Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

Story and Photos by John Blanton .r.d'e 's Triden' Ho'ds Off Hond. C,.IIe.ge On Aus'in S'ree's ~ Q, AUSTIN, TEX. Aug. 3,1969- Anticipation was rullll1ng high prior to the second annual Austin Aqua Festival Road Races, held this year on August third on the street course near the center of the Texas Capitol City. At Green Valley on the previous weekend, Rusty Bradley's three-cyllnder Triumph had been successfully challenged by a Honda 750cc four, ridden by Joe Delgado of San Antonio, and It appeared that the issue, apparently still very much In doubt, would be t1nally settled In Austin. A heat race for bikes over 250cc, was run and the surprise winner was homegrown Gary Lassiter, professional rich. kid and notorious lop. The previous June, Gary had been dared by his buddies Into running his cherry Trlumph Trident In the Manor Downs Half· Mile, and, since then, he has changed remarkably, and so has his Triumph. Out of street trim and Into racing form, the palr of them are a formidable team, to be reckoned with In the future. Meanwhile, Bradley was fighting traffic after being bunted out of bounds by Delgado at the halrpin on the first lap, and Larry Beall came close behind the Honda four to take first in the 500cc Class on his Kawasaki three. Bradley had some well chosen words for Delgado afterwards In the pits but this first race was only for grid positions, and the real thing was yet to come. First to the halrpln In the Open Final was Lassiter's Triumph, but Bradley was leading as they came back onto the Riverside Drive straight, and he was never bothered afterwards. Apparently Lassiter's Triumph struck 011, and he unloaded mightily at the Bouldin Ave. Chicane. Then the Kawasaki found the same all, and it somersaulted Into a parking lot aIter highsiding Beall. This allowed B111 Darrow (750 Norton) to finish third. De'garlo Seconrl On four Though stil11n street dress, the Honda four seemed faster than Larry Beall's three, but DelgadO was walking it through ~ fail :I: fail ..::s to) ti ... " Bennl. Campb.II's Suzuki whee lies away from the par.k. This Is the RI ••rsld. Dr. hairpin. Ba•• 's by Russ B'asts '.to 500cc 'It' Learl At Na.ur plus BSA Darnell Ste;lry The second of the two 40 minute two lap legs, was perhaps the best race age. It had been ex;pected that W1llard Kelley on the localry-sponsored Kawasaki would then move uP to first overall but instead the overall winner of the combined heat race was James Lutz ana 175cc Bultaco. And a very WIique Bultaco this was; Jim reported that it had been previously raced for several seasons by NAMUR, BELGIUM, August 5, 1969 The race for the 50(lcc Wo!"ld Championship is coming down to the wire now. The last few races are certain to be fierce as the point difference separating the top thr'3e riders is very sl1ght. This thought was In everyones .nlnd at this year's Belgian Grand Prix held at Namur. In the first race start, 32 of the world's best roared into the first turn. Adolph Well ·captured the lead, followed by Teeuwlssen, DeCoster, Friedrichs, and Aberg. Ake Jonsson crashed heavily at the start, and was out of the running. All stops were pulled out as the riders fought for those precious points. DeCoster took over the lead on the 6th lap, and was never beaded again. John Banks was doing some passing, and a battle royal took place between him and Friedrichs. At the finish It was DeCoster with an 8 second lead, then came Banks, Weil, Teeuwissen, Friedrichs, and Keith Hickman. •••••••••••••• J I .. Rusty Bradley's sllehlly ball.red Trld.nt tears throueh the Bouldlne A.... chlcan•. the turns (Possible under instructions from the apprehensive owner, for the 750 handles well, and Delgado is a seasoned pro), and he would certainly have f1n1shed fourth overall had not Lassiter and Beall struck trOUble. In the 500Cc Class a string of Ducati's finished one-twa-three, ridden by Paul Liner, Lee Armer and Gordon Duggan. Bennie Campbell (250cc SUZuki) at first seemed untouchable In the 250-and-under combined !1nal as he pulled wheelles out of the hairpin and put a hundred yards on the remaining