Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

-nlE VOICE OF CALlFDRIIIA· PnbUsller and AdvertismC MaDager 5enIng all . , West ••••••••••• Cbarles C. Clayton Business Manager•• Sharon Clayton Circ:ulation Mer••• Gaye Tbomasoo &411 N. L-e Beaell BI,e. Lilli Baa. Calif. _5 Dr: Btl _, LOll B " Calif.' P....e:42HUl (Area CHI 2lJ) F. . L.A. P.....a: 131-1844 Edil«•••••••••••• Carol Sims Pboto Editor••••• Dennis Greene Editorial Assistant-Robert Brad(ord Editorial stories, cartoons, photos, etc. are welcomed and will be paid for upon publication (except press releases and ·Voice· letters.) Addressed, stamped envelope assures return. Single ropy price ••• , •••• , 25¢ Subscription~ One year 2Dd class Published weekly except the first Mail •••••••••••••••• 57.50 and last week of the calendar year One Year First Class Mail•• $14.00 by C&S Publishing Co•• Post Office (Subscribers please allow lIIree Box 498, Long Beach, California. weeks (or address cbaDge.) second Class postage paid at Long Advertising rates and circulation Beach. Calif. information will be sent upon request. BY CHUCK CLAYTON IT WAS A BETTER YEAR The checkered flag on the front page of this issue wraps up another year for Cycle News and the 2-wheeled community. It was a great year for the most part. U.s. motorcycling got back on course, headed in the dght direction. The American Motorcycle Association took an unexpected giant step t~ ward truly representational self-government for motorcycle participants. In January, 1968 all the AMA clubs will have an opportunity to elect delegates tor their district to the new Competition Congre'ss of the ,AMA. The C.C., a body I am proud to share my initials with, will decide rule changes for the 1969 season. self-government is not a responsibility to be taken lightly. There will be those among us who will yearn for olden (present) days. when directives came from the dictators and there was nothing we could do about it. With the new Competition COngress, there will be something we can do. In fact, we'll have to decide everything for ourselves, -Big Brother- is dead. Whoever the delegates to this great new Congress are, 1 would like to offer them the se words: Nell II a C....ili•• CDIgIeSS Delegate Now you are entrusted with the responsibility of making sure every rider gets a faic'shake, whatever branch of the sport he participates in. You'll be expected to grant the wishes of the majority and at the 'same time protect the rights of the minority, You'll be abused, confused and amused. You'll be bitched at, bothered and bewildered. Sometimes you'll wonder if it is all worth it.. But remember that before you were elected, there were 4{) years 01 ooe-way govemmeot in the U.S. motorcycle sporL The riders had 00 say in making the cu1es by which the game had to be played. Without feedback, a system stands stilL As the rulers lost touch with the riders,they started to lose control, and the national unity of the sport was thceatened. It ts clear that there can't be good rules without representation. The appointed cuIers of the rulebook wisely recognized that democracy is the fairest way to unite the diverse elements of our sport.. So now their problems are your problems, ready or noL If you give up or fail to give it your best, we may end up with another set of dictators. So when you ask yourself, -Is it worth it?-, you'll know how George WaShington, Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt must have felt when they asked themselves the same question. I hope that your answer will be the same as theirs. Meet A.p.Man...C,cle News' New Ad Rep, T. Culp Advertising is the greatelt of the occult sciences. How else can you move a normal person to spend his money like you want him to with just words and pictures in a printed box? As magic goes, Advertising is of a very high order. Its practitioners are called .Ad Reps and they command instant respect wherever they work. Want your stock of motorcycles changed into cash money? Call the Ad Rep. Want someone to make tickets disappear? Or psyche the competition? Or build up your reputation? The Ad Rep is your man. Cycle News looked far and wide to find a proper acolyte to initiate into this arcane science. Thomas Culp is the chosen one. We have looked into his heart and found it pure - a fitting vessel for our potent lore. Tom Culp, 26 years old, was recently appointed ,Ad Rep for Cycle News, the Weekly Motorcycle Newspaper, replacing former Ad Manager Chuck Clayton, who returns to his publisher duties. Married and the father of one boy, Culp brings to the Ad Rep profession an understanding beyond his years. A popular scrambler, he was elected to office in California and Nevada motorcycle clubs. Surfing and printing are also part of his background. He comes to Cycle News directly from a job where he was foreman of a printing shop, so Tom should know his types. We solemnly bestow on Thomas Culp the cap and scepter of Wizard Ad Rep, empowered to perform minor miracles for less money and make attractive ads. So promise them anything, but sell 'em our page, Tom. Your words are fully backed by the powerful mystique of Cycle News. the magical motivator of the motorcycle milieu. DlSTRlO 37 COMPETITION NUM8ER APPUCATJONS NOW AT CYCLE NEWS DEALERS Riders in AMA District 37 (most of Southern C a 11 for n i a) who want to ride sportsman competition this coming season may pick UP Sport Rider Competition Card ap p Ii c a t1 0 n s at any motorcycle dealer where Cycle News is sold. A shipment of 3,500 application blanks went out with bundles of the newspaper delivered to Cycle News dealers last week. Fill it out according to instructions and mail it with the number fee to the representatives for your branch of com- petition and YOU'll be assigned a competition riding number for 1968. The district Sports Committee will keep track of your poi n t s earned in races during the 1968 season. Earned points will help you get a lower number the following year . If your dealer is out of applications. you may obtain one by enclosing a sel!addressed, stamped envelope with your request to Dist. 37 Number Application, c/o Cycle News, Box 498, Long Beach, Calif. 