Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

Story and Photos by John Shedd The Sidehack Association's fourth annual burro basb was a blast. It was one of those times wben everyone lets their hatr down and dedicates the day to havtng a good time. The flyer advertised a stdehack field meet, but It turned Into a sort of unorthodox, unbelievable observed trlals. The trials were a bit unconventional, but It tended to Intensify the fun. Besides, who ever heard of the Sidehack Association being conventional? The course was lal d out through a small hollow with a rocky stream running Its length. It was a bouncy, brutal, bike-busting ride at Its best, and In navigating the stream , the bikes more or less ricocheted from one slippery rock to another. The sidehack win went to Wayne Kragstie , Who was piloting with a not- yethealed br oken leg . His passenger was Lance Brown. The second plac e sldehack team was Mike Parti an d Jim Motfltt. The solo affair was handIed nicely by Dirt Digger member Charlie Bro wn, who lost absolutely no points on either of the two required laps . The second place solo rider was Doug Bingham. • . " ',. More activities had been planned, but after the trials there wasn 't too much daylight left and everyone was getting anxious to sink their teeth Into some barbecued burro. The burro was quartered and put Into a pit with hot coals and covered over with dirt saturday. WhenIt was retrieved from the pit on Sunday afternoon, It had been there alm ost twenty hour s . Plates were heaped with beans, salads and barbecue, and after you could hold no more, you went back for jus one mor e piece of burro. If you' r e looking for a swinging way to start the new year, see If you can capture an Invita tion to the Sideback Assocjadon-s !lith annual burro bash. .. " ,. .;. . . . • • • • -=- . .. ..~ ~ . .. .! All types of gyrations are necessary to compete In the sldehack dlvl slon, and th~ pa ;s;~ler' s chores are often more In demand at the rear of the rllthan aboard It. .~ . ~ •. For four years In a row, the Sidehack Association has tossed a burro bash and ~ft'; a ll the a etlon Is over, everyone feeds heartily on barbecued burro, beans and sa lad.' " ,it, ~f': ' I " ... ( t The rumble of racing activity beginning aft er the holldays with F res no s lating their flrst pro race Of the season this cornIng Sunday night, January 14 an Indoor short track. Right behind that come s the first Car ls bad sp or ts men road rac e of the year and the flrs t Daytona tuneup on Sunday, January 21s t. Then the opening TT at Asco t on Sunday, Feb. 4th. Shor t track- road race- TT. Three ID four weeks to get the new s eason underway. Entries for the Houston Astrodome National Indoor r aces close on January 20th and alread y a well r ounded ent r y Is as sured for the $6,000 pot. No novices, Amateurs and Experts only. With Houston and Daytona Just ar ound the corner the Ascot half- mile appears to be far away. Not so far that already many are busy getting ready and what may be the bigges t s ur prise Is tha t the number ODe Exper t mac hine fr om last season is for sale on the block. Gary Bray and Dan Haahy, the ....inning combination at As cot In '67 , have decided to change course and Gary Is offerIng the super fast BSAGold Star for sale . Dan and Gary teamed up late in '64 and with the machine DOW being offered they went on to win cl ose to 100 half- mlle events. Haaby has had less than six mechaniCal fa II u res with the machine over a three year span but when other opportunities knock chan ges come about. The machiDe carried Haaby to a record sixteen straight ' wins as an Amateur in ' 64 second place In the Expert standings at Ascot In both '65 and "66 and the top spot in ' 67 ~ The price Is more than right for the bike and all that goes with it and an prospective tuner or rider may get all the deblils by call1ng Bray at (213) 652-8044 In the West Los Angeles area • • r- lIustachlood lent and c1ear-ehomplnl pamt~r Wind their way through on. of the less deIIIlIndlne portions of the Sldlhack Ass'n. courM. .'. .. .... ... ... . -.. -. t ~ ~ c:. .... ;€ ~ Ol = iii ..., '" ~ ~ ~ ..,J '- ) ;;; Daytona . teams now r ounding out for the various brands and there will once again be some surprises. Add another top road racer to Califor nia with Cana dian ~e Duff soon to call Los Angeles his home. Mike will work for Cycle World magazine and continue to r oad race. Look for him to again be a Yamaha team rider at Daytona on March 16th and 17th. A r eport from the Mtdwest says that alrea dy ther e are a few promoters unhappy about the new $900.00 mlnimum purse that must be paid for half -mile eve nts for ' 68. It Is the flrst price 'Increase to the r ider s since '0 2 . Everything else bas gone up In recent years _ except purses for cycle r acing In the Midwest. Try and split $450.00 three ways and you will dis cover what many s o- called professionals have been racing for In recent years . Rider s are agai n reminded that If they are going to r ace at F'r esno, Santa Rosa and Ascot in the near future they ew must have the new '6 8 li cense . If a D rider does not know how to get one he sh ould start asking. It does n't happen over night. The AMA offlce In Ohio does have other things to be besides set by the mailbox and walt for Johnny Smith to send in his appli cation. The early Houston National will cause an even bigger r ush for the plates than has taken place In recent years when only an Ascot TT was tlie early bird. Cycle racer turned stock car driver, SWede savage, shoul d be one of the entries for the Motor Trend 500 at Riverside this month, Swede is still listed as a back-up driver but has the best equipment ID thefour-whee1edbuslness when they finally let him on the track. U ;.... U

• Cover