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/125464
COMPLETE REPORT ON PAGES 8 & 9 . • A-Decade of POKER RUNS By Boh EbeUng The gates of Tucson Dragway. Tucson. Arizona. were opened to the largest crowd ever gathered at this "Asphalt Oasis" amid sagebrush and sand. More than 5.000 spectators and entries took part in the action that began at 4 p.m. and lasted until three in the morning. The dragstrip personnel were unused to a gathering of this size and unfamiliar with the problems involved with cycle classifying and yet performed their duties in an outstandinlt mlllDer. Bikes were divided into divisions based upon elapsed times with "A" the quickest and "K" the slowest. "A" division featured Lee Payne on his Harley-Davidson. Murray & Cook's twin engine Triumph and Perry & Scotty's twin engine triumph. The racers were arranged so that each ;nachine must be defeated twice before actually retiring and thus a lot of t • (Continued on page :I) -BEEG WEEKEND COMING By John F. Shedd The Artesia Motor Jo.ckeys, an eleven-year-old road riding club, proved that experience is the best teacher with their well-organized Tenth Annual Poker Run. The 212 road riders participating in the event, met at Harley-Davidson of Long Beach between 8:00 and 9:30 a.m. .All were greeted with a warm welcome and free coffee and donuts furnished by the Harley shop. Shortly after 8:00 o'clock, riders in groups from two to a dozen pulled onto Long Beach Blvd.• with their first set of travel instructions, heading for check point # 1. The sky was a bright blue umbrella laced with marshmallow white clouds, with old Mr. Sun playing peek-a-boo. All in all. it was a warm morning; and everyone seemed to be in the best of spirits. The first instruction sheet led the riders from Long Beach Blvd. to Carson. After a 22 mile ride east on Carson, the riders turned south on Santiago Blvd., and then 4 miles to check point #1. Check point Ill, as well as the others, was wellmarked and impossible to miss. After leaving the first check point, and receiving instruction sheet 112, the run continued in a southerly - (Continued on page 3) - 9080& ·.!Ie~ ''':liaS 1110' 'PAIS lI:lns 2at, 'N LLt9 SM3N 31»),) ENSENADA MAYOR EXTENDS WELCOME TO -MAGNIFICENT CONVENTIONEl Presidente Municipal (Mayor) of Ensenada Professor Jorge Olquin Hermida. last week put the official seal of approval on the Grand Prix Motorcycle Tour destined to fill his city with cyclists on October 8 & 9. In an official document reproduced nearby the Mayor extends a cordial invitation to the "Magnificent con- full bore thrust and a resounding crash. Did this stop the champ? Not in the least. He did lose the heat race to Chris Draayer who had taken over second two laps earlier when Lacher tried some Markel-type riding on the back straightaway and took part of the wall with him down the shute. Draayer won the event. Markel ran second, the south turn wall has another hole in it. and the crowd gave Markel a big hand for a job well done. The trophy dash was another gasser with Dan Haaby, Gene Romero and Chuck Jones supplying the three way action that found all three in and out of (Continued on page 10) (ContiDued on page 3) MARlEl Off THE WAll ASCOT HALF ILE STORY It came one week late, but it came. Action of a type seldom seen in racing circles on any track, anywhere. WHAT HAPPENS when the top 13 riders in the current Ascot point standings all get together with out of state riders like Bart Markel. Gary Nixon and Fred Nix with no -pressure to win except money? The "Jr. National" that was run last Friday night at Ascot will long be remembered by the new fans. Mr. Markel gave the fans a riding display that will not soon be forgotten. In his heat race he came on fast to blast by Mel Lacher with some fancy high-groove riding. Once in the lead, with only one lap to go, the Michigan fence-buster tried to dent the south turn wall with a - - - - - - lVIM31VW a31Va SSV1~ aNO~3S -