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/125672
PSETS ALDA By Chuck Clayton TALLADEGA, ALA. May 16, 1970- For one day last week, Rusty Bradley was the top money ma.Idng U.S. road racer, as he grabbed ct.I the $3650 Amateur purse at the sbiny new four m1le "SuPer lIpeedway", In a carbon copy at his $6000 performance at Daytona. was only upstaged by 's $'noovlctory Ana::CalU:rlder of superlatlve rOad racing, wblch left America's "fiVe best road racers" gasping In the wake of his r1p-roarlng BSA. The 19-year-old Amateurc1asschamplon, Bradley, flew home to study for ftnals at.the University of Texas, wbere he is .ma:JOrlng 1tI mechanlcal engineering. A jubllant Boston Cycles Sponsor, ;1. Jacob, and tuner Fred Mitchell, however, stayed to enjoy the rewards of ractng. Taped to the tank of the Kawasaki HlR, In front of Bradley'S eyes, was the, promise, clipped from a newspaper ad, of 500 from d1stributers. Bradley'S et and .', Champlop spark plug ts, as Well as first pta:ee -at-the-box HlR the ~ledom. rear tire Who's Tbe Bener Racer: Nixon or Rayborn! As of the start of the 250cc 100 miler, the five or slx best road racers In America were easy to name, but hard to number. Gary N1xon, Cal Rayborn, Dick Mann, Jody Nicholas, Ron Grant and Art Baumann are apparently so evenly matched In sk1ll and fortitude, that only the llwe things - engine, racing luck, gearing - make the difference between numero uno and the also rans, (Suzuki team captain, Ron Grant and Dave Bloom crashed spectacularly on the start of the 25Occ, 100 mile race. Bloom'S blke 1mmediately exploded Into flames and both riders lay on the start shoot, legs bent at impossible angles. Dr. Roberts at the speedway hosp1tal reported that the 25 year old Bloom had suffered a fractured right femur, a fractured right arm and contus1ons, wb1le Grant's left ankle was fractured. On the way to the hospltal, Grant told teammate, Ari Baumann, "Matey, ride my scooter tomorrow (the 200 mile race). It's a jet"). For the first time, Nlxon and Rayborn would be on identical machtnes, Cal having opted to ride a Yamaha llghtweight this season. At last we would see these two champions racing on equal terms. But, first, there was a young Yamaha rider from Bonita to be reckoned with. Don Emde started the 250 battle llke a jet, with, N1xon and Rayborn close on bls wbeel. 10 the tnfield esses and horseshoe curves, Rayborn would briefly take the lead, and then N1xon. Then, as they motored full bore on the banked south turn, Emde would shootpast the leaders llke a bullet. His Dennison tuned blke had horsepower that nearly startled Cal and Gary off their mounts. They'd pass b1m decisively on the infield curves, 1ayIng their mach1nes first on one case and then the other, only to watch Emde dlsappear In the straights. Gary and Cal were matched llke team stalllons, In terms of skill. Only a one tooth difference 10 gear ratio gave N1xon the edge In some turns, Rayborn the advantage 10 others. The race continued In this fasblon, the lead changing some 30 times, wbUe back 10 fourth place, Frank Cam1ll1erl, Ray Hempstead and Ron Pierce played the same game. Thefanswerecrosseyed, trying to follow both packs' at once. Halfway through the 100 mUer, Rayborn's engine began sputtering, and Nlxon and Emde continued alone. But Emde's horsepower was too much for N1xon on the super fast course, as the Bonita youth got the checkers after racing 44 minutes and .009 seconds, at speeds averaging 101.440 mUes per hour. (Results on page 26) Gary Nixon, Don Emde and Cal Rayborn battle it out in Saturday's lightweight race. • By Dewitt Thuett Photos by Don Woods . t. -f. TALLADEGA, ALA. Ma)" 17, 1970..., ~ deep south thundered to the sound at professlonal road ractng for the firs.!; time, with all sorts of surprises at the newest and fastest speedway In the land. Rookles Dave Aldana and Don Emde stole the shows In the Expert divislon events and Rusty Bradley stopped by to pick up his monthly checkfrom Kawasakl In the Amateur race. The Alabama track is smooth fast and demanding. Gene Romero agaln took time trial honors with a speed of 156 mph-plus. The track was fast enough to set the average speed for the entire Expert field at better than ' 141 mphl In the 200 miler, it was a Gary N1xon and Tr1umph Trident race from the start with Nlxon soon bulld1ng better than a ten second lead on the next closest rider wblCh;-from corner to corner and straight to straight was e1ther Aldana, Don Castro or Jody N1cholas. Jody Nicholas, the second place fini Baumann.