Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

INTERVIEW WITH ABRAM DRAIN AND ~:~;::~:~~~'~;;;~::F:ha~re_"""iE HUN TER N PROLOGUE When 1 accepted the assignment to interview the only two black ·pr.ofe~ sional racers in the business, 1 accepted with many reservations. 1 have spent all my life ill a white world and except for some small business contacts and the normal exposure through radio, TV, etc. 1 had no idea what the problems and heartaches were when you are such a minority. Whether or not an interview like this belongs in a motorcycle publication may be a subject for some debate. It is my' feeling that the fans have more feeling and understanding than many writers have given them credit for. 1 would appreciate any reader comments either pro or con regarding this interview. Ben and Abe are as different as black and white (no pun intended). Ben is serious, articulate and expressive. During our conversations he remarked it would have been impossible for him to have been interviewed three years ago. He reasoned that he would have objected to being called black then, for three years ago the black man felt litUe pride in being black. There may even be some real good in the black militant movement because it allowed the Negro a pride and identity and let him feel that black is beautiful. OCT. 11, 1969 - We are interviewing Bennie Hunter, Amateur 82H,andAbram DraJ.n. Expert 52H. The only unique tb1Ilg about th1s interview is that these men are, to the best of my knowledge, the only two black racers in the motorcycle profession. We are going to find out what it is Uke for them to be on the circuit. They are just two riders. Their views are their own. They will be subjective. Let's see what makes them tick. Wyckoff: Bennie since you are the amateur, who incidentally will be an expert next year, we will let you speak first. When did you start racing? Hunter: 1 think 1 started sportsman in 1964. Wyckoff: What was your first ride? Hunter: A Bultaco at Ballardsvil1e, Ken- and try to compensate for the engine. Wyckoff: About how many states have you traveled in? Hunter: We've been down to Daytona, Atlanta, Elkhorn and Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, Oklahoma City and Reading. I guess about 10 or 12 states. Wyckoff: Do you notice any differences in the tracks in the south-east and the midwest? Drain: Yes, I find some differences in the tracks. The majority of the tracks we ride on are in the mid-west, Indiana, Illinois and Ohio. The finer tracks are in Ohio because they are cushioned. lUke a ride on. It gives you a good surface. Wyckoff: Do you feel you can go faster on a track prepared In this way? Hunter: Yes, det1n1tely, because the water gives the dirt a body. It makes the texture heavier and any time the texture is heavier you can get a better grip, consequently you can go taster. Wyckoff: Abram, do you consider yourself a scient1f1c rider or a seat of the pants rtder? Just how do you program yourself for a race? Drain: Usually I look a track over •Ilook It over when I get there or later in practice I either ride It high or low while I St. Louis. They bad about 22_bikes in one heat. I started on the third row right behind Abram. My strategy was to follow him through the pack. Then once he got the lead I would try to take it away from him. Then I went into the corner and I fell off. Of all the people to run over me, It was Abram and he broke my leg. Wyckoff: It's amazing you are still friends. Abram, why do you race motorcycles? Drain: I race motorcycles because I Ute It. Otherwise I wouldn't be doing It. Not that I can do everything I Ute to do but 1 have found It Is one of the things I can do. tucky. Wyckoff: How old are you now, Bennle? Hunter: Thirty. Wyckoff: What is your regular occupation? Hunter: 1 am an overhead crane signalman. Wyckoff: Now we have Abram, who is an expert. Abram, wben did you start your career in motorcycle ractng? Drain: In 1963 on a BSA. Wyckoff: Were you riding for yourself or for someone else? Drain: I rode for myself. Wyckoff: What do you do for a UVtng? Drain: Right now 1 am a motorcycle mechanic at Dryer Cycle Shop in Indianapolls. Wyckoff: Abram, you are now ractng a BSA. How bas it been working out? What is the condition of your equipment? Drain: 'My equipment isn't first class Ute I would Ute it to be. It is more or less a stock Hornet that i've done a Uttle work on to COIlvert it into a racer. Wyckoff: What machine are you riding DOW, Ben? Hunter: I'm riding a Harley-Davidson. Wyckoff: I ooticed when you drove up you bave three motorcycles. It looks ute an antique Triumph, a Harley and the BSA. You are riding a KR. How old a machine it it? Hater: A '56 but it bas a couple of new cams in it. I think the E cams came out about '59. \Vyckoff: Do you figure you can be competitive with th1s machine? Hunter: Well, you just have to try to rtde it a Uttle harder, gear it a Uttle higher Huntllr: ·.bln thl rXI I. Wlr I 10 back to IIIlnl a bllck mao.· cushioned track. The tracks in the south are either sUck or full of holes. Wyckoff: I understand that in the midwest there is an outt1t that prepares tracks. Ben, could you fill me in on th1s? Hunter: In Ohio there is Bud'S Race Track Service. He prepares the track by the use of water and calc1um. In the morntng, just about day-break, he waters the track real good. He soaks it. almost makes It muddy. Then around 10 o'clock be comes back to the track and puts calcium on it. The calcium will bring the water to the surface. Tbts keeps down dust and gives you a better cushion to Abram Drain, rllhl, r.I.I. IIItwe. rac.. with NIII K.n. let the rest of tht!' pack go ahead. Then after I decide where I want to ride it I have to check my gearing and see what kind of tires I bave on. Somet1mes it is necessary to make changes for different types of dirt. ' Wyckoff: How many different tires do you normallY use? . Drain: Normally you use two different sets of tires, Plrellts and K'70s. PirelIts are used the majority of the t1me and K'7OB on the more grocwed race tracks. When it is wet or quite tacky a K'70 works pretty good. At least for me It does. What - some other racer m1gtlt use I wouldn't kIIOw. Wyckoff: BeD, I saw you bave an accident at GadseD, Alabama where you flew ~ough the air with ~ but the greatest of ease when a ~n rider stepped in your path. Were you hurt? Hunter: I was bruised on my hip and bad a bump on my head. It 1dDd of makes you corner shy. When yOIl get on the track again you try to peek Into the corner to see If there is anybody down. It makes you aware of what can happen. Wyckoff: Have either of you spent any time In the hospital as a result of serious mishaps on the track? Drain: I haven't spent any time In the bospital but I had a fracture of my right leg when I was riding In '64. I didn't even know it was broken at first. I bad fallen In a corner and picked uP my bike and proceeded to finish practice. Later on It started swelling so I had it xrayed. I had to wear a cast about six weeks. Wyckoff: What about you, Bennie? Hunter: Yes, I bad a broken leg. We were runnlng a sportsman race down at Wyckoff: Do you make any money racing? Drain: No, I don't make any money racing. Wyckoff: Ben, why do you race.? Hunter: I race because I Uke it. It kind of gets a hold on you. Wyckoff: Have you made any money racing? Hunter: I haven't ma:deanymoneyeitber. I have made a UttlebuUUsnot a moneymaldng proposition to me. Wyckoff: I understand you have a wife and three children. What does your wife feel about racing? Hunter: She is Ute the' general pubUc. She Ukes a winner. She takes It a Uttle better than most people but sbe still talks to me.

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