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/125524
Photo by Bill PeWc~w A fast, beaut1tU1ly prepared race track greeled riders for the 6th Annual AMA Class C balf-m1le event presenled by the Visalia Ramblers MC. at Tulare (Callf.) County Fairgrounds, saturdaY night, sept 23. In fact, throughout the entire afternoon practice session and the evening's rapIdly-paced 13-event program of Novice, Amateur and Expert races, notonerider fell - - a record of which the sponsoring club and officials can be justly proud. Held each year in conjunction with the Tulare Fair, the races attracted a full grandstand of SPectators, all of them enthusiastic in lbelr response to the all-out efforts of competing riders. CLEAN SWEEP TO MANN AT TULARE H.rl.,.ra_11lI John nbben (10) _ s..1. .ln ov., IlSA /llIIr D•••ln. K.et.r. Then KHler lDok 4l11, nbben 511I In III. Ibln E_t. Malter of III. Tul.r. h.lfomll .. Dick Ibnn 11I11I hi I BSA 10 lIlctorJln hli h..t r.ce, lb. Trvphl D ..... and th. 12-..p final. for the first time on a balf-m1le dirt Mann - All The Way track. outstanding among these was Tou&h luck rllllr of llIe .. 1III. ....r Ed SlIorl _ leal _I llIroqlIolIt tho ral of lb. plllar- • Noylce h..1 rac., Iben foil lIlcllm 10 moeh_ Number Two, Dick Mann, many times a Tulare winner In the past, made It a clean sweep this year. BSAmounted, the former Grand National Champion romped to resounding wins In every event he entered - - heat race, Trophy Dash and Main Event. Since the Amateurs and Experts rode a combined program, several top-notch yellow plates had a chance to show their wares against more experienced riders Lloyd Houchins (BSA), who won his heat race, was the only Amateur to make the final, and wound uP a respectable sixth. Other heats went to Mann, Shorty Seabourne (BSA) and Joe Messaros (H- D). John nbben (H-D) took semi-Main honors over De wayne Keeter for the last two transfer positions to the Main. Off the line at the start of the final, Mann zipped into the lead ahead of Jobnny lssacs (BSA) and seabourDe, with the first three spots rematniDg the same throughout the 12-lapper. But fourth place was another matter. Messaros appeared to have the posltioo sewed uP • • • unW lap seven wben nbben overtook him with such drive that Joe got out of shape and fell hack to seventh, behind Keeter and Houchins. Then nbben encountered an unexpected problem. His lett handlebar grip pulled loose, which forced him to hanf 00 by two flngers, then one lone digit, during the last laps. Keeter moved uP to fourth, but nbben manaced to hold off tast-closingHouchins for tU'th in the final rundown. Ware Wails "_I Off and ruonInC at lb. IUrl of lIIe _III00d AJnalour/E.".-t Ibln Evenl at Tul.,., Vlslbl••r. JlIIInD1luacs (U), UGl1d Houclllni (201) Joe (15), Jo'" 11.... (10) and . . .., Dick .... (2). ' NoVice action found a full field of eager youngsters doing battle on their 250'5. Oklahoma'S Danny Ware (H-D) was the top runner of the evening, wlnn1Dg his heat race, Trophy Dash and the lo-lap Main by a wide margin. H-D mounted Don Harms took secOlld over Wayne LiVingston (Ducati) and MIke Farrell (Suzukt). If they had been handing out bard luck awards. young Ed Short would surely have received one In the Novice ranks. After w1nn1ng his heat race In fine fashion aboard a Bultaco, the machine wouldn't start for the Dash. 'Ibenhegotabad start in the Main, came from balf ,lapbehlnd the pack, passed five riders In four laps - - when the bike blew. But, llke they say, that's racing. And there's always next time.... (Results 011 peps 20 &I 21)