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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125686
SPEEDWA YDEBUTS AT SAN GABRIEL TRACK By Mike Capa11te Photos by Dennis Greene SAN GABRIEL, CALIF. Aug. 16, 1970Speedway fans were treated to sometast action and terrific racing this afternoon as Johnny Gibson otflc1al1y opened his San Gabriel Valley Speedway. The track which Is slightly larger than the one at Costa Mesa, is more of an oval, so that the riders are almost constantly corner- Action like this will be plentiful each week in San Gabriel. ing and this makes for plenty of chances for a rider to show If he's got the •stuff' or not. One of the biggest duels in speedway has been the battle between Rick Woods and Steve Bast, but· with Bast racing tn England and Woods on vacation, the •Big Battle' chore has fallen on younger heads. It was clear to all who witnessed Sundays' racing that the rivalry between Scott Autrey and Larry Shaw Is going to be one that Is going to provide some of the best racing they w1ll witness. Autrey had a perfect day going for him up to the scratch semi, he hadn't lost a race when he found himself pitted against Larry who stopped his win streak, but as they ftnlshed one-two, they were both In the maln event. The match race this week pitted Sonny Nutter of the Great Bear Racing Team against •WIld B111' Cody of the Valvollne sponsored USA Racing Team. otf the llne It was Nutter on the Inside and Cody on the outside, but on this track, the outside was the advantage as that was where the . traction was. Cody whipped tnto the lead coming out tn the back straight and on the n~ lap Nutter tried to do the same but Cody was able to hold the lead for the checkered flag. Although not tn the program, a third division race was thrown In by the promoter for the benefit of the fans. Dan Willits grabbed the lead Into the first corner and held It all the way. A bid by Erwin Moon and Rich Richards was nipped when they both sp1lled tn the corner, this left room for Larry Chase to move .. roto second with Dub Ferrel tblrd and Bob WUllts fourth. The second dlv1slon matnagatn showed that some of these second division riders have the capabillties of >drst division riders on different tracks. Jim Foxe moved tnto the lead. B11ly Grey found this track to his llk1ng as he was able to move tnto second place by passing three riders on the outside and ttntshed &.head of the tblrd place promoter-turned-rlder, Dude Criswell. Jim Nicholson started out In fine style by wInn1ng his heat, progressed up to his semi and In the maln event It looked llke he was going to make a clean sweep. He grabbed the lelld tnto the first corner by virtue of his handicap, but Scott Autrey and Larry Shaw were right tn behind him with Cody and Kanle breathing down their necks. It was a tough break for Shaw as Autrey got tn trouble tn the corner. Shaw went down while Autrey regained control and kept on 1ri the race. By this time, Kanle had moved up Into third spOt. Greg Haserot was busy back In the fifth spOt and as he realIzed that the traction was on the outside, he was able to pOwer around Cody to move Into fourth. Autrey was trying for Nicholson and as he made a bid, he got crossed up and tn trying to save it, he wound up back tn fourth place. It was then a battle between Kanle and Nicholson - - Kanle coming out of the corner on the last lap, made his bid and was able to niP Jim out In the last few yards before the t1n1sh 11ne. There was no doubttntheScratchmaln as to who was going to take the checkered flag as Larry Shaw pulled his usual fantastic jackrabbit start and was first man Into the corner and first man out of the corner holding a commanding lead. Nutter dropped Into the second slot with Kanle and Autrey ttnlsh1ng lblrd and fourth. The riders and the fans seem to llke this track and If the action keeps up like this every week, it looks like we w1ll have another track to' rival the popularity of hte Costa Mesa oval. Gibson w1ll be offering these exciting races to the fans every Sunday afiernoon at 3 at the San Gabriel Valley Speedway track at the end of the 605 Freeway on Rlvergrade road. (Results on page 22) Penton - Hodaka Yamaha - BSA Husqvarna Norton 1223 Ave.. I Lanelst., laOS) 942-9624 With virtually no straightaway, fans were treated to plenty of full lock slides. MOTO-X PRODUCTS ~ CZ • Foldlne Foot PlIes ••••••••••••••••••• $18.95 Propstands (rldeld.. cs) $ 4.95 R.plac.ment Rear FencI.n $10.95 Alum. Skid Platas $10.95 ENDURANCE I. S. D. T. ST·YLE • • MAICa ·Works· Flberelass Front F.nd.r 'Works" Flberelass Rear F.nd.r. Mlkuni Carbo Manifold (For bolt on Mllwnl )••••••••••.•••••••••••••.••• 3 GaI._Tank.. YAMAHA $ 9.95 $42.95 Moto·X HI·Mount F.nd.r•••••••••••• $15.95 Alum. with Brac.s OTl $14.95 A II with Brae. ATl·CTl $14.95 Flberelass Rear F.nd.r OTl (sam. as stock) $14.95 OTl HI·Torqu. Chambers ••••••••••• $39.95 CTl HI·Torq.. Chambers $37.95 ATl HI.Torq.. Chamb.rs $34.95 AMERICAN .JAWA LTD. WEST, ~;-I:; $·9.95 S a.95 OVERLAND AvE. LOS A"CllES. CALIf. 9003. • ~ r..J :c: r..J ..,J U b