Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

Vanderpool Notches Wi~ At First Annual 2S0cc Grand Prix By Bill Harmer SOUTHBA Y SPEEDWAY, CHULA VISTA, CALIF., August 31,1969- Ray Vanderpool of San Diego, riding one of Pete Pistone's Bultacos won the 100 lap Expert race here today. Se completed the _80 mile race in 1 hour, 37 minutes and 44.5 seconds to set a new record for 100 laps on the Southbay course. Ray Vanderpool set a new record in winning the 250cc Grand Prix at Southbay. .. ~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~ t'O Cl., for fuel, it was the break that Vanderpool was waiting for and he went ahead to win by half a lap. Vanderpool's win should not be discounted however, as he rode ttEl entire race with a broken left hand. T~.ird place was still in question as uf this writing. Some of the scorers gave it to Bultaco-mounted Wayne Hosaka of San Diego, and others credited it to Kawasaki Specialist, Larry Collie otlmperial Beach. Al Baker of Sherman Oaks who was Yamaha-mounted was sole owner. of the fifth place prize mon~y. Sal Peluso of San Di~gO, riding Ray Vanderpool's old Yamaha took a first lap lead in the Amateur race and never relinquished it, crossing the finish line a good half lap ahe a'oI Bultaco-mounted Carl Pfenning of t,S!Ln Diego who had moved UP from the Novice race. 12 year old Earl Roloff, Jr. who had never ridden in a 250cc race before was placed in the Amateur race after he was protested by some of the grown men in the Novice class. The 80-pounder races as an Expert in the loocc class and it was ruled at the Driver's Meeting that he would have to race in the higher category. He finished third on his little Yamaha which incidentally was tfte only l25cc motorcycle in any of the races. Bultaco-mounted Rand1' Cashman of / They made Earl Roloff Jr. race In the I'mateur 250cc c lass his 125cc Yamaha. Chuck Winters, left, donated the $500 pune. Trophy queens Linda Beaulieu, Lucia Thome and Debbie Glbu join in the smiling with Jon Knapp. Carl Byers on the Jon Knapp-tuned Lucky Yamaha posted the fastest qualifYing time and started on the pole. He and Vanderpool traded the lead several times, then on the 18th lap, Byers took over the lead which he held until the closing laps of the race, at which time his expansion chamber broke at a weld and about half of it fell a way slowing his mount considerably. When he had to stop Lemon Grove who a crowd-pleasing favorite as a No • rode in his first Amateur start. got ott the line fast and held the lead for about three laps and then faded back to fourth where he finished. Oceanside Kawasakipilot Chuck Claydon put UP a good race holding off both Pfenning and Rolot! for many laps before giving UP his lead over them in the final laps of the fray. Chuck finished fifth in the 40 mile race. Riding for Pete Pistone, Ossa-mounted Mike Hagoski of Santa Monica did a masterful job in winning over the large Novice field. 12 year old Bridgestone pilot, Gary Wells came down from Las Vegas and rode one of the most skillful races of his life to win second prize money. Jeff Hosaka of Lemon Grove turned in a fine performance and was third under the checkers. Ei Cajon Yamaha pilot Dave Templeton was fourth. Perhaps the happiest man at the 250cc Grand Prix was Pete Pistone, a gregari- and the 13 ·year-old finished third on ous Culver City painting contractor of Italian descent who loves motorcycles and sponsors a number of riders whom he calls "p.p .'s" Racing Team. He was nearly bursting with pride as members of his racing team came in first in each of the three classes. He takes bikes and riders all over Southern Calltornlafrom Elsinore to Orange County to Perris to San Diego and enjoys a lot of wins, but this was his first clean sweep and he was exuberant with joy! (Results on page 20) and just possibly the oldest AMA Chartered Club. As an item of interest, any AMA clubs with a continuous charter of 36 years or more, drop a card to the editor of Cycle News. Photos and Story by Robert O. Fee One hundred and thirty-six road riding motorcyclists turned out Sunday, August 17th to ride the 3rd Annual Mystery Tour sponsored by the Rebel Rouser's Motorcycle Club. The riders started their tour in Pomona, where they enjoyed coffee and donuts, compliments of the Pomona HarleyDavidson Agency and Sherman Ames who was assisted by his wife, Rosemarie. Traveling south to Corona, then east via the Riverside Freeway, the riders turned north on Imperial Highway and then wound their way UP to Legg Lake in El Monte. One surprise and three known check points were scattered along the route. The mystery of the Rebel Rouser's Tour has generally been, "Where will the tour end?" This year it was a mystery to the Rebel Rousers until just before the day of the event. Negotiations for the planned finish site fell through and the Rousers were left to scramble for a place to finish. All that was available on such short notice was a repeat of last year's site. The route was shortened because, according to Rebel Rouser Bill Wallace, "It's too hot to ride around town all day." Not long after the riders started arriving at the lakeside park, a cool breeze sprange UP bringing some relief to the overwhelming heat. Groups of cyclists sprawled on the grass under the trees conversing with friends, relaxing, and in some cases eating the lunches they had brought. Individual games like the three-legged race, wheelbarrow race, and duck walk (complete with quacking) were conducted, Dr. Bothwell, Safety Boffin, Joins BSA/TRIUMPH The Rebel Rousers have been an AMA chartered club for 36 years. but most of the riders were content to sit and watch. The deadline scheduled for 2:30 p.m. was illegally extended because 20 riders were still out. The Rousers explained the situation and asked for a vote. The group was overwhelmingly in favor of the extension but there were several loud Nays. The rules state that extension must carry unanimous agreement on the basis that if just one rider's promise to be home by a certain time was based on a published deadline, he should not have to face an angry wife or burned dinner because some other rider couldn'tcomplete the run. ~ RRC Referee, Bill Miller, commented, "Sure it's illegal, but if no one cares, it's too hot for me to shake the boat." No one cared. When the Rebel Rouser's pick up crew arrived there were still seventeen motorcycli~ts unaccounted for. More mystery for the Mystery Tour. Calculation of the Poker hands and other winners didn't take too long and soon the Rebel Rousers were giving out the gold. A surprise trOPhy went to the 36th entries. It was in honor of the Rebl Rouser's AMA Charter which has been in continuous existance for 36 years. That certainly makes the Rebel Rousers one of the oldest Motorcycle Clubs around Dr. Peter W. Bothwell, MD, DPH, who is well-known in the field of motor transport safety research, has joined the BSA/Triumph Motor Cycle Divisicm to work on various aspects of motor cycle safety and ergonomics as head of bio-engineering. He has been studying these problems since 1960 and for the last three years he has been at Birminghham University as Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Transportation and Environmental Planning and Head of the Motor Cycle Safety Research Unit. His work there has reached the stage where it can be more practically continued within the industry, but arrangements are being made for Dr. Bothwell to continue as an Honorary Senior Research Fellow of the University. A member of the BSA technical committee on safety helmets, Dr. Bothwell has lectured on safety design in the USA and is an honorary member of the American Association for Automotive medicine: His interest in the subject has led to the publication of a book and over 60 papers, including many on automotive and motorcycle safety.

• Cover