Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

• :: ... - wmuu~ 'fl Ql 1 B.Y.T.OlII_FiDlay COOLIES COLUM l1, We have remained rather quiet i. dJis col_n coDcemin, the offidal position of the AFII. particalady the Los Angeles Chapter. with regard to the npcomiDg AMA sports__ road race at Stardust InterntiOga! Raceway iB Las Vegas. Yon've beard all the rumors, IIOW here is tile -.my-gritty· • Racing Association and the Silver City <0 C> ..; ~ .. '" About the so-called pressure applied to various parties. there was 110 pressure brought to bear on the AFM at any time. other than the pressure to further the sPOrt. The AFM had a legal contract with the promotion COmPany and could have applied its own pressure to retain the AFM sanction for this meeting. However. with this being the first motorcycle event held at stardust Raceway. we (the AFM) wanted it to he a success. An APM event held at Las Vegas on this date could have heen a success, for the AFM regulars, but any AMA rider might have heen faced with possible difficulties if he wished to go to Dar tona. Stardust is a very fast course. with speeds approo.ching those encountered at Daytona, and we wanted to provide a real Daytona warm-up. The main straight is 4200 feet long and many of the tums are quite fast. We realized that the AFM might lose a little prestige ~ relinquishing its sanction, hut we also reasoned that it the riders might benefit. the slight loss of face _uld be _rth it. As it IIOW stands. auy and all ClUI compete. The AFM's ban is coming at this track, with a professional purse 10 hoot. If the riders support this first race meetine. then the future of motorcycl e racing is assured at this tracli;. including professional events. The Los Angeles chapter of the AFM is receiving a fee to assist in conducting this event. SO what! The race is being put on by the SOuthern Nevada .c Ql to.. CI) ~ lo) ~ lo) ..:J U >. u Scramblers and these bodies have no experience in conducting a road race hy anyhody's rules. SO. in exchange for a fair sum. the AFM is lending its experience in conducting this event. We do not feel we are getting the short end of anyhody's stick. or we would yell so loud that they would feel the earth shake in Ohio. The APM is not gOing to he pushed around by any organi.za.tion or individual at any time. Rememher that the AFM is administered hy elected persons who receive no profit for their efforts. which means they can leave at any time. The Chairman of the Board is, in effect. hired by the membership. and may he -fired- by the same when his actions warrant. Thus the AFM is run on a democratic basis, inspired by the traditions of the United States. Any rider not particiPating in this event because of prejudice towards any organi.za.tion is oniy hurting his own future. as well he sport of road racing. As mentioned hefore. the AFM will he holding events at Stardust in the future. But this hinges on whether or not this first event is a success, regardless of whose sanction it is held under. SO. if you harbor any concern for the future of motorcycle road racing. amateur or professional. plan to participate this Sunday at the fastest course in the west. Read 0 ... columD next time for bebiDd the scenes details of both the AFM opeaer at Ootati. Feb. 12th. &Dd Stardust. Las Vecas. -'ii[fiRisH flif- By Roxy Roc....ood --~~~~~~~---~---. OaTDILESS HODAIA SALES· PARTS, SERVICE EDDIE CIOWELL 10.. 27 Prolrie,lnglewood OR 3-9573 l1"a .. ~ GO SUPER FAST willi CYCLE CITY - 05SA - IIE_EW - SUZUKI C....let.lIadoI.. Sloep 2142 Lotte Buclllloet."all Loa, BucII - m-13I9 -_.. Another highly SIlccessful ~ort.sman road race is in the books dUU another polished and well run program by the Playboys II.C. wbo bave brougbt road racing to the area 011 allow IDOllthly basis at the Carlsbad track. It is illteresulIg to see some of the veteran dirt trackers try road racillg witbout any, or little. prior experiellce in this category and bow po1i shed th ey become after ollly a few tries. two in a ro..... In this type of event they A year ago Gene Romero and Eddie combine the novices. alll&teurs. and exMulder looked like rank novice riders perts. like they do at Long Beach and when it came to pavement running. Now it should he another whiz-bang. both can. be considered ?ontenders for Re"ul ar Sho rt Track Po ssi bl e the comlOg Daytona national and the .. others on the AMA calendar this year. These short track races .at Ascot It took Billy Manley. a IT rider. cow.d become weekly events 1~ the one onJ..y two short attempts to hecome a comlOg up 1S a success. There 1S a good road race winner with a fine ride that chance lt could happen. would do credit to any track. A reminder t? all road racers that On the other side of the page are the the Daytona entnes cl~se on Feb. 26th. new names and new riders that are After that you c!U1. still enter but the seldom if ever heard of. anyway at the late fee takes a big J~. present time. ~ne. of the he~t things to haP!len.to ' raClng 10 a long time 1S the special Jet New Names. New Ch amplons flight to Daytona, sponsored by the Riders such as Dave smith. steve Webco people. It includes round triP, Pederson and the Damron brothers are the motel room and transportation to the almost certain to be road racing chamraces. The motel is right on the famous pions on the national circuit in a few heach and if Webco plays host you are short years. Thefe are many more who are assured of a good time. always. will come to light no.... that the PlayWebco PI ane Party boys are golOg to run every month of the . year at Carls bad with a fast moving The plan~ will leave Los Ange~es on show that is continuing to build spectaThursda.y mght. March 17th. arnve in tor interest by le8Ps &nd bounds. ~ona the next moming. The fans The sPotty schedule of road racing will ~en see all the road rac.es plus events in the past bas kept many potwo mghts of s~rt track r&ClDg and tential riders from obtaining road racing then. he back 10 LA early Monday equiPment but that is a thing of