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/125620
Mike Ode. StllS Big Bikes At Malor DOWIS By Jolm Blanton ~ AUSTIN, TEXAS, May 25, 1969- Wlthlts Col tblrd nmn1Dg the newly IDltlated Sports2: man Half m1le flat track races near Col Austin, Texas, have begun to develop ~ some character. As pracUce oPened at ::... ten a.m. 011 SWlday, May 25, spectators U were lllIgllr to see 11 someone could muster a c balI eoge to Houston's WlDston Stelter, whose Trlumpb 650 bad found surprls1Dg new llle and bad roundly trounced the compeUUoo In the previous race meet. ODe tbreat tbat failed to materialize was the dragster-turned-flat tracker 450 Honda of Fred Kretebmar, the local HoDda dealeI. After two seorching laps (at the bands of the very capable Duane Sanders) the mucb-touted quarter-mller shattered a piston, and with It the bopes of the HODda crowd. So, attenUoo sbllted next to the exquisitely prepared 7S0 Norton of AusUn dealer Adrian Krumm. RiddeD by veteran RooDle Doyle, the Norton seemed to ny, and tbat settled tbat In the minds of the prognosUeators. But the HoDdacampbad surprises In store. In bis first ever flat track race, Drake Pruitt of AusUn (90cc HoDda) jumped Into seeood place 00 the first lap of the 125cc Heat, rlgbt bebind Robert Lee (125cc Yamaba), who Is usually found rldlDc much larger maeb1nery. However, BW KasSOD (123cc Penton) sooo took over second spot, and the race f1D1sbed !bat way. With little fanfare, the 200ec beat fID1sbed: Jody Wells (SUZuki), WUlard Kelley (HODda), Tommy Smith (Bridgestone), and Tommy F1seber (Bul1aeo), and the two 250Cc beats went to Mike Od8JD (SuzuId 250Cc single) and Robert Lee (25OCc BSA). LIlt, dI.rved sI. 0' sllMlklhll racl.. won fll,l II hi III of tile.. LIn, Jolly Weill took thl 200« clllS on I Suzuki. Does Filtron~ really eat dirt? Ask Mota-Cross Champion Joel Robert, or any Top Rider. The answer will be the same: Air flow is un.tfec:ted by Wltef or moisture. FIlTRON~ Air Filter Elements. Charging Into the lead at the start of the SOOCc Heat, BeDD1e Campbell (MODtesa) seemed on bis way to wID It, but the Montesa failed sbortly, and Mike Odem on the Kretebmar 3S0 Honda scored - a preview of tb1ngs to come. As expected, WlDston Stelter's Trlumpb pulled Into an early lead In the Open Heat, but very soon, with !be rest of the pack pressing bim hard, the Trlumph faltered and stopped, allowlngR.L. Ticer (65OCc Triumph) to wID. Wlth steering d1ff1cultles, RooDle Doyle's Norton fID1sbed tb1rd, beb1nd Robert Berry (65OCc BSA). The order of the 200ec semi-Final was . IdenUeal to tbat of the beat, except tbat Tommy Smith was missing, and In the 2SOCc semi-Final Mike Odem beat Jeff TIndell (H-D) and Terry McDonald (Yamaha). BottI Mike and Jeff were back In the 500ec semi with Mike wlDDlog aga1.D, tbIs time on the 3SOCc Honda over M.J. Rosenborrougb (500 Trlumpli) and Tindell (3SOCc Honda). In the Open semi RoDDle Doyle notched bis first win of the day,. ; and Winston Stelter brought bis Trlumpb ' Into second place. In bis flltb race of the day Mike adem took bis fllth win of the day In the 2SOCc Final over JOOy Wells (20OCc Suzuki) and Danny Spencer (2SOCc Bul1aeo) after Jeff TIndell's Harley sllllPPed a eba1n. U !be H,pnda contingent bad been unconsolable at !be loss of !be Kretebmar 4S0, they were uncontainable during the Open Final as Mike Odem went 'round and 'round, wheel to W!leel with Doyle's Norton, f1Dally pulllDg the 350 HODda Into a comfortable lead during the closiog laps, to take his sixth wID In as many races. Nlneteen-year-old Odembaddone the improbable, beating size and experlenee with youth and determtnatloo. And be surely woo the hearts of the crowd. We will be back the twenty-second of June for !be fourth runn1ng of the Manor Downs Half Mile just see 11 tbIs brasb newcomer can pull It off once more. (Results on page 20)