Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

_ wIlere we can camp the nigbt before. Judy cooks aver a fire and our son, Sbayne occupies blmself on his mini-bike. For a four-year old, be does real well. Gary Is very grateful to sponsors and fans. He remembers a man named Mike Harper. "Mike was with Circle Industries at the time he got me a ride on a factory machine. He now beads Victor Products In EI Monte and without bls early assistance, I'd still be a Sunday rider In the bills. Nick Nicholson was next for the thank you's. "Nick has done an awful lot for me. 1 could probably get a ride with a lot of different bikes, C.Z., Husky, or whir ever, but I've stuck with Greeves. They weren't really competitive when 1 first started riding with them but the new Griffon is certainly one of the best machines available. If I were to buy a bike for my own It would be a Greeves. One thing you can say for the Greeves that you can't say about most motocross machines Is the fantastic parts availability. There's nothing worse than having a motorcycle sit In your garage for months, waiting on parts. They even have parts tor the old square barrels." Gary went on, "Greeves is a part of me. They have been'the underdog In motocross and to make Greeves number one means a lot more to me than ta.Idng some machine that everybody else Is riding and winning on It." Gary wanted to thank his tuner, Tom Turner. "Last year Tom bullt around 25 pipes (expansion chambers) for my scooters, just experimenting, trying to make them go taster. Tom Is help with a capital 'H'. I've called him up many times at mldnigbt on the night befor.e a race with an unexpected problem and he always busts a gut trying to help. Then Nick ts always there when I really need something. He's a good, loYal SPODsor." Gary is going to Europe to give racing 100 per cent. "I'd like to see an American have the opportunity to be a world's champion but we probably won't see that until we can attord to do it the European way. The Europeans are professional racers In every sense of the word.Americans are, tor the most part, part-time racers. I work six days a week, tune and repair my machines at night, sleep live to six hours a night, and then it's off to work or the races the next day. The Europeans have true factory supportanct have seven days a week to practice, condition, and get to know their machines. People ask me, 'Why did you let those guys beat you?', there's really only one answer. They're better. What else can you say? We need more factory support, more places to ride so we can attord to do It full time. Take the Internatiooal Six Days, tor example. There have been times when the U.S. hasn't been represented by the best riders available but by whoever bas the money to go over there." Gary admitted to a re..l thrill when kids come up to him to chat or ask for his autograpb. He says it's a rflal spur, It drives him on to do better. "Without support from the fans, even if you're number one, you're nothing," Gary concluded. • YAMAHA DEALER • SCRAMBLER MOTORCYCLES 1101 W. Burballk Blvd. Burbank, Calli. 849-5907 or 14W731 Ex. #7 ClmRTTI 350 'Universals are stock equipment on your race ready100XR. Ore,•• Si4ewi.4ers JuDe 27th, SidewlDders ran their Sunday raiD out race JUDe 29th. With so much raiD In the last week there was a small turn out of riders. The riders that were out rode hard and fast. Practice was so fast and bard that Bruce Higby #52q expert went down bard and was taken to the bospital before the races even started. A few others went down during the races but no one was hurt. Nan event is July 4(Results on page 20) Survey MIC DEPT. STORE ADDS DIRT DEPT. BY N. Williams CLACKAMAS, ORE., June 29, 1969Alter being rained out on Friday night, The largest, If not the only motorcycle department store Is Skip Fordyce In Riverside, Calif. Walking In to the giant emporium is a buying high, which will be accentuated In a couple of weeks by a special dirt motorcycle department. Fordyce bandles Harley-Davidson, Honda, Triumph and Bultaco brands. Eighteen dilterent models ot off-road bikes will be displayed on a scenic mountalndesert environment Inside one long corridor ot the Immense Fordyce market. Blkefans and envious dealers are Invited to the store In the next few weeks to drool over the display and win a free Campen Mk n that Fordyce Is giving away to some lucky visitor. Brad's Eagle Tops Marin Motocross BY W.H. Spencer .... .... : ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ...::l U :.. SAN RAFAEL, CAL., July 4 _ The MarIn U County Motorcycle Association put 00 Its Fifth Annual Benefit for the Guide Dogs for the Blind and approximately 300 riders rode a. fantastic motocross track while over 1,000 spectators enjoyed the warm weather and spectacular riding. Brad Lackey stole the show with his three wins In the Amateur-Expert combined open class. His American Eagle performed In magnificent style as he won all three motos going away. George Schaffer finished second overall on a similar American Eagle. The last 100cc Novice moto was very close from start to tlnish as Nell MacDonald led Dayl MacDonald around the course. At the finish Neil mtssed a shift but Day didn't seem to notice and WOIDId up second, Dayl only needed that second to win overall by 23 points over George Schaffer. Because of the many 250cc Novice entries, beats bad to be establlshedfora main but Phil Jacobsen led all the way to again show his superb talent In the motocross field. (Results on page 20)

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