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/125557
THE FINISH LINE .,. BOXY ROCkWOOD The turnout for the half mile at San Jose last Sunday must have been a r ecord for that track with the entry list right at the 200 mark. The event mayor may not serve as a door -opener for the rest of the state but the season is underway. This Sunday it's road racing at Carlsbad Raceway and trom the looks of the road racing list there will be more than enough for the riders who grew up on dirt to learn the art of pavement poundIng, With Carlsbad, Orange County, and Willow now r unning at least once a month with three different organizations there will be more than enough reason to obtain a road racing machine, regardless of the size of engine. Quite a few riders haveobtainedAmateur and Expert professional licenses from the sportsman ranks on the basis of their road racing experience. These are riders that want to road race in the professional ranks only and pass up the dirt track events. The Carlsbad events are patterned after the professional races that are held at Daytona, Laconia and indianapolis each year and this Sunday, plus May 12th, will afford new and old riders alike two chances in the near future to get some added exper ience and more equipment ebecks for the two big ones coming up In June and August in the East and Midwest. The pit gates down at Carlsbad open this Sunday at 9:00 a .m, and clos e a t Noon. Race time Is always at 1:30 p. m, Practice from 10:00 a .m , to 1:00 p.m. The Carlsbad people have again come up with a once -a-month sportsman schedule that will run the rest of the year . eUL-Te:lCC For Your N earesl"Built'TO'Go" Dealer Call TR. }·2400 or PO. !HJ441 Getting back to San Jose, the race last Sunday was also a special aWlU"d day for former top-notch Expert Larry Headricks . Larry was a victim of World War Two in that he was not able to ply his skill during the battle years and had to cram a full racing career Into about five short years. His last season came in 1950 when he won three National races, a high for a sing le rider that year. He won them all on the mile tracks at Springfield, Ill., Milwaukee, Wisc. and Bay Meadows r ight here In Calif. This gives current r iders something to shoot at this year as there are three mile tracks slated for '68 at Portland, Sedalia and sacramento. Bart Markel came the clos es t to Headrlcks' record when Bart won both the Springfield and the sacramento events In •62. There were only two mile track Nationals that year • It is time now to bring down the curtain on " The Finish Line" column after many years. Due to a challenging new occupation for this writer It also means a curtailment of mueb of the race announcing, 'als o. The past eleven years as a racestarter, announcer and writer have been most enjoyable, experiences that cannot be bought at any price. Maybe someday time will allow a book to be written about all the various happenings that have occurred during that time. Time that to me will always remaln priceless. To all of you that have read this column over the years I say thank you but the new opportunity afforded me does not permit the time to follow r acing as I have in the past. It has often been stated In this column that cycle racing Is the best sport In the world and ce rtainly the most Interesting to wateb. This becomes more of a fact with the passing of each event. Yours for better cycle racing, always - ... M EANEST MAC INE H 01> OJ till to 0... 00 Grant Van Tech M OTO RCYCLE CONVER SION KI TS Gro nt Ind ustries, 3680 Beverly Blvd•• l os Ang.I., '" ... 0> <0 ... >.. to ~ Walt Axthel~m~:~:~ Trlumpb-Suzulci Motors 1049 West 5th Street Pomona, Calif. (714) 629-8642 CI) ~ Col :<: Col -J U ~ U , ' , Jesse C. Levine , National sales Manager, and John Kramer, Pennsylvania District Manager of Cos mop 0 11tan Motors, Inc. are shown looking over the new 250cc Benelll Metisse Super Sport. This machine, according to LeVine, has been quoted In several rnagaztnes as being the fastest and " meanes t" 250 around. The machine Is capable of a 14 ' second 1/ 4 mile and a top speed of 109 m.p .h. The Benelli has always been noted for Its dependabillty and good handling characteristics. Now, with the speed bulltin, Levine describes the Benelll as the "ultimate" machine. The Metisse styUng Is avai1abie in the 125cc, 2oocc, and the 250cc models in both 4 and 5 speed. Also, conversion kits (seat and tank) are available for existing Benelll cycles both on the road and in the dealers showroom. Thes e kits f1t the 4-cycle hor izontal engine models. For detalls write Jesse C. Levine, National sales Manager, Cosmopolitan Motors, Dept. Cycle News, 5521 Wayne Avenue, Philadelphia, Pa . 19144. • .....~ N ORRIS RACIN G CAM Valve " pring" ;;;I!l;J- spring reta iner Pt. (213) 7&>1102 ;Norris Perlorm ance 14754 CALVERT, VAN NUYS BAIDSESTOIE , .... _ .... .. _ _st ~ Ie. Cat . cCIIl _ D11". IIIC. (211) 77W111 Roxy Rockwood. RTSMAN ROAD R ,........fIPl. . . . . ALL CLASSES lice TO 1MhI REGISTRATION, ~"'~""r-i"~ PRODU CTION CLASSES 9-11:. A.M. (UNDER Z51ce) PRA.CTICE TIL RACING AT 1:31 OPEN TO ALL RIDERS PROFESSIONAL Lie NSE NOT REQUIRED L". antes ' ..