Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

... :CYCLE "America'i #1 wee kl)' molorc)'cle newlpap•• You'll alwa)'1 I . It FIRST In C)'cle Newl!" HEY WORLD! I'm the rider who bought a page in your paper to say "Hey World Malcolm Smith won Elsinore" and I'll tell you why I did. Malcolm would never make an issue over lb1s situation; he's too much a gentleman, but he's also a businessman and motorcycling is his ille. The shocking failure of the Gripsters Elsinore scoring system can have very damaging effects on the business and riding career of Malcolm Smith. Hey, Gripsters you are not playing around with 3 or 4 hundred riders on a Sunday afternoon at Ponderosa. You produced a giant show, a show who's eventual spectators and consumers and dollars to be earned figure in the mUUons. MUllons of people will see lb1s show , on T.V. MUlions of dollars will be spent and millions of dollars will be earned from the basic show which you, the Gripsters, produced. What are you going to do? Are you actually going to tell the world that somebody else won the rac, not Malcolm Smith? Are you going to help make someone sle famous overnight? I say severe damages are being done to Malcolm SmJth and the record should be set straight. DAVE ROCHLEN Honolulu, Hawall THE RECORD SHOULD READ••• My thanks and congratulations to the Gripsters Motorcycle Club for the great way they handled the Grand Prix lb1s year. A great race to ride! It took a lot of bard work by a lot of people to put on such a race and it showed. Thanks. There 'is one small correction to be made tho. The Metter Brothers won the sidehack event. They were first across the Une and rode a great race and deserve the credit due them. The record should read, Metter Bros. first overall and first small bore back. Danielsen Jr. & Sr. second overall and first big bore back. Thanks again for two great racing days, I can bardly wait till next year. FRANK DANIELSEN Los Angeles, Cal. EYES WERE BLURRED I am writing lb1s letter to bring to the attention of the many readers of lb1s publication the gross mistake made by the Gripsters Motorcycle Club concerning the winner of the 250Cc EJlPert class at the Elsinore Grand Prix on March 7, 1970. The final decision on the winner went to Gary Bailey, a fine rider and sportsman indeed, but lb1s computation of the ,results is wrong. Malcolm SmJth was the obvious winner of lb1s event. The lap scorers were either not watching or their eyes were blurred by the extraordinary speed of #18, Malcolm Smith. JIM LEWIS La Mesa, Cal. FEEL THE NEED OF ASSISTANCE Our club would like to have some information on RESCUE 3. The name of our group, formerly The Fontana Boat and Ski Club, now is known as "The Club", a family club interested in motorcycles. We hold our events in the Phelan and Summit area. Events are for men, women and children. With all of the interest in our family type outings, the crowds are growing larger and we feel the need of assistance at some of the advertised events for safety sake. Any information you could furnish in reference to RESCUE 3 would be appreciated. BARBARA COPPI Secretary, The Club Bloomington, Cal. Rescue 3's praises seem to have been sung high and low by every club or promoter that makes use of their worthwhile service. You may contact them at P .O. Box ~24~, San Bernardino, Cal .... Ed. '- , , ", Publisher... . . . . • . . Charles Clayton Business Manager• •••. Sharon Clayton General Manager••.•••••..Tom Culp Feature Editor•..•• : ..•. Terry Pratt Assistant Editor•..••... Bob Sanford Circulation Manager••••• Bruce Easley Circulation Assistant•••• Rheba Smith Production Manager. ,•• ••••Lili Lakich Lab Technician••••.•... Jim Brooks Production Assistant.•••• Jerry Owen Bookkeeper. • • • • . • • Susan Whitelaw Bookkeeper••.•..•• •• Eleanor Duke Want Ads .•••' •• •••• Jan McCullough EUPHORIA , Your article captured the Elsinore Grand Prix"euphoria" beaut1fullyJ The Gripsters are to be commended for the efficient and organized manner in which it was conducted - what an improvement over last year! It was great that Steve McQueen could join the fun - but was it fair to him to have been "crowded" all weekend? Next time why not walk by "and take a look" (and advise your children to dothesame) and keep going'. The hourly v1g1Is kept by many were rather selfish. Perhaps it's the price he pays for being famous ••• but why not give him a break next time••• so he can enjoy "doing his lb1ng." If we didn't scare him off lb1s time•..nexttime let's try plain old consideraUon. Now what to do about spectators that are "track bUnd." JAN DAVIS Escondido, Calif. WANT IT BACK I attended the