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/125682
TEAMWORK PA YS Off IN -ASC'OT CHALLENGE Photos by Chuck Clayton and Red Thomas West (22) and Wi lson (3) duelled in tandem I ike this throughout the last team moto, un'ti I West cras'hed. GARDENA, CALIF. July 19- Teamwork, a new thing in professional motocross, hit the boards at Ascot last Sunday and the audience (what there was) loved It. The fast-paced show, conceived by wealthy sportsman Pete McCarroll, featured the orange jersled 6-man team of Jim West racing agalnst the Blue shirts of Jim Wilson. Among the partisan crowd in the grandstand It was safest to admit to rooting for Jim W's team. Every tiIfle an orange shirt passed a blue (or ,vice versa) half the grandstand stood pounding on imaginary rallings and cheering happily ••• . After the first two mo~s the Blues had a 20 point lead. "We'll have to all do good to win," West told a reporter before the final race. At stake was $1,000, and the beautiful gold challenge cuP put uP by the California Motocross Association. The course was described by riders as good but narrow. "You fln1sh where you start," West had sald, meaning that passing was both d1fficultanddangerous. Clutch hands flying from an overhead wire (to prevent cheating) the racers waged into the first turn- two blue shirts leading, following by two orange shirts then blue/orange alternately down the pack _ _ Twisting in one snarI1ng clump uP onto the 1/4-mlle crashwall trying for the lead, Preston Petty (Orange) crashed down hard without damage to his Metisse, faking a piece of the crashwall with him. Wilson and West emerged in tandem ••• pandemonium! And this IS the way It stayed. Nagging to pass or actually passing, West trailed Wilson by Uttle more than a spoke for five laps until, after trying to get around, under and even over (talk about scary - those midair passes were!) the orange captain tried to clear the lake and almost made It. Whew! S m III n g across the fln1sh l1ne, Wilson collected the Uon's share for' his teammates and $226 for his winnings. The last race of the day was to determine who'd captain 'the Orange team next time they meet, one month from now. It was just pure fun. Passing and repassIng hippodrome style, John Rice came uP the leader. He's got a knack of inspiring others to put out their best performance. Wilson: better g!v.e your boys a peptalk. John R's team intends to even the score next time! Next month there'll be course changes to bring the action closer to the audience and provide more passing room, Mc Carroll promises. (Results on page 26) ........ ..:;:.:...,"'... .... .-.,....... - -".;~;;~~- The beautiful gold Challenge Cup wi II repose wi th team captai n Wi Ison for the time being. But next month•.. who knows? rheonl~ thing ~ou need TUNED EXHAUST FOR YAMAHA from Conley's accessories to "now allout Valerian's ishowto.get there:' . OLYMPIC BLVO. -g+-....-==:::...:::..:.=::---f-----------......:.--' III W -' PICO/OLYMPIC OFF RAMP ! PICO BLVO, .~ MAY CO.. w . z ~ ~ o Down pipes available for all models - same price. Specify torque or high R.P.M. "OVER A QUARTER CENTURY OF MANUFACTURING EXCELLENCE" Available at your local dealer or write: @nYo CONLEY'S ACCESSORIES CAL·FED ~AVINGS .. fil o HT-l - , 37.95 AT-l-38.95 CT-l-38.95 DT-l-44.95 RT-l -- 49.95 • > ~ -' a: w SANTA MON;CA FRWY. OVERLANO OFF RAMP NATIONAL BLVO. Two C~eJe Clt~, Ltd. 10673 West Pico Boulevard - Los Angeles, California 90064 Telephone: (213) 475-4541 Sales - Service - Accessories - Parts - Champion Leathers HUSQVARNA' JAWAlCZ· SUZUKI· PENTON' MZ' MONTESA' ZUNOAPP - MINI-TRAILS open monday through saturday 4346 Mission Blvd" Pomona, Ca, 91766· 628-0412 DOWNTOWN LA .. OVERLAND/NATIONAL OFF RAMP ... ....