Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

00 ~ CO Q" ON THE CHAMPIONSHIP TRAIL by Judy McKeen ... Well, it looks like our editor liked my first couple of stories so I'll now be writing a weekly account of the races here on the East Coast. SO off we go to another saturda.y night at Dorsey Speedwa.y. Just getting ready to leave is a chore in itself. You see Red McKeen and I are helping out part time at Heyser Cycle sales in Laurel Md. The Heysers were also kind enough to let us stay at their home, which is much better then our camper. I work the parts department and am the pa·rts manager's (Bill Halwig) right hand man, woman I mean. By the time I leave here I shvuld know enough about these Hondas to sk Bobby Bates for a job. By the time you get everyone out of the shop it's a big rush to get to the race track on time. Dorsey Speedway is back in the woods and is really a beautiful track. This week there were no time trials run, instead they ran elimination heats. Don Twigg on a Ducati won the first heat. Red McKeen, aboard his Bultaco, took second and third was Karl Beghtol on a Triumph. The second heat was led all the way by the Baltimore hero Gary Nixon. Eddy Adkins on a Ducati had a hard time taking second place from Carl Williamson on a Triumph and Carl had to settle for third place money. In the third heat it was Elmore and ShollY" then Sholly and Elmore. It was a great race all the way, with Sholly on a BS,A in first and Elmore aboard a Triumph in second. Third was Robert Giles on a Bultaco. During a couple of the heats they had to take a few riders off to the hospital. I understand it was because they rode a bit over their head. The track was in wonderful shape. The Trophy Dash was again won by Nixon, next in was Don Twigg and third place was awarded to Red McKeen. The Main Event was started without our McKeen since he fouled a plug and couldn't get his bike running before the flag went down. Don Twigg gave Nixon a fit for a while until he made a mistake, then it was again Gary all the way. .AtHeysers there was alot of midnight oil being burned every night this week. McKeen says all he wants to do is learn how to keep those twostrokes from fouling plugs. There was a lot more work going on after hours than during work hours. Old Argument Unresolved .Ace Myers decided to come out of retirement after five years. ,Ace, I understand, was one of the top riders around here when he was competing. Bill Halwig, a new .Amateur this year, told him that an old man didn't stand a chance against the young fellows. Well the fight was on all week to build the fastest motor. Came practice saturday night at Dorsey both guYs blew, so now they can bench race this week and discuss what they could have done. McKeen is still trying to master the art of not fouling plugs. Weekly Dorsey Clash June lOth at Dorsey Speedw!Ly was one of the most exciting nights of short track racing on the East coast this season. In the first heat it was Dave stout from Flint Mich. on a Harley-Davidson, Malcolm Doying on a Bultaco and McKeen on a Bultaco. This was stout's first time at Dorsey and he did a terrific job of winning the warm-up. Malcolm and McKeen traded second place until the last lap, wben Malcolm dove in under McKeen on the fourth corner and beat him to the finish. The second heat was really a show. Bob Sholly on a BSA, Don Twigg on a Ducati and Karl Beghtol on a Triumph traded positions the entire race. Sholly got first, Twigg second, and Beghtol third, The third heat was won by Joe Williams on a Triumph with Eddie Adkins on a Ducati in second and third was George Russell on a Yamaha. Semis In the first Semi Twiggy really pushed stout hard but couldn't get by him. Its really something to watch Twiggy in the corners, throwing lockto-lock slides all the way around and smiling all the time. Tom Garrett on a Ducati rode hard and made it for third. The second Semi saw Sholly in first and Beghtol in second. Malcolm, I believe, could have made it a three wa.y race but he couldn't seem to stay off the wall. I still don't know how he stayed aboard that BuL Main Event The feature event was about the best I've seen in a long time. In front were stout, Twigg, Sholly and Doying. You could have thrown a blanket over all four riders at the same time and any time during the entire race. It was really a show to see it end up with stout first, then Twigg; third was Sholly and fourth Doying. saturda.y night was the best show the riders put on so far. As the weeks progress and they get used to the track I believe the racing will get better and much more exciting. Sunday we took a day off from racing and tried our luck at water skiing. I decided that I like motors much more than water. But it was an enjoyable change from the race track. FIRST SPROCKETS NIGHT RACE by stan CoHee Racing action under the lights returned to Bakersfield this month as the Sprockets staged their first summer bash June 11 tho Most of the trophy grabbers felt right at home in the winner's circle. Names like Sid Pa.yne, Mike Lane, Rick Elisarraras, Joe Brown and Don Hughes. 