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/125611
I "" - AF. GOES FOR GOLD AT O.C.I.I. SPECTATOR LIABILITY AND PARTI· C1PANT INSURAIICE FOR TRACK OWNERS, PROMOTERS AND CLUBS ~ BUSINESS PACKAGES- MOTORCYCLE & AUTOMOBILE - LIFE & ACCIDENT. ~ ~ ~ r.:J O!: r.:J ...J s. HARRIS·PIIISKY OF MICHAEL BENDER ~ ASSOCIATES, INC. 5225 WILSHIRE BOULEVARD. Suite 717 L.A., C.llf. _36 (213) 937·2011 ~ u By Dennis Greene ORANGE COUNTY, Cal., Apr 13- '!be new 3 cylinder war is the one to watch, but the winner of the open class prod~ uctioo road race was a trusty Norton Commando twin, piloted by Norton dealer Jack Simmons• AKa...asald Mach ill with Tom Steele aboatd, did take the 500cc battle, behind the Triumpb Trident ci Rolaod pagen and Hurley Wilbert's Norton Commando at the AFM Road Race bere today. All the marbles in the bottest class went bome with Ron Pierce of Daytona fame, in a 250 Senior G.P. that looked like a National lineup. Ron Grant ran second on the factory SuzuId, followed by a screaming pack of 250 factorybacked motorcycles. Tragedy interrupted the action wben BROKER INQUIRIES INVITED. * •oIJe!'M.Law ,~~'Pyry L2£p ~ HIGHEST TRADE"N 239 II. Anallelll Blvd., An"elm, Cal.. Pb_ 533-1309 (nt, Ope. Production winner Jack Simmons ,ets bls N.. ton snortln early In 'e lemans type start. 26-year-old David Gaines lost .control of his 250 G.p. Yamaha in practice, crashing into the fence bordering the course. '!be baybales couldn't save his life and be explred before reaching the hospital. Eight sidecar outfits took to the tarmac, led by Dean Hummer and Rulan Gulbranson aboard the San Fernando HarleyDavidson back. '!bey were big crowdpleasers, as usual. '!be combined big bike Grand Prix looked like Daytona all over again with stars sucb as Ralpb White, Art Baumann, Grant, Don Vesco and Dave Scott all banging fairings together. It was a sigbt to bebold, and even it road racing fails to turn you on, this one would bave. (Results on page 20) LOMITA HONDA Sales· Parts· Service COlIIplete line 01 Speed Equipment CustOlll Palntln" Frame Works, Frame Deslpi., ~ Bulldinl DiSCllllll1 Prices III All sales 2073 P.elfic Coast Hwy. ' - - - - 326·3110 .. 326·3816 Co.blned lI'_d prix lets off the II'ld with 111 Don Vesco, 97 Ron PI.ce, 30 Don Emde and 9 Art B.umnn recoplnble. --_.I -- Circle Spear tafe - TIle lamlly motorcycle m"tin, place Come. - 230tb ~ W. Hwy. 138 Lancaster area I Fine Food & Cold Drinks I PlIone available lor EIle"e.cies Dlr.lnter. 5 to 138 Hwy-Appro •• W~mi. BRIDGESTOIIE Iii Sidec. IYmDutics bJ HUllmer ~ Gulbransen. AFM races mixed various cl. sses for mo.. action. ~GTR For the n.... 01 your neare.1 Dealer So. Cal. McCulloch D()l( Inc. (213) 772·2106 110. Cal. Coasl McCullocb (415) UN 3-5520 OalyBULTACO Sieve's Bullaco Ope. 6 days • _ek Mon. ~ Fri. 9~ others 9"" 7621 Van Nuys Blvd. - Van Nuys, Cal. (213) llllHi300 Tbe _Iovln. crowd pleasln sidecars, with the paSHOprs leltlnllt all bani out in their varlolls f.sl\lons. Dave Roesch aod Teny Bence a.. 7 and 141s Jerry Person IlId J. McGillivray. - nis Space car ONLY tall (213) $6.50 per week Ask for Tom 423-0431 See our 1969 catalog for th.e latest cu~tom. and racing parts~ including a full line of speed equipment for Hodaka and Yamaha. Catalog S1.00. r BURBANK 317 N. Victory Blvd.· Burbank, Calif. 91502 Telephone (213) 849·4921 • 842·4847 By Barbara Adams Dahms Cross Your Fingers In a bard fougllt battle before the California Assembly Transportation Commlttee,cycl1sts won a one-week hold over of the new Foran Helmet Bill, AB 65.( with a probabillty that the-sections requiring wearing of a belmet will be removed. However. no bill is down until it is out. '!be greatest latitude in time and procedure was allowed to those who oppose mandatory belmets by Acting Cbalrman, Robert H. Burke, Republican, of Huntington Beach. Testimony was presented by Barbara Dahms of the Uulted Motorcycle Enthusiasts, Ralpb Barger and Winston of the Hell's Angeis and by Sacramento area cyclists, Patrick R. Cougb11n, Michael Berry, Tom Hanlon and John P. Berry. other cycltsts were also present who did not testilY. Dr. George SnIvely appeared In bebalt of the measure. At one point Barger said, "Dr. Snively wants to put belmets 00 us but he drives a racey liWe sports- and he doeso't wear a iielmet. r've seen him jamming down the higbway. How about your safety, Doctor?" To which, Dr. Snively held up crossed lingers. '!banks to Chm. Burke's bandllng of the proceeding as well as abundant time resulting from a withdrawal of a number of scheduled bills. the bearing was in splrit ci friendly disagreement. The committee was first asked to put over the bill without a bearing as a bare quorum was present, but consideration was given to the opponents whobadcome to testify. All aspects of opposition to helmets were presented by opponents. The experiences of other states who are re~ ing belmet requirements or bave bad them declared unconstitutional were cited, as were the limited time that we bave given the licensing provision to ~ tested without requiring belmets, the rise in motorcycle registrations 70,000 in 1968 {310,000 to 380,000) wbUe the number of deaths rose only 7 (319 to 326), and the drop in registrations in states which bave required belmets. Assemblyman Wadie Deddeh expressed concern over the decline 10 the number of dealers 10 several states alter belmet laws. "I wonder it we might not be driving people out of business In California it we pass this 1eg1s1aI:1on." he said. a When testimony was finally ended, tiu one moved to pass the bill. Dal'1dRoberti suggested amenalng tt to remove all reference to maudatory wearing of helmets and Foran a.greed (for the first. time) to make this deletion as an author's amendment. At that point, Roberti, whose attention bad been caught by Barger's mention of mandatory buying of a belmet alcng with a cycle as a possible compromise, tried to put another amendment in whicb would accomplisb this. But dittlculties in writing sucb a requirement were immediately obvious and the bill was beld over to allow time for consideration of these amendments. Assemblyman Gonsalves opposed mandatory purchase. UME asked that provision tor setting helmet standards remain in the bill without any wearing requirements. Foran bad previously made author's amendments to place standard setting in the bands of the California Highway Patrol, rather than in the Department of Public Health. Final consideration of the bill by this committee is scheduled for April 17. After the hearing Foran, wbo was In good bumor throughout, was joking with the opponents. "We're going to pass a law," grlnned John F. Foran "Sonobody in California bas to wear a beImet except SoIuly Bargert"