Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125451
• 9 CARLSBAD Photos by Dennis Greene • • • Len Earl (159) leads pack that Includes (255) Larry Pruett (Yam.), 254 Mike Morton (Yam.), 158 Ly le Larson (H-D), 291 Robert King (H-D) In 250cc race. • • -- - Here's how Eddie Mulder zapped the competition -- In spectacular ... fashlo~.• comp lete with wheelies• .. ~_--., Dave All.. (Honda). • Steady Eddie Cranks It On • • • • Mulder wins road race Eddie Mulder scored his first major road race win and joined Ron Grant and Walt Fulton as the three stars at the second AMA professional road race at Carlsbad last Sunday. Triumph and Suzuki dominated the racing scene from start to finish as all three riders went undefeated three times out in heat race and Main Event competition. The super-fast Suzuki s and the potent Triumph were too much for the balance of the field in tlE combined Amateur-Exp ert big and small bike classes and the Novice division. / Grant turned in three ultra-smooth rides in the 250cc lightweight class for his first AMA wins. WaIt Fulton Jr. got back into the winner's circle by taking three more wins in the Novice class to add to his rapidly increasing Iisi 'ot road racing wins . Mulder entered one of the special Triumphs that were prepared in Engl and for the Daytona events and proved to be the fastest rider on the track in th e big bike class. Mel Leete: took second to Mulder i n the two heat races before dropping out while runni ng second in the I5-lap final. Grant was also in the big bi.ke class on a Norton and up with the l eaders when he too headed for the pIts with mechanical problems. The race for second in the 500cc class was a wheel to wheel duel between Dan Haaby on a BSA and Skip Van Leeuwen on a Triumph. The position changed 23 times before Haaby edged ahead on the las t turn to take the second place money. First Time Out Two new faces to road racin g, GUy Louis and De lIas Baker, t urned in excepti onally fine job s of riding in the 250cc class with Baker on a Suzuki and Louis on his own Yamaha. Baker finished third in the final with Louis, fourth . It was the first time on pavement for GuY. Lacher, aboard a finely tuned H-D , ran s econd to Grant in the 250cc fin al and showed vast i mprovement over his ride a month ago. Lacher is also new to road racing with the exception of once-a-year appearances at Daytona. The fast improving Novices again received polish that marks some of them as definite threats in coming seasons. Ron Pierce gave Fulton a run for the win more than once. Doug Boiles, Chuck Baker and Larry pruett also turned in good efforts as did Jerry Howerton. Tony Murphy. out of the army and in his first road race this year, failed to crack the front-runn ers' circle in two heat races and then came up with engine probl ems on the starting line for the Main Event. Buddy Parriott was on hand for his first AMA road race but did not ride due to forgetting to obtain his racing license from columbus since his crash at Daytona in practice. Grant took over his big bike ride and his Yamaha was left sitting in the pits. (Resutts on page 14)