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/125573
.. .•. ....- l ...., TWI'~_ _II -'_rica's Onl, Weetl, Motorcycle Newspaper- . Publillher• ••••Charles C. ·Clay lon Editorial stories, cartoons, photos. Business Maaaee" .sharon Clayton etc. ar e welcomed and will be paid Circulation Mgr•• ,Gaye Thomason for upon publica tion Cexce pt pres s Editor• ••• •••••••• Carol Sims releases and "Voice- Iettera.) AdAdvertising Mgr•••••• Tom Culp dressed, stamped envelope assures Pholo Edllor••••• Dennis Greene return. Lab Technician•••• BI1I Pettigrew 6417 N. Loag Beaell Blvd. Single copy pric e•••••••••• 25¢ Bookkeeper•••• , Susan ~b ltelaw Subscription: One year 2nd class Long Beaell, Calif. 90805 Staff ArUst ••••••Chuck LaGreca Mail ••••••••• •••••••• S7.50 Pub lis hed weekly exce pt the fi rs t Or: Box 498, Long Beaell, Calif. Advertising rates and ci rculation inand last week of the cale ndar yea r formation wi ll be se nt upon request. Phone: 423-0431 by C&S Pu bli shin g Co., P os t Office Box 498. Long Beach, California. (Area Code 213) Second Clas s postage paid at Long From L.A. Phones: 636-8844 Beach. Calif. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOIOO·OOOOOOOO'OOOOOOOOOOOOOOIOCIOCIOCIOCOOKXJ'OOOOOOOOOOOO FIr-IT • • • • .. o VOICES OF THE WEST EVANS EVENS IT UP make Mr. Knievel an honorary lifetime member of our club In view of his outstanding performance In connection with the motorcycle world. The presentation of a placque was made In front of television cameras and newspaper photographers, as Salt Lake City took Mr, Knlevel to their hearts. Regarding the Road Race of 7/21/68 at Carlsbad, California, the results listed Mike Velasco as 1st place In the l00cc Production Class. Mike Velasco's Bridgestone broke down with three laps to go and didn't complete the race and my 14-year-old son Kelly Evans was the winner. Because of Kelly's age he felt rather bad about the results being posted Improperly. I wouldappreclateacorrection as you did for Don Emde two weeks ago. DAVID G. EVANS Grossmont, Calif. C Consider It done, Mr. Evans. And " thanks for informing us of your YOlBlg son's rapid progress.' Having just returned from .Indlanapo - us.I have a few thoughts and observa- tions I would like to air through your media. First of all, I don't know how I got along before I discovered your paper. Although the monthly magazines do serve a purpose, I would not trade my subscription to Cycle News for all other periodicals combined. In times past, I would be anywhere from three to six months behind on the national scene and In some Instances, would never know the results. All this leads up to a couple of gripes I have In regard to the competition scene. I attend as many Nationals as possible and that are In my range (Daytona, Louisville, Indianapolis, Peoria, Springfield In the past) and I am sure that many who attend have a problem thatlssimlJar to mine. Despite the general opinion that no one but unemployed and unwashed playboys attend these events, many of us have to be on the job each MondaymornIng and it Is bad enough to ride 200 to 700 miles home after the race without being delayed two or three hours because of sloppy organization by the promoter. Some do a creditable job but most run one to three hours behind schedule and apparently have no regard for promptness. Another gripe I have Is the Jack of publicity or Information that follows the National circuit and the sport In general. You in California have no Idea the desert of Information In our area. The papers In our area never have one line about any events either before or the results. Ten years ago, stock car racing wasabouton the same level as motorcycle competition Is today but the sanctioning organization did something about their situation. Why can't the AMA hire a sl3fl' or at least one or two public relation people to follow the circuit and flood the local media where an event is to be held and the wire services with Interviews, pictures, history and other Information. I would think the promoters wouldbe willIng to pay a higher sanction fee If they were to get something In return. If a sport as boring and uninteresting as golf can command such a following and the status It enjoys today, the potential that moturcycle competition bas Is unlimited if only the AMA and the promoters could get the bush league tbInkIng out of their mind. Some steps In the right direction have been taken but there must be some changes made and more effort put forth If our sport Is ever going to achieve the status It deserves. BILL SLOAN Murfreesboro, Tenn. TRIBUTE TO EVEL ThIs last Jul y 6th Mr. Evel Knievel was paid a glowing tribute In Salt Lake City, Utah, where he made his first jump since the Caesar's Palace crash. Here he successfully jumped thir teen ears . The Salt Lake Motorcycle Club voted to Knlenl re~elVlls lIIell"'" SLMC ""'mberslllp, Perhaps the most outstanding feature of Evel's visit was the most