Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

"THE VOICE OF CAUFORIIA 1 StnIIlI allllle lest PllbUsbet' and Adver1lsiDe Muacer ••••••••••• C~e c.c~"Editorial storles. cartoon"photos. BulltDess Manager•• Sharon C~" etc. are welcomed and will De paid Clrc:ula/.ion Mer••• Gaye Tboma_ for upon publication (except press Editor. • • • • • • • • • • • Carol Sims releases and ·Voice· letters.)AdPbolo Editor. • • • • Dennis Greene dressed. stamped envelope assures Editorial AsststaaLBobert Bradford return. &411 N. L.-g Beaell Bly," Advertlsille Asst. • Lynn LlUlCaster SiDde copy price ••••••••• ~ L. . Calif. . Subscription: ODe year 2nd class Published weekly except the first Mail •••••••••••••••• $7.50 Or. Btl., LIlIC Beaa, Calif.' and last week of the calendar year ODe Year First Class Mall•• S14.88 by C&S Publishing Co., Post Office PMlec UI-OUl (Subscribers please allow lllree Box 498, Long Beach. California. (Ana CHe2U) weeks for a~ss cbanee.) second Class postage paid a t Long Advertising rates and circulation Beach, Calif. F. . L.A........s: . . . . . information will be sent upon request. Bel. BY CHUCK CLAYTON THE SQUEEZE PROFESSIONAL RACERS ARE CAUGHT BETWEEN LOW PURSes AND LIMITED PROMOTION When samuel Gompers back In the 1890's was asked what the labor movement wanted, Gompers, Its founder, replled simply, "More:' I! the professional motorcycle racers of this nation were asked the same question, most of them would probably answer the same. For wbUe the cost of everytbing In the U,S. bas been steadily rising, racers' earnings everywhere but in the west have stayed at the same level they were pegged at In 1935. Minimum purses set by the A,M.A, range from $300 to a maximum of $2,500. Various reasons have been given for the poverty level at which professional purses have' been kept. Promoters on the borderllne of competency may decide It Is not worth putting on races If the purses were b.lgber. Bigger prize money might encourage professionalism, making It more ditficultfor the begInnlng racer to compete. It bas even been argued (although not lately) that the motorcycle sport bas to be kept small, lest big-time promoters get interested and take It C/Ver with their big-time money. In Southern California's giant Dlslrict 37, professional racers, working with the AMA and promoter J,C, Agajanian, insisted on, and got, purses amounting to 40% of the gate on non-National Championsbip events, such as Ascot's regular Friday night flattrack and once-a-month TI"s. This bas resulted in total purses for the season being about $11,000 bigber than they would have been, had they raced on a flat-purse basis (3-star, $600), according to DIstrict Referee Bert Brundage. Nevertheless, the long Ascot season causes a tapering-off of the gate receipts about this time every year. Promoters are less than eager to pump thousands of dollars into extra publicity to keep the crowds up, knowing that forty cents out of every dollar spent at the gate will wind up In the riders' pockets. Riders and tuners seem to back off too, hesitating to let It hang out that extra bit, or to rebutld the old engine when they know that winning Is hardly worth It when the stands are half-empty. LONG BEACH INDOOR-- A Ca.se In Point Last year a new promoter organization came on the DIstrict 37 scene with what promised to be new talent and new energy to devote to building the sport. Trojan Enterprises, headed by Don Brymer and Bob Dowis put on a winter season of short track races at the Long Beach Arena that started off very successfully. Running for the customary 40% purse, the riders divided up $3,000 for one night's racingthat's bigher than the minimum for a 4-star mile dirt track meet. Everyone was happy except the promoters. They had mounted a jewel of a show, packed the grandstands, and yet their profit, after all the expenses were deducted, was considerably less than they anticipated. The Dlslrlct liked the show that Trojan put on and wanted to keep them happy, so several concessions were made to help them turn a profit during the season. But the 40% purse agreement could not be altered. ThIs was an agreement made between the AMA and the Dlslrict 37 professional riders' association, Motorcycle Racers incorporated. Trojan was half-promised the 1968 Indoor National Champlonsbip, but when the Houston Astrodome promoters showed an interest in putting on motorcycle races, It was given to them. Now It Is time for the Southern California Indoor season to start again, and the Trojan promoters 11atly refuse to put on another race for a 40% purse. '!be AMA will probably refuse to Issue them a sanction for any less. So Long Beach Indoors may run without an AMA sanction this year, for a flat purse. I! the name riders race there, J,C. Agajanian may feel justified in expecting them