Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

Ron Miller T akes Firsl Win AI Fairgrounds, Joe Chanky thouchtfully protects the fair· craunds track by slldlne the handlebar on his By Mike Capal1te foot. 80bo Crankshaft Wheelstands His Nitro-Mini A headline like this just has to be about some "nut". One look at BoBoandyou'll see it's bananas, not nuts. of the drag BoBo CranJashaft, racing fraternity, is one of the hottest attractions at drag races and auto shows across the country today...and we mean hottest as he propels his furry body on a nitro-fuel mini hike up the ramp and through a solid ring of fire. However, unwt1l1ng to rest on his past laurels, BoBo is back on his bike to face even greater dangers. BoBo's Fantabulous Flying Leap Over a Sea of Human Bodies - a stunt that is guaranteed to keeP spectators up light on the edge of their seats. Audience particlpatiOllis required, and BoBo enlists the aid of several "volunteers" (lUI easy tast for a gorilla). These hardy souls lie down at the end of a foothigh ramp and \leI1D to pray as BoBo gets ma.scot - COSTA MESA, CAL., SePt. 12, 1969- It was Ron M1ller's night for glory at the Orange County talrgrounds as he polished off his first Handicap Main event win. Back on the Fourth of July, he took the win in the Scratch Maln event, and although he was in the scratch main this night, his big one was the Handicap Main where he held the lead over John Fishburn and Steve Bast. The first match race pitted Gary Bray of the Great Bear Racing Team against young Las Chanky. Gary, with a liWe more track knowledge, grabbed the lead into the corner and Chanky was hard pressed to even move up on him with no chance of overtaJdng him. • Coming right back in the second match race was John Carter who did the same thing to Dennis HUdehaus as John stormed into the corner to take the lead and hold it all the way. The winners of the match races were presented with KawasaId jackets with the compliments of American Kawasaki. In the Handicap Main event, it just wasn't Rick Woods night as he and Steve Bast started on the fifty yard line and into the first corner, Rick got tangled up with Stu Morley and they went down in the 1nf1eld but Woods was able to keeP his engine running and by the time he untangled himself from Sut, he was a half lap behind, but he gave it everything he had to try to catch UP, but1t was a losing haWs. In the interm, Jim Anderson was leading with Ron M1ller hot on his rear wheel when Anderson suddenly found himself passed by Miller, Fishburn and Bast as he went from first to fourth in one corner. Steve Bast was push1ng1ng Nobody eoes that sideways for very lone. Stu Morley went down and took Rick Woods Into the Infield with him. Kenny Brown Is rleht; his Triumph Is. wrone. Dan Cotterman eoes down bad under the wheels of a fallowlne rider. John Fishburn to the limit, but Fishburn kept his cool and stayed on the inside of the course so that If Bast wanted to get him he would have to do it on the outside so Steve seWed for a third rather than possibly lose a position to Anderson. U there was to be a hard luck trophy for the evening, it would have to go to hig Mike Konle in the Scratch Consolation event. Mike was all cranked on going down the back straight when suddenly he lurched over the handlebars as the rear wheel came to a sudden halt. The rnd had broken and the piece st1ll attached to the !lywheels had spun around and cleaved the engine Iltera,Ily in half. In the Scrateli Main, it looked for a minute like it was going to be Sonny Nutter putting it on the boys as he had the lead and was looIdng real good when he got into the loose burm of the track and almost lost it and by the lime he recovered he had dropped to fourth. Ron Miller had followed Steve Bast past Nutter and was holding down second place and trying to hold it over the advances of Mike Bast wben Mike put on a liWe extra charge in the corner and took over second spot making it a one- two finish for the Bast brothers racing team. (Results on page 21) Ellis Wins O.C. 250 final, Raymond Points Champ By Jim Vardeman EL TORO, CAL. Sept. 10, 1969 - The most enthusiastic crowd of the entire 1969 season came out for the f1nal events of this season's race for the Championship of the ACA. Both TT and Flat Track point standings weighed heavily on the outcome of BREEDING SERIOUSLY INJURED - back for a running start on his powerful mini bike. U aU goes well, the "volunteers" go untouched by the high-flying ape, and after a hardy pawshake from BoBo; they return to their seats, the envy of all the less-adventurous audience. When it comes to "wheelies," there's no putting BoBo down••eat least for the first 5 miles. Five miles happens to be the world's wheel-standing record - set by BoBo on the 1-96 Expressway in Detroit, Michigan - much to the distress of some of the "city's