Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

-America's #1 weekly motorcycle newspaper. You'll always see it FIRST in Cycle News'- 'VOICES" RESULTS I just want to let you know about tiM! reSults of the re~est you printed for me OB .June 3rd, that people take time to drop a card to my daugtlter In the bospital. The very day that this request was printed, she reeelved ahugebouqaet of yellow and pink rose buds h"om a "certain Desert Rider". Whether this was the rider that btt her or not we' II never know, but she was positive that it was. She sald to me, "Mom, I know that's the man that btt me. He must feel terrible about it. With these fiowers In my room I won't be lonely any more at night." Up to that time we had gone down to visit her everyday, plus she would call us collect at least two times a day. Those roses did more for her morale than you can imag1ne. Then started the letters, cards, visitors & presents. She'S aver- • PubI i siler••••••• Charles Clayton Business Manager••• Sharon Clayton General Manager••••••• Tom Culp Advertising Manager••• Tom Walsh Feature Editor••••••• Terry Pratt Assistant Editor••••• Bob Sanford Circulation Department ••Reba Smith Producti on Manager•••• Li Ii Lakich Lab Technician. Greg Westmoreland Editorial & Prod. Asst. Bruce Braly BOokkeeper••••••• Edna Williams Bookkeeper•••••••• Eleanor Duke Want Ads••••••• Jan McCullough Delivery••••••••••••• Bob Hill K01DIS, disPlayed a laclt of good judgemllllt and Poor ma.nagement by allowing this event to take place. I would suggest to riders anticlpatlnc raeing under the .JacIa'abblt spousored events, be prepared for Mickey Mouse type mllD8Pmeol. For example ben are a few bappen1JIgs at Elsinore Saturday, June 13, 19'70: 1. At the starting line - where eyer that was, If you know wbat I mean. 2. Starting twelve or more at a time. 3. Waiting ten minutes for a Jackrabbit and giving 110 time for Vic Hannon who is a regular at Elsinore. 4. Spectator being btt by a motorcycle. 5. Spectators being allowed on track when racing. 6. Not allowing Tom Paschal to give maintenance to track when needed. 7. Black flagging for Jackrabbits riders when not necessary. and on and on. YOIC• • aged about five a day total ever since. Most of the cardS and letters were h"om So. Calif.; from so many wonderful Powder Puffs, from the Dlst. 37 recording secretary, from Larry Wood (a Hot Wheels designer at MatteI Toy Co.), from R1cb7 Mark, h"om Wes Anderson Jr. & Sr.. and on and on and on. Also a few cardS came h"om Northern Calif. and even h"om Oregon. The big. gest thrlll sbe got tho' was receiving a card all the way h"om Gent, Belgium, h"om Russ Darnell. Wbat a guyl Can you 1mag1ne being as busy as be and st1ll taking time out to drop ber a few linesl She'll be trading ber pulleys and sand bags In on a bodY cast Saturday. Then she'll get to come bome. The remainder of the summer, however, w1ll be spent in that cast (h"om the walst dOwn, botb legs to below the knees). She w1ll be able to keep busy, though, writing to all ber new friendS and pen pals thanks to Cycle News. Would you print one more small item for me? It's as follows: "Many, many thanks to the rider that sent the roses to Mona Jay. YOU'll never know how mucb they boosted her morale." JOYCE MAY 830 Linda Lane Barstow, Calif. 92311 THE BIG BEEF As a h"equent spectator at Elsinore Raceway, I have a IDG BEEF about the JacIaabb1ts Point Run at Elsinore Saturday, June 13, 1970. . Most clubs endeavor to run a well organized event, but I have neyer witnessed suell mass confusion as tIlere was at Elsinore. Tom Pascbal, owner and operator of Elsinore Race Track, does an outstanding job of providing a well run and organized race track, averag1ng 60 to 70 events eacb and every Saturday night with very few problems. However, the Jackrabbits seem to have llttle experience In running a race. First of those responsible for the events endangered the llves of not only the riders but the spectators as well. Most of the JackrabbIts off1c1als were either drunk or 1B the process. Wbat bas ever happened to our AMA off1clals who used to moa1tor these events? If a club lacks the abWty to sponsor a race proPerly then It sbould not be allowed to sanction or sponsor an event of this kind. Leave it to the professionals who know how. D1strict 37 representative, Dick