Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

Muto Montll fit PonderosfI, Lflp Record, Two Firsts By Terry Pratt PONDEROSA, CAL. August 2nd and 3rd, 1969 - Three laps around the Ponderosa under the August sun w111 do more for your arms and legs than a complete Jack LaLanne course ever could. It you're really after a beating you can come back and do 1t two days in a row. Tom Muto came out two days in a row and took home first, place brass both Saturday and Sunday. . On Sunday 108 starters waited in silence for the drop at the banner that sent them churning for the smoke bomb. Tom Brooks led until he crashed near the first check. Muto got the lead some- Around fifty percent of the entrants drop out over the lru.llnl 27 miles. Worn-out raeers or machines •• a common sleht alonl the cours•• (D. Ralts photo.) where on the back of the first loop and was never pressured all the way to the finish. Tom's Husky was followed by Wayne Garrett who drove home his Yamaha about three minutes behind Tom. The "Pounder-rosa" is run each month on the same 9 mile loop. Ask any one about 1t and he'll tell you that the story is endless whoop-de-doos and deep, deep sand. At .the tinish line Saturday's third place tinisher Bob Duncan said , "It a bike w111 survive this 1t will last . through anything." When asked about survival at riders, he laughed, "It I don't keel over in the next five minutes I guess I'll survive 1t~om Muto summed up the strategy; "It's just a question of who can hang on the longest." Tom made some gearing changes that ailowed him to blast down the back flat in the neighborhood of 85 mph. That's a rough neighborhood, kids. Muto's Husky must have been geared for the rest of the course too because he made one tour in 13-1/2 minutes for a new Ponderosa laP record. Knowledge of the course is really a he4> Tom says. It a person knows that one path through a section has 17 whoopde doos and the other one has 23, then, "he has it wired." It you missed the fun this month, be around Labor Day Weekend when the Greyhound M.C. w111 have its Ponderosa ChampionshiP. In addition to a race each at the three days for Irophies, the three races w111 be scored on motocross points and the points totaled for dealer donated prizes. (Results on page 20) .{ Tom Muto, ridinllhe cour.. for the first time in over six months r.lax.d his w1lJ around in settine a n.w lap 'IICDrd of thirt.en and a half mlnut.s. Muto cam. in clean, dry and fresh looki nl. (D. Ralls photo.) Lessons are learned well through hard knocks, but in motorcycling the knocks can be too hard. You can help a boy, yourself, and his mother ~y giving him the benefit of your experience. You must do what his teachers and parents don't know how to do. Take a Boy.Riding By Knight Emmt Take a boy fishing, take a boy to the ball game, there are all kinds of campaigns designed to promote understanding between the generations, and now I want to start a new one. Take a boy motorcycling today. Somewhere in your town or neighborhood you have noticed a boy with a new bike or a new boy with a bike: Anyway he is leaming to ride and he is doing it the hard way-all by himself. There is no place where he can go to learn-no schools or drivers education courses-and 10 the street becomes his classroom and his teacher is Experience. The name of the school-"Tbe School of Hard Knocks." Experience is said to be a good teacher, a tough one but a good one, but in the case of motorcycling I'm not SlUe that this is a good idea. So, call that boy over and ask him if he would like to ride along the next time you are going to an event. That's what I did this week. I had seen Dannie riding up and down the cinder path for a couple of weeks and out in the back lots behind DIU houses, trying to learn and gain the confidence to go take his driver's licenae test Finally he got his appointment, and went to take his test. He passed and suddenly the State of Ohio said that he was a street rider. This may give some people a false sense of security. Having paseed the test, they must be a competent rider, if the State says so and since the test is so oimple there must not be 10 much to this motorcycling after all. Danny had a job in a near-by town and rode his bike, the next day, to work and that evening I noticed he was giving rides to the neighborhood children. I hoped that he would get through this period without getting into trouble, for it seems that things usually go well for the new rider at first, while he has respect for his bike, and then suddenly his· confidence seems to outgrow his ability and something goes wrong and he's in trouble-at least that was the way I remembered it, way back when I got started. That's when I got the idea that maybe he could gain something if he and I rode together, to a race'1l1eet. So I called and talked to his mother, and she was glad for the oppor1unity for him to ride with someone that might be able to help him. I don't fashion myself to be an expert, but the few thousands of miles I've recorded have seen me in and out of a few situations that I might help Danny avoid. Sunday morning, bright and early, Danny was there, ready and anxious to hit the road. I was still eating breakfast 10 I tossed him the inap and told him to 'pick a route. He