to race in bis shows for less also. Thus the hard-won 40% purse may go up the cb1mney in DIstrIct 37 just at the momllnt when professional racers are Irylng to get the same deal for the whole United states. It is a problem that would tax the wisdom of Solomon. '!be problem Is further compllcated by the fact that the AMA granted a sanction to Agajanian for a fixed-purse sbort track last season. Trojan Enterprises tried running sportsman sbort track at South Gate Speedway recently but even without 40% purses their profits were too small to continue. Wbat is the answer? How can you get more money for the men who risk their necks doing such fabulous racine and yet encourage the promoters to promote? Hardly anyone wants the AMA to lose a good promoter and all of us want more races, more chances for professlooal riders to earn a good llving. It certainly seems clear that the minimum purses llsted In the AMA rulebook need to be reviewed Immediately with substant1a1increases voted in for next year. And they should be reviewed every year thereafter to keep minimum purses In llne with the bigher costs of racing. THOSE SNEAKY SNIPES In the October 12 Issue of Cycle News and the issue preceding, I noticed announcements of a snipe hunt sponsored by California City. My reason for writing is twofold: first to find out if there Is a difference between Northern CalIfornia snipe and Southern California snipe?; and second, since 1 have some experience In hunting Northern California snipe (which can be found in the foothllls Immediately surrounding Mt. Diablo), I would llke to share some snipe-bunting techniques. The most commong method used for catching snipe Is with a burlap sack because the sack can be more quickly closed when a snipe enters. A paper shopping bag seems to be more attractive to the snipe however. The problem with the shopping-bag method, though, Is that the bag is difficult to close. Several of the Northern California snipe have been caught by using the shopping bag, but they seem to get out of the sack before they are observed. Perhaps If the closing-of-the-bag problem can be solvved the shopping bag would be the best. In the matter of choosing a proper flashllgbi, one must be very careful. The best choice would be a small plastic pen llght, However, il a large flashllght Is used, It should also be plastic. It seems that reflections from the metal frighten snipe. The best possible choice (unless the area where the hunt occurs Is brushy) would be a candie. The solt fluttering flame 01 the candle arouses the curiosity 01 the snipe. My advice is predicated upon the fact that the habits of the Northern and the . Southern California snipe are not too d1fferenl. According to Webster's dictionary, a snipe is a long-billed bird similar to a woodchuck. My experience Is that although in Southern California they appear to be- a small furry animal, they are actually bird. The Southern CalIfornia misconception may be caused by their fleetness, '!be description in your newspaper makes me think they are not different. I hope that the above comments bring success to some lucky hunters. JOHN W, BENGSTON Compton, California family and know that be leaves a void that would be Impossible to fill. So loog to a swell guy that gave his all to the sport he cherished so much. Very Truly yours EARL E. ROLOFF '!be Experts M.C. San IXego, Calif. TRIBUTE TO TRAVIS LAST CHANCE TO san Diego County lost a Iremendous amount ot color with the passing of Travis Petton 1/46x at the cecent Ascot TI' event. I am sure that as I write this with a lump in my throat that I express the beartfelt feelings of all of the sportIng and professional riders and spectalors in this area. ThIs man was an enthusiast with a capital "E" and was usually that extra spark of fire that made any event he participated in this area a very huge success. Rising through the sporting "TT" ranks, be emergedin a very sbort period of time as "1!Ie" rider to beat on the local sporting scene, His professional endeavors were also qulte successful as several h1gb inisbes In the longer TI' events at Ascot were amoog his many accomplishments. Never too aloof or tired to help the youngsters, he had a tremendous followIng of fledgllngs in the Poway area. Be devoted many hours to belplng theae youngsters get started in bis favorite pasttime of motorcycllng. We send our sincerest condolences to his wife and EXPRESS 350 VIEWS! The r e _ e 10 lIIqaJr1es for op1DIons on lIIe ....-sed 350Cc limit 011 professiooal AMA dirt track racllle bas been graUfylDe lIIdeed. Lettet's have beea _rine in flOlll all over UIe U.s. Motorcycle beet's, Inc., lIIe Soulllem Calif. Riders wbose Board of Direclors 1Dclade Sammy T_r, Blll As.. Heins, GaIY Bray, C. R. AxtelJ and AI Gallter. requests 1IIat lUlYone wbo basa't yet writteD 10 ellPl'eSS b1s views do 80 OW, so that all lIIe acc......ted __ tedal ca.a be preseated IG AlIA C__ peUUOD Coaaittee _bers before U1elr lQICOIIIiDe meeUag. The M.B.I. asks 1IIat all OPWOIIS be sent 10 M.B". Board of Directors, 38 W. Neece St., LoDe Beacb, Callf. 