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/125658
B~gg~ Or~~red V:l ~ t.:l :;:; By Dave Lanning Four times world champion Barry t.:l Briggs Is the latest big-time speedway ....J name to announce he may switch to ~ American motorcycle sport. Briggs, 34, (.) kingpin of the Swindon "Robins" side in the British speedway league has been . offered a contract worth 150,000 dollars to race and endorse motorcycle products in the States this summer. If he accepts, he will have to miss out on his European commitments. "Financially, it's a fantastic offer and I would be very foolish not to think about it very seriously," said Briggs. "The . deal would involve several forms of racing, and I would be heavily spons ored by the Japanese Yamaha concern for small tracks and indoor eVEmts (on 250Cc machines), with 350cc bikes for haIfmile tracks. For European-style speedway meetings I'd stick to Jawa machines. In addition to the actual racing, the contract would also mean sales promotion of all sorts of day-to-day motorcycle equipment, like helmets and gloves." 150,000 Dollars To Race In States Briggs will have talks with the American businessmen after his appearance in the U.S. short track qualltier at Houston Astrodome on February 6 - when he will be paid 3000 dollars before he even sets foot on the track. He Is eager to do well In this event and, prior to the meeting, Intends to live a hermit-like existence In the desert outside Los Angeles, practiclng daily on an unfamiliar 250cc Yamaha. It he does well In Houston, he will return to ride a 350Cc machine in the U.S. Championships at Daytona on March 13 and 14. Despite the financial lure, Briggs 15 unhappy at the prospect of missing the British Speedway season, as well as his customary weekend long track and sand track dates in West Germany, Czec hoslovakia, Denmark, Holland, Sweden and Poland. He has already received invitations to race in international meetings at Osnabruck, Hamburg, Lipstrat, Neiderrodenbach, Olehlng, Kempten, Pardubice, Wroclawand Prague. These meetings are worth approximately 1000 dollars each; last year Briggs, British agent for the huge Ja wa mechanical concern, was paid 600 dollars Just to make a personal appearance at Osna- bruck with his wrist In plaster! uThere are so many things to consider, but I can't really make uP my mind about anything until I've spoken with the Americans to see exactly what they have in mind, " said Briggs, before leaving London. " I don't really fancy giving uP British League racing altogether _ it would mean missing the World Championship. I'm trying to find the best of both worlds _ commuting between Britain and America during the season. It the Americans agree it might be possible, but I don't honestly know just how long I could stand uP to the strain of that sort of traveling. While h Is in th States B I will "e e , ggs act as a roving ambassador for Brltish speedway, and will negotiate for a team of young American riders to tour British Dlvlsl n II tra ks f r thr o c 0 ee weeks, possibly In August. The slde would carry the name "Los Angeles" and race against Second Division sides • . Briggs will aiso try to arrange for the 1970 American speedway champion to compete In the British qualltying rounds of the World Championship. ,.r Following his appearance at Houston, Briggs globe-trots on to Australia for meetings at Liverpool, N.S.W.onFebruary 13, 20 and 27. He will compete in all-star programs thatwillfeatureworld champion Ivan Mauger and ex-champs OVe Fundin (Sweden) and Ronnie Moore. These are the Southampton-based stars first meetings Down Under for over ten years, and he has already been offered return bookings In Australia for 1~71. Briggs, married with two young sons, runs a thriving motorcycle business in Britain and has been a regular world finalist since 1955. He has won every honor in speedway and his loss to British speedway would be Irreplaceable. But although many British promoters are becoming concerned about the