looked up the town, with some difficulty, and then picked the obvious route to get there. I looked it over and pointed out that his route took us over a heavily traveled truck route, and then through a good sized city, and we could avoid all that by l;aking another route. He was surprised that I was afraid of trucks and traffic and I explained that fear had nothing to do with it, but that it was more a matter of avoiding trouble whenever poSSIble. I asked him if he had checked over his bike and he said that he had. But when I checked my oil before starting, he checked over his and was surprised to leam that he dido't have any. So we took care of that and that should have given me a hint as to his maintenance program, but I let it go by me and later I was sorry. We set out, and from the start Danny had trouble setting a steady pace. He was continually speeding up or going too slow. His experience with short rides around the neighborhood had not taught him how to set himself and settle down for a relaxing ride. But after abou t 10 miles he got the hang of it, and we cruised down the road side-by-side at a fairly steady pace. By the time we reached Orwell, the location of the race, we were riding pretty well together. After a delay, the heats got under way, and the thrills of the track got to Danny, and during intermission, he spent his time, out in a nearby field, riding with lOme other young boys. Then the race started, and I didn't have time to notice what he was doing, but the next time I saw him he was working on his bike, trying to get a slipped chain back on the sprocket. I asked him when he adjusted his chain last and his answer left it clear that he didn't know what I was talking about. 1 should have checked that before we left home. Anyway, I hope he leamed that you don't abuse your machine when you are not within walking distance of home. Next time, we'll spend a little more time going over the bikes before we leave. As things tlUned out, Danny had to call home to get aomeone to come and get him and his bike, as I had to take care of the equipment of one of the riders that I knew who fell victim to the track, and came away with a broken foot. I was unable to stay with Danny, as I was needed elsewhere. Next week, when we ride, I expect Danny to have a little different outlook towards his toy, and treat it with a little more respect. Endl.ss, poundln, wiloop-de-doos and lots or sand make up most of the eo...... Wo. 10 him who sinks under. Thos. wilD do 311'e forced to sidewinder alonlln low unlll th.y can bulld.up speed a,aln. (Dennis Gr.en. Photo.) Sid Pflyne fit Home fit Sprockets Pflrk " Story and Photos by Jack Ligbt BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA August 2, activities with a real Show at riderswbo 1969 - Some articles and letters seem to knew.how 10 handle machineS of lh1s size. indicate a decllne In popularity at T.T. The three leaders Stan NUDeS, Stan SibSportsmen Scrambles events. This Is ley and Louie Woods gave thespeclators certainly not true In the San Joaquin Valley. We are blessed with any number at clubs that continue 10 stage many scrambles, on tracks that can be classed with the best in the country. Some at the finest riders in lh1s sport come !rom this part at Calitornla; not only T.T . riders, but Road Racers, Motocross, Trials, and Desert Riders as well. YoWlg MIke Lane, seemingly tully recovered from injurIes sustained the first at the year, proved to be back to preinjury form. He was a double winner this night, first In the 125 Expert; aboard Earl Wipt's, Shatter Yamaha bike, then he did a repeat performance in the 250 Expert, a1so Yamaha mounted. When questioned as to what type of racIng he liked the best, Mike answered, without hesitation "Road Racing" which he does extremely well. The list of victories in the record books w111 atttest to this. The 250 Expert go was a three way duel, with Ken Halt and his Bu1 second, followed by Harvey Bakker, a1so riding Open Expert winner Sid Payne went h• • a Bultaco. with the trophy. Owner Bob Leppek looks 011. The 125 Novice Main was a night for a display of skill and daring; onlookers Sachs. Rick Mears handily won both the got a lot for their money Saturday night, heat and the main on his, followed by the Bakersfield's favorite son, Sld Payne Sachs of Gary Emory. Art Carter, conwith his well known 1/32 plate attached tinued his winning streak at 6 firsts In 10 Bob Leppek's Triumph, made it clear 6 starts, to take the 175-200 Nov. and from the start that he was oultor a night Am. on his Bultaco. Steve Salyer was of racing. Sid dropped the clutch tully second on his Bul. • intending to win, which he did. Big Jolm The 250 Am. main had 10 be the closScantlin was really after the leader !rom est and hardest fougllt contest at the the beg1nnlng, aDd looked really sharp night, with Pete Willls and Jimmy Maxon the well prepared Harley of Jim well making 1t a real "Bul Fight." It "Tex" Thorpe. Carroll lacksoD riding was anyone's race until the tlnal lap, his #1 EISA earned a well deserved Ib1rd when Pete slipped past Maxwell to take place in the ftna1 event of the night, the checkered. (Results on page 20) The Open Am. started the big bike

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