ Collins for his 1978 blast down the Ontario dragstrip where he came so-c1ose-yet-so-far from a 200 mph run: 199.55 mph in 7.62 seconds. The~it......- ~Award goes to the pro motocrossers who followed Bob "Hurricane" Hannah through a 22-moto win sneak in '78. The I-nced-thae-like-l-need-another - - Award goes to the 55 mph speed limit and the 85 mph speedometer. The ODe-f1ew-over-the-cudtoo·..nest Award to AMA commissioner of pro racing Mike DiPrete for not cracking up ~nder all the flack he continues to recetve. The Bionic Clock Award goes to Dick Burleson, holder of six consecutive AMA National Championship Enduro Series tides. The Your-Thing-haa-u»many-wheels Award goes to motorcycling politician Bob Hayes whose VW Thing has two many wheels. The Brownstreak Award goes to Barry Sheene for performing his 170 mph Daytona get-off in '76. (Continued to page '8)

• Cover