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/125542
Off and running allhe slarl ollhe 250cc GP fina l, and Ron Pierce (97) leaps Inlo a commanding lead, never to be headed. The 18-year-old Bakersfield whiz kid and his Yamaha were lollowed by #66 Walt Fulton (Kawasaki ) and #14 Fuml o It o (Yamaha) to the checker. "C ::r Q S '" ,.) . .; AD ~ Ran Pierce's palenl number 97 Yamaha Is sponsored and prepared by Mel Dlneson's shop In Bakersfield. L eader lor Iwo laps ollhe Open Class final, Eddie Wirlh (84) pushed hard bul had 10 sellie lor second 10 sensati onal Jody Nicholas. Both were aboard 65Ocl: BSA twins. The Playboys MC opened thei r third season of sportsman road racing at Carlsbad R aceway, near Carlsbad, Calif., and p roduced a surprise visito r and overall winner . Mak i ng his first west coast road race appearance was former Daytona, L ac onia and Meadowdale National champ, Jody Nicholas . The Dixie Dandy is now stationed in the Navy Air Corps in San Diego and was in competition fo r the f i r st time since Daytona '66. Jo dy shook of! the cobwebs in practice aboard a 650cc BSA tuned by Don Vesco and was back i n winning fo rm by race time . The former Tennesse e r ace r wal tzed around the course in near-record Haye Your Hodaka Set Up To Win By EDDIE CROWELL times and won all three of his races with the old smooth Nicholas style. Eddie Wirth was the challenger in the early laps but cou ld not hol d Jody at th e end of the 100 mph straightaway . The Navy Ensign was dri ving deeper into the turns . First appearances were not llmited to Nicholas, however. Johnny Apple entered the Floyd Emde Suzuki 500cc twostroke into competition for the first time and after working out the "bugs" wheeled in into second place In the 500cc class. Ralph White was on one of the factory "team" Kawasaki 350'5 and won th e class with room to spare over Hondamounted Jim Chen. The al ways hotly contested 250 class saw two team Kawasakis and two team Suzukis on hand. The Suzukis of Dick Ham m er and Ron Grant both ended up I n the pits before the day was ove r . Pacing the class was 18-y ear- ol d Ron Pierce on the Mel Dineson -tuned Yamaha . Ron picked up three more wins to r un his streak to five wi thou t a l oss ••• the l ongest on the books for Carl sba d. Walt F ulton put up a game try on one of the team Ka wasakis but it was Pi er ce all the way every tim e out. Fumio I to gave F ulton a r un fo r th e trophy In the 250cc final but finished a cl ose lhlrd. Up and com i ng Novi ce Don Emde l ooked fas t and smooth to finish in fourth. Amat eur dirt trackers Rick Durkee and Blll Cody were on band. It was the first time for Durkee who finished third in the 250 cc production class before com ing up with engine troubles in the 650Cc main event. Cody took a long sliding crash in the 175cc heat race but returned to win the !inal and his first road racing trophy. • 1 3HI1. f,Ml: T1 ,. \ St,hln, Steel F.ullt' 1 ,.,11 Qlrlltll Shoek. 1 set O,I.Ml 'lNts 1 'M ."eI 1 Sill Day'•• I.,. u. • 2 St_ 1 C_NlI LA.... • 1 bt• • Ca ll · l . ... ~~e-... MMd : ~ t':'::lt;::.:"" ".cUt • l lillollllbw ~, .. .,.11 • 1 e,._11 TIIII'" '"Ip. • 1·11" front WIlt>.1 • 1-1/1 Tllm n'I"le • 11(111 '.tt.. • 1 Iobbt' "J" Air CI . . • 1.21111111 C.,.,...,... C..,'lUI 1U 1 • 1 e,._I I "t hll 10427 Prairie , Inglewood Phone (213) 673-5562 -. ~ - All c lasses were represenled I n Ihe Carlsbad AMA sporting evenI, Including under-250 GP rnachi nes ( shown), Production bikes, a large 250cc GP fie ld, and combined races for 350-500 and Open Class campelltors. Lelt Fumla 110, road racer with 10 years 01 European Grand Prix road racing experience who now calls Anaheim home Is Involved In , pre-race confab. Below: Ito In action an his Yamaha, and he wound up third In the 250cc Grand Prix final. KASUMI Oil In the rider-to-watch department It was young M ike Lane on a Hodaka 90 EXTRAS • • • • • ." DesigJIed Exclusively for air cooled engines. lbWca Headqtafels • I1h1k. s,rtltUC • 1 n Od7 Jte.- Tlr. - ii The ONL Y all specifi cally made lor 10,000 plus rpm perfo rmance. Distributed Nationally by KASU I OIL CO. M 251h Ave. San Maleo. Calli. Phone - Area Code (415) 585-6240 or 771-4535 FOR DEALER INFORMATION who nearly upset the !ie1d while competing against machines up to and i ncluding 200Cc bikes. Mike beat them all in the first heat and was leading the second heat when he fell of! on the final lap. • • •• • • • ••• •• • • • • • • • It Fi t t run Ai r Fit ters, J udson Prods. .. It F ranci sc o Ca s toroi t , Dn-shde , Fi- It .. ~ Ias s tanks & se ats, .John Cooper & .. It Ri ~ John Boo I s. All Available From .. .. SIM PSON MOTORS 4210 San Fernanda Rd. Glendale, Calif. 91204 .. .. (213\ 247·3068 .. .. .. It It ***** ** .**** *.**. ~*