3 Cubic Inch Terrors Darrell Smith, Davy Matthew sand Stan Sanderson provided the thrills in the fifty cc Main. Smith came through with the win just ahead of Davy. These three cubic inch scooters flat get with it. The ninety novice final featured five different brand names in the first five places. Gregg Grouleff piloted his Honda to victory. Mighty Mike Ridin' High A very Hensley looked great behind Mike Lane in the ninety Am-Exp. go. Amazing when you realize that Avery could lose ninety pounds and still weigh moce than mighty Mike.. The 175cc Main was strictly a Bridgestone affair. Expert Roy Spiker took it wire to wire on a converted street bike and Amateur Guy smith took to Joe Krugh's new factory scram bl er like a duck to water to bring home the Amateur trophy. Mike Middleton tooled his Honda in ahead of a flock of Novices. Steve Davis finally found the right groove on his Sherpa and came out on top of the two hundred beginners ahead of Jim Keener and -Dirty" Ernie" Winsow. Mike Lane won trophy number ninety in his third season of racing when he took the toll of the Am-Exp. two hundreds. The first place Amateur was Pete Willis, one of the few who has beaten Lane recently. Joe E. Brown borrowed an engine for his CZ and got it running well enough to take the measure of top .Amateur Don Hughes, seventeenyear-old -Tiger" Tracy Bright and his teammate Wayne Schmidt. Rory Randell is the new owner of that terribly fast Benelli that Joe Rosebe rry shook up Ascot with and he gave a good account of himself, by finishing a close fifth. Midge Griffith gave his Ducati a well deserved rest and climbed aboard his dad's 750 Norton to take the measure of the Open Novice pack and Sid Payne had things all his own again in the Am-Exp. Final, but the ,Amateurs led by Bob Leppek, provided enough action to stave off boredom. The next race is saturday night, June the 24 th, make the trip, you won't regret it. (Results on pace 16) 110 IItS UP PALO ALTO SCWIIUS SUllY 'AWY SP&DWAY SCWlIUS Photo &. story by Bill Clark On Sunday June lOth, the Palo Alto M.C. Club held their second event for 1967. Three hundred thirtynine riders signed in. The 650 Expert class had 24 riders. Jim Rice (#50) of Palo Alto picked up first place gold. The new track layout at Fremont is well liked by the riders. The sweeping bank offers a unique challenge and it was the downfall of many riders before the da.y was over. . . . by Vlr&inla Copeland At 1:00 p.m, June 11 Sunny Valley Speedwa.y had the 62 entries lined up on the track for rider's introduction. After the introductions the riders paraded around the track and back to the pit area and the races were und er way. The loocc class started the da.y with Gene Schneider, Grants Pass, are. and Danny Atkins, Grants Pass, sharing the honors. Gene took the - A-main and Danny won the Trophy Dash. Then the 200s hit the track with the Russell Brothers of Grants Pass, both on Triumphs, giving the crowd a real thrill. 17 year old Dick Russell took his heat and started the -A" Main in the lead with his little brother Dave (age 16) right behind him. They went several laps before Dave got around Dick and then Dick was in hot pursuit until the next to the last lap when he fell down leaving Dave way out in fran t to take hom e the trophy. Dick didn't feel to bad about losing since he had taken the 200cc Trophy Dash and got second in the 500cc -B- Main. Sho .man ship 'lOS AlOMOS' HOST 50 .IEIAT.