linest" police ofticers. These men in blue wanted to put BoBo back in the zoo, but they couldn'Uind any law against gorillas one-wheeling-it on a m1n1 bike down the expressway. BoBo has other off-track interesisnamely girls - and has been known to forsake his dangerous activities and head into the audience in fast pursuit of an attractive, panlc-strickened female. However, as "fast" as he is off the track, he'll be even taster on the strip this year. Rumor has it that BoBo's garage is full of ch1mPlUlzees who are . working around the clock on a new bike. :Promoters or clubs that want to put a liWs monkey business in their race program can contact BoBo through the grapevine or. for faster response, thro~h the Michigan SporWght, 8458 Garbor St., Warren, Michigan 48093. l1Urty~ was the unlucky number of the evening at Urbana, Winois August 30. Amateur Dennis Bullock (36F) of Mansfield, Ohio was injured in a fall and taken to Carle Hospital in Urbana. Then Ben Breeding, National Number 36, spilled on the rlIst lap of his Expert beat. Reports indicate that Breeding is seriously injured, with severe brain damage. He is presently in Methodist Hospital in Sprinpld, W., where he was taken after examination at Carle. Last word, Tuesday, September 2, is that his condition remains unchanged. Promol£r ansi Cycle News photographer Ben Han, Spriagfield BSA dealer Dow Ayers, and Breeding's friends have organized a fund to help with the racer's expenses. lnl£rested parties may send contribUtions to Da~ Ayen, in care of DfiIe's Cycle Sales, 2908 North Grand East, Springfield, Ohio 62702. Bullock was released from Carle Hospital SlIDday. ' this evening's races. Many of the young riders position's in Top Ten for the year were separated by a mere 2 or 3 points. The most exciting event of the evening was the big 20 lap main for the 250 Short Track class. The starling pace for such a lengthy race was tremendous. RlUIdy EIlis jumped into the lead immediately with Don Walters on the K&N 101 Yamaha second, Tom Vardeman coming on with a strong third and AMA Amateur Dave Aldana fourth. All positions down through the field were being fought for with the vigor of a 3 lap Trophy Dash. Suddenly, in the 18th lap Walters fell coming out of the number 2 turn on the back straight way and was lying on the track apparently unconscious. The red flag was on the remainder of the field immediately. However, the fierce duel between Vardeman and Aldana came to an abrupt end when Vardeman fell on the next lap to avoid the fallen Walters. The experienced Aldana, however, managed to miss the accident and go on to flnish second, with Jim Raymond third and Bob Williams, Jr. fourth. Although Ellis won the big one he had not compiled enough points to overcome the vast lead of Jim Raymond. A faulty start in the Trophy Dash for the 500 class created such a furor in the audience that a special match race w1ll be held next Wednesday night to seWe the question between Jim Raymond, the new ACA 1969 TT and Short Track Champ in the 250 class and Randy Ellis, last year's ACA Champ. The 500 class saw Jim Raymond take the honors, Eills second and Headrick third for the season point standing. Ellis won the night's Main in this class with Al Smith second and Larry Hardison third. The TT events of the evening were excitement filled and Mike Hannon received leg injuries during the running of the 250 TT Maln. The 125 Short Track Malo was won by Scott Autrey, Jim Peterson second and Steve Nichols third. This win put Autrey in the number 2 spot in polnts for this class with Ron Taylor taking the Championship for 1969. The 125 TT Main was won by Steve Nichols. The 250 TT Malo went to Ray Vanderpool and the 500 TT Main also belonged to Vanderpool. In the Championship for the TT'ers for the season, It was Vanderpool in the 125 class who took the bonors, Jim Raymond came out the victor in the 250 class, Al Smith took the number one spot in the 500 class and Perry Armstrong is the 1969 Open Class TT Champ. All races w1ll continue on Wednesday night for a few weeks but w1ll pay only Sportsman Trophies. (Results on page 20) CMC TO RACE AT FONTANA THIS WINTER Due to the success ot the Cash for Juniors motocross held at Fontana international Raceway recently, the CMC will promote a $300 purse event once a month during the coming winter. The prize money goes to Junior riders. Saturday night, Oct. 4th is the next date for the money races. Gates open at 4:30 p.m., first race is at 7 p.m. CMC membership, which l}lay be obtained for $2 at the track, and three large readah1e number plates are required. Wheg weather permits, daytime racing will also be in store on a longer, wider Fontana track. Entries, membership or information may be had by writing the CMC at P.O. Box 1334 Hunlington Beach, Cal. 92647.

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