9OllO5. The deadllae for ma11 Is midnlcbt Oct. 21, so get out tbat peD! LEGISLATIVE NOTEBOOKS By Barbara Dabms Most legislators feel a responsibility for Irylng to pass laws wisely. (The legis. lature California, for example, mak~s a considerable effort to keep Informed). But many seem never to consider their own responslblllty _ that of not passing laws wbich are not Iruly required. Laws governing private conduct swell the legal code, burden enforcement, and create a general attitude of disregard lor all law because they are not properly the concern of government. The belmet law involves a matter of very private conduct! That of personal salety, which Is, If anything Is, a matter of individual concern. Yet It is a part of the code of many states at this time. A studY of a typical Southeastern state will demonstrate the over-zealousness of some legislators. BID All Motorcycles The author of this bill Is a medical doctor. He Is also a member of the leg1s1ature. Be apparently belleves in all bonesty that a motorcycle Is comparable to a submachlne gun In Its lethal capacity. He Informed me, as he had previously informed his fellow legislators, of the terrible accident cases be had treated as a result of cycle injuries. He was the center of a group of doctors In bis city who all seemed quite certain that riding "one of those things" was playing roadside Russian roulette. With federal money as the lever, he organized his blll requiring crasbbllrs belmet, windshield, or goggles (for passenger also). ' The bill was duly Introduced, passed committee with no public bearing, was argued "on the floor" with a dramatic presentation by the author of grim and grtsly slldes of accident victims and gruesome descriptions of same, and was passed with three opposing votes. It then moved to the other house where it met some opposition but was passed. In three weeks from start to f1nIsb It was signed into law. Two months after the effective date It still had not been enforced state-wide. Some localities say they plan not to enforce It at all, others with modifications. The Department of Safety considers It an unfortunate law...passed hurriedly and without proper studY. The author bimseU reported cbeerfully, "We passed It over the bead of the Commissioner of Safety. He didn't want It." Yet the Commissioner and bis department are charged with setting standards and handling enforcement. Dealers throughout the state are unhappy with the law. In spite of increased sales of helmets and crashbars, It bas hurt business generally. '!bey are concerned about further reslrlctions whicb may follow at the next session. (There bas been talk of banning motorcycles from the freeways.) They insist dealer unity might have prevented Its passage. "Nobody did anything." they say of each other. "Nobody was for it but nobody did anything." He Never Rode One r asked the bill's author If he was disturbed at the idea of taking away personal liberty and he said, "I! people don't have enough sense to protect themselves there have to be laws to protect them." I sald, "How about the 75% of automobile fatalities caused by bead injuries? How about helmets for everyone in an automobile?" He agreed. "That's probably a good idea, too." Bothe admitted It wouldn't pass because too many people were involved. Still be denied he was discriminating against a minority by forcing his protection on cyclists. He was quite uninformed as to the very conlroversial Ideas about a good helmet, feeling as most non-riders, that "Any helmet 1S better than none••.even a football helmet." He wouldn't discuss the fact that a damaged helmet can be a greal hazard. (His bill makes no provision for Inspections of any sort.) He was reluctant to discuss any factual questions but kept repeating, "If you had seen what 1 have seen," and described another case. He would have llked to slay bis dragon, I am sure. I asked bim about a statement credited to him ••• "I would close every motorcycle dealer In the state If it would save one llfe." "I don't remember If 1 said that or not:' be replled. "'!be question I am most often asked in connection with this bill Is "Why didn't you abolisb them?" "Abollsh what?" "Motorcycles••.or at least a license to ride one." ' 1 asked him then if he had ever ridden and he said, "No. I've never been on one. My cousin bas one and I almost took a ride once a few months ago, but I knew as sure as I got on that thing I'd get hurt." ThIs is tile caliber of opposition that we face.

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