Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

i STAGE ~ By Dewitt Tlmett SET FOR GREATEST DAYTONA 200 HARLEY-DAVIISON: MilWaukee is breaking out their new 750cc I..-LllV-DAVI-l twin modified "Sportsters" for the first time. A controversial r.J :c: r.J This year's Daytona 2Ct, is sbaplog up to be the greatest one on record. Those are strong words for an event that bas run since 1937 but it is true, none the less. .... March 15th wlll mark the 3:::.1d start of the most famous of the AMA Nationals and It ~ wlll be the cUmax of a hectic week of dirt track races and road races for Novices, t,) Amateurs and Experts. It all started as Harley vs Indian, then for a few years Norton challenged, later Triumph and BSA, and most recent, Yamaha and SuzuId. The annual Speedweek at Daytona from March 9th through 15th now bas all the major brands, plus quite a few that are not so major, all going for the big win in the "Daytona 200". The new rul1ng allowing 750cc machines bas thrown the door open to an entirely new pbase in racing, a pbase that will unfold on March 15th. New names such as Honda, GUZZi, Norton and BMW join the Ust that grows dally for America's oldest and most traditic:inal race. The stakes for thIs slogle event stand at $15,000 plus. For the first time the famed Speedway wlll play host to the three cyl1nder rnachines of Triumph and BSA. The four cyl1nders of Honda, the twins of BMW, Norton, Guzzi and Harley's new 750 overhead valve twin. . Iever before bas the race atmosphere changed so completely from one year to the next. Everybody bas jumped on the bandwagon now but only one rider and one macbine can win. This is the only aspect that bas not changed. Elation is assured for one and disappointment Is guaranteed for many. At the present time all but a very few are all smiles and all golog well over the 150 mph mark. ~ let's' Take ALook At How They Line-up. ...... ~... BSA: The big news from Birmlogham, of course is the announcement that "Mike the BIke" Hallwood wlll ride a Rocket TI1ree in the the Daytona 200 thIs year. This report broke in the EngUsh papers and was confirmed by BSA in this country. MIke wlll team with Dave Aldana and Jim Rice, both of whom have proved that they can get the gas on but they are dirt track spec1al1sts and have negUgible road race experience and none on the high Daytona banks. Ken Pressgrove, the third member of the BSA team campaigning in the Nationals is still recovering from injuries incurred at Houston and will be out of action until April. The BSA engines have had more hours on the wall than any of this year's new engines as a result of the BSA record runs conducted last year. Top speed is a big factor at Daytona as well as experience and reliability. The factory is cla1mlog 170 mph for the spec1ally built Daytona machines and Hallwood brlogs in what amounis to years of road raclog and Daytona experience. BSA's long distance record runs gave them a chance to work out the rel1abl11ty so they could have a good chance at least for one bike. D"~ mach1ne all last year that bas already been tested at Daytona a few months ago. Some H-D people flatly state it wlll run well over the 160 mark. Others say right at 154 mph. Harley bas a five rider team of which four have Daytona experience. Team leader and Daytona winner the past two years Is Cal Rayborn. He Is soUdly backed up by National champ, Mert Lawwlll, three time wIn- , ner, Roger Reiman, dirt tracker Bart Markel and first timer at Daytona, Mark Brelsford. . Rayborn Is the only one that bas proved he can ride road races and win in recent years. Lawwlll is consistent, Markel is getting better. Reiman Is a big question mark and Brelsford could be the surprise of the entire team. H-D yearly works harder, spends more money and bas the desire but they wlll have to be right the first try since they cannot count on rain saving them as it did last year. We wlll bet that the reliable old 750 sldevalve that has won for Rayborn in ' 68 and '69 will be ready and walting - just in case. Harley is supposed to have 200 of the new road racers for sale by race time but don't expect to see many more than five at Daytona. A good bet at 5 to 1. HONDa. HONDA: For the first time since Honda came to this country to sell motorcycles they will be jo1n1ng the club. Early reports had a small budget team coming from England on a private basis. Honda officials denied there would be a team but the Ink was not even dry before they were in Daytona and not just sunning themselves on the beach. For some reason or other Honda always made a big thing out of entering European Grand Prix events but have tried to keep Daytona a deep dark secret. Now they have brought out of retirement two of their former Grand Prix riders, Tommy Robb and Ralph Bryans from Ireland and added American Dick Mann for good measure. In addition they have BUl Smith, who Is one of the largest Honda dealers in England and races many local events. It's hardly an accidental gatherlog of nameless faces who will enter the Honda 750cc four cyUnders into national competition for the first time. Guiding the team direction, but still not admitting It at this time is Bob Hansen who was beb!nd the longtime G-50 Matchless efforts and In '67 sneaked three Honda Honda 450's Into Daytona at the last minute. All three came over from the factory and were ready to go. Some Honda people are cla1mlog 100 Horsepower and not laughing. Dick Mann is the only rider on the team with Daytona experience. No first time Daytona entrant bas ever really se the world on fire and this year wlll be no exception, For years Robb and Bryans rode one-of-a-ktnd special equipment, Daytona calls for basically stock production machines and the Hondas wlll have to be somethIng really special to give them the edge. Weight and handling may be a problem. Honda may spend more than Harley to try for the win but they are still a relative longshot at 25 to 1. ~. V_.-£> KA WASAKI: After three frustrating years at Daytona with the ~dlJiIRI 250's, 250's and 500's the word Is out that Kawasaki bas no official .-.,team. Yet the world l25cc Grand Prix champion Dave Simmonds Is comlog from England on an announced factory special with horsepower stated at better than 75. Californian Dave Smith, who works for Kawasaki will be riding and have a Kawasaki tuner. In the Amateur class " The Texas Terror" Rusty Bradley will be on a Kawsak1. All three will ride the 500cc three cyl1nders. Simmonds rode in America a year ago with no luck whatsoever. Smith bas been a capable road racer for some time but have never had the equipment. Bradley can win In Texas but bas yet to be impressive away from home. Kawasaki mounted a full effort last year at Daytona and came up zero. On the surface the rumor may be no team effort but here's .bettlog that all the top Company wheels will be on hand come race time. Coming In at 100 to 1. ~.nJlIII ~ SUZUKI: This will be - . . ,. . . . ~ twins. We'll see a four the second year for the 500cc two stroke rider coofirmed team and no secrets from the main office. Suzuld wants the win and is willing to pay for it. They have gathered one of the finest four rider teams ever assembled for the Daytona event. TI1ree of the four are road racing "Specialists" . and the other member bas turned Ina couple of more than creditable road race rides. Ron Grant, runnerup to Rayborn last year leads them oU. Right behind Is Sears Point National winner, Art Baumann. The latest add1t1on is everybodY's racer, Jody Nicholas who switched from Yamaha to Suzuld afew minutes ago. These three riders give SUZuld, which Is said to be Ughter and faster, as potent a threesome that ever headed for the Sunshine State. Backing them up is Jimmy Odom who is better known on dirt but Is a fine rider who set a track record for Honda at Daytona the first time he ever stepped over a gas tank for a road race. Il desire can win then Suzuld will win the Daytona 200. The Sears Point upset sent them sky high and the sky Is the Umlt with a team that bas no weakness in rider abillty. Yamaha bas lost Baumann and Nicholas to Suzuki over the past two years. Grant bas been a faithful for sometime. Odom continues to freelance until he hits the Jackpot. By no means an Idle threat. Bring them in at 10 to 1. Continued on page 16 WIN... ride an XC-100 INVADER~ ~ ·for Hors.power A.4 Co.re.i••" A"";';o••' Ir.cit's I.,.ir." 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