the past monung... . now with monthly events at Carlsbad by ~e puce cannot he beat so if you the AMA and just ahout as many by the are lOterested we urge you to contact ACA at Willow Springs. t~e Webco CollllllUlY at (213) UP (H;1~0 nght away as they have to plan well 10 Good Lnck. Las Ve,as advance for this one. There will also We would also like to wish Reg he a party in-flight all the way down for Sheldrick and his group who are hosting those that like to PartY - Webco style. the AMA road races at Las Vegas this We would also like to mention a weekend a lot of good luck. Reg has brief word on the new Kawasaki madone a more than tremendous job of adchines that showed uP at Carlsbad for vance pUblicity and planning for the the first attempt. They are as fast as event and if the actual races are run the company says they are and wi th a along the same pattern it is a ·Can·t little more time and their team riders in Miss· show. We need more like it. the saddles. they should he more than We will have to bypass the Nevada just a threat for the Daytona title on event as Ascot runs its second short March 18th. track race this coming Sunday for all They say that the advance orders the pro's on the 250·s. Quarter mile for this new 2SOcc bomb is heyond beaction gets underway at 2 p.m. and it lief. From the looks of them both on should he a good one with last year's and off the track. Kawasaki has a winwinner Chris Draayer back to try for ner in the sales dept. By Wes Cooley To my surprise, and probably to yours. Mr, Jean Carter, President of District 37 Sports Committee. called me concemiog lIlY article last week. He felt that he should answer the questions posed in my column concerning hBnning of professional riders. the true percentage of the gate give n to professional riders. and also what was heing done to find adequate sPace for motorcycle riding in the Los Angeles area. He felt that if he gave the answers to this, there would be no misunderstanding and it would be factual. So, if you will check the -Voice- department next week you will find llis answers to these questions which, I'm sure, most of you will he interested in. I'm very sorry that Mr. Finlay's column did not aPpear in the last two issues concerning what really happened between the AFM and the promoter at Las Vegas. Since Finlay told me he was going to write the article and have it published, I wonder what could have happened. Mayhe Tom is under fire and may be a little of that pressure has sPilled over and affected him. (Ed's Note: see - AFM SCENE- this issue,) Mr. Sheldrick, we certainly do appreciate your knowledge of Shakespeare if that is what you are trying to prove, but rather than carry this thing on, I will refrain from any (luotations. I'm glad to see that our little disagreement here has created a great amount of publicity for your race and has spurred on the riders to drive to Las Vegas to compe teo If this has truly heen accomplished. I would like to have something going with you every road race we have because I think the more riders and spectators we can get out to the events, the better it will he for road racing. As you know, some of the AMA national road races in 1967 have heen cancelled. therefore. many a good rider who might he competing in road racing in the local area will not prepare equiPment this year. I feel this is one end of the sport that has heen highly neglected. but I am also well a....are of the cost of the track to participate on and the cost of the machinery to he built in order to he competitive. With regard to your invitation. I'm sorry I will have to miss this weekend, but pOSSibly in the future I can get away to attend some of yow road race events in Las Vegas. and I'll be more than happy to take you uP on your invitation to visit some of your nightlife. since I've just passed twenty-one. I also ....ant to thank yOU very much for stimulating the Sidehack Assoc. into building road race equipment. I don't know how much the few dollars is you promised them. hut if you can get 15 or 20 road racing side cars built. I'm sure all the associations promoting road racing will be deeply indehted to you for stimulating the building of this unique type of equiPment. On With The Races! This coming Sunday. February 19th. will see the 2nd running of the Silver CuP Mota cross Series at Castaic. At the first running. because of the terrible downpour. the SOOcc professional class did not particiPate. so there is no p~ fessional point standing as yet in this class. This will he the. first chance for the SOOcc riders to gain points. In the 250cc class, Gary Conrad on a Greeves came out &head. Second place ....ent to Ray MoCa.r1;y on a HU8Qvama. and then came Keith Mashburn. Nick Nicbolson. Walt Axthelm and Lloyd Lina:elhack. all Greeves mounted. SO. in the top six places in the 2SOcc professional class. Greeves ....as &ble to capture five of the position. We're sure Ray McCarty. John Rice, Malcolm smith and Lee Stumpenhalls. all HllSQvlII1I& mounted. will be out to challenge Greeves' present dominance. The course is excellently laid out and wide enough for passing at all points. Ninety percent is visible from almost any point for those of you who -are sPectators and care to see some of the finest riders in SOuthern California competing under international rules. This course is laid out in such a ....ay that it is truly a test of man and machinery and not speed alone. The course is rugged and rough and take a great amount of skill in order to negotiate it. If the ....eather gets a little inclement. the event will he held anyway. SO. rain or shine. hope to see you out, either as a particiPant or spectator. at the second Silver CUP Moto cross event. r ------------------· _din, ... I I I YOU'LL ALlAYS SEE IT FIRST III CYCLE IBIS ..QS ,Y-.. - It FlItST Start C'cle-_. . s......, weell for _ I .close a..c.. or I. 1IODe)' or.- for 57.SO 0 - ,.,r. or plalS. bill ... biter D . I I Millie _ III UI, LIII Beaell, Calif. . 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