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/125671
Q .,TCO BULTA-CO: A DIffERENT APPROACH U) = BUENA PARK, CALIF . - There's an unt.:I ~ t.:I usual guy in this usual town that does ...J some ver y unusual th1ngs in a very usual ~ looking motorcycle shop . e..> The guy's name is Jer ry Blalock, and the shop is called Mitco Bul ta c o, Sound familtar? It sh ould to Southern California motocross fans and r ider s . ' Mitco now has te n fully spo nsored motocross and trials riders wearing their colors, as well as an undetermined number of other young competitors who receive discount paris and assorted help, "We're trying to make a fun business a hell of a lot more fun," explatns Blalock. Not that he doesn't reocgnized the advertising potential of sponsored riders. "in a little more than a year since the shop'S been opened, we've become the largest Bultaco dealer on the West Coast," he replies to a question about the financial aspects of sponsoring motorcycle competitors. "PlUS," he adds, "we showed a profit comparable to the one suggested by the National Chamber of Commerce for a business of this size." The soft spoken, Albuquerque, N.M, transplant is a mixture of many things, including rural humor, common sense,a progressive business outlook, and a genuine fondness for motorcycles and kids. Somehow, Blalock reminds you of all of the things that Americans are supposed to be, but very seldom are. He's constantly talking about The Program - mounting as many youngsters as possible on sponsored Bultac o' s . Next year, he hopes to have 25 r ider s . And then the year after that ••• Well, who knows? ' Als o beginning next year, Miko' s top motocross rider, Tom Rapp and number one trials rider, Bob Nichelsen, will teach the finer points of their respective sports to up and coming young riders. Not just Miko team riders, mind you. But anyone who's interested in Iearnlng, Blalock looks for riders of "good character" , some mechanical and athletic ab1l1ty, and a desire to com petitively ride a sponsored machine. He says he "pretty well knows" who his next fifteen riders w1ll be. "We just kind of watch the kids at the races." And, he adds, "kids that ask (to r ide a Mitco machine) are kind of out of it . We more or less know who we want. Like this one kid at a r ecent race who or ganized the riders and got them to pick up trash . Pd love to have him ride for us." Blalock got into the motorcycle business because he Was mad. Operating a successtul tire business, his hobby was riding motorcycles . He owned seventeen different machines unW he hit upon Bultaco . He liked the machine, but as luck would have It, his bike required a great deal of mechanical care. Well, he explains, he took the machine into a nearby shop, and they told him It would be several weeks before the necessary parts could be obtained. He kept ' coming back, and they kept tell1ng him that the parts hadn't arrived. F1nally in disgust, he called Doug Yerkes, the Southern California distributor, who informed him that, indeed, they had the parts in stock. To make-a long story short, he got the parts, hired his own mechanic and had the bike fixed . Sometime later, while talk1ng to , Yerkes about the publlc-be-damned attitudes of many shop owner s , he kiddingly mentioned that he'd just go ahead and open his own shop. Well, Yerkes took him seriously, and Miko Bultaco was born . In the meantime, his mechanic had been drafted, so he sent out a call to an Albuquerque friend, Rod Morrison . According to Blalock, Morrison has com mitted to memory the number of every part eve'r manufacted by Bultaco. And that's the' way It's been for the last 15 months. But It's destined not to stay that way much longer . Plans are already being Milco owner,J erry Blal ock, an d Bob Nlche lsen, sh op employee/lrlals rider, s hows Ihelr specially prepared Loblt o Trials machine. A. number of cha nges, incl uding th e use of a 17Scc barrel make Ihls bike one of Ihe mosl c ompetitive going . Bob Is one of len ri ders wearing Mllco col ors: completed for two new Miko sh ops, one major problem to date - It seems north of Los Angeles, and another to foregone conclusion that the hills, the 'south. deserts and tracks of Southern California It Blalock can get enough bikes - his will, indeed, become the Mitco Bul arena. a BACK TO WINNING Jim (1) Raymond Is ge tti ng a "ri de everythi ng" reputati on. He won at Troja n Friday nlgh l on an AJS. By Eddie Smith M Patrick's ike (~ ~ YWHA of COlONA 1101 E. 6th St. - Corona (114) 135-1121 WIN... ride an XC-100 INVADER ~- , SOUTH GATE, CALIF . May 7, 1970Trojan Speedway's point leader, Jimmy Raymond, was the big winner Thursday night, riding to victory in three trophy dashes and two main events. Raymond , riding a new AJS in the 250 flat track trophy dash, battled with Larry Shaw riding a Bultaco and Malco mounted Jimmy Stein . Stein, who has done so well the last two weeks, crashed on the s econd lap coming out of turn number two.Shaw and Raym ond kept changing the lead until the last lap , when Raymond passed Shaw and kept the lead for keeps . At the beginning of the 250 TT trophy dash Raym ond and Stein tangled in -the first turn, with both riders takillg to the ' dirt. On the restart, Raymond jumped into the lead to take the checkered flag. Stein settled for second place. Raymond also rode his Kawasaki to victory in the 125 TT trophy dash, as well as the 125 TT Main Event. Bob Sanders riding a Yamaha was second ~ Stay ahead all the way with MB XC-100 INVADER. Genuine Ceriani suspens ion lets you steer throug h the most grueling experience-no sweat ! 51" wheelbas e. THE INVADER gets you where you want to be . .. First. Writ e MB SPORTCYCLES for complete details. whtle ninny Corbett, also on a Yamaha, placed third. During the 250 TT Main Event Raymond once again battled with Jimmy Stein. Raymond won the race on his AJS, wh1le Stein placed second. Bob Byers was thfrd whtle Larry Shaw came in fourth. Both Byers and Shaw were riding Yamahas . Larry Shaw rode to victory 1n the 250 flat track Main Event. Finishing behind Shaw was Mike Curoso and Jim M1ller. Riding a Kawasaki, Bob Sanders won the combined 100-125 flat track Main, as John Sper r y brought his Yamaha into s ec ond place. Tom Horton r ode his Kawasaki tovictory in the 100 TT trophy dash. Horton also won the 100 TT Main Event. Tom f1n1shed ahead of Bob Sanders' Kawasaki and Bob Hostords' Bultaco, Joe Monoham placed , fourth mounted on a ' Yamaha . The bikes will return to Trojan Speedway next Thursday night . Racing starts at 7:30 with racing on the flat track and the TT course. (Results on page 26) BARNEY TILLMAN '5·--" Sport Center ~w I ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ New Bridg~~~~~~~ DELUXE .. $295.00 I feafuring f'ris weei Hurry! only 5 left MOTa-BETA ° Genulne Cerlanl forks & shocks °Chrome/ all oy double loop cradle fra me ° 51" WH EE LBASE ° Qulck del a chable lights HORSE POWER -rs °S l reel legal ' °CHROME MUFFLE R & EXPA NSION CHAMBER ° Fold ing , spring l oaded fool pegs ·We guaranfee orer f"e counfer parfs "e'irer,1 311 E. Alexander Ave., Tacoma, Washingto n, 98421 6021 Whinier Blvd. E. Los Angeles, Cal. (213) 123·3523