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/125555
... .... FRIGID '" "" '" 0.- FAST AND FRANTIC CO ~ .... "" ~ '" ::;; u:l ~ kl (O r A Cold Day At Sprockets Park) ~ kl -J U ;... U Ih' E mie W inslow With the weather colder than a starter's heart when he points to the back row and means Cor you to go there, the only thing that resembledheat was the hotly contested events at Sprockets Park in Bakersfiel d, Cah], Sunday, March 17. A fe w tempers might have r i sen a degree or two at the rider 's meeting when r ef eree Don Hughes announced the 90cc Amateur- Expert program . The question was brought up as why it was not called 125cc class. Inasmuch as the bantamweight class begins at 0 and breaks at 125cc and you can' t move these bikes i nto th e lightweight class yqu ei th er have to r un them all together or send some of the riders home . Last race the bikes were handicapped as to size through out the program and the gener al consensus of all riders regardless of bike sizes to thi s was unfavor able . So after l engthy discussi on it was decided ( which the r eferee explained patiently at the beginning) It was the bantamweight class and at times there would be 80, 90, 100, and even 120cc bi kes co mbined toge the r to make a class . It was th en called to the r i ders attention by th e r ef er ee that all mac hines wi ll be r equir ed to have rubber covers on th ei r footpegs, brake levers, shifting l evers and kick starter s (TAPE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED) and three correct numbe r plates . As of March 17 all ma chines tha t do not comply with th ese r ules will not be allowed to compe te. So all riders note this as to eliminate any possible confusion next r ace day . The 90cc Novice program found Ron Typer and a moving Moto Beta turning in a flne r id e to win the fi rst place gold with Bri dgestone m ounted Jay Davis pressing all the way fo r a close second. Th e bantamwei ght amateur-expert go found three 120cc Kawasaki's parade acr oss the finish line. F r ank Roseberry served notice on brother Joe that all good things mu st com e to an end as F rank took home the xpert trophy. A mateur Dave Sprayberry dogged the Roseberry brothers all th e way to sew up the amateur honors. Expert Mi ke Lane and amateur Jeff Johnson both r i ding 90cc Hodakas rounded out the class. The 200cc events foun d the 175cc Bridgestones zapping th e usually dom i nant 200cc Bultacos. I n the novice class Ron Tobey started things out with an easy wi n with Rick Blake following suit to pi ck up the expert affair. Bultaco mounted John Dock er of Santa Barabara made the long haul to Bakersfield pay off as he ruled supreme in the amateur event wi th Guy Smith of Taft also Bridgestone mounted taking home a seco nd place trophy. Herschel Spurlock riding a 238cc Kawasaki outlasted Howard Howell of Paso Robles on a C- Z to win the 250cc Novice bash. Randy Col by and his steady Harley picked uP third place award as the riders in this class were out in full force as usual. The "Bultaco Brigade" invaded the amateur part of this class as the first four places went to "Buls". Tracy Bright of Taft took the number one honors with TIar e' s Jim Keener a close second . After l osi ng a cnain in the second moto-cross Midge Gr iffi th really rung the trusty Ducati all out to prove again that he's head "honcho" of the 350 novices . The 500cc novice event found Ed Swortfiguer returning to action after a layoff proving that he stlll can herd his Honda with the best of them . Mike Middleton of Mendota gave fair warning to the open novices and amateurs of things to come . This novice showed fine form after moving up fr om the llghweight class as he beat the am at eurs wi th comparative ease . Ji m Mc Cr acken of F resno l ed the open exper ts around the track wi th A l vin Gr iffith aboard his " snortin" Norton i n hot pursuit of Ji m ' s fine ruani ng Tri umph. Th e honeymoon was over for Bob Leppek . After having his own way as an amateur for six straight races that m ean old man that carries those diff erent colored cards in his hip pocket whipped the expert one on Robert and he had to ride hard to salvage a third place. Rick Ellsarraras (somebody pl ease ni ckname this guy " th e Lizard" because that 's easy to spell) w-as In contention all the way wi th hi s s ty le of riding that only comes f r om many hours of flattracking at which Rick excells so well. But on the last go around the high winds that were blowing dried the track out just enough to l ose I ts cushion and Rick wound up seated on the track wi th a grin on his face and a BSA on his lap. Randy Smi th (178) leads the pack around tum one al Sprockets Park In Bakersfl eld, only to be out.powered down the straightaway to take an eventual filth place finish In the 100cc Amateur/ Exp_t event. PACESETTER Aboar d his hot little Kawasaki. Frank Ros.. berry (43) copped fir st place honors In the 90ce Amateur/ Exper t class. Th e next r egular event at Sprock ets Park I s s cheduled for Ap r il 21. This wi ll be a day race wi th practice beginning at 10:30 with the fir st race at noo n. The annual Tri-state is May 5 which wi ll be a post entry affair. Entries wi ll be sent to all r i ders who have r ode the Bak ersfield sc rambles in th e last ye ar . Any rider who i s in doubt as to receiving an entry may write to the Sprockets Motor cycle Cl ub, p.O. Box 6132, Bak ersfield Califor nia . If a rider does not have his pos t ent ry in , he wi ll be able to si gn uP on race day but It will be a $5.00 fee. Th e amo unt of the post entry fee will be $3.00. This will be one of the finest programs presented by the Sprockets as -arded $800.00 worth of trophies will be aw for this event. ( Results on page 16) A.C.E. Trajan Speedway April 5, 1968 Speedway RIM I Sf lOOcc Sr. Class DALE HOPKINS 1st 100cc Jr, Class GARY McKENZIE .lACK Dlltrlbuted by: AMERICAN COMPETI1l0N ENGINEERING 163 S. Fairfax Ave.Los A ngeles. Calif. 90036 For a first-hand demonstration of HODAKABILITY, visit your dealer for a free test ride. n .-.1'.......o --""'co Fortlwt dealer .1'....... • nearest you .write: - HOll'" , HOI"'" r ' .0. lOX 227 ATMENA. OUGON 97813 HOII'''' lUll)''', II onvj, , - t rrrrrr HIlII'''\ HOIl\"\ HOi' If , -