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/125514
CYCLEALLEY by Bob Ebeling Side stands ~k into tile soft aspbalt Sldace aad riders stepped f1eetfootedly fnm sbade to sbade in an al1emptlO reacb salvation from the sanner beat at Irwindale Raceway, Underdog Stomped Bruce Miller and his tunercompatriot. Brackett, ignored the beads of sweat that diluted gasoline and prepared for the battle of top eight street bikes and the winner's crown of top bike. High temperatures kept some of the racers at home with cool ers and beer" but there were enough on location to provide good action. With only thirty minutes of Qualifying remaining, the elapsed times ranged from the low twelves of Bruce Miller to a high fourteen of Rudi Hartmut. As the last minutes passed a Harley Sportster of Carl Morrnw Qualified with a 12.52 and bumped Rudi from contention. The slowest bike at the closing period was a 14.73 second Suzuki of Vince Rowles. Saddenly There lere Four Eight machines in the first race and unfortunately as mathema tics prove there were then only four. Bruce Miller defeated Vince Rowles, Carl Morrow put it to Jack Murphy, Harry Couch Triumphed over the Sciacca BSA and Strickland kept BSA in contention by defeating the X-6 Suzuki of Charlie Cash. Round two found Harley vs. Harley with Miller and Morrow squaring off at the staging lights. Miller proved to be consistent with a low twelve run that left Morrow in the loss column with a 12.89 second elapsed time. Harry Couch had the odds against him in the case of inches vs. inches. but as some of the unlucky ones know. it didn't bother him a bit. Harry took the winners light before Dick Stricklands BSA with a 13.79 second run. Six are gone anri only two remain. Couch and Miller. Triumph and Harley. 30.50 inches vs. 55 inches and if you've made no errors in math to this point you know that only one remained as top bike. In this case the underdog did not come forward to a surprise victory - in fact he was Quite soundly defeated! Bruce Miller & Brackett shared in the top bucks with a 12.29 - 107.37 time ticket while Harry Couch stepped back to runner-up position with a 13.79 - 94.52. Many good bikes provided action in other divisions of the competition field but Rich Richards teamed with Bill Fleming for a real highlight to the program. For the first time Fleming grabbed a handful of throttle that opened the carb slides to a mixture of Nitro and set' a new record and low E. T. of the day on a 30.50 Triumph. The medium sized drag special was taken through the traps in 11.74 seconds at 116.88 miles per hour. First time and a fantastic time! Lions Insurance agents quirk and reach for the rubbe r stamp which will emboss a policy wi th the words cancel when accidents occur. Such a reaction could be just around the corner when for two weeks in a row, Lions has had ill luck prevail to rider and machine. Last week, one was down on the line, this week in the lights with slick over forks. The rider was lucky. with only a broken collar bone after a flying Captain Nice act. Some say the frame was Entt.lSlast ..Is _dy 10 drop tbehammeron BSA Vletor,lIore and more street r'." are entering their bikes to find out If they wfllgo as fast as tne road tests say, Photos by Doyle Gray broken before the run. maybe somaybe no. but rider or owner, please check the machine thoroughly before and after each run. You may have the guts to jeopardize your life. but leave our racing privilege alone. Top Bikes , Miller and Brackett were again predominate in the street bike division and took top honors with an elapsed time of 12.29 and 107.56 miles pet hour. Talk about consistency! Read the results section and see how close this Harley's performance figures are between Irwindale and Lions! M. Disharoon was awarded top gas honors, but there was no recorded e.t. and speed. It must have been good. for Braverman was runnerup with a 12.12 - 109.22. Top e.t. of the day was recorded by the Vincent of Kotalac. The big twin made a trip down the Quarter mile in just 11.24 seconds at 124.85 miles per hour. (Rsalts 011 . . ce 16) .. , ::.~r limousine WlS harlly a worthy opponent lor Ray Downard ad his sparkling Honda~ Acceleration match was DYer aft.. ray relused tbe i • • • • ~ ~!DO~~~I.?'-- CARL CRANKE - Ascot & Capitol openers ROGER GOLDTHWAITE - Wias Vallejo &/23 ASCOT MARK BRELSFORD - Poiat Leader - Dist, 3& DAYTONA GEORGE NEWSOM -125 mi, National E....o CASTLE ROCK RICH THORWALDSON - Ptaderosa H.S, 3/26 O/A GREENHORN JOE PYLE - R_, Nev, H,S. Open Expert MONTEREY CHARLIE HOCKIE, CHARLIE GATES, WILLOW SPRINGS BILL THORWALDSON, AL LAUER, GLEN COTATI CLINTON, JIM SAITONE - aad _e! • • • • • • • • • • • • • KENT, WASH. LUBE t. WIN - WITH i • • • • • • • • • • .-s UIDICAITS·I'O 101212, OUIIGWALE, Wlf• • .......... .; Two Trl1llllflh _ctnes ,rOYf. plenty of ponr ttl light tbe slick.