Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125655
CI) By Ed Youngblood :it: c.J :i!: Kath arin "Kitty" Budris is the prop rietor of c.J a Chicago area BSA dealership where man y of -J the prominent riders on the national circuit ~ congregate while in the city . Before the Santa U Fe events at Hinsdale, the y stop at Kitty's and use the shop facilities, compare not es, and brush up on what has happened in the windy city since the last visit. Kitty spon sors her own 250cc machines for Novice and short track competition and she has achieved some degree of fame for being the first woman to carry an AMA mechanics license: To Kitt y, the license was essential. A young rider gets more than mere racing machinery with her spon sorship. She also provides moral suppo rt and a littl e bit of mothering with her bikes, and any last minute track changes comc under her personal wrench. Consequentl y, Kitt y has found it necessary to ask for the kind of privileges any male tuner would expect. You can't wield a wrench and give pep talks from beyond the pit wall. There was less troubl e when C. J. was alive. Kitty 's husband was on e of the noted tuners and sponsors in the Chicago area, at th at time campaigning Harley-Davidsons rather than BSAs. He was the man who gave Fr ed Nix his big break by bringing him out of the southwest and putting him on a Harley. So like Kitty herself, her late husband could spot taJent as well as he could tun e a racer. first AMA mechanic' s license granted a woman. When the AMA had initia ted the mechanic 's license with the 1968 season, Kitty had sent in her SIO and application form, The license had been denied because another AMA rule stated that no women were allowed in the pits. Working on the theory that she was being denied the opportunity to make money in her chosen profe ssion due to discrimination against sex, Kitt y contacted Mr. Carl Hanley at the Equal Emplo yment Opportunities Agency in Cleveland , Ohio. Mr. Hanley took an interest in the probl em and the result was a revision of th e AMA rule book by the Executive committ ee. Now women may carry an AMA mechanic's license and help in the pits as long as the y wear team uniforms or whites and comply with other AMA pit pro cedures. Consequently, if Kitty Budris has another Amateur winner thi s year at Santa Fe, you can bet you'll see her ther e on the line when the pictures are taken , mechani c' s license; whites, wrench and aIL But after C. J. died, Kitty found it more difficult to properly sponsor a rider while being treated like a second class pit citizen. For example, at the Santa Fe Short Tra ck National, in 1969 , Amateur winner Don Ca stro r eceiv ed h i s troph y and congratulations alone. His tuner and spon sor was not allowed to enter the track and po se with him because she was a woman . Young Don had met Kitty just that week, and Kitty fell for him immediately, relying upon the ability to spot taJent that her hu sband had given her. That week in AUgust, the BSA riders had gathere d at CJ.' s BSA Sales & Service, to prepare their machinery. Dick Mann was there in the shop, as were Dallas Baker and Dave Aldana. Originally Dave had been offered the Budris short tracker, but he chose to keep th e machin e that Dallas was tuning for him. It turned out to be an unwise decision, for Dave's machine blew up during the evening and Don Castro went on to drive the incredibly fast Budris BSA single to a hard-fought win over the screaming Neil Keen Yamaha piloted by Charlie Chapple. The afternoon befor e the race Kitty had predicted the winner. She reported to the riders gathered in her shop that she had dreamed her bike would win, and that now all she needed was an Amateur rider. Dave Aldana, apparently skep tical of women' s dreams, turned down his first-choice offer, and tha t' s when Dallas Baker mentioned Don Castro 's need for a ride. Don came into th e shop to meet Kitt y th at evening, and as Kitty states it, 'The minu te I saw Don, I was sure more than ever we were going to win th e Amateur final , I'm a great believer in faith, and as it