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/125684
Bradley And Hardwick Duel Story by Jim Hall FORT WORTH, TEX., July 26, 1970-There's an old axiom among the best, they go, blow or make a hole in the wall and that jargon pretty well sums up the SMRA action at Green Valley Raceway this past Sunday. The big triPle header event saw it all as the ground claimed more than its fair sbare. Rusty Bradley and Bently Hardwick both fell victims to the pressures of heavY bread(arumored one though) put UP by their sponsors on the outcome of the open grand final road race. Virgil Davenport we,nt on for the win, his second in as many outings, after Bently laid it down in the third lap and Rusty less than half a lap later. But, before the hole became visible it was one hell of a rac.e. Knowing that Kawasaki mounted Hardwick was handicapped bY size, the strategy in Rusty's Triumph camp was to bust it on down the chute and cool-it on the back. side, however it didn't work as planned. Rusty screwed the Trident on until the throttle stops gave way, but the Green Streak was till in his draft. And every lap caught the pair letting it hand out a bit more, until Bently pulled the the trigger too soon approaching the straightaway and lost it. Rusty, thinking he was still under the gun tipped over at the top to the hill. In the stock production road races little Pee Wee Gleason of Plano putittogether to win the 125cc class on a YlLIIlIIba. .Jimmy Byars of Beaumont kept a winDing rendezvous with the 250 and· 500cc classes. FollowiJ\g Tommy in the 250 was Lee Armer, Cecll Poe, and Gary Andrews with Suzuki capturing the fir st three places. In the 500 class, Mr. Suzuki placed in front of Garland stewart, Jerry Hardy and James Tice. The Open Event saw Bently Hardwick of Dallas unIease his first of three wins on a Ken Storm prepared Norton. The grand prix road races got underway with upstart· Casey Jones (Yam) of Stephenville doing his thing iIi the 125cc Class. Veteran, Edward Green, held ott Robert Schuchmore (third) for second whUe Keith Leightly who baJls from the Photo bY Tom Beesley border city of El Paso, took fourth. The 200cc class was the second wire to wire win for Casey Jones in as many races. Pushing bard to second was Barry Patrick who psyched out Edward Green and Duncan Paul, finishing third and fourth respectively. Things picked UP with the start of the 250cc Class, as Hardwick and Mike Cone went at it for six laps around the carrousel with Bently squirting past for the win. Toppled by Cone were "Texas Jet" Tharp second and Tommy Hall fourth -- the Ducati flash from Arkansas. New Mexico based Terry Kiraly(Kaw) emerged from the pack to be shut out in the second spin by Sherman's Mike Cone, the eventual victor of the 500cc Class. Eddie Hill, former digger turned ·blke racer, nailed down third behind Kiraly on another Jawa and in the number four berth was Jerry Burst making it the second Arkansas Ducati to finish in the money. For the first pass of the open class it looked like Harle)'-Davidson and Larry Beall bad put new life in the H-D camp, however, it was only a scare card, for on the next spin, Rusty Bradley of Dallas bad overcome the hole shot (at one time the boring bar could ure all,) and moved on to win. Larry did finish second on the big inch "Purple Monster" of Austinite Dan James. Wrapping uP an not so easy third was Virgil Davenport on a Big "D" stock production Trident. Coming with fourth was Hardwick on the pint sized three hole •'it pays to ride" machine. Rookie Casey Jones cued his potent high bar Pirelli tire equipped Yamaha on first money in the 200cc GP grand final, and much to the dismay of the many onlookers, Edward Green was able to hold ott the 27 cbargers with his trusty 125 Yamaha, sponsored by Yamaha of Texas. A pair of Hondas finished third and fourth with Duncan Paul and Keith Leighty at the helms. Hardwick polished off all comers for his third big \'{in in the 250cc GP grand final and hot shoe Mike Cone nalled in on second. Not able to maintain the sCOfcbing pace of the leaders, "Texas Jet" Tharp settled for third while the Arkansas Ducati team were dicing for fourth with Tommy Hall coming up on top side. Hardwick's Hi-R was little more than a blur at the top of the hill in the open class GP grand final as he and Rusty started thetr ferocious pace swapping the lead as many times in the first three laps. And the big pit side wrench just kept turoing on the pressure as each rider poked it in a little farther. Coming around the sweeper the Kawa lifted, got out of shape and then it was under the guard ralI shearing ott a supporting post. Bently sustained a . bard jolt from his aerobatics. As menGas Filters Easy tioned earlier, Davenport, teammate of Rusty, demonstrated his cool by nosing out Mike Cone for' the bucks in the last few feet. The next Southwest Motorcycle Racing ASSOCiation triPle header will be August 23. It will feature motocross, drag races and road races. Interested parties may contact SMRA, 2507 TCU Avenue, San Angelo, Texas or call (915) 949-1030. GAIRY BAlllEY MOTOCROSS SCHOOL $15.00 tuition for both group and Individual Instruction lIore life to YllUr sparkp1ucs installatio K8eps your carburetor -clean , Pure gas In your engine Can .. used In any matorCJIC Ie C.abola IIDto Imports 1274 East Colorado Blvd., MA IL ORDER Pasadena Calif.' NOW 1.00 John' Desoto MOTO·I SCHOOL Sa'. Augus, 8'11 lO a.~. IAYMARE .. MONEY BACK GUARANTEE .August 8th Saturday 9 am till dark all day instructionl CARLSBAD Take San Diego Fwy south to Palomar Airport road, then east 10 lrack. has "I will leach you, In one day, whallt laken me 12 years to 'earn. 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