Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

• REPORT ON DISTRICT 35 SANCTION MEETING By Chuc k Rama ge The AMA District 35 (for mer ly 36A) .. ,. • .> • sanction meeting took place In Fresno, Call!. at Kearney Bowl on the 7th of January, 1968. The meeting was called to order at 9:45 a.m, by Hank Gendusa, District 35 referee. A roll call was taken and the following clubs were present: Fresno MC; Paso Robles Alrdales MC ; Lompoc SIc-pokes MC; Fresno County Road Riders MC; Merced MC; Sallnas Ramblers MC; Porterville Spinners MC; Cal Poly Penquins MC; Madera Explorer Post 305 MC: Madera Braves MC; Kings County MC; Cycllers MC; Tulare MC; Revellers MC; Pathfinders MC; Kern County Trallblazers MC; Atascadero MC; Sprockets MC; Oakhurst Hillbillies MC; Taft MC; and the Visalia Ramble rs MC. Mr . Gendusa then Intr oduced Wlillam T. Berry, Jr., Executive Director of the AMA. Len Allen, Dis trict 36 Commis sioner , and Red Owens , District 35 Commissioner. The meeting was then turned over to Mr. Berry who very calmly r ead a prepared statement explaining the new changes In the AMA structure , Mr . Berry carefully e xplaine d the new Competition Congress, the new National Point Sys tem for sportsman r iders, and the abolIshmen t of the District Commi ssioners . He said the Fe der al Anti - Trus t Law and the Cartwright Act of Call!ornia made the District Commissioner's office 11legal. Mr . Berry explained that District 35 could still have a "Commis s ioner" but that the AMA could not support him. Mr . Berry said that a r ider could not be forced to buy a sports man card and that all sportsman events would be open to anyone with just a valid AMA card. In almost the same breath Mr. Berry asked the clubs to vote for their repre sen tative to the new Competition Congr ess. A lively discussion followed in which the clubs said that they were not going to vote for anything untll he (Mr . Berry) answered a few questions about these new changes to the Districts. Mr. Berry said he would like to get the election over and then answer questions If he had time. A delegate from the Visalia Ramblers said the clubs wanted to get some answers first because they were not sure they were going to let the AMA abolish their Commissioners. A delegate fr om the Madera Braves asked Mr. Berry who would classlfy the r iders In the district If they no longer had a Commis sioner . Mr. Berry said that each club 's referee would classlfy each r ider for that day's event and anyone who did not have a card or who the referee did not know, would have to r ide the Expert Class. A heated discus si on foll owed this remark and then Len Alle n got up to speak. Mr. Allen said that new riders who did not want to buy sportsman cards would be a "great help" in the Expert Class. He went on to say that not only would this type of s ystem endanger the li ves of the Novice and Expert r iders but would also r uin the E x pe r t class and di scourage most of the new rider s . He sai d that he was agai nst any system that made Experts r ide with Novices. Mr. Berry answered this by saying that he did not think this would be a prob lem and that maybe ' the district could jus t "keep it quiet that r ider s do not have to buy cards, then everyone will anyway." It took 15 minutes to get order after that statement. A delegate fr om the Pathfinder s asked Mr. Berry why the District had to change when they had a workable system befor e . The s ame Pathfinder al so wanted to know why the AMA was telling the districts to change without asking the districts If they W ANTED the change. In a raised voice Mr . Berry said that he was doing us a favor by coming out to the Dis tricts to explain the new changes. " I could have jus t sen t out a bulletin fr om my Ohio office s tating the new system," said Mr . Berry. At this point In the meeting s everal clubs rose and stated that they wanted to withdraw fr om the AMA and start their own " Call!or nla Motor cycle Associa tion." The for ming of a new Motor cycle As sociation In California was then discussed at gr eat length. A delegate from the Visalia Ramblers then made a motion that the clubs hold onto the ir 1968 sanction fees and walt on the decision to pull out of the AMA until they found out what District 36 and 37 wanted to do about the new AMA changes . This motion was carried unanimously. A spec ial meeting Is to be held on January 21, 1968 In Visalia to decide whether District 35 will stay In the AMA. A delegate from the Mader a Braves asked Mr . Berry If District 35 could have a District Spor tsman Referee because Mr. Gendusa was too bus y with professional events to referee sportsman events too. Mr. Berry said that they might appoint a district sportsman referee In some Districts if needed. A heated discussion followed In which a delegate loudly stated that the Districts wanted to choose the ir own sportsman r eferee and not have him appointed by som eone in Ohio. Mr . Berry asked the group who they wanted to be their referee. Everyone agreed that it would have to be Red Owens . Mr . Berry said that If It would make everyone happy he would appoint Mr. Owens today to Dis trict 35 sports man r eferee, which he then did. Mr. Berry als o said that even though the AMA would give Red Owens support, it would be still up to the Dis trict to pay Mr. Owens. All the delegates calmed down a little after Mr . Owens ' appointment. An election followed that unanimous ly picked Marvin Heath (Sallnas Ramblers) as representative to the Competition Congr ess for District 35. A delegate fro m F resno Me , yours truly, asked Mr . Berry If anything was being done about an AMA branch offi ce on the West Coast. Mr . Berry said that the AMA did not have the funds 10 suppor t a branch office , that one was not needed and that a br anch office would have nothing to do out here. It was getting late so Hank Gendusa adjou rned the meeting for lunch. Mr . Berry did not r etur n In the afternoon so the time was spent constructing the 1968 District 35' s spor tsman events calendar. HI-JINX STAGES AWARDS .CEREMONY ....g 'l., By Joe T immon s Krc K r Get Your Kicks Coming & Going With HODAKA Southern Calif. Area Representative H.A. 'NELS' NELSON Phone (213) 243·1017 Glendale, Calif. No. Calif. 0 1strlbutor LEAVITT POWER TOOL CO. INC. 2265 Sunrise Blvd. Rancho Cordova, Ca lif. Phone (916) 635"6970 Designed & ImpDrted By PABATCO f C The annual HI-Jinx Awards Buffet gJ Dinner was held on December 10, 1967, ., at Brian Jenkins' Sports Center In Nor- ~ walk. The yearly assembly is des igned to honor those of the club who have ~ shown outstanding ablllty In competition t.:l r iding and organizational contribution to ~ club activities throughout the year. t.:l The competition high-point awards '-J were presented for earning the highest ~ number of points In the cl ub from the U competillve events durmg the year just past. First place award was graciously accepted by Frank Vallefuoco, who had even been sidelined part of the season by a knee In jury, Presented with second and third place awards were Bill O' Neill and Fred Mendez, respectively. The annual a c II v It I e s high-point awards are based partly on attendance, sponsorship, and other notable contributions to the club. For the second consecull ve year , Bud Denslow captured the coveted first place award, while his wife , Alic e , was awarded second place In this ca tegory . Third, Larry Welborn; four th, C.L. Macki e; flfth, John Welborn; stxth, Ray Carvajal; seventh, Steve Paul; eighth, Rod Sellers ; ninth , Tom Wal ton; tenth, Bennie 0' Neill . All made outs tanding effor ts thr oughout 1967. Over all contribution to HI- Ji nx Is awarded yearly In the form of the per petual high-point trophy. Each year It Is awarded to the one club memberwho has earned the greatest admiration and r espect of the other members of the club. Bud Denslow, also President of HI- Jinx for the pas t year , was presented with this token of the club' s appreciation for his outstanding wor k and contribution . This is his second year In a row to receive this trophy . Each year the trophy Is returned to the club to award to another deserving member. However , Bud did not los e possession of it this year . If he wins the trophy one more time, he will retain permanent possession of the award.

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