au. I'm sure most of the people at Elsinore w1ll agree with me and protably f1nd more fault with the Jackrabbits than I. RENIE BOCKKAY San Bernardino, Calif. FULL OF CORN My husband and I wouJd like to commeut on your recent coverage 01 the 1970 Greenborn Enduro. Coverage? Well, it was a big event and we tb1nk it deserved better coverage than It got, TIle story that began on page 7 (one column) and completed further backaccompanied by another, written by a fellow rider - was as full of corn as the enduro was full of riders wilen the first group lined up to start. Granted, the Pasadena M.C. did a marvelous job but what is the "average" rider, made of? cast iron? . TIlls was my busband's second try at tile utmost test of endurance we've yet to bear of. TIlls year be f1n1sbed and wbat a sight be was - as was everyone who got to Pearblossom in one piece. And wbat do we read about It a week later? 90 degree weather? Not quite myabe on Sunday it quit at 90 degree. Sure the weather was nice but not THAT nice. Easy r1d1ng?? Easy for whom? TIle riders' "pit crews"? Sure, it was easy for me, except for the "trail" the pit crews had to travel to get gas to the riders waiting or gone or Incoming to the Gladding-McBean Mine. I'll have to agree with your article on that point. Tbats the only stretcb where it was dogeat-dog as far as other pIts crews were concerned. It surely must have been a misprint on your writers don't know wbat "easy as enduros go" means. How many "easy riders" cramped h"om bead to toe from the beating they took on this "relatively easy enduro"? This was one event that my husband and 499 other riders waited a year for and wouldn't have mlssdll for the world. Your readers In this family are disappointed in the noocbalant attitude of the articles. It was excitement, torment, boPe, disappolntmeol to those who couldn't f1n1sh and very tbrWIng for this wife to watell ber husband come to the fIn1sb. In closing we want it known tb&t everyODe we met was ememely h"1endly. SInce we plan to ENDURE next year's 500, also, we'd like to have a better story next time, bub? One that tells tile trials and trIbulations these guy go thru for love of their sport. They deserve more. We i1Qpe you print this. Thank you. STEVE ·LANGFORD CHUCK KIRK BEVERLY LANGFORD La Puente, Calif. Cycle News East, Dixie Cycle News, and National Advertising Information: Tom Culp. National Advertising Dir. Cycle News (West), P.O. Box 498, Long Beach, California 90801 (213) 427-7433 - L.A. 636-8844 Northern Representati ve: Bi II Spencer Subscription: One year 2nd class mail •• ~. $7.50 S1ngl e CQPY price•••••••••• ~ 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: and Dixie Cycle News. Second Class Postage paid at Long Beach, Calif. 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. Adverti sl ng rates and ci l'ClIIation information wi II be sent wpoR request. Bike Meeting Set Friday LOMITA, CAlJF. JUDe 22, 1lI70 - Tom Cosgrove, co-owner of Paclf1c CDUt Honda, 1D'rent plea for all perllOOS "that give a damJl ~ tile future 01 motorcycllnc" to atteIId a meetJnc between b1ke enthustasts aDd gvyernmeDt alflc1als this FJ1da.y Jdcbt at tbe MelodylaDd n-tre In Anabeim. "All we've ever done is bltcb about this problem of land use lD a raDdom, meanJncless manner," COSCTove said. "Well, this is our cbance to do something concrete about it." otfic1als h"om the Bureau of LaDd Management, State Department of Parks and Recreatloo and other loc:al, state and federal agencies w1ll be 011 hand to try aDd iron out some of the problems that have arisen through motorcycle use of pub11c and private landS, the Honda dealer said. Cosgrove said be isn't sure exactly wbat w111 be accompllsbed, "but," be added "at least it's a start In the rtght direction." TIle meeting is oPen to the public and starts at 7: 30 pm at the theater, located across the street h"om Dlsneyland. today issued an National Cancelled HEIDELBERG, PA. June 21, 1970-After a night and morning of beavy rain, and with the same forecastfor the remainder 01 Sunday, Dlstrict Referee, Charlle Watson, announced at noon that the Heidelberg National MIni Road Race would not be run. He commented that even witll good weather the track wouJd not be dry enough for the event, and be added that He1delberg is d1tflcult enough even In dry