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
8ud~ Elmo,.. lorm., Daytona winner, rode • K.w.sa~ In tile 250cc event. So lid Ralpll WlIIt.. ,llIIt M11lad blm. It was the fi,st time in American reed racing history that an Amateur has defeated the Experts. Make that two Amateurs. It also gave the Yamaha brand a clean sweep in the four major AMA 250 road races tbis year. It was Pierce's first major win. Hammer and Nixon, the two prerace favorites were knocked out of contention early. Nixon took a spill at the end of the back chute at well over 100 mph but walked away after a 200-yard slide with only a cracked thumb. Hammer was plagued from the start with ignition problems but finally got running late in the race. Defending champ Cal Rayborn found that he was so short of horsepower in tpe heat race that he neve, brought his machine to the line for the final. The Amateur Big Bike Race Baumann and his fleet Honda 450 made it two in a row·; n National competition as he ran away with the 15-lap big bike race for Amateurs. Walt Fulton was an early challenger bu t dropped back with me chanical troubles as he did at Indy last month. Ron Widman, from Missouri. finally finished a distant second which gave him four straight times in four outings in the winner's circle this year in either second or lb," routes a_nd tile trlck1ll,st tum at the end 01 the lonl st'.lIIt, tallef! by Chuck IIn.rt (13), Dick lIann (2) and Jim Nicholson (21). third place. Ron Lacber finished third. The 250 Novice Race This was another Trophy Dash that was held on saturday. Over half of the field broke down or blew up before the heat race and main event were comple ted. Yamaha mounted Fumio Ito had to muster all of his previous ten years of Grand Prix experience to come from behind on the last turn to pass and defeat Yamaha-mounted Dave Allee. These two riders rode wheel to wheel and side by side from start to finisb with Allee holding a slight edge on the straightaways and Ito the master on the turns. lto is the same rider that introduced the Yamaha name to America back in 19511 at the last Catalina Island race. Allee rode his own machine, Ito was backed by sam Corona. It was a great two days of racing and the final National in the West for '67. The last National is at Oklahoma CIty next Sunday; the First national in'68 is at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas next February. (Results on page 20 & 21) Gary NI xon, vi clary In sllIIt, laps (58) D.llas Baker en rout. til the 101 do Promote, J.e. Ap)anlan. boldlnl tropIIy, coneralolates bapp)' 250Cc event wlnn., Ron Plerc. (197 as Art Baumann (165) secood by an .)'elash, and third place Dickie Newell (14) .,..... leu smile)'. How close caD 1011 pI? Nixon (9) and H....m.' (16) could .IDIOst be rllInl tand.. at this point, and swapped positions IlIllllOe,aD'e tI.,.s bef. . H._er exp.rlenced mechanical dllllcultles. llembe,s of tile bostlnl Playbo)'s IIotorC)'cle Club, wIlo abl)' bandl.d tile n.UnC .ad oil. assorted duties, line up lor a InlUP shot.