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/125500
THE FINISH LINE ._--By Roxy Rockwood ----- The professional racltlg Hason gol off to a poor percenlage start with the standings already at two railHUIs. II was probably good that il did rain and theTT was called off lasl Saturday nighl as il was colder than you-knowwhat aad nol exactly whal one could call the weather to open Ihe nigbf racing season with. have a tough time breaking into the Main Anyway, this Friday night the halfmilers take a shot at getting underway and it should be a hot one, regardless of the weather. Last year the total half mile purses came to $60,000 at Ascot over a 31-race span from April to November. The guys to cheer for this year are the first-year experts who are moving up to the Expert class for the first time. None of the many veteran experts retired from last season and all will be back, a couple of them on far better and faster equipment than they rode last year. ROllgh ·For New Experts The first-year Expert is going to ...... rn ......... ............ ...... . AU MfTAlS • 0llUl • all'l'Ol EW~. .•. ,1. ~'. ~ ~ " - !'" • NlClW. NEVR-DULL Magic Wadtfng Polish so NEVR·DULL IS EASY TO USE! IT REMOVES RUST, WILL NOT HARM FINEST FINISH _ NON ABRASIVE Event where the money is paid. Past seasons have found one or two hot-shots moving UP from the Amateur ranks but there were none to speak of from last year's yellow plate crop. They were just a bunch of good all-around (,iders who may break a few waves this year, hut not likely. Taniier-Haaby & Co. is the best going, and if anything. will be faster than last season. To beat these two this year will take an act of Congress. Gene Romero is now ready to try but will have to do it in a hurry as he is leaving for the eastern Nationals the end of June and will only be back in July and Sept. sammy is just a few wins away from becoming die all-time everything and biUest wiDner in modern half-mile hi9" tory. This alone :should make the Flea fly at another record clip. Haabj appears to have forgotten all about going after the number one ti tie in the AMA, which annually puts more miles on your truck than it does dollars in your pocket. Instead, he will remain domestic and shoot for the Ascot title which should pay a thousand bucks to the point winner this season. The "BSA Wrecking Crew· of Tanner. White and Haaby should again demolish the rest of the cast on a weekly basis except for a few dents from Romero. Lawwill and possibly, Schultz. SAVES TIME..•. SAVES WORK ... SAVES MONEY MEVR-DULL lOX 347, lEU, CAlIFO. . . . DIStributor/Dealer Inquiries Invited 01 sl. By Sammy Tanner Disl. 213 5&7.0117 there are going to be some supe1"'une 250s in the Novice class this season. Track records should start falling early. It appears that Triumph may start cracking the armor of the ancient BSA singles that ahound in the Amateur & Expert classes. Romero, Hammer, and Butch Corder will all be going in the Expert class, Odom on a hig ·T· in the Ama teur division. Berore the year is over you may also see a Honda 450 in one of the classes. They showed at Daytona dlat with a little errort dley can be contenders. The potential is there if a little effort is-put forth. . Pit gate time this Friday night is 6:00 p.m. Race time, 8:15 p.m. TT riders will have to wait until the first saturday night in May. Sorry about that - Aggie must have broken his magic wand. Keep a close watch on that AMA Grand National point race between Nixon and Markel. Gary has 101 points to zero for Bart. Both say th ey are goi ng to win the bi g. one in '67. DESERT RESCUE MISSION Riders of Hodakas in desert events are becoming familiar with a dark green Volkswagen bus in attendance at their races. . The bus, sporting a "Hodaka· sign, So What's New? Surprises will be few but there will be much good racing every week with a whole new group of junior Kamikaze pilots in the Novice and Amateur class. Look for Jim Odom to run wild in the Amateur group and second year Novice, Rick Woods to finally get going in the 250cc class aboard the pace-setting Suzuki which was ridden to track records last year by Mike Morton. Speaking of Morton, the only riding Mike will do this year is if they PQt handlebars on a rifle or potato peeling machine, as he is now Pvt. Mike Morton. For the followers of the lightweights, KASUMI OIL offers the convenience of on-the-spot parts and tools to those who need them. Also available from the Iverson Racing Service, which operates in conjunction with Beach Cities Honda/Triumph of San Clemente. are cables, carburetor jets and other basic parts for Triumphs and Hondas. This type of service CQuid make the difference between racing and having to sit in the pits, and we think it's a fine idea. (Continued {Tom page 14) After a frightening brush with the California Highway Patrol last year. Cemoto has purchased lighting equi~ ment from Lucas of England for its export models. These are guaranteed to pass the CHP's torture test. The machine's suspension is firm, in line with the company's goal of providing "the iJtmost in high speed cornering on pavement.· The machine feels tight and the rear suspension is five-way adjustable for any preference. The front suspension can be adjusted by filling the forks with different weights of oil. On the road, the machine was great fun. First ~ear is sort of medium tall, and there is a large jump between first and second. From then on, however, the gears are quite close, and the engine can be kept buzzing very nicely in almost any situation. Even soaked to the bone. one of my wife's dishtowels wraPped around my face to keep out the stinging raindrops, it was a gas. My friends laughed when I emerged from the Monsoon looking like the Red Baron had zapped my Sopwith Camel with a garden hose, but I was having a ball. The Metralla's muffler looks more like an expansion chamber than many expansion chambers do, and though its tone is usually muted there comes a time when you're pulling out of a corner and the machine is screaming an ever-higher canvas-ripping roar to the wind that you want to yell (from behind your wet dishtowel) "bring on Ron Grant! Who is this Cal Rayborn anyway?· I'm not that kind of rider, but the Metralla is that kind of machine. AND 450 IfONIMS DOMINATE 500cc CLASS AT COTATI I • 500cc G.P. Class 1st DICK KILGROE 450 Honda 2nd ERIC DALSTROM 450 Honda NOW!! 500cc Production Class 1st DAVE BURCHARDS 450 Honda 2nd TONY HERBOLD 450 Honda HODAKA KASUMI AT LONG BEACH • HONDA· The outstanding uew motor oU desigaed exclusively for aircooled 81giues is DOW being distributed natiooally by America's LargestVol umeHondaDl r 5105 Atlantl cAve. - 431 W. Pac:. Cst. H!l 4328 E. Anallellll St. - 11747 E. Carsan St Lonl Budl, Calif. -Home of the winners. . {36. Stile 1/tatu, eattj.. ':Z::a4tU11t (Jet 25tA AfH,. Ue ~ 5K5-6240 (415) 7n-4535 for dealer iDformatioa . .. ..... ... ... .. ... ... ..... . .. .. . . . ... .... .. . ... .. . . . ..... . . ... . .