Grand Prix at Elsinore on Saturday and along with many, many people bad my car towed away from an "unmarked course". I talked with two policemen wa11dng the pit area and they told me they wanted to "go around with a bull-horn and inform the people 01. the tow-away but "they wouldn't let them". How can lb1s be just1flable or legal tactics when there were no "no parking" signs, Urne or ribbons on the street prior to 9:00 a.m, Sat.? I would like to have my $15 back. L .L. MARKEL Westminster, Calif. UNJUST TO IRWINDALE Your report on the Irwindale Nationals included some comments that were unjust. First you printed that some of the street bikes were far from stock. The N.H.R.A . rule book provtdes that street bike class machines are allowed to run any exhaust, they may use rear suspenston struts and remove the front fenders etc. Secondly, there is always grumbling but at least we were trying all day long. BOB FORREST Los Angeles, Cal. Published weekly except the first and last week of the calendar year by Cycle News. Inc •• Post Office Box 498. Long Beach. California. also publishers of Cycle News East. Second Class Postage paid at Long Beach. California. Editorial stories. cartoons, photos. etc. are welcome . Write for information . Addressed. stamped envelope assures return of editorial matter. Reprinting in whole or in part only by permission of the publishers. Advertising rates and circulation i nformation will be sent upon request. SubscrIption: one )'ur 2nd clall mall $7.50 IF YOU QIDN'T, DO IT If you read Russ Sanford's article in the March 17 Cycle News you know serious consideration is being given to the requirement of mutflers and spark arrestors on desert competition bikes. If you didn't read the article, do it; then write to Sanford and express your op1n1ons about mufflers, registration fees, lights, land use, etc. He bas the opportunity to speak directly to legislators about these subjects; If he is backed by stacks of letters (i.e., VOTES) his words will carry more weight. WINSTON BEAUMONT Rowland Heights, Cal. DON'T LET IS SCARE YOU OFF I just finished reading M.O.R.E. from the Capitol, (March 17, Cycle News) and feel that Russ Sanford bas something that we motorcyclists should express our feelings on. The article is rather lenglbly, but don't let that scare you off. Get out Cycle News and read it and discuss it. These proposals should be of just as much interest to the street riders because they or their offspring may someday discover the pleasures of dirt riding unavailable on the bighways. In general, I am in favor of Mr. Sanford's proposals. I don't know about the California State Deparment of Parks and Recreation doling out the funds unless there is a strong pro- motorcycle faction represented 'in the California Recreational Tra1Is CommJttee, as their restrictions may take all the enjoyment out of riding. I urge all cyclists to write M.O.R.E. as to how you feel on these proposals, because with all the anti-pollution, antiUttering and anti-noise proponents existing today the song of the 2 stroke may be a lb1ng of the past before we know it. BEVERL Y JENSEN Hayward, Calif. BLANKET THANK YOU I would like to tIlli.nk all the riders who helped my son Bobbie when his 650 Triumph burned at the Sandblaster event March 15, 1970. I would like to thank each one personallY but lack knowing your names. ROBERT HANSEN, Sr. North Hollywood, Cal. voices PUBLICITY GETS THE TURN OUT I'd like to comment on the last Une of Dale Wymer's letter, "Maybe chain link fences for spectators would help, but then how good would the pictures be ?" And to enlarge a bit. If Mr. Wymer is referring to the pictures-for-publication, chain-Unk fences wouldn't make much difference. For a well-run operation makes every effort to see that photographers are able to get the kind of pix that editors and arl directors like to publish. But entirelY too few cycle events are well-run. Most of the time the photographer is treated like a cross-eyed stepchlld and everylb1ng posstble is done to prevent his getting decent pictures. This situation does not prevatl in other sports. At one time or another I've . done everylb1ng from boats to snowmobiles, but none of them - at even the most fouled-up events - have treated me as poorlY as do the AMA officials at any National you may care to name. And the average club takes their cue from Their Leaders. A club like Hayward, who put on the huge Cowbell and recognize that their big turn-out is parily a result of publicity, is very, very rare. DOUG RICHMOND Oakland, Cal. KINDA CRASHED On March 15th there waa.a.racs at Carlsbad. I kinds craShed but didn't get