fantastic gathering of bike riders In Salt Lake's history. At approximately 10:00 p.m, Mr. Knievel's Rolls Royce arrived and 100 cycles escorted Evel · around Salt Lake City and then to the Kit Kat lounge for talk and refreshment. SALT LAKE MOTORCYCLE CLUB Larry D. Chidester, President Salt Lake City, Utah When I was at the news stand today I picked up one of your Cycle News newspapers. I don't get one all the time but I do pick one up every once In a while. I used to read them quite often when my son was home and riding, but since he went Into the Air Force I haven' t been reading as many of them as when he was home. I enjoy your newspaper very much but I would like to see mention of some of our boys that are riding outside the United States. I know my son John is riding In the PhI1lpplnes and several other of our boys are riding there also. I realize this Information might be quite hard to get but I'm sure some of the clubs must keep track of their members. In my son's case he didn't belong to a club but that didn't stop him and his love for racing. Just as a point of Interest I'm enclosIng a picture of the start of the Philippine National 900c class. He also rode the 200cc class so I guess they can ride In two lightweight classes. Sincerely, HENRYA. FREY Eureka, Calif. Co How about It, clubs, families and friends - can you keep us posted on racing activities or overseas servicemen?-) FIRST DEL DIABLOS POSE FOR CATALOG SHOTS LOHMEYER APPRECIATED AID ThIs is simply a letter of "tbankyou" to Doc Bryce, DonWatkins and the people who assisted them In caring for me after my fall at Deadman's Point on August 4. These men are members of the Checkers M.C. and have both shown good sportsmanship and concern for other rtders. Thank you again. KURT LOHMEYER #5Ox San Gabriel Valley, M,C. NEEDS NATIONAL INFO I am a regular subscriber to Cycle News and have been looking each week at the list of upcoming AMA Nationals In your Calendar of Events. To date there bas been nothing mentioned of a 75-Mile National Road Race at Carlsbad. Do you have any Information on whether or not this event will be scheduled this year? One further question. Do you know when the advance sale tickets for the SMile National at Ascot on October 12 will be available? Thank you for your help.I thought you might like to know that I enjoy your paper immensely.Have even gone so far lalely as to call home-from work to have my wife read me the results of the various Nationals! F .J. SURIANO Scottsdale, Ariz. ("Glad you like cycle News, Mr.Slriano - we like happy subscribers, 100. No, Utere won't be a Carlsbad NaUonai !his year, but advance ticket sales for Ute Oct. 12 8-MUe National will be a vallaliJe about three week s before the race. For more information 'con tac t Agajanian En-, terpn ses, P.O. Box 98, Gardena , Calif. 90247. Phone: (213) 321-5323.' ) SUBSCRIBE to ~ •••• or. PHILIPPINE RACE SCENE A thatched-roof bulldlni In the backiround contrasts with modern-type apartments at right as the Phllllppine Natlonal90cc class Is flaued off. Call1ornian John Frey Is second from the pole. A THOUGHTFUL READER SPEAKS " The three motorcycles shown are the first models In America with the El DIablo Street Scrambler design from Benel1l now available In quantity. These models retain the best features of Benelll engineering design and now offer a racestyle tank contoured to fit the rider, and a seat with over two Inches of foam. The frame curves down to form the rear fender, incorporating taillight. These EI DIablo models are a great forward step In Benelll's breakthrough from European thinking to meet the desires of the American market. These models clearly demonstrate the followthrough from the first California models to this fully-developed concept now evi- denced In the 1969 line. Styling Is the culmination of years of planning In the Italian motorcycling Industry to introduce new motorcycling standards while maintaining their high level of engineering quality. ThIs styling Is known as the thousand dollar styling at half the price, since the complete cycles cost this much less than Custom Styling now available In kitform from the West Coast. Kits are available for all standard Sprites, Barracudas and Cobras through any Beneill dealer at under $100. For further Information contact: Cosmopolitan Motors, Inc., 5521 WayneAve., Philadelphia, Pa. 19144. WOULD YOU ·BELIEVE? There's another motorcycle shop In the South Bay area? Well It's true. Bob BaIley, National Number 33, bas opened his own motorcycle shop In Gardena at 17124 So. Western Ave., Bldg. #6, Calif. He will be specializing In one- day tune-up service, custom engine rebuildIng and collisIon repairs. The service center will be open 5 days a week, Tuesday thr ough Saturday fr om 10 a.m , to 6 p.m., and features both a parts department and acces s or ies . For one-day tune-up service or more Information cal l Bob BaIley' s Service Center (213) 327-8538. • ,.