Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

Witb DO Class C r.aciDg coIiDC 011 S&tl:Iroay september 2. a group ot sportsman riders that ride out ot Heyser"s shop in LalB'el, Md.. talked me into going out to watcb them ride a sportsman short track, at Fredricksburg, Pa. Let me tell you that it was really something to see. And between the laughi ng and freezing I did ba ve a good time. Winter hasn't even begun here yet and it was colder than any California winter. They ran five different classes of Amateurs and five of Experts. There is no Novice class in sportsman racing here on tbe East Coast. Also, brakes were allowed to be used. ,Approximately three hundred riders rode and tbere were about four dozen spectators. I'm just going to hit on the higb spots of the evening, as I'm not familiar with tbe way tbey run sportsman events back bere, or witb the riders. Ed Varnes on a BSA won the 650cc. Ed is just about unbeatable in any kind of racing. The most amazing event of tbe evening was the 250cc Amateur. Tbe starting line looked like a road raoe. Would you believe thirty-two riders on the starting line for tbe main event? I couldn't believe my eyes. Tbere were only two ltuys scoring s.AMest (!l .... E••t field at 1M F~c*UllrL "a.. sperl_ tII.11 track .as lila lIall or ..l25CCII_.. positiool; UId a1ter tile race aboGt twellt7-ft e riciers aad pdt _ 8 were do tile UIroats ot tbese poor <:Iaed&~s tel.l.iDc them they were CI'I.ZJ' about wbo f1nisbed wbere. There was so mucb ~ing and cr.asbing all I could do was laU&b myself sick. I still dOll't know if they got anytbiDg straightened out in that race or not. In the 250cc Expert Billy Halweg did a fine job of staying away from the Novice short trackers and ended up with a tbird. That was pretty good oonsidering you have to try to figure out wben some rider will slam on his brakes from plain fear. To my kIlQWledge there was only one rider burt and that was Ron Petrella wbo got tangled up witt some other riders' foot peg. Jay Leaman. wbo is leading in points in his class, blew his Honda 9Occ, so he leaped aboard a 1750c Bultaco and rode the 200cc class and came uP witb a tbird. Jay is sixteen-years-old and bas been riding for two years. He can't wait till he is old enough to ride Class C. Another rider who impressed me was Pat Wilson. who was riding his first race of any kind. He rode a 175cc Bultaco and got a fourtb in his Main. All in all, I had a great time and bope to he able to make another of these sportsman short tracks soon. I P ESSIVE OPE I G FOR o EEVES PAU 0 DlstItIC:t1 .. arcIIltec:tI.. _ RM..a fatlll". a .... "r~ . . 11II •• _ IIIIt two _."'11"'" of II. _ Orange County Speedway found Mike Spitzer back in his old winning style, on Sept. 6th. Mike bad bad some trouble during the last several meets and hadn't been able to get .back in the winners' circle, but Wednesday nigbt things were dif- T Tbe elaborate opening day festivities at Norm Reeves' new Paramount shop, 15745 Lakewood Blvd., Paramount, Calif. were impressive indeed. Radio coverage, free giveaways and attendance by civic officials bighlighted the festivities. The &bOIl features 8000 SQuare feet of aircooditioned shoproom plus all the otheressentials••• parts, service, etc. Happy news for Cycle News photographer Dennis Greene (on hand to cover the event) came wben he was found to be tbe lucky winner of a grand prize drawing - and took borne a sparkling new red and white Honda 50. Now, at tbe many events be covers, Dennis can scoot to various photographic vantage points in style. ferent! In the 250cc trophy dasb be he followed Rick Woods for the first two laps and in turn three of the final lap got by Rick to receive the checkered flag. In the 2500c Main Spitzer bad a little trouble witt Jim Peterson and s.l1a. ...._ lIlIIadla It• . . , .. lila plutll _ P . . , or . _ ..... C*'GIIIOIII... wasn't able to get by him until the fifth lap of the 12-lap in Event. with Jim coming up second, followed by a ne ..comer to ACA sbort track racing, #60 Walt Fulton m on a Harley-Da vidsoD. Walt and Gary Calkins from Lakewood on a Bultaco fought over who was going to finisb third and fourth and throughout the race, swapped positions no less tban four times, with Fulton finally finished abead. Coming up in fifth spot and looking real good was Carl Sjolnnd on a Montesa. SIll S In the 100CC Main, Russ Robinsom was a little more fortunate and beat 1lut Dave Aldana, but Dave bad previously sbown his rear wbeel to Russ in the lOOCc Trophy Dash, winning it easily. Russ got out ahead in the Main, followed by Dave, and on the fourtb lap, Dave got by Russ on a boble and was able to bold the lead for four laps. On the eightb lap, Russ charged bard Gn Ibe inside and got by Dav to r ceive the checkered flag. line lOOCC macbines are still running on the short course and tte 2500c's and above perform 011 the larger one-quarter mile ciraui L The interest in the 250CC class as far as tile riders are concerned has been excellent, but w haven't been able to entice any of the larger macbines out on the bigg r course. Th quartermile aourse is very fast and smootb" whicb affords the 250' an ~portun ity to really operate. Maybe in the near future e can g t some 500Cc macbines interested. bIlt in the meantime, we ar still running 10000, 250ec. and any Open macllines lhat would like to come ilate. :ae..-a_ 0 to partie- 1Ai)

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