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/125681
Letter From Russ Darnel( -IIi' Europe ST. NAZARINE, FRANCE, June 23,1970Sunday, the 21st I raced at S~. Meme here in France. I rode two classes of international events, 250cc and 500ccl Both classes were tull races of three legs each. In each class the first two legs were 10 Laps, then the last leg was 12. I raced 64 laps total! We arrived at the course early Saturday afternoon and set up camp in apatch of deep shade in the pits which were located in a small torest glen with a river running through. I practice Saturday trom 6:00 in the evening to 9:00. Still Ught very late. The course is very long and demanding. Grass, steep up and down hills, tourth gear straight, l!lld low gear corners. Extremely tiring and rough. Start system was a speedway gate. The promoter came and ottered the riders $200 to anyone who would jump the river that ran by the course. The river was about 50 tt. wide where he wanted us to jump. I thought I could probably do It, but another rider who had been at this circuit before told me about the last guy to try It. "He almost made Itl" the guy says to me. "And then they took bIm to the hospital'" Pass •••••• The first race of the day was a· 250 international event. I won the start and tried to get away trom the pack in the dust. I led tor 7 Laps then blew the lead on a hill. Soren Lodel, DanIsh cbampIon, slipped by before I could get going quick again, but I didn't lose any other places. I caught Lodel aga1n and we diced the whole race to the t1n1sh. I could not repass b1m so I t1n1shed 2nd in that leg. I went directly to the pits, threw myselt off the btke to lay in the shade tor 10 minutes rest before the first 500 race. My tather pushed the 500 macbtne to the Une whUe I took a breather and doused myselt with cold water. Ten minutes went by awfully quick and we were called tor the start. I got away to a poor start in the 500 race and came around in 9th place on the tIrst lap. Gordon Adsett trom England had the lead and he was being battled by Linstrom trom Sweden and Thompson trom Scotland, who rides BSA tro Eric Chaney. I caught the German, Eilsenbach, then Ob11n trom Sweden, and then Lindstrom tell and I passed him just as he got going aga1n. The t1n1shing order was A.M.X.T. Captain Russ Darnell f1ie& by Old Glory. Adsett, Regnault (a Frenchman who rides a TriumPh-Metisse), Thompson, Bernhard, Graham, and I placed 6th. I was getting tired by this time as I had just raced 2 tb:Irt;y minute races with only a ten minute rest between. Itlopped down in the shade again, and my dad got the 250 up in good position on the start Une. Cberi dried my helmet out and gave me a new jumper and clean goggles. I washed up a bit, and we were called up again tor the 2nd 25!l race. I sort of caught a second wind at the start and again won the lead in the 250 battle. I led Soren Lodel and Jan Johansson until the 7th lap when I slid out and lost the lead. I recaught the leaders and passed into second place bebtnd Lode1 where I stayed to the tinIsh. With the effort of catching up in that race I was really not looking torward to going out again tor another 500 race just ten minutes later. At the start of the second 500 international event I got into 7th place the first Lap. I chased Wiebe of Holland and Joll1et of Fran'; around, bllt I just couldn't press on hard enough to get by, so I t1n1shed 7th in that race just sort of maintaln1ng my position. Adsett won aga1n with Regnault second. Regnault is one of the tew international riders to race a Triumph-Metisse and he goes extremely well on It. Third was the Scotsman Thompson. That was my 4th international race of the dayl I had only two more events, one 250cc and one 500cc before I could relax. The last two legs were 10 minutes longer than the tIrst races, so they were that much more grueling. In the last 250cc race I had a btt of luck and won the start tor the third time. I started getting away from the pack tor awhile, but again I slid out and lost the lead. I came back determindly and t1na11y got back into the lead. Lode1 chased me hard and tell ott in the attempt, slowing down the several other chasing competitors tor a tew seconds, and allowing me to buUd a small lead - just before the end I slipped out of the groove on a corner, and tell trom tiredness. I didn't kill the engine and just managed to not lose a position. I crossed the t1n1sh Une tIrst, for the tIrst time in Europe for me. Soren Lode1 was second, then Johanssen, Obll, Grahm, and Pronter. • I was elated with the win and even looking forward to the f1na1 500cc race. I made a good start and held a hard, steady pace to the f1n1sh for a 5th place. Adsett aga1n took the win followed by Regnault, Ltnstrom, Joll1et and Wiebe. . I was totally happy to get ott my btke after 64 Laps of international motocross! Two classes is just too dttftcult in tb1s level of competition. They called the top 3 in each class to the podium for the presentation and I made 2nd for the day in the 250cc and 6th in the 500cc. I was proud to stand on the podium wh11e they played our national anthem and presented us with flowers and trophies. Much later, after everyone had gone, and everytblng was again quiet in the pits, I comforted my blistered hands and eased my tired, acblng body into bed. "BoY", I though, "I can hardly watt until next week!" RUSS DARNELL INSURANCE & FINANCING SALES: All Hondas (except Mini s) delivered with two mirrors, 1001 kit, & touchup paint - NO SET UP CHARGE. SERVICE: Our ·Blue Check· service includes free lUbe & oil change every 1000 miles as long as you own the bike. ********** Ride Wi,h Us. • JULY 12th TECATE, MEXICO Mountain Ride 8:00 AM JULY 25th SANTA BARBARA Picnic - Fish Fry 8:00 AM ********** free Movies Motorcycle Action Films Every Month July 9th, 8:00 p.DI. Parking Refreshments Pearson Park (outdoor Greek theatre> Anaheim, Calif. (at Harbor Blvd. & Sycamore) ********** San D1eco Fr••way REDONDO BEACH ,. • c Hwy. Russ proudly accepts second place award. t' ASCOT MOTOCROSS - 1/9/10 1st Rich Thorwaldsen - RIC EUROPEAN SCRAMBLES -1/.4110 Antelope Rambl 81'S 1st Rich Thorwaldsen - RIC ALL STATES SCRAMBLES - 6/28/10 • S Clemente, Calif. .. 500 EXPERT 1st Preston Petty - RIC [~v~~~a_ II'IIIII'PI. 55, CIlia • 11m SAN PEDRO Open 7Days 9-6 SAT., 10-4 SUN., 9-8 MON-FRI. 1073 Pacific Coast Hwy. Lomita, Calif. (213) 326-3810