Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

, -liiEliR;SH u1if- ----------.,-- COOLIES COLUMN By Roxy Rockwood If you ever think the life of a race official is a soft one you should have to go through what the local group did last weekend. On Saturday they held a four-hour practice session at the indoor races and then came back to sign in 170 entries. practice some more, make up the various events and run 0[[ twenty-seven races in record time. Not too many hours later they were over at Ascot early in the morning to sign in 180 riders, again practice and again make up the various events and classes and then run 0[[ twenty-one TT races in record time, like only the local crew can do. Forty-eight races and 350 riders later it was all over for the riders and fans but the officials still bad to make the PaYoffs and then go home and make UP the results and send them to Columbus. There are still a few lett who send the results back there and pay for official sanction fees. The indoor races finished in a blaze of glory for Dick Mann and Gene Romero. They became the first state title holders of indoor racing. Both are superb riders at any type of event. Mann again proved that there is still a tire in the well-worn furnace. If You Can't Beat'.IB, AnDel[ 'Em A tough break for Butch Corder but there is always another race. He won the point title and will pick up the tropby at the awards banquet later in the year. Butch, llY the way. is leaving Sacramento and moving down to SOuth ern California to get in on full-time action. Another of the many joining the ranks of those wbo would rather switch than fight. The bang-bang action at Long Beach is over tor a few man ths and it is a blessing for many of the ranking dirt track eJPerts who found notbing at Long Beach but frustration. MealltiIBe At Ascot Over at Ascot last Sunday the action was great and all three clssses look polished and ready for a tull season of top notch racing. Triumph may have company tbis year with the three-rider Norton team of Jack Simmons, Dave Palmer and Bill Manley out to challenge all the WB;y. They ran 1-2-3 in a Triumph loaded heat race and did not fare too badly in the final as a first time team effort. Dusty Coppage told us earlier that this was - going to be his year.- The wav he rode Sunday. It looks like he was Dot joshing. Dusty bas came UP the ladder slowly but sure, especially in the 'IT rank s. He hopes to overcome his lack of road racing experience by getting in on the now monthly AMA sanctioned events at Carlsbad and be ready for the national in September. Dusty did well at and it Bob Bailey is be may join Coppage one-two punch for the Peoria last year not just fiaslling as the best new '67 'IT meetings. Next lIonth: 100 Laps to Gol The long 100 lapper next month is a test of man and machine all right, but 15 laps over the regular season is the point-getter and attention grabber. Anybody can win the century race next month - anybody, that is, with a lot of I uc k and stamina. Back to Carlsbad we go tllis Sunday. TM new Kawasaki 250's are starting to arrive and being sent to dellfers. The distributors have orders for over 200 of these new bombs that are now claiming close to 43 horses! SOme will be at Carlsbad tllis week to test run. Suzuki used Carlsbad sportsmen events last year to build UP some fast machines and potential winners. Kawasaki will now do the same as no otber road race course boasts the competition that you find there. Blown Sprint? After you, Mr, C, I attended a very interesting meeting of District 37 last Thursday night and we were informed by the presiding officer. Mr. Carter, that this was not open to the press, was strictly a closed meeting, and nothing said in the meeting was to be printed. Mr. Chuck Clayton, Editor of Cycle News, was present at that time. We understand some of the excerpts from the meeting will be. publtshed, so we are holding art llrl our comments. II a few pertinent points are not brought out in Mr. Clayton's column, such as who requested tbe ban on professional riders riding In amateur events, what riders' percentage of the gate Is paid for insurance, and wbat is actually being done for the riders to obtain a place to race In the general Los Angeles area, we will use this column next week to discuss these items. It possible, I would like to see some other correspondent bring out these facts, inasmu.ch as I have been accused of harrassing the AMA. I don't think you can call it harrassment; I've merely brought out the facts as they were presented to me. and as much as possi ble. verlfiad. I think most readers will be astounded to know a few of the things with regard to the meeting mentioned above. Competition Keeps 'Em Honest I will have to say that the AMA and District 37 have certainly taken a different approach concerning the clubs. I actually heard one official tell a rider that if he did not like the way things were being run, he could leave; and we say to the rider, it you have to get out because you don't like the way the AMA is running things, don't give up the sport altogether. We would be bappy to have you as a member of the ACA, and we hope to sanction enough good events so the most avid rider will be happy. At least we're going to try, and with the help of the AMA, it looks as though this "dream will be a reality. Also, believe it or not, we have rider's medical Insurance for our members, professional and nonprofessional, and we're just a little organization with very limited financial resources, compared with the -g!an(8. I think an appropriate word to describe the meeting that I witnessed would be -apathy8 In its tullest sense by the great majority of those attending, much to my surprise. Coming Events The second in the S11ver Cup Mota cross series will be run at Castaic Park on February 19th. We hope the weather is a little kinder to us this time. We think It is a challenging course to the rider and his machine. It is aefinftely not a speed course but a series of up and down, right and left turns'and jumps which should bring out more of the rider's talent and handling ability of the machine than merely speed. (ED'S NOTE: Complete report of tile February Dist. 37 Sports Coamil&ee meetiDc will appear ID the Feb. 23 edtt10a of Cycle News, ODe week before the Mardl meeling,) Another very interesting note will Il.nd Cal Rayborn entering llis H-D 350cc blown sprinter against the 500's and 650's. Cal bas the Carlsbad track down to a -T- and C.R. may be the best on the pavement this year. The 350 is a new model and is the only one in the states. Pits open at Carlsbad at 9 a.m. and close at 11 :30 a.m. Practice runs from 9:30 to 1 p.m. The Playboys M.C. will again plav host to all riders, licen~ed ana non-licensed in all classes trom 50cc's up to and including the open class for machines over 500cc's. Again there will be a street maclline production race for all bikes 250cc's and under on the new short course. II you want to take a gander at many of the :ront runners and more than possible Daytona winners, be at Carlsbad this Sunday. YOU'LL ALWAYS SEE IT FIRST (If CYCLE NEWS S Rut 1!!,t/eft, ()", 1!!4U'" 7~ 'Ptau t6 ~I«f SI" fORDYCE MOTORCYCLE CENTER Main a' 14" Ri,erside, ov. 4-4747 .::~S~ PUT YOU WHERE THE GLORY lSI SUday, 10 out of the first 12 ! ASCOT PARK TT - - Felnary 51b, lJ&1- - Nowiet Mala EYlat 1 2 CARL CRANKE DON HUGHES ~ .JOHN LOHOF ~ DAN GUINN S R.ARRARAS tJDUANE SCOTT B T. ROCKWOOD .q.JOHN RIGGEN l1W.SCHWARTZ 12 BILL CODY - Bul Bul Bul Bul Bul Bul Bul But Bul Bul BULTACD-WESTERN PO 9-0441 Call Bultaco-...... for JOUr nearest Bullt·To-60 Dea•• TR 7-2400

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