-AUI by Terry Otey The -Los Ancianos' M.C. laid out a course that wasn't meant for 'Old Men'. There were severely steep uphills and down-hills, brush, rocks and narrow trails with sheer cliffs on the sides. This club is famous for their rough courses and the riders loved it. The weather was good and the dust wasn't bad. This area is used by a lot of cl ubs an d a lot of courses will have to be laid out before YOU'll ever have to go over the same one twice. Wheelies and Speed There was excitement in the air even before race-time with the presence of a few of the better Los Angeles riders, one of whom was Malcolm Smith who thrilled fans as he rode on his rear wheel up the longest steep hill on the track. There was elbow room only at the top of this hill as the fans waited for that sno rting Husky to pop up the hill with the front wheel in the air, then take off like a bullet with a smiling Smith on it's back. All bikes, except the 90's were on the track at the same time as Smith and his Husky led it wire to wire. Mechanical Problems Our san Diego hot shoes were hard charging but plagued with mechanical problems. Bill Sil verthorn, whom most people consider to be strictly a TT rider, showed the locals how to chase the Los Angeles leader until his bike quit. Then Ed Rosa, to whom gulley crashing is no-thing new, took over and put the pressure on until his Husky's transmission put him out. John Kenyon, who has been looking good all year on his Greeves, came in second - a lap behind Malcoim. Niles Ussery, on a Triumph, led the bi g bores around until he made a pit stop. Gene Fetty then took command and went for the win with Ron Attig, on a Triumph, behind him. Fetty's Matchless Metisse was well away when Ussery got back in and finished third. E. Roseler was the first Novice to see the black and white checks and J. Walters was first Open Novice. Thundering Herd When the flag was dropped for the 100's the jockeys were more than ready and released their mounts. This is the biggest class in San Diego and the competition keen. E. Horner, an Expert on a Honda, took the win with Raymond Vanderpool on a Hodaka, (Novice) taking second Over All. The only Novice thing about this guy is his number plate. Look out, Experts when he moves up. The 250cc -A- Main was a real surprise to everyone when the two top riders were 1eft sitting on the line when the flag dropped. Dean Franc's Suzuki had loaded up and Wes Word hit a wrong shift on his Bultaco and loaded it up, so the pack, with Dennis Krois, on a Yamaha, in the lead was a good half a lap ahead when they got started. Both riders knew they didn't stand a chanc e to plac e so they put on a real show for the spectators in last place. Dean even got another bike from the pits when his quit all together and waited for Wes to come around so he could race with him. The 500cc class also held some surprise as they left the line, went into the first corner and came out still in a tight group. Wes Word, Grants Pass, pushed his Honda to the lead with Bob Vaughn, and Fritz Espy, right behind him. Fritz got around Bob and started after Wes but didn't quite mak e it before he spun out, leaving Bob in second place again. Fritz got back in the race about sixth place and worked his way back up to third before the finish flag was waved. Bill Nace Ashland, are. riding a BSA walked off with all the honors in the 650cc cla.ss. Even the pits had some excitement when Ron Johnson'S new Bultaco backfired and caught fire. Ron was burned on the hand and arm but not seriously. HUALPAI MOUNTAIN RUN by Darrell steen On June 17 & 18, about 185 cyclists entered the First Annual Hualpai Mountain Run, sponsored by the Copper State Motor Corps of Arizona. For the benefit of tbose people who have never heard of Hualpai Mountain State Park, it is fourteen miles south of Kingman, Arizona, just off Highway 93. After entry deadline closed at 4 p.m., a delicious barbecue beef dinner with watermelon and all the trimmings was served by 5 p.m. Later in the evening, at the Pine Lake Lodge, a dance with live mUSic was held, spaced with trophy and merchandise awards. On Sunday morning, competition got underway for best dressed cycles and riders. Also, there were various surprise trophies given along the way. The Copper State Motor Corps Drill Team performed their precision riding for the entrants Saturday before dinne r and again on Sunday afternoon. There were seven bikes, all full-dress Harley 74's, and they did a very good job. The tour only drew twelve to fifteen California riders, but was well worth the trip. The ride is about 360 miles from Log Angeles, and we received our 1967 AMA Tour Awards. The weather at the park was beautiful the whole weekend, but was very warm across the desert. Congratulations, Copper State Motor Corps, and see .you next year.

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