prospective disappearance of their big names to America chairman of the British ' Speedway Promoters Association, hugely-respected Coventry boss Charles Ochlltree told me ' "It would be unf r. Q tunate If we lost riders like Barry but British speedway Is big enough to look after Itself now. "I feel that the benefits of a revival of U.S. speedway would far outweight the loss of a few star performers." Gripster's Elsinore G.P. AProduct Of Years Of Perseverance By Ronald R. SZilagyi .' .The Grlpsters M.C. is presenting its third annual Elsinore Grand Prix March 7th and 8th. The race will be run 10 miles through sand washes, mountain roads and the city streets of Elsinore. The organization of this most popular event Is attributed to one man, T.H. Paschal. T.H. Paschal tried for years to have a Grand Prix through the streets of Elsinore, California. Mr. Paschal first approached the Highway Commission in 1966, but was turned down. The Commission sald they could not allow competition bikes on the highway. Mr. Paschal determined to have the race, turned to the property owners effected by the course of the proposed race. He compiled a llst of 92 property BULT~C-o T.H. Pa scha l' s perseverance paid ofllor the Grlpster s. owners and started calling them. He soon realized that the property owners, most of them living outside Elsinore, were not receptive to his proposal. His determination was not Impaired, Mr. Paschal decided to talk to each property owner in person. In 1966 he put 50,000 miles on his truck seeking out the 92 concerned owners. T.H. Paschal was finally successful, he received the permission of the majority of property owners. He now had to convince the City Council of Elsinore and the Highway Department that the race was Important and worthwhile. He received valuable help from the Elsinore Business Association and the Lake Elsinore Valley Chamber of Commerce in obtaining the needed permits. In 1968, the end of two years of hard work, the first Elsinore Grand Prix was held. The first Grand Prix was a tremendous success. Mr. Paschal and the Gripsters MC are prepared once again for this outstanding race of the 1970 season. This year there will be a pavement start with rows of 15 riders, five feet apart, released at 10 sec. intervals. No one will want to miss this most interesting and long sought Grand Prix. YANKEE FLYERS Yankee Motors Corporation announced today that their " DIck Mann Replica" 250cc Shorttracker, which boasts of 38 hp. and a dry weight of only 189 tbs., has been tentatively priced at $1000 (subject to cos t accounting). The original prototype of this machine won the Santa Fe National In the hands of Dick "Bugs" Mann, who designed the frame . SWEEPS ASCOT OPENER,AGAINI GrlJ~;ng Is' ,lIru 5'~ & 8 of 'lie 'op 10 , '\ J . : ' G ARY S COTT B ultaeo Pursang PAUL JOHNSON Bultaeo' Pursang KEN ROBERTS ' Bultaco Pursang Following a pattern established last year, Bultaco riders again dominated the Calif. Professional season opener at the Ascot T.T., Feb. 1st. Paul Johnson herded hi s brand new Pursang MK.IV to a Novice Main Event win and Gary Scott, Ken Roberts, Ron Moore, Ron Byrd, M ike Mi ddleton, Randy Bailey and Bob Greenstreet made sure that 8 of the top 10 spots went to Pursangs. Such phenomenal performance ind ic a te s that 1970 is indeed, "The Year of the Bul.· ' .' • He"" Pur• • ng MK. IV'. Now A,.iI.... ;1 2 Mo",'s: MOTOCROSS or T.T. SCRAMlLE Speci fications MOTO-X MODEL ss hp. M.l""" T~. 21' Front Whee l Knobby Tires Moto-X Bars Longer , Narrower Tank & Seat Femsatronic (solid state) Dual lgn. _~ ~ I ~ ~Qa~ III ==: 0 -: h ~ ~ ~ Specifications T.T. SCRAMBLER: 31.7 hp, T.T. TOM 19' Front Wheel Pirelli Trials Tires . Scrambler Bars Longer, Narrower Tank & Seat Femsatronic (solid state) Dual lgn, So. 01 Kern County Line No. 01 Kern Co. Line BULTACO W ESTERN BU LTA CO AM ERI CAN , LTD. 1 0929 Chandler BIvd. No Hollywood, Cal if. 91 601 (213) TR 7-2400 27 S Blvd. 65 cott Santa Clara. Calif. 95050 (408) 241-4672