conditions. The AMA is currently discussing a rain date. Higgins Out NEW YORK, N.Y. June 14, 19'70- East coast motocross star Barry HIggIns suffered a broken collar bone when h1s h"ont hub collapsed after be went over a jump In a scrambles race on Long Island. The report came from Morris AlPern, editor for World Wide Publlsbing of New York City. HIggIns, an Ossa team rider, is expected to be out d the Summer Inter-Am serles wh1cb starts July fourth at Saddletack Park In California. Bob T!Jompson who also rides for the Ossa firm was Injured in the Berkshlre trials last mooth but be is now racing again and w1ll be In at least some of the summer InterAms. Dis t ric t s 5 t U d •e d I WORTHINGTON, OHIO June 16, 1970AMA's Executive CommltteebaBautbor1Zed a study d the present district boundary lines to determine if there Is a need to change the configuration of the present twenty-five districts and three regions. The present regional aDd district boundary lines were f1.lred In 1968 prior to the first elections for district and regional members to the CompetitioD Congress. When a div1s1on is made within a state it bas been necessary to follow county lines In order to have an exact determiJatlon 00 wh1cb d1strtct a club w1ll YOte and apply for sanctloos. The three regions In the U.S. detlerm1De who is el1gfble h"om within the ranks of the professional racers for the election 01 six pro-racers to the Conrress. D1stricts are establlsbed on the b&s1s d CQDcllIItration d clnb!l in lID,Y etven area aDd the number of sanctioned evenll5 be1d dur1IIg the year. TIle Committee bas asked that the total number of AMA members and registered motorcycles be taken Into consideratiOll wilen determlning the size of the districts. Also, AMA's Presldllllt WIlllam Bagnall request all Interested club groups and AMA members to send recommendations to: AMA Club Departmeut, 5655 North High Street, Wortbing_ ton, 01110 43085. . Jody Back ·To The Dirt Suzukl Factory road racer, Jody Nicbolas bas announced that be plans to enter some of the west ooast dirt track National Cbampionshlps 00 a BSA 650. Jady's tuner, Al Goden, is preparing biB macblne for the first west ooast Nation· al, to be beld In San Jose 00 July 5th. Competition Meeting Fireworks The June Dlstrict37 Competitioo Committee meetJnc turned out to be one of the loagest aDd at times the most heated ODe in a loog time with Dlstr1ct Referee Harry Wba1en taking no nl}llS8DSe h"om anyone who spoke out of turn. TIlls was no easy job as some of the business bandled by the Committee was of aser10U8 nature involving cbarges of cbeating in the desert, and running unsafe and imProperly conducted events. Tempers flared when riders thourbt they were going to be penallr.ed and sure enough, some were. Red Dots Hare Scramble'S A llst of some seventeen ridSrs accused of r1d1ng on the b1gbway and/or prescout!ng the course bad been prepared with most of them present aIonr with witnesses to speak on tbe1r bebalf. Before even ba1f the 11st was gooe througtl it became increasingly evident that it was going to drag Into a long, dreary business. TIle actual Committeemen went into a short closed meeting and decided that altbougtl they knew actual offenders were getting away with it, It was WIfair to penalize any of the twenty 00 the list when in actuallt;y as many as 300 riders bad been reported on tile road and most of the numbers bad not been taken. Victors Disqaalificatioa of Antelope Ramblers The COmmittee voted to upbold the Victors disquallftcation 01 all Antelope Ramblers M.e. members who rode In the llgbtwe1ght or heavyweJght d1v1sions at their Hare and Hound as it was apparent that it was a club effort to cheat and therefore gain an IIIIfa1r advantage.RealiZIng that once again this Is coJnr to hurt some wbo did DOt cut the couse, the . Committee asked the Ramblers topol1ce their own club and have the f1ve riders observed come forward and turn themselves In. The sixth rider was present, h1s riding number bad been 1dentlf1ed and be was bllnned trom rldtng desert for the rest 01 19'70 and also lost all biB earned points. Protest Again'St The Scramblers M.e. Motocm'SS The Stumpjumpers protested the running of the Scramblers Motocross at Bey Mare on May 24th, Items listed In (Continued on page 27)

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