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/125572
Alittle late to receive the news that there will be no bike classes or top eliminator awards, after you have paid the money to get in the gate at Irwindale Raceway. But, this was the situation last Saturday, Angust the third. The stock bike br1pde was led by old-time Harley Ion!r Ed McDonald, as he won top honors In 13 secoods flat, at a speed of 102.62 miles per hour. Ed'S Harley- OlvidsoD bad a run of luck In the final eliminatioo that was oeeded to get by the day's quickest and fastest stock machine, the 500cc Suzaki ridden by Sommers to a lop time and speed of 12.84 - 104.16. Fuel Eliminations First of many weekends to come with " bucks -up" In the top bike elim inations had some flne racing between six COII - tenders, Bob Braverman, Boris Murray,:: Clareuce BI1Jey, Bob Bopn, Bob Ebe1- ., iog and American Speed Cycle. Otbers ~ bad attempted to make the program, bat Q. due to breallage or other problems, fell by the wayside before ellmlDatioos. All In there were four Triumphs, ~ one Harley and one Yamaha that made " Top Bike a good raclng show. ~ The first round declared three winners 'Ol and an equal number of losers as Ameri- ::s can Speed Cycle sat out when it was dis- ~ covered that Bob Bogan's twin-engine "C Triumph was out of act1oo, Bob Braverman's tw1n-eDg1ne Yamaha made the ~ f1nlsh llgbts before Boris Murray's twin ~ Triumph and Bob Ebeling won the roUDd :<: against Clarence Batley's Harley- ~ Olvidson. Three were left and a coin was flipped >.. to determine it Braverman or Ebeling U would race the American Triumph that had sat out r Ol d one. Braverman called m the coin and left the next round to a race between four- s trokes . 'MIen that time came, the American drew a red llgb t but couldn' t bold on to top end acceleration and Ebeling passed by to win the round without the red light forfeit. . Fi nal tim e tor money racing and the machines of Braverman and Ebeling were staged with precision. A gr een light had Yamaba out of the gates first, with Triumph only a split section of microseconds behind. The Triumph pulled s teady for a trip through the lights In ten and a hal! seconds, accelerating to a top speed of 137.46 miles per hour. (Res ults 00 page 16) gg au. tl ABOVE: Bob Ebelln( s Sta-Lube Expresso Tr iumph, top eliminator at 10.56 seconds and 137.46 mph. RIGHT: Joy Houston rides a 650cc Tr iumph, tuned by husband Art, to Top Modified spot. The drag strip had an unusually 1arge program for the cars and assumed there would be no time for bike eliminations. That would bave been fair enough, if we bad been for ewarned, but eve n Cle m Johnson, the cycle pit director, wasn 't Informed until he arrived for work. Sim ilar things have occurred before and we could write it oft as just another faux pas on Irwindale's part, but there were serious under tones to the day's action, or lack of Itl There Is a dlstinct posslbillty th a t motorcycles wlll be permanently phased out of the Irwindale racing activity. Possibly I am premature in this assumption, but deflnlte declsions will be reached during the coming week of August 4-11 , as Clem Johnson and Invited guests meet with Mel Reck. the new track manager. In the next .. Drag Raclng" column I wlll give you the results of this conference and its success or failure to regain cycle stature at Irwindale Raceway. Lions DEALERS DO YOU HAVE 00 TO SPEND? 1250 IF YOU DO A D YOU QUALIFY lOOK WHAT YOU IIT: - - - - - - - , LOOK 1. Five Different Models Motorcycles (Using OUr Floor Plan) IT al Bob Ebeling's Triumph bauledtheStaLube banner to its second consecutive weekend of top bike ellmJnator, as the best elapsed time of 10.50 seconds put down all contenders. Mod1t1ed bike racers, reprd1~ of class or displacement met with a formidable opponent In pink leathers wbo seems to be heading a ballot for putting meo In lhe1r place. Joy Houston rode her 650cc Triumph to a best elapsed time of 12.38 seconds that ended the quartermile at a fabulous speed of 110.11 mlles per bour. Not one of the best male riders or non-gender machines could mabcb Joy's pace In ei ther elapsed time or mUes per hour and as a result I doubt wlletber they wlll vote for her wben she passes out the ballots. NEW I CAR MOUNTED LOOK 1 lOOK 2. A Complete Parts Inventory 3. A Complete Special Tool Kit 4. $30.80 in Parts Credit To Use In Advertising Before The Machines Are Sold 5. You Are Paid By Us (With Parts Credit) To Give Free 500 Mile and 1000 Mile Check-Ups 7. Your Customers Receive A 12,000 Mile 12 Months Warranty 8. Extra Discount (10%) On Your Own Demonstrators LOOK - 6. You Are Paid By Us For Your Warranty Labor In Replacing Defective Parts LOOX BRIDIEST IE .. . 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