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/125586
INTERNATIONAL MOTO-CROSS CIRCUS 10•• .1 0 •• : '.pp.r.1I • • Joel Ro"'1 cIlIos I plrouotto with his CZ IS bo PISSOS Amorlclns Vlncenl (6) Ind Jockol (8 7). n l Bolli_ filled to nnlsi, IllvlnClbl win lor l8ll11Dlto Di ve BIckers. By O1uck Cayton Photos by A Schonfeld and J. Mercer America was invaded last fortnight by In ex peditionary fo rce of 12 Europeans, limed with Husqvarna, CZ. OSSA Ind Bultaco motorcycles. Landing at Pepperell, MlUS. near the New Hampshire border, they took on U.s. and Canadian rough riders in the first of I 6-week series of moto-cross battles on our own home ground. Although our side is the underdog, the first contest showed that America Is rapidly closing the moto-cross gap , and it would nol be too optimistic to hope for I U.s. victory before the current series is over. Two Russian s and th e cum:nt world 500cc MotcK:ross Champion. PIUI Friederichs of East Germany , were scheduled to mive, but sent their regrets at the last minute . Apparently the strained political relations between Russia and Czechoslovakia caused them to send their CZ's back to Prague IDd bow out of the circus. Official reason given was "'injuries.." The big gun in Europe's arsenal is Belgiums's Joel Robert, 24-year-old reigning ~orld 'Champion in the 250cc cate gory . Joel's goes full ...... 81. the ti..... Ho _ the highest finishing Amoric:en in the 2&0 IIIecinI -m on his 0-. Menn ..... plllCed -..nth and fim Amoricen to finish et Pepperell the -tc bet ..... BUlIIY ~nn I n~ . sticky-new CZ quit in the second moto after he had won the first, handing th e 250 win to teammate Dave Bickers of England, Another Belgian, Msrcel Wiertz. riding a Spanish Bultaco, grabbed off second spot on points after Joel fell in the 3rd moto. And National No. 2 Dick Mann earned the first Americsn honors in the 250 class by placing 8th behind Seven Europeans on his OSSI. Another American, Ron Jeckel of New York, rode his Bultaco to In impressive 3rd place in the 500cc class by virtue of consistent charging. The leader of the Swedish team, 4-time World O1ampion Torsten Hallman, struck the fence and did I cartwheel in the second 250cc moto, suffering two broken nos. MonteSI banked their hopes on an AIl-Americsn team consistinl of CaIiIomian Ron Nelson and " th e 1Jyin' HIWlliiIn" John DeSoto. Nelson got I flat tire. but DeSoto earned 9th overl1l in the 250cc class •• .not too bid for a young min who has only been riding moto-cross for 6 months! The Viva teIrn will mI1ce all th e race s in the aeries, coast-to-coast, Barry Higgins, I New Jersey lid riding a CZ for Ghost Motorcycle SlIes of New York, impressed the fans with I 5th place finish in one 250 moto, beatinl quite I few of Europe's best battlers. RESULTS: 500cc International I-Bengt A berg , Sweden, HUS; 2-Quis Hammargren, Sweden, HUS ; 3-V1astimel Valek , Czechoslovakia, CZ ; 4 -Ron Jeckel, New York, USA. BUL; 5-Seppo Makinen, Canada, CZ; 6- Bill Silverthorn, California, USA, HUS; 7-Bob Ismailof, New York USA, CZ; 8-Charlie Vincent, Connecticut, USA, TR\; 9-Norm Richens, Canada, GRE ; 10-Msrtin Ripp , New York, USA, CZ; 11-Gene Gonnert, New York, USA, HUS; I 2-John Skopp, Connecticut, USA, TRJ ; 13-Gene Fe tty, California, ' USA, HUS; 14-Ray Hom, New J ersey , USA, CZ. Joe Bolger (U.s.), Bruce Maguire (U.S.), Smiley Hulbert (U.S.), John Bettenco urt (U.s.), Dale Cassell (U.s.), Gen. Parmelee (U.s.) and Karsten Vagner.) 250cc International: 1. Dave Bickers (CZ) England, 2. Msrcel Wiertz (BuI)., Bel., 3. Roger DeCoster (CZ) Bel., 4. V1astimeJ Valek (CZ) Cze.. 5. Mick Andrews (Ossa) Eng., 6. GUDnIr Linstrom (Hus) Swe., 7. Dick Mann (Ossa) us, 8. Phil Palazzo (BuI) U.s., 9. John DeSoto (Mon) us., 10. Bill Thomas (Hu ) us, 11. Bury Higgins (CZ) u.s., 12. Terry Coolbeth (CZ) us, 13. Bob Owen (BuI) us., 14. Jim VIn Armin (CZ) us, 14. Bill Alsup (Bul) us,