hurt bad, but I'm black and blue everywhere. All I reallY want to do is to let all the people that helped me know I'm okay, and to thank them. Thanks most to the lady that sat with me until my mom came, and Dr. Guadla for .th e shot. IRENE BYRNES Cardiff, Calif. FELT DUMB ABOUT EXPLAINING Your results of the Amateur National TT Feb. 6th at Houston Astrodome lists Mike Vails, Triumph as winning sixth place. This is wrong. Mike Vails didn't qual1fy for the final. I didn't think much of it until Triumph advertised it. Please correct this for me. i'm sure my friends will be pleased to read lb1s correcUon and believe in me again. Our four local shops would like to post these results but feel as dumb as I do about having to explain about their local rider. DAN DEUBLER Sioux Falls, S. Oak. C)'cle Newl East and National Adver· IIlln, Information: Thomal Culp••Natlonal Advertilln, Dlr. Cycle News (West), P.O. Box 498, Long Blaell, Calif, 98881 (213) 421-7433 L.A. 63&-8844 Northern Office 1470 Broadwa" Walnut (415) 934-1995 . Northern Repre.ntatlve : l)'n Jensen . er.k, Calif. Sln,'e cop)' price •••••••••• 25( NO SYMPATHY I am writing in regard to Dave Larson's friend (Voices, March 10). At the time I was standing approximately 30 feet across the track. I personally find it very bard to have any sympathy for the three men hurt (for their families however, I do). They were members of a bike club and should have known better than to stand at a place like they were standing with their backs turned. It bas been printed that the rider was doing a last wheelie. He wasn't. It was a last chance to pass a man (which is what racing is about) arid he did before the checkered flag. He actually lost it before the flag but didn't tall off until after it. HARVEY G. SORENSEN Santa Barbara, Cal" CREDIT FOR THE GOOD After reading Edna Conway's letter in your 3 March issue, about the Placer' v1Ile Motorcycle Club having failed to cancel an event they bad publicized, I was rather careful to phone them to see U the Moto-X scheduled for 15 March was comJng off as planned. They said, "Yes", so I went and I haven't been to a better event in the last year. I feel that any club can make a mJstake and should receive credit for the good as well as the bad, hence lb1s letter. Placerv1I1e's 15 March Mota-X was over an extremely well-laid out course over which even moderately well-set up l00s, moderately well-ridden, bad few d1ff1culties. Still the course was one of the most interesting I have ridden and all riders seemed to like it. It bad 5 mudholes ranging from "no sweat" to axle-deep slop, plenty of mUd to steep h1lls, plenty of off-camber side h1lls stuff so that many riders were almost in a perpetual "Ught on the pegs" riding ~ position, a winding course but with few actually dangerous obstacles, a "pot hole" you bad to see to believe and a lake alongside a portion of the course. The spectators bad a ' ball with their cameras, catching the mudmen coming out of the mud baths, from their picnic spots. The course was very well marked and about 3 miles long with 3 Motos run by all and five trips around. HERB SCHENK S. Lake Tahoe, Calif. MAKE IT CLEAR This is my second year as a Novtce in the district and Pm still confused about the way courses are marked. The use of arrows stuck in the ground are just large enough that you know they are there but not what they mean until you are on top of them Ltme is great until its been ridden over and disappears: Ribbon tied to bushes and trees is only large enough to see out of the corner of your eye, If at all. I, for one, would like to see a more unUorm method of marking. For example: 1) Arrow Signs should be large enough to be read at 50 yards. 2) Lime should be used more times in danger areas. 3) Ribbon at least 2 inches wide, and 2 teet long, securely fastened. The extra amount of time used to lay out a course would be realiZed at the end' of the event. Fewer accidents would occur, fewer people' will be lost or contused, and the clean up crew would have fewer riders to pick up. One other area that needs closer control is the pit area. I have bad to dump my bike several Umes this year, because of other riders who are out just riding around, not knowing they are on the course. In the area where other riders may cross the course, rtbbong and!or flags should be used to alert all riders, either to stay out, or mark the way to the f1n1sh. My worst experience bas been with young people on m1n1-bll~es from out of nowhere. I bate to think of what can happen in a spot like this. ALSTEVENS Los Angeles, <;al" ...... ..'

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