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/125610
H." 10••501 Jets at Stoctto. Scr•••er By Babs Chase The Faulkner Ranch Race Track is getting to be well known In the BIg Valley, for its Winter Scrambles. The Stockton. Cam. M.C. always draws riders trom all over the state. This time some 258 riders were In attendance, plus three side-hacks. which gave quite an exhibition for the spectators. The ladles also made their debut, and rode a really good race. Mr. Faulkner. owner of the track, was presented atrophy. for his suPport and concern for motorcycle racing. Unfortunately, the track Is located on farm land, and is surrounded by grapes. and can only be used during the grape offseason. If the dust Invaded the blooms, the entlrp crop would be bad. On with the races. In the lOOCc Novice Main. Kim Jorgensen (Kawasaki) took the lead over Neil McDonald riding a M.C., and held it all the way to the finish, wheeling his way to victory. This happened to be Kim's second race. In the 100Cc Amateur Main. Fred McFarland riding a Suzuki. was doing a real tine job leading over Gary Lozano, also on a Suzuki. 200Cc Novice Main winner Bill Cavanaugh. Bultaco mounted. bad himself quite a battle. as Dale Ivan (Bultaco) was In hot pursuit for that No.1 spot and so the battle of skill was on. But when the race was brought to a finish, it was as started, Cavanaugh first and CN correspondent Ivan second. Into the 200cc Amateur Main, Bultaco mounted Carl Yerby did some fancy riding and managed, without any problems whatsoever to win. Steve Ferrioni (Bultaco) and Denn1s Huff (Yamaha) and Jim Rice (Bultaco) had themselves quite a battle In the 250 Amateur Main and before the race had ended Huff who was In second and Rice eel , e CJhallp BARRY BRIGGS - four-times World Champion and universally recognized as the greatest speedway rider of all time - is to spearhead the speedway revival In America, where Interest In the sport is growing dally. Briggs (a New Zealander by btrth who has spent almost his entire racing career In Britain) is hoping to pave the way for America's re-entry to speedway as a major power.Meetings are being set uP with important figures on the U.S. motorcycle scene with a view to the launchlng of competitive team and Individual events early In 1969. He is also planning to Investigate the possible opening of several new tracks on a nationwide basis. The U.S.A. was a dominating force on the world speedway scene In the immediate pre-war years. The celebrated Jack MIlne won the World title, and other well-remembered U.S. star Included CordY Milne. and Wilbur Lamoreaux. All three men raced regularly in Britain. but apart from Pee Wee Cullum and the late Ernie Roccio, America hasn't been represented on the British tracks (or In the World Championship) for many years. Little or no news concerning speedway activity In America In the sixti'3s has tutered into Britain - until this year, that Is. "Right now, however, It does seem that speedway is on the uPgrade again In the States", says Barry. "There are several old tracks virtually ready for re-opening, and any number of new sites that are crying out for development. America has always been interested In speed sports and 1'm convinced that, properly organized. speedway could be tremendously big in the U.S. again. The enthusiasm among young motorcyclists is unmistakable, and there's no reason why America shouldn't - in time - take its place alongside the major speedway powers•••Great Britain. Sweden. Poland. U.S.S.R .• Australia, New Zealand. Norway and Czechoslovakia." If any man can put the sport back on its feet again In a big way. that man is Barry Briggs. At 32. his enthusiasm is still as great as when he t09k his first faltering ride around the Christchurch (New Zealand) circuit back In 1952. Proof of his dedication to the sport is the fact that he has wound up the 1968 British season after riding for seven months under the strain of (a) a cracked left knee cap; (b) a broken right thumb and fractured wrist; and (c) a near-fatal dose who was third, had managed to jar loose their ellplUlS10n chambers. But it was a terrific race, with a finishing order of Ferrioni, Huff. Rice. There is only one name I have to say to sum uP the 250Cc EJqlert Main. Paul Johnsonl He is one of the greatest In my book. He Is District 'S6' s Number 1 rider. Johnson. riding a Bultaco. won the race over Ray Huff who was second. The Sidehack event was won by Jack Singleton and passenger Maurice LUliman. They hail trom Santa Cruz. One of the most exciting events of the day was the 650Cc Expert Main. Ray Huff (BSA) held the lead over Jorgy Jorgensen. for 6 laps and then the fire went out. giving the lead and win to Jorgensen. (Results on page 20) clHerri.al Hogs ller_sto. HareC.ase The Blue Mountain