field. Alas, his two-stroke soon suttered heat prostration, and he slowed to second place behind Jimmy Ph1ll1ps' SUZuki. First In the 200cc Class was James Lutz followed by Jerry LUdwig, who was duPllcating his last year's ettort In the same class. First 125 was Green's Suzuki; then came Wiley Jones (Yamaha) and Alan Tennant on a watercooled VUla. In the prellminary heat race for the combined under 250cc bikes Austin rider Jack O'Leary was on the TDI-B ridden last year by Byron Black at these same races, and he seemed destined to win the class. However, when he realized his engine was picldng uP gravel from the newly paved streets and parking lots, he parked the bike to prevent further dam- " the Bultaco factory in Europe and had seen service In this country slnce.1965. Would anyone else besides me l1ke to see what Is inside that Bultaco? To further shame the remaining 250's, aIter Kelley's Kawasaki came Jlm Gardner on his unfalred 160 Honda, leaning 'way over on the freshpavementanddisplaying one of the cleanest and boldest styles to be seen In these parts. 125cc Class winner was Edward Green (Suzuki). Earlier, during practice on the unfamWar course, Jimmy Anderson threw his 250cc Kawasaki away into the Riverside Drive hairpin, crippllng It for the day but sustaining only minor Injuries to himself. Not so lucky was Tommy Fischer. Tommy dropped his 250Cc Bultaco coming onto Riverside Drive and suttered a broken nose and facial cuts. For those who missed this year's race, a TV crew was present, taping the scene for later viawtng on ABC's "Wide World 01 Sports." For those who would l1ke to attend next year, write the Austin Chamber of Commerce or the Kapital Katz MIC Club, Box 6306, Austin, Tex. 78702. Last year there was no entry fee and admission was free to riders and pit crew, but presently the club Is profiteering to the extent of charging a $2.00 entry fee. (Results on page 26) ,. .... J I ha"/e ever seen. At the startlt was Well again, then Aberg, Rahier, DeCoster, and Hickman in hot pursuit. Hickman tried to pass Weil in the woods, and crashed. DeCoster could not avoid him, and he crashed also into a large bush. At the end of the first lap it was Weil, Aberg, Banks (who came from 9th), and Teeuwlssen. Aberg took the land, but he did not figure in t.l)e poInts because he had to quit in t.l)e first r'lce when the exhaust pipe fell off. Weil was trying to keep Banks behind him, but he finally got by. Banks then w<>..ut on to pass Aberg and talee the lead. Meanwhile, back In the pack, DeCoster had dislodged himself from the bush, and was making a fantastic drive towards the front. None could stand before him. He came from dea.d last to fourth before the end of the raci!, just behind Aberg and Weil. He pa,s ,ed both of them on one lap, but big John Banks, uP front, knew of the threat and was really pouring it on to reo tain his advantage. At the finish it was Banks, DeCoster. Well, Aber!:", and Teiluwissen. DeCoster wall over-all Oll time, beating Banks by a mere 4 seconds. It was a very popular win for the Belgian ace, and the crowds went Insane with joy. There were some changes in the Championship points table because of this race. John Banks (BSA) now leadS, with Bengt Abe.:-g (Husqvarna) a close second, Arne Kring (Husqvarna) third, Well (Malco) fourth, and DeCoster (C Z) moved to fifth. Kring did not score In this race as he had a bad case of stomach flu and could not keep the pace. At this time t'1e mce is between BSA flyer John Banks, and the twa Swedish Husqvarna aces Aberg and Kring. (Results on page 26) GENE H. MYERS YAMAHA Dealer NEW & USED SALES Authorized ParIs - Service 8.- Repair 4459 Redondo B.ach BI.d. Lawndale, Calif. 1213) 542·4047 P(ltriclt's CDlllpetitiDn Enterprise ·S4iu ·St'UI#iu ·'P4Jtt4 121.I ••7 .•• tt Desert· •• '.CrlSS· Scr• .uJes 120' w. S,I... IHARLEY-DAVIDSON I t Maybe the haybal.s _nd the py Ions kept the spe.d down but the slens _pply only to more mundane traffic. Rapido Immeo,ate O.li."y sportster Harley-Dav; dson of Oceans; de 216 Via Del MDnte Oc.ansld•• California (714) 757·758D -

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