turned out we were both lucky . Don said the bike fit like it was built for him ." That night Kitty had to rely more than ever on faith, for according to AMA policy she was not allowed to help in the pit s. But in spite of the rules, Dan's unfamiliarity with the machine, and Charlie Chapp le's fantastic on-th e-bubble mentaJ state, the Budris BSA went on to win. Furthermore, Don was riding with his leg in a cast! Wmning is Kitty' s game. Recentl y she won a battle for the "weaker sex" by obtaining the Rain Drenches Dunlap English Trials & MII\II·CfCLES Of llenelli MAKERS OF THE WORLD CHAMPION MOTORCYCLE If you ca n't beat 'em . . . join 'em! And nobody could beat Benelli in the race for the world's champion ship. Now , the same know-how .. . thesameattentiontodetails . . . thesa me craftsmanship goes into these Benelli Mini·Cycles. Miniaturized motorcycles that are road legal' . Little bikes with big get-up-and-go .. . and there's a Benell i for everyone from junior to dad. Get in on Ihe fun and excitement with Benell i. Write for illustrated folder and name of nearest dealer. By Barbara J . Taylor DUNLAP, CAL . Jan. H, 1970- English Trials at Dunlap Cycle Park were run despite heavy rains at !he 1,900 foot elevation cycle park. The drenching rains scared most riders away, wI!h !he exception of 1hIrteen. The trlais started at ten IhIrty as scheduled. All entrants rode !he rain soaked traps !hat were set out in different areas of !he eleven hundred acre park. Each rider rode !he traps in a loop fas hi on three times wI!h plenty of time to carefully Inspect each sloggy and slippery section. Sections were planned and marked !he day before when It was dry, so each section turned out to be many times more difficult !han planned, but !he riders elected to ride !he sec- . tlons as !hey were. Bob Kiser of oakhurst rode away with !he first place gold after acqulring !hlrty points. Bob cleaned trap number four on each trip through and cleaned all !he o!her sections at least once. Frank Conley, Secretary of !he Cla s s ic and Antique Motorcycle Association, placed second wI!h for ty - s eve n points, but wl!hdrewhis entry after !he event because he was responsible for planning the trials. Darwin Smith and Travis Lee, bo!h of Coalinga, had a score of fifty-two. Darwin was declared !he IhIrd place winner because he cleaned !he most number of sections wI!h Travis taking a fourth. Sixteen year old Marsh Moore, of Fresno, having never ridden a motorcycle until four weeks prior should be commended for turning In a score of ninety-four. English Trials is a relatively new event In !he Fresno area. It took a few trials to get !he people Interested, and to find out !hat Trials are an exciting and extremely challenging sport. Many young faces are starting to appear, probably a result of !he American Motorcycle Association's new ruly !hat affects !he under sixteen age group. Despite !he rains and adverse conditions !he trials were felt by all to be success, mainly because all !he participants stayed and practiced riding !he traps until nearly sundown. February !he twenty-second Is to be !he date of !he next English Trials at Dunlap Cycle Park and will be run rain or shine, as usual. The group of riders decided to form an organization, to be called !he Central California Trials Association. They will meetln!he mornIng before !heir e ve nts and use !he same rules that !he PI TS have been using. The association was formed because of the local Interest, and !he fact !hat local riders fi nd It quite diffi c ult to travel e ither to !he Los Angele s area or !he San Francisco area to compete in English Trials. (Results on page 17) a SUI-T~CQ UPSWEPT, TUNED EXPANSION CHAMBERS. 'ANY MODEL -~; COMPLETE WITH BUllT HEA T ·IN SHiElD. BOLT ON NO MODlflCA TIONS REQUIRED. *:--1n 11' );I WIO :u" 1Ou h j,'(· ! 1.. dllln":,,, and c a n var v, C'hl'("k ..... it h y" u r I'K'~I \",·hi ."!,· t l"l(I"" ra l j. ,n hur ' ·IIU. llenelli SOLE U.S. I MP ORTE R: COSMOPOLITAN MOTORS. INC. JACKSONVILLE & MEAOOWBROOK RO S.• HATBORO. PA. $39.95 T.N.T. RTE, 1, 124B, McMINNVILLE, ORE, 91128