Motorcycle Club In Hermiston, oregon. had their annual Hare Scrambles on March SO. Flftyseven riders signed uP to race in 75 degree weather, the hottest day so far this year. The course is located In the Lost Lake area, 4 mUes southwest of Umatilla Ordnance Depot. It covers 15 rnUes of sand blows, hills and brush. Here are the resuits: lOOcc CLASS: 1. Richard Rambo, Kennewick. Wn•• 2. Roger H. Buckland, Walla Walla. Wn. S. Steve Henderson. Walla Walla, Wn. 4. Tom Shelton nI, Walla Walla., Wo. l80Cc CLASS: 1. Tom Shelton Jr. Walla Walla, Wn. 2. Rich Fuller. Kennewick, Wn. 3. Bill Morrison. Kennewick, Wn. 250Cc CLASS: 1. Gary Herriman, Pendleton, Or. 2. Bob Stampf. Colton. Wn.3. Rick Mitchell. Kennewick, Wn. 4. Bill Hensel, Hermiston, Or. OPEN CLASS: 1. Max Renick. College Place, Wn. 2. Eugene Boyer, Walla Walla, Wo. 3. Mike Berry, Walla Walla, Wn. FffiST OVERALL TROPHY went to Gary Herriman. In the POWDER PUFF. the results of septicaemia. an advanced form of blood poisoning resulting from a crash In Sweden. Yet despite his injuries, Briggs won titles galore In 1968. Includ- Brl"s with the British Championship Trophy. the British 'Laurels' and runner-uP spot in the World Championship Final In Sweden. In front of 75.000 cheering tans he also led Great Britain fuvlctoryIn the World Team CuP FInal at the worldfamous Wembley Stadium in September. There isn·t a major title that he hasn't won at some time or other In his illustrious 16-year speedway career. Apart from his four World title successes. he has also won the national titles In Bri1ng were: 1. Mar1lee HeDse1, Hermiston, Or. 2. Linda Durfee, Kennewick, Wo. S. Janie Jaekel. Walla Walla, Wn. BIKER AMONG TOP ATHLETES By Tom Dilling Ron Bolling, who moved from Eureka last August. has been nominated for the Northwestern Callfornia Athiete of the Year Award. This year's ceremonies will be M.C-ed by Hiesman Trophy winner O.J. Simpson. Athletes of all kinds are among the twelve final1sts but this is the first time a motorcyclist has been selected. Ron came to this area in 1960 trom Pound, Virglnla, settled In the Willow Creek area and worked as a timber faller. In 1963 he bought his first machine. Joined the Trinity Trailsters M.C. and decided to try racing. In one year his 250 Honda and a lot of talent, took him from Amateur to Expert. Ron quit the woods to manage the Kiser Brothers shop In Willow Creek. In June of 1967 the shop was ,completely destroyed by fire. taking Ron's four years collection of trophies - 150 of them. The shop was then moved to Eureka and Ron kept racing. On one occasion Bolling drove by himself to Boise, Idaho, a 1500-mUe round triP, unloaded his machIne on Saturday and won his heat (two seconds under the track Novice record. On Sunday he took the Trophy Dash and the Maln for his division. During last year Bolling entered 40 races collecting 22 firsts, eigbts seconds. and five thirds. Including a firstIn the Open and a second In the 250. The year before, Ron owned both titles. Ron is now managing K1ser Bros. shop In Stockton. Callf. and has. gone professional. He has built three dlfferent machInes for all types of dirt racing and plans on entering as many races as he can. taln (five times), Norway. Poland, Australla. Ireland. South Africa, West Germany, Czechoslovakia. Austria. Denmark, Scotland, Wales and Holland. It's worth noting, too. that he hasn't been out of the first five in the World Championship FInal since 19521 In Britain. he led the Swindon Robins to the British League title In 1967 and the current holder of the Golden Helmet and Silver Sash Individual Match Race titles. Some idea of his fantastic popularity can be gauged by the fact that he has twice finished runner-uP In BBC Television's "Sports Personality Of The Year" Poll. On the first occasion. be was beaten only by Mary Rand. winner of three Olympic medals; and the next time round, it was Bobby Moore. captain of Britain's World Cup-winnIng soccer team. who just edged Briggs out of first place. Speedway is currently Britain's second biggest spectator sport. and Briggs competes in over 120 meets (with as many as eight races a night) over a sevenmonth period each year •On the continent. he is a star attraction at the 1,000metre grass and sand tracks - comparable to the American halt-mile circuits. In every respect, he Is a master allround motorcyclist - equally at home at scrambling, grass tracking and trials as well as speedway. Briggs has been campaigning with mixed success on a 250Cc BSA Starfire In this country. He was one of the fast qualifiers at the Houston Short Track National In February and on March 20th won all his races inclUding the final at the Daytona Short Track. His BSA speedway rig Is built and tuned by MIlne Bros. 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