90801. WHERE WILL IT ALL END? I bave been around racing and racers for 6 years and I'd like to see things the way they used to be. Motorcycling and racing is becoming so political. What is lIIe great need, all of a sudden, to bicker over so many small thir;gs lhat don't even make any difference? It used to be, go race and bave fun, go borne and talk about the great time till the nen race. Now, all the fighting and fuss over so many different associations and rules is making it bard to enjoy. Belong to the AMA, AFM, FIM and all the others. Why? Let's work for ONE association to govern all racing. Maybe two diVisions, ONE pro and ONE 1UIl&teur, but ONE group of rulemakers and ONE set of rules. NANCY DAlLEY Bellflower, Ca11f. BEST RUN IN YEARS The Victors M. C. would like to thank lIIe San Gabrtel M,C, for one of the best run, best-laid out races in recent years, the Barstow to Vegas run. Even the wealller was on your side, rain the previous week and perfect day for racing. Only a Club of your size and stature could overcome lIIe obstacles inherent in tbcowing a 192-miJe race througb two states. Not only was 1IIe course well marked, but lIIe roads to 1IIe pit areas were well marked, something very much appreciated bY-the wives who bad to find them. The course covered a terrific variety of terrain and was truly a race of Na·tiona! Championship caliber. THE 'VICTORS MOTORCYCLE CLUB OPEN LETTER TO CYCLE NEWS I fully agree with the open letter to the Los Angeles Times, by D,L, Roberts, printed in your Dec. 14, issue, but, you sbould look througb your own paper before you carry a letter like that, I baven't found one word about the Englisb Trials, Dec. 3, 1967, that was put on by the S.C.T.A" at Little Rock. If I remember correctly the S c 0 tt ish Trials, a few weeks earlier wasn't covered ei ther, nor the English Trials before that. So, I, would suggest that you get on the ball, or, choose the letter you print. Let us see something else about the Trials other than in the Calendar of Events. You bave the best motorcycle paper on sale, now, let's make it complete. RUSSELL L. WASSELL Arleta, Calif. (-Your wish is our command. sir. See this issue lor coverage of the Little Rock Trials, and more will be (orthcoming in the ru lnre.-) A GOOD SPORT... There 15 a man by the name of John Hendrix who bas been ri~ desert and some sportsman n's. His number 15 357. He is a fine rider and competitor. John is 36 years old and a father of two children and the manager of Honda of Glendale. Just yesterday (December 3) at an event at Ponderosa, John was running well uP front with the bike running great when be came upon several fallen riders wbo needed some medical attention. He did as much as be could to help them and then remounted and went back into the pits. flying across terrain that was not limed. John must bave known that if be feD and was hurt he would be in big trouble, but he took the shortest route. When we first saw him, the leaders were coming in on the fir st loop to the rigbt of him. 1 don't think any of them could bave made it across the desert as John did. He got to the pits, told officials, and then got into the am buJance and took them to the injured riders by way of some dirt roads whicb saved precious time. Had there been a critically injured rider lhis could bave saved bis llle, but the worst of the injuries was a broken leg. The rider was worried about his bike and John told him not to worry, that he would ride it to the pits if it was rideable or push it if necessary. Also John was the post entry at Hopetown who paid $100 to ride the ()pen Novice class, this 15 the main reason for this letter. John started in 54th position, by the end of the first lap be was rUD.D1ng 15th place. By the third lap be was in 8th place. He was going tbcough the mudbole like the Europeans. feet on the pegs, not even a bobble once. What nobody knows is why John did not come around on the fourth lap. He stopped to help a rider again who was stunned and in a dangerous position. After aiding this man John got back on his bike and the throttle was banging open, probably because during the time when he was belping the other rider some mud from the mud crossing bad dried out. John tried to ride with the kill button but kept faJllng. When he got back to the pi ts all be said to his pit crew and friends was that the throttle was sticking wide open and that he just got Ured. When asked later about no mention in your paper be said not to worry about it, there were a lot of top guys there. Who knows a man like this? ONE OF HIS MANY FANS Glendale, Calll. ...AND A BAD ONE I bope you will print this. I want to issue a cba1Jenge to the would-be shoe who hit a kid at the Ponderosa Ranch, December 3. I understand be took the time to yell at him, but be dido't bave time to see if be bad burt the kid. As a rider in the desert I understand the chances of getting burt when riding. But when you see someone get hit, or hit them, you should see if they are burt and the average desert rider will do so. But every so often these pit racers come along and make it look bad for everyone. l! this "shoe" (?) wants to play bang the wheels sometime I will be glad to take him on. My number is HOx. DESERT RiDER Redondo Beach, Calll. BIG TEACUP RESPONSE I wish to thank you tor patting my letter in your November 23rd issue, also I wisb to thank Cycle News for the interest shown in regards to the small bike classes and the interest your paper baa shown towards the road race events. The reaction to the announcement I made in Cycle News was real good, in fact we did not bave to bave a meeting, things were taken care of by pIlone and mall. Your paper must get around as I received mall from other places than just here from our local riders. SmCHAMBERS Long Beacb, Calll, TIME TO INVADE The invaders motorcycle club will be open for new membership frO{Il January through February 1968. This is a desert competition A.M.A. and District 37 sanctioned club. We are looking for serious riders and competitors, desert only. Contact address below. HARRY E. BURTON 1252 So. Magnolia Ave. #3 Los Angeles, Calll. 90006 Phone; (213) 383-3691

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