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/125503
WES COOLEY - NGK Illin Sllrks vieMllDlvllia ANARCHY OR fff'OfNCY? by Bill makeslee ..... Periodical1y, as the witcb banters take up the cry, and accusations Dy back and forth I always take special notice. Tbe controversy usually lasts only a short time, then dies down only to Dare up again later. Always sitting right in the middle is Wes Cooley, good, bad or indifferent, but right in the middle. '" 0> ex-motorcycle racer. Highly energetic with a sizable ego. Statistics are boring but the action isn't. AI ways In tbe Spotligbt Rabllia raunr or Mesllah, Wes CoollIJ can work hard. Shown h.a doing tha claalMlp after a moto-cross held at Irvlna Park. What's so special about Wes Cooley? Wby should be be praised occasionally aDd condemned SO orten? He bas no taDgibie collllectioo wi th the motorcycle Industry (except that which be creates) aDd be seldom rides a motorcycle any more. 1be aDswers to these questions are what keep me Interested...aDd amused. I IuIow Wes Is amused too, aDd that's part or the story. I've known Wes ror about nine years and bave probably been as close, ror as loog, as anyone is likely to be. During that time I bave watched (even belped) many or his projects. Usually, not always, but usually they were centered around someunog be believed to be - benericlal to the sport." Basically the enorls were the development and pl'lllllOUon or European-type road raciDg and lately, Mcto-Cross. Besides promoting races. wes likes to be in the spotlight. If there is an arrOw he can sling or an official high in the "establishment" he can embarrass. he won't hesitate. With a weekly column in CYCLE NEWS he has a platform from which he can launch his criticisms and be heard by one and all. He can also be shot at too, by his critics. which suits him fine. Where this will all lead no one is certain, least of all Wes. One thing is clear though, the controversy will probably continue. How one man can have so many vocal enemies and at the same time have so many silent followers is a mystery. These quiet admirers are an interesting group themsel ves. They support his activities and do yeoman duty in performing the work, yet corner one ~y himself and he will quickly disclaim any allegiance and insist that the work is for the "cause," not for Wes Cooley. However the cause usually fades. for most. and they drUt away. This is to Wes' specification. as he has many causes and the turnover brings to light much new and needed talent. Among other claims to rame, Cooley established short track racing in SOuthern Caltromia, originated the "Short IT". carried on grand prix racing at a time when 110 one else thought road racing bad any ruture In Ibis co...try, revived the moto-cross and last year bad as many as N6I'• •-"I.e eepper-eeaLer eleetretile _alce. tile tlillereaee. tile_I. e"ele ••11 .ee! Tr" ,,_r HAP HAP JONES JONES NGK SPARK PLUGS Dealers, order from two locations: 2 Clinton Park. San Francisco, California and 343 North Court. Prattville, Alabama r··®rf~@®ijj~~···: : rPL3il © ~ ~ : : ofJ~~h MOTORCYCLE TIRES : Saint or Sinner? saintly Ideals? Not entirely. Tbe pu... suit or these goals orten led to connlel with the establisbed govem1ng body, the AMA. The AMA concerns ItseU with the sport as I t Is round in this country, and Wes' Ideas were rrom outside this co...tlY. The resultaDt clasbes brought about tactics, rrom both sides, that were anything but saintly. The beginning begins even berore tbis, back when there was a small group or Grand Prix riders that relt the same as Wes about racing. ThIs group was extremely dedicated to ridlug but bad lIttJe enthusiasm ror tbe promotional work It enlailed. Tbey had strong vocal chords but very little muscle. This condition set tbe paUem and Wes learned bow to get things doue hlmselr. He also learned tbe sbortcuts which speed up progress, but also orrend many people. The ACA was born when the realization came to Cooley that the democratic process was slow and inefficient. He now runs the ACA by himself as he sees fit. This has been both beneficial and detrimental to his cause. His operation is streamlined but everybody hates a dictator, however efficient he may be. These toes he had stepped on now had a definite crack in his armor to pry at. Pry and chisel they did, and they haven't stopped yet. Rather than moralize about the ACA vs. AMA or the dictator versus the democratic process, it's more interesting to look at the main character himself: Wester S. Cooley, aged 35, cherub-faced executive. educated ex-paratrooper and 1 10places in 100 Mile National Championship used NGK spark plugs. st t Gary Nixon-YAMAHA 2. Dick Hammer-SUZUKI 3. Robert WintersYAMAHA 4. Dick Newell-YAMAHA 5. Donald Twigg-YAMAHA 6. Frank Camillieri-YAMAHA 7. Norman Stovall-YAMAHA 8. Yvon DuhamelYAMAHA 9. Sonny Gager-KAWASAKI 10. Don Butler-KAWASAKI rour events to run In a slncle week. Latest in tbe long line or Cooley-ACA projects Is tbe hoped-ror revival or class A speedway racing In SOUthern Calirornia. Whether all this is good or bad will never be decided in his lifetime (in true saintly tradition) and this writer is not foolish enough to attempt a verdict. He does antagonize nearly everyone but on the other hand he has a penchant for getting things done in a sport that cannot elect a popular leader. If there were better leadership and more direction in the sport, it would take more than harassment to upset it. In the meantime we will have Wes stirring the pot. Concerning this article Wes will have something dignified to say in public. and something very colorful to say in person. But behind it all I know he will be enjoying even this, and is laughing right now... would you believe "up his sleeve?" Balow: Was, shaking his list In ona of his mora volatlla moods, : -¥ 400 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • I 18 KNOBBY $16.37 ¥ : • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ~lIt ALLYN'S SAN ffINANDO - HONDA-TRIUMPH ¥. ~58 _............................• • Plus ExCIse Tax NO. IIACLAY AVE. : SAN FERNANDO 3&Hi261 • -.