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/125497
HOW TO WATCH A Motorcycle RACE By Chuck Clayton Watcbing men race motorcycles can be as rewarding to tbe informed people as a fine dramatic sbow. Like all good drama, a motorcycle race bas a beginning, middle and an end. The course of an afternoon or night of racing, as a glance at your program will prove, consists of ·Preliminaries·. ·Semi-Mains· and ·Main Events.· These correspond, over all, to acts I, II and ill in the theater. In addition. each race (theatrical: scene) builds to a separate climax which contriootes suspense to the Main Events. Watch the riders in the Preliminaries. Each man represents many symbols of allegiance; be represents his home town, his family and tbe people behind his racing effort. In addition. the racer succeeds or fails on the strength of his will and skill. Therefore, he mainly represents his own individuality. To truly enjoy the drama which is unfolding on the track, it helps if you can identify (emphasize) with one or more of the contestants. Choose-your favorites, whose allegiances closely parallel your own (perhaps the hoys from your home town, or the riders with the clean machines) and hope for them to win. The more you know about the racers, the more you will come to like your favorites. NOTE: It seldom happens, fortunately, hut on occasion the racers perform in a tragedy, It should be emphasi zed that in motorcycle racing, danger is always present, hut death and injury are not supposed to be part 'Of the program. In this drama. unlike most fantasy, the vanquished is not slain. There are DO -)osers·. in tb.e common sense, after a motorcycle race. There are the winners and the al~s, but each has his pri vate victory, The purpose of the preliminary races is to skim off the fastest men and machines to meet in the main events. In American professional racing there are three main events per show, featuring heginners (Novices), Intermediate riders (Amateurs) and Experts in that order. The Semi-main event is the ·second chance" for a rider to get into the Main Event. After the intermission, the allstar cast is assembled on the track (stage) for the last act. Using the spectator's senses to the utmost, sight, sound, smell and feeling, mixed with the dry taste of excitement, the Main Event prepares to start. The riders are tensely still, awaiting the starter's si gnal. When they are evenly lined up and all ready, they start, and the starting flag signals go. Part of the racing art is anticipating the starter. Eddie Mulder, for one, excells in this. Mulder will have his clu tch engaged and rear wheel spinning the instant before the starter reacts. Others, less adept then Mulder at what racers call ·cheating off the line,· may overshoot the starter and have to line UP again. delaying the start. Once under way, an astonishing sound. the racers seem to arrive at the first tum in a tangle. Inside the PIlck only inches separate bike riders as they fight for position with their throttles. One man emerges from the snarl to take the point and hold it if he can, but others want it just as much as he does. The leader can be disadvantaged if he yields to pressure from behind. Or he can be outsped by machines with greater horsepower. There are many ways to take away the lead. At last the real winner crosses the finish line ahead of all the rest. He has fought to the front and held it coolly. He has made no fnistakes he could not rectify. There is no bandicap he did not overcome. The drama has ended happily hetter wins out over good. The AMA Motorcycle Course IT LA K E L LOY O. One. a,aln this WHk as so many y.ars In th. past Daytona kicks off this season's NatIonal Championship chas.. Hot In contention for those wlnnln, points Is Sw.d. Savae.. Kawasaki mounted on Saturday, swllchln, to Honda far Sunday', 200 mller.