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/125468
... - .. '" :f c.. co co ... 0> ~ '" .Q 0 ~ <> 0 = V) b ;l :i!: b;l ....:J U :>... U MORTON-SUZUKI BREAK 3 RECORDS AT ASCOT With an almost an ti-ellmactic -I told you so,· the win-streak setting team of novice rider Mike Morton and the G1)sleeBlack tuned Suzuki X-6 broke three flattrack records at Ascot Park Friday night Octo ber 14. First of tbe records to fall to the Hustler was tbe single lap time, set in 1964. Tbe X-6 mounted Morton broke the record with a screaming 23.93 seconds, the first time that any 250cc production machine has topped the 24 second mark at Ascot. Also in the heat race a 1960 record of 2:04.99 for five laps was smashed with a speed of 2:02.99. To make it three in a row, Morton pushed the Suzuki in the main event to a record 3:17.31 for' 8 laps to top another record set 6 years ago of 3: 17 .97 for the same distance. The Friday night win of the X-6 brought a lot of joy to Allen Goslee and Jim Black, who in tbeir spare time have tinkered with the production model X-6 lovingly dubbed -The Screaming Slug" by other members of the U.S. Suzuki service department, where Goslee and Black are employed. iECOIDS CRU.BU IN LATE SEASON ASCOT ASSAULT Give the Ascot riders a super-fast track and they will turn in a supel'fast joh of racing and riding. No less than five track records were broken last Friday night with three new marks being set hy Novice Mike Morton and one eacb to Amateur Sborty Seaborne and Expert Dan Haahy. Elliott Scbultz, Guy Louis and Eddie Hammond all lost records tbat have beenin the books since 1963 & '64. Morton started tbe ball rolling in the heat races with a 23:93 second lap and the first time a 250cc rider bas cracked the 23 second bracket. On his way he also set a new five lap beat race record. Both of the old marks belonged to Eddie Harmnond and were set back in 1964. Morton'sSuzuld runs out of Baldwin Pari< Cycle Shop. The re-cbarged Sborty seaborne jumped into the act with a new ten lap amateur time that had been in the books since 1963! 8eabane also won the heat race for the secoDd straight week and now has a fOIlI straight win streak going for him as he continues his climb in the yellow plate point standings. Schultz Hangs U, Handlebars... Agai n By Roxy Rockwood THE FINISH LINE The Ascot boys really got on the baIl last week and put their best wbeels fOlWard with one of the finest shows ever run. One would think that it was the beginning of the season and not near the end. The half mile lads bave'long grabbed ott the lion's share of the limelight and publicity and appear to bave realized tbat new tracks and more TT racing may hurt their image if they don't hustle. Also tbe c,?ming of the short track season, both lDdoor and outd~or, cl.Ul appq more pressure. The~e 15 still nothing like a good half-mile but you will get a chance to compare, soon. Ascot Hosts First Short T r&C k SUU day Gardena's first taste of the ligh~ weight 250's comes next'weekend when Ascot plays host for the first time to the lightweights on the quarter mile track that is built inside the half mile. The track has been there for years but the lack of lightweights in past seasons has left the track strictly to the cars. This is all changed now witb J.C. Agajanian taking a gamble on the small bombs and posting a race date for next Sunday, October 30tb. This will be an afternoon race with a· starting time of 2 p.m. Just about all of the top riders at Ascot have tried 250cc racing at one time or another, at other tracks. You will see an entirely different set of winners next Friday night on the half mile and on Sunday afternoon on the quarter mlle. Walt and see. I o door Seasoo Star t s The lightweights continue to grab attention with Long Beacb Arena ready to go once again on Nov. 18th & 19th. A new class which should add much interest is the 100cc and ...der division. This gives pro rider a chance to really try the ultra- mall stuff on an equal basis and not against the 250's like some tried last winter. Anoth~r addition is the open practice all afternoon at Long Beach on Nov. 19th. This means that a rider can come down and try bis machine hour after hour to get it ready for the actual races. Also, for riders who don't have a license to race, tbey can also come down and try the track to see if they want to invest in a card and race a full scbedule in January. Many riders and potential racers long reQuested the cbance practice ride a track before the actual races. Tbey will have that now, at least at Long Beach. S. .V I mproves G , 00 2 0 d N' ght 1 San Galdel Valley's new TT track ran for the second time at Irwindale last week and again the crl!lWd was up as well as the rider entry. It's an entirely new area to draw from and Saturday nigbt is still the best race night of the week. Tbe San Gabriel Raceway will run the next two Saturday nights before switching to Sunday afternoon events wbich will run right on througb the entire winter months. Bob Sholly Dies Sorry to report that cycle racing lost one of its top riders when Bob Sholly who was national 898. was killed in a freak accident hack east wben be fell on some arrows wbile hunting and bled to death before he could get medical aid. Bob was a new Expert who raced the Carlsbad and Sacramento nationals and also raced at Tulare this year. It was his one and only time in California. The last record of the night to fall .came in the expert 15 lap final when Dan Haaby took over the lead (rom Mel Lacher on the sixth lap and went on to score his 5th main event victory of tbe year in record time. Haaby knocked out the old mark set by Elliott Schultz away back in 1964 when Schultz was onaredhot undefeated striJ\g that carried balf of the season. Elliott was not around to see his record fall. He bas retired once again and moved back to northern Calif. RalPb White aDd Haaby teamed UP to each win their beat races with tbe two fastest five-lappers of the night. seaborne came through for the fastest amateur five of the season and was third fastest of the night, topping two of the expert beats that were won by Lacher and Bob Bailey. Bailey again shot hack in to the limeligh t but running.a wheel to wheel duel with Gene Romero for tbe final heat race win. It was Bailey for the first upset of tbe night. 3 To Ge For Marty Marty MacDonald came one twn away from having his heat race win streak s topped as Len Earl led from the start all the way to the final turn before Marty edged his way tbrough on ttle inside to win for the 14th straight week and is now just three a way from a newall-time record. Morton sizzled tbe Suzuki like no lightweight has ever gone before. He ran away with tbe heat race and then took the main event lead from Larry Pruett on the second lap to record his fourth straight. This ties the record of four in a row turned earlier in the season by MacDonald. Lap charts on patte 16 SOUTHGATE SPEEDWAY EVERY THUR, MOTOR· CYCLE RACES Pracllc. 6 pm • RIC" a pm Just oil tho Lone B.lch betw•• n Florenc. Jlnd fir. stan•. p. THAT A. ~ef#U HAS AU THE ARIEL rARTS AVAILABLE EVER? WOULD YOU BELIEVE... MORE THAN ANYONE EVER DIEAMED? TRY US AND fIND OUTI II.J. LEWIS MACHINE SHOP AND GREATEST MECHANICS 400 S. ATLANTIC BLVD. LOS ANGELES en3) 2&4-0544