Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

- ~ INTERVIEW WITH AGGIE-Contd. ~ order for twel ve a year. In about a month they start soiling UP a little bit, and CL. then I give them away. Guys use them for going hunting or fishing, or they keep their helmets in them. sort of a souvenit. a keepsake. CN: What do the initials J.C. stand for? 00 AGGIE: Well, my full name is Joshua James Agajanian. We were three brothers ~ and my father gave us all names from the ~ Bible - Joshua, Elijah and Benjamin. Eli and Ben could make it all right. but ~ I didn't want to be called Joshua.Thought ~ the kids would make fun of it. My aunt ~ nicknamed me Jacie (Pronounced JayCee) and that's what I went by ... until ~ my first roll call in high school. They'd call your name and tbe boys would sit :... on one side of the room and the girls on U the othe,. They called all the boys but me. Tben they started calling the girls and since I was an • A". the first name they called was Jacie Agajanian. From then on I used the initials J .C. CN: How are your relations with other promoters? AGGIE: I'm on friendly terms with most all of them. With 90 percent of them. I represented all promoters in the U.S. for three years, on the USAC Board of Directors. Now I represent the car owners. we meet about four times a year. CN: What do you think of Evel Knievel? AGGIE: I think Evel is a very competent person in his act. I think he can make that night across the Canyon, too. He's done everything else he said he would. CN: Do you have any particular gripes you'd like to air? AGGIE: The weather. Wish it would get warmed up. Other than that I can't think of anything I could squawk about right Ol d ·SomebodJ's lanna have to live UP.· now. I do ride hard on (Don) Basile and the other guys to see that the public is taken care of, that the fans get a good show and get treated properly. CN: The Ascot track looks in beautiful shape. Any difference in the preparation this year? AGGIE: This year we brought the new dirt in a lot earlier - let the cars work it in. In past years new dirt was hrought in a week before and it didn't get mixed in, or ·scarified" in with the old dirt. This year it was 5 or 6 weeks earlier lind there was time for it to be worked in. CN: How do you feel about big bike eogine sizes being reduced to 350cc in 1969? Think it will hurt the show? AGGIE: I questioned the 250's for novices but they're getting them down to where it is a pretty good show. It might take the 350's just as long, but they'll be going as fast or faster in a short time as the big bikes. CN: Do you think we are getting closer to International racing for motorcycles? ·About tile UIlle amount of events u lut year.AGGIE: International competition is coming around. Purses are better, transportation is better. you can get around faster. rt's bringing all the countries closer together - for automobiles, motorcycles and all the other sports events. CN: How about your plans for the future? AGGIE: Well, my future plans are to cootinue about like we have been. I don·t see any big changes. I'd like to see a big track out here,like Daytona, for cars and motorcycles. But it seems like every time we get something underway, we run into the property problem. C : Does any humorous happening stand out in your mind regarding motorcycle racing? AGGIE: Well. there was the time Sammy Tanner called me wanting to come out here. It was in 1959. And when he got a bold of me be said ·Mr. AGA-jin?" I said ·Yes, this is AGA-jin.· He said "This is Sammy Tanner." I said "ObO" I'd never heard of bim, never even heard his name mentioned, but he sounded cute with that soutbern diawl. He said, "I want to come out and race for you." He was calling from Daytona and I asked him how he'd done in the Daytona races. He said he'd fallen off his bike. But he knew he could come out here and put on a good show if he just had some money. Finally I told him "All right, I'll help you." What the heck, he was real excited. He agreed to run three races for tbe amount of money we decided on - and he won all three of them. He's been here - what? - eight years now? And he's STILL winning. ELSINORE NIGHT LIFE by DOD Wallen At iast, summer weather has returned to Elsinore, bringing a jovial crowd with it. wi tb Imny of the camper peopie arriving early Friday night to enjoy a full weekend of trail riding. racing and practice on Sunday. The largest class continues to be the 100 Novice, which seems to be the be- ginning point for the greatest percentage of the ull'and coming riders. A sour nnte is that one of the hardest charging "teeners· to ride Elsinore, Cris Smith, fell at Prado two weeks ago and will be out of racing for about a year. Cris will be in the Pomona Valley Hospital for 8 weeks. Jay Smith. Cris' dad. promises to come on out and spectate anyway. Big Bike Battle In the 500 Novice ranks there was a surprise winner. H. McConnell, on a 441 Victor. came out for a fun ride and left witb the bardware. McConnell won his first race here but hardly without an argument fran C. Wells, on a Bultaco. and T. Howe on a H-D. The 500 Expert bash turned out to be a ding-dong battle between C. Cargo on a BSA. J. Foxe on II Triumph and R. Marquis on a Honda.. The preliminary heats were pretty well divided between Cargo and J. Foxe, with Rick Ma1quis still sorting out a newlybuilt 350 Honda. In the Open Expert class. the real struggle for flrst was between Foxe, TriumPh, of the Grillsters and W. Harper on a BSA. a rival club member. In the Main. Foxe grabbed the lead right away and was being chased with much ardor by W. Harper. Harper came off in the switchback only to let C. Cargo go by for a second place. 250 Amateur- Expert Chuck Hatcher made his weekly trip down from Las Vegas to do hattIe with Bultaco mounted R. Schull and P. Coherly. Hatcher won all the preliminary heats plus the Main but had some trouble in the Sweeps. He came off but was not injured. Sch ull has not been seen often at Elsinore and rode hard all night on an older Metisse, but was unable to catch Hatcher. 100cc Tiddlers Rusty Burkert, Hodaka-mounted won the Main with M. Carver on a Hodaka in second place and B. Kazula on a Honda in third. Rusty's dad. Fred, by the way. builds Hodaka engines for racers. so you guys see Fred if you have a prOblem. RaciDe Movies On the 16th of this month, at Barnacle Bills on Huntington Drive in Duarte. there will be three motorcycle racing roovies, including tbe Catalina race. Tbis is usually a very good show. call Clyde at 357-3860 for details. (Re5U1ts on pace 16) COOPER BOOTS .. U.S. Racers of Downey, California. are now marketing lightweight road racing boots, designed by the briliiant British short circuit star John Cooper. Cooper describes the foot gear in the following manner: "I have found these boots very much to my liking after wearing them continuously throughout the 1965 racing season. The boots are very light in weight but the materials and manufacture are exceedingly good giving a wearing potential at least equal to those more highly priced. 1 am impressed with the kangaroo leather used for the upper of the boots, this leather is very light yet exceptionally strong and noo-stretch, the latter giving perfect fit through its working life. One point worth special mention is that surplus engine oil splash does not penetrate through the leather. in tbe past I have had a plastic inner lining to prevent this nuisance. Tbe padded ankle guards were incorporated at my suggestion to help eliminate serious injury to the ankle bones from knocks and falls, etc. Other special features to note are the spital steel front support which enables the boot to keep the correct position on the leg when being worn. the rubber non-slip grip bonded to tbe leather sole together with the patterned rubber toppiece ensures complete safety to the rider wilen push-starting his bike: Pr:ice of the boots is $35.00. available from U.s. Racers. P.O. Box 163, Downey. Calif.

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