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/125501
HARE AND HOUND CHAMPIONSHIP AT LUCERNE ROUGH Championship By Dick Wright J. N. Roberts lu",s It on to pick up ble lead" The Victors M.C. hosted III desert rillers last Sunday for lIleir cbant' pionship event, filmed for television by ABC-TV. There were so many riders that the start had to be delayed for one boll' so that all the people in line to sip uP would have time to get to tbe starting line. A Le Mans start was used with the riders lined UP 50 feet behind their bikes. At the drop of the banner, everyone ran for their respective bike, kicked it over and took off. The 580 combined Open and Lightweight bikes were off for the smoke bomb, going up a long 2-mile hill in very soft sand. At the smoke bomb, Buck Smith on a Triumph was tbe leader with Howard Beach also on a Triumph second. The eventual winner J.N. Roberts, on a Husqvarna, was in 6th spot. Hand Stands Just after the smoke marker, the wide trail narrowed down to a canyon about 25 feet wide, with a long rock sticking its ugly head up a foot above the soft sand. The leaders missed the rock, but later the canyon got so crowded that some of the riders had to wait to get through, and about ten riders bit the rock and did some beautiful endos. The course got alittle choppy a little frather down, and there Howard Beach tried doing some hand stands on his bars. After hitting the fifth bump, he gracefully unloaded in a cloud of dust.He got UP quickly and only lost four places. First Loop A wlmlne team, Frank Morean and his Hodaka. The first loop of the gO-mile race was composed of deep sand trails and the kind of bumpy terrain which is very hard on a rider's equlpment, especially the suspension. There was also a tricky rocky section and a good, long fire road to let your engine cool off, that is if you made it that far. J.N. Roberts was the first man into the pits at the end of the first loop with a good eight-minute lead. The tough course took its toll on Buck Smith's bike and put him out, as it did with a lot of other riders. HARLEV- DAVIDSON Of Long Speeia' MANY Usefl '65 '66 Tri_phs froll $795 3654 No. Long 426-nOI leae" .'v". Helicopter Leads Coming out of the pits, starting on the second loop the course crossed the starling area and J.N. took the wrong trail to the rigllt, but caugllt his mistake and got back on the course without losing first spOt. We rushed to the finishing area for the last loop, wbich was about a half a mile down the dirt road. As we got set UP for the first man to come in, we could see the camera helicopter coming over the hill about two miles out with the leader underneath him. The helicopter led him right up to the finishing banner and it was J.N. Roberts all the way. He held a good margin over the second man, Gary Preston, on a Triumph. Larry Bergquist came in third on his BSA Victor; Bill Friant was fourth and took first 250 Expert. The T.V. people got their story from J.N.. then we spoke with him. The first thing he said was, ·1 can thank the helicopter for keeping me on the course. Everytime 1 missed a turn-off, he would lead me back on the course. The course was marked well with lime and red ribbon, bu t in some places the sand was so li gh t you could miss the lime and my goggles were really dirty.· When I asked him how he liked the run, he said, ·It was really rough. After the first gas check my rear shocks went out and 1 was riding only on the springs. 1 didn't think 1 was going to make it, but 1 didn't want to let UP because 1 wanted to hold on to first place. 1 was in the air half the time. 1 sure was glad to see the finishing banner·. Carroll Dltson applies body _ellsh" Photos by Dick & Jeff Wrigllt Tra.il Bikes There were about 221 trail bikes on the starting line, with the riders lined up 50 feet behind them. At the drop of the banner, everyone ran for their bikes, kicked them over, dropped into low gear, and let 'er go; the trick was to get that little tbing buzzed up and into a (Continued on page 8) Fran Garvin. TWO NEW WHEELS FOR CYCLE NEWS Jack Dalr TWO NEW WHEELS FOR CYCLE NEWS Meet the winners of a recent talent search we conducted recently to fill two "big wheel" spots on the newspaper. Engaged as Advertising Manager is Jack Dair. replacing Gil Brown who recently became Western Ad Manager for Cycle magazine. And Rodl Hartl Rudi Niedzielski (Rudi Hart for short) is the new full-time editor. whose joh will be enormous. With Jack's seasoned wisdom and Rudi 's young enthusiasm Cycle News feels well balanced now. Mr. Dair (Jack to you) and his wife have a Honda wbile Rudi, a bachelor,swings out on a red X-G. Meanwhile, Chuck Clayton assumes the reins of publisher full time at last!