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/125689
- .... 8. ~ o .... - '" motorcycle industry are happy that this rule is in effect, for they would rather see someone like Triumph or Yamaha help some smart Yankee get the ultimate bike record instead of Art Arfons using a General Electric J79 jet engine blow the motorcycle record to sub-sonic figures. A quick look at this year's record book shows some repetition of names. James Prescon, Gulport, Miss. is mentioned 8 times, and Don Vesco, is mentioned 7 times. Prescott. is a roadracer with some very fast double motoring for a rookie machine. We predict capabilities of about 230 or 240 with some more horsepower. Troubles started early in the week for the fellows from Big "D" Cycle in Dallas, Tex. Shorty Cardwell started off well with a 142.382 record in class C-C 750 against an old record of 137.407 mph. Last year that record paid off with a contingency of 51 ,000 from Triumph. This year, however, it was just a personal satisfaction thing. The problem surrounded a streamliner with a Trident the salt, the fellows from Big "D" loaded their slightly toasted rig on the trailer and headed home a day early. The previously mentioned supercharged Harley that ran 172 mph was not the only blown bike on the salt. There were two others, one owned by Alan Holaway from Belmont, Calif. Holoway set a new record in A-AB 750 at 146.733 mph. The other was a full streamliner owned by Rick Vesco with a blown Yamaha 650. This bike suffered from terrible teething problems and went on its side about mid week, ~ Suzuki 500, belonging to the Shady Grove Racing Team of Suzuki of San Diego. The bike developed handling problems, with the rider mloading at close to 100 mph. knock~ Hondas. He has sewn up records in the 125cc to 200cc classes and was very busy on the salt this year, with a total of 4 new records. Vesco has records in many different categories and, as previously mentioned, is aspiring to become the fastest motorcycle'rider .in the world. The team of Monterio and Macias from Castro Valley, Calif., chose to assault one of the oldest records in the book. They went 134.278 with a class C-C (stock frame, engine and gasoline) ~200 Harley to eclipse a 128 record which had sjtood since 1954. Another rapid Harley on the salt this year waS ridden by Warner Riley from Skokie, Ill. Warner popped two records, the faster of which was his APS·AG 3000 at 169.604. This is a rather rapid run for a single engine H-D on gas with only partial streamlining. A real sleeper showed up this year and it is known as the Wheeler and Moulders Special, from Costa Mesa., Calif. It is a single engined Norton 750cc, full streamliner, that is built with good craftsmanship and many innovations. This bike went home with a' gas record at 208.729, which is really for power; a slippery well constructed vehicle with capabilities of around 230 mph, but the bike had trouble making a really solid qualification pass. The rider, Rusty Bradley, said they were geared a little too high and were attempting to solve this problem when the machine caugh t on fire. After a frustrating week of shakedown and sub·par passes down scraping off some of the very pretty paint. Rick wasn't hurt at all but the scooter needs some work before it will be ready to go again. Yamaha nailed down some 250cc records, thanks to Art Barda, Orange, Calif. His fastest record was in class APS-C 250, with a speed of 133.060 mph. This was just one of the four total Rusty Bradley's Triumph from Big D Cycles in Dallas, Texas. records that Art went home with on his first attempt at the salt. This year the 200 square miles of flat table salt saw the advent of a new service during Speed Week. The Proto Tool Company brought their van up' to aid the racers. The van is outfitted with a complete shop inside, including Gas and Arc welding, loaner tools in all sizes, and Torque wrenches. The van was used for an average of 17 welding jobs per day and countless tool loaning to both participan ts and spectators alike. The competitors asked me to give them a special word of thanks. Kawasaki also deserves a special word of mention, as they paid the rent on the salt for one day. This in itself is no mean feat. It costs $I ,000 per day to rent the salt and more sponsors are needed if this event is to continue. The economics of the salt flats are staggering. It costs around $8,000 just for one wek's rent. Add to that the motel cost .for the help necessary to run an event of this magnitude, the timer and the necessary communications equipment, and you end up with a sizeable total. This money can hardly be paid by just entry fees alone, and it seems obvious that the event needs sponsors for it to survive. Darrel Packard, Long Beach, Calif., took his special stretched out Suzuki 50cc down to a new record of 82.264 on fuel. Dora! Eckart, also of Long Beach, had a traveling 100cc Suzuki and cut a trail at 95.728 for a new record in partial streamlining on gas. Paul Flanders hitched a ride on Darrel Packard's 50cc play bike and set a new record at 64.470 mph in C-C 50. There was a streamliner parade in to town at the beginning of the week and everyone had high hopes for a new record. But by the end of the seven days the ultimate mark was still intact and everyone was on their way home to get ready for next year. Mother Nature had taken about one day from the racers with wind and rain, not tomention the fickle f'mger of fate that had accounted for numerous engine mishap~; like the tire failure on Don Vesco's streamlined Yamaha at 250 plus mph. This put his little liner on its side for over 300 yards. No problem though, and Don was running two days later with a clean set of underwear. Complete lists of the record runs will be made available when they are made official and will be printed later in this paper. Pray for good salt next year. ~ w Z W ...J U > U