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/125662
Texas Road Racing Season Opens In Austin
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By John Blanton
Col AUSTIN, TEXAS: March I, 1970 - The
:<= traditional Austin Raceway Park season
:5
opening road race was held today, and
the rains that plagued last year's opener
:... were back for a return run again. How(J ever, the skies soon cleared, and no
serious accidents results from the wet
track.
(J
using uP almost all of thepavement(and,
once , more) on the turns as he drifted
both wheels in the sUck. Thlrd and fourth
were Harold Peters and James Sloan on
thelr Kawasakrs,'
Jim Lutz was back in the 200Cc GP
heat to win on his 175cc Bultaco. Next
came James Gardner (I75cc Honda)
Kenneth Gooselaw (175cc Bridgestone)
and Willard Kelley (175cc Honda).
on his Yamaha, and second was Bennie
Campbell (kawasald). Bennie pressed the
leader throughout the race but never
headed him, and he was, himself, pressured from behind by Jet Tharp
(Yamaha), especlally near the last when
it appeared thilt TharP would make a bid
to pass. But Bennie claJms that he recognized the threat and that on the last
lap he sucked the Yamaha too fast into '
the esses near the pits. Tharp crashed
heavily and could not remount for the
remaining fifty yeards.
BenUey Hardwick appeared set to take
the Open GP on the Norton, but soon
after the start Mike Cone was dicing
with him on the 350 Yamaha. Finally
Benny took the sUp road at the hairptn,
and he eventually pulled uP at the finish
just even with Larry Beall's 500Cc
Kawasaki, then running in second place.
Larry's Kawasaki Is the one he will
ride at Daytona as are many of the other
new mounts ones that will appears with
thelr riders at the "200". The ouUay
of new machinery at this ftrst meet of the
year forecasts some vigorous competition for the Texas racing ctrcuit this
year. Darryl Hurst's TD2 is new (he
formerly raced a 100) as is Mike Cone's
350. Bennie Campbell, who campaigned
a Suzuki last season, is now with U.S.
Cycles in Universal City and astride a
250 Kawasaki. Two others who have
switched to 250 Yamahas are Bob Nagil1er (lately of the Open class) and David
Watkins, previously a front runer on a
175 Bultaco. There are more, besides,
and the trend to the 250 class seems
significant.
As for Austin Raceway Park, as the
last checkered flag fell on the last
finisher, the sounds of racing died out
forever at the race course. Hardiy four
years Old, It Is being sold to developers.
(Results on page 19)
SPEEDWAY RIDERS TO CROSS UP AT ANTELOPE VALLEY FAIRGROUNDS
J.t Tharp (92) and Darryl Hurst (34) set the pace on tI. banking tlrns at Austin Raceway Park .
In the 500Cc Production class, BenUey
Hardwick won on his 500cc Suzuki and
set a pattern that he was to follow the
remainder of the day, save for one race.
Second, third and fourth in the event
were Tommy Byars (500cc Suzuki), Jet
Tharp (350cc Yamaha) and Pete Gibbs
(500cc Suzuki).
Winner of the Open Production class
was also Benny Hardwick, this time on
the very sharp 750Cc Norton. Next were
Thomas W1lllams (750cc Honda), Eddie
Patton (75OCc Honda) and Steve Kastner
(65OCc Triumph).
Edward Green won the 100Cc GP heat
on his Suzuki after a race-long tussle
with Jim Lutz on the former JohnnY
Bryant Yamaha, a dice which saw Lutz
Jet Tharp, Darryl Hurst, Jesse Reed
and Pete Gibbs made it a 1-2-3-4 sweep
for Yamaha In the 250Cc GP heat, and
Benny Hardwick returned in the Open
GP heat to win again on the Storm 's
Norton over James Henry'S streamllned
version of the same bike, Patton's Honda
and David Boucher's 500cc Suzuki. The
500Cc GP was won by Mike Cone (35OCc
Yamaha) over Ray Stringer's G-50 Sealey
Matcb1ess.
The 200Cc and the 250Cc Finals were
run concurrenUy, and the winner of the 200cc class was Lutz on the Bultaco
after early challenger Jim Gardner
sUpped off into the culver at the haJrpin
turn. Darryl Hurst was the 250Ccwinner
at the Fairgrounds, April 12, May 10
The Speedway Racing Assn. has anand June 7, with the regular weekly
nounced the acquisition of the Antelope
season to start June 21st. Special disValley Fatrgrounds, Lancaster for the
count passes to groups will be avaJIable.
coming 1970 season for the spectacular
For any .information you may call 714Sport of Speedway Racing to be presented
521-6422.
by John Recclo and Jack Holmes.
Contracts have been recenUy signed
for this long awaJted stadium by John
ROESELER AND McCLURG
Rocc1o, who is a recent Pearblossom
TEAM UP FOR MINT 400
resident. The contracts came through
By Wanda Roeseler
the efforts of Foster Phebus, A.V.F .
Two more riders throw thetr helmets coordinator.
into the ring at the "Mint 400".
The sport of Speedway racing bas been
Veteran partners of the Mexican 1000,
recenUy making a strong comeback after
Earl Roeseler and Jim McClurg will be
15 years of relative inactiVity due to the
out to win that $6,000.00 prize money.
shortage of the special racing equipThey'll be on a Yamaha from Dale's
ment required and Is now drawing sport
Modern Cycle of San Bernardino, Cal.
fans by thousands In California.
Earl has been riding desert for the
The local U.S. champion Steve Bast
last 14 years and earned the #1 desert
and last year's champion Rick Woods are
plate In 1965. He bas won more than 60
both eager for the opening of A.V.F _
trophies. "
California Champion Sonny Nutter with
Jim McClurg bas been at it for less
his own Speedway fans club, Stu Morley
than 4 year!;" but he made it to the top
long time favorite dtrt track racer, Don
In those 4 years. He was a winner in the '
Hawley a man's man racer, Larry Hein1969 Baja 500, and took a 7th in the 1969
selman from Great Bear Racing Team,
Mexican 1000. He also bas many wins in
Dewayne Keeter recenUy returned from
the European racing clrcutt, and many \ T .T" and desert events.
These two riders will" be ready for
more will be racing at A.V.F.
the Mint challenger.
Three pre-season races are planned
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