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/125477
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By Bob Ebeling
Above:
Photo by Doyle Gray
I
couple of Trlumpb 'uelers trluer lbe c1Dtcbes lad sbool tbroaCh
tile quarter.
Triumph and Harley-Davidson made the most impressive quarter
mile runs of this weekend but Triumph did the astounding performance
that will carry an important message to street bike riders in regard to
medlanical efficiency. Tony Dodge of Valinda, Calif., won the 8
street bike class at Irwindale Raceway and turned out a whopping
110.02 miles per hour. That Bonneville sang a song of high rpm and
power in successive run after run. Tony is employed by Johnson Mtrs.,
the West Coast Triumph distributor but receives no sponsorship from
them; it's all his own doing, the speed, fantastic elapsed times and
most of all, the consistency. If any top performer deserves one, Tony
Dodge should get a gold star.
Another contender in the B street
bike class that is always before your
eyes on these pages is Grant Hannah
and his elaDsed time is right down with
Tony's but he lacks only one Or two
miles per hour to make it a dead heat in
performance.
Tony Dodge lost the battle for taD
street bike Saturday night when he was
staged for a final elimination against
Harry Couch's 30.50 Triumph. With the
bandicaD used for eliminations, Harry
bad a big lead off the starting line and
Tony's eager nerves must have been
drawn to a raw edge. The Bonneville's
front wheel gained aititude and forced
Tony to shut down and then try to come
back strong enough to catch Harry's
"three quarters of a hig Triumph". Tuck
in tighter. shift fast. almost push with
the feet, could not close the gaD and
Harry Couch took the cash purse. Tony
Dodge was shedding tears and saying
"It's all my fault" while Harry was Durchasing a picture frame for the Irwindale
winner's check.
Top Gas to • Dish"
The gas dragster division was rather
void, but what aDpeared represented the
best. Gjlorge Tupper and Bob James
from San Diego. each with a Harley arri ved early and until the last moment
thought it would be a race between
friends. At 5:30 p.m. Millard Disharoon
came on the scene to seDarate the San
Diego pair. He not only separated them,
he defeated them. "Dish" turned a best
of the day 11.52 elaDsed time and 117.
80 miles per hour. Again I heard voices
and it was Bob James mumbling, "Next
week. next week".
The race for taD gas found Nira
Johnson's
"Agtisi"
Triumph paired
against Disharoon. Nira took this win
and yet Dish was a quicker machine in
both speed and E. T. I did not see what
caused "Dish's" defeat but he isn·t allowed excuses by Long Beach Harley
and its crew. Nira's best E.T. was
12.22 at 114.50 miles Der hour.
Top Fuel-Jim Cook
Three entries were on the pit directors
book before race time but only two actually entered the field of battle. Don
Harris arrived early with his single
-q~'me
.
.
u
timest"R1> =on. Whlle"tTying to fire on a
brand X fuel mix the piston traveled
down on th," uP stroke and twisted a rod
into grotesque shapes. Murray & Cook
had made a run early in the afternoon
and clocked 10.20 elapsed time. One
engine was oiling badly and what could
happen in the second attempt was anyone's guess. Sonny Raslawski arrived
with his fuel burner just in time for a
qualifying run. Sonny took the Harley
through the lights at 10.20 seconds.
This showed promise of a «lose race
but strange things haDDen. When Jim
Cook and Sonny Raslawski came off the
starting line, Jim broke out ahead. Sonny had dumped the clutch too hard and
his Avon lost valuable time, freewheeling in one spot. The rubber smoke was
so thick that spectators standing to the
rear saw no more of this fuel match.
Jim Cook won top fuel on the "FluslratiOll- Tritmpb out of Foothill Cycle
Center, turning 10.17 - 151.26 and Sonny took the nmner-up portion at 10.26 -
143.00.
Lions Drag Strip
Sonny Raslawski was out Sunday to
amend his errOrs of the previous night
and he did it in a way that is admired.
Sonny turned a low elapsed time of
10.02 seconds and with a speed of
1~69 mDh. There was no run for top
fuel due to a fate similar to DonHarris's
that occurred to Ebelings Triumph. It
blew.
This rank of dedicated racers were c
defeated by Bob Braverman's 250cc
Yamaha in a rapid series of quick runs. :I
John Hughes had defeated Nira Johnson Q
and taken the B gas trophy, while Henry §
Mynatt wOn A gas class. Two Honda Q
450cc drag bikes were signed in but
left before eliminations due to various
malfunctions, and thus there was only B
a field of three. Only, I say? It's bard ~
enough to win one race let alone three. g"
but Braverman did just that with a best
Luderlatlletop Clsser ellmlnltiOlls,lIl11ad Disharoon or L.cllucb H·D.
E.T. of 12.36 and searing 104.16 mDh.
The day's quickest elapsed time in
street bike division was set by Grant
Hannah, mentioned earlier. As if to back
up what I said he turned 12.36 seconds
E.T. and 104.14 mph. Come on Grant
and Tony!
:e
:s
Sponsers Corner
I applaud Laidlaw Harley-Davidson
of San Gabriel their quick resP