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
o . ~ C>- O ..... Cl KERKER OUT -DUELS Me GILLIVARY E. en " ~ w Z W ..J U >- U By Phil Pascoe CARLSBAD, CALIF., Sept. 6, 1970 George Kerker on his Norton Commando and John McGillivray on the "Johnny's BSA" sponsored Rocket Three showed the crowd and other riders what road racing was all about during the Heavyweigh t Production Event of Sunday's ACA Road Racing Meet. Kerker determined to even the score with l\kGillivray after being beaten by him at Vaccaville two weeks previously and McGillivray equally determined to score another victory chased each other around the tight, bumpy Carlsbad course in a way that made the chase scene from the movie "Bullit" look like a Sunday drive. From the LeMans type start it was the two Honda 750's of Smith and Chambers who got away the quickest making full use of their electric starters. But, by the second lap the BSA and the Norton began dicing it out, turning identical lap times of one minute twelve seconds. (Cal Rayborn turned one minute, nine second during an AMA roadrace at Carlsbad several years ago). Each lap both riders would brake deeper and deeper into Turn one and the end of the straight and accelerate out faster and faster. One lap Kerker would lead down the straight, the next McGillivray. On the last lap Kerker caught the BSA on the uphill right-hander which gave him a clear run up the hill and through the back straight sweepers. As they came down the front straigh t to the flag Kerker pulled away and took first a few seconds ahead of McGillivray. Further back in the field - but not very far - was Pat Evans riding a Suzuki 250cc to a very polished and professional win in the 250cc class of the event, beating most of the larger bikes to the flag. Pat had previously won the 200cc Senior GP event in fine style and had the IOOcc Senior GP sewn up until his clutch went several laps from the finish. Although all of Pat's bikes carried Don Vesco's name, it is Pat and his father who prepare and tune them for each race. In the 250cc to Open Junior GP it was again Evans who showed the way to victory, but not before an exciting tussle between him and Rick Sherer riding a 350cc Honda in the early stages of the race. Evans poured on the coals and tore his way from a middle of the pack start, dueled with Rick Sherer for several laps, passed him, and at the end of the race had an eigh t second lead over a very swift Mel Dinesen Yamaha 350 ridden by Jeff Sperry. As the race progressed Sperry turned faster and faster lap speeds as he became more confident with the track. As the checkered flag dropped it was Evans on the 250cc Yamaha who won his class and a first overall against the faster 350, 500, and 750cc bikes. Jeff Sperry won the 350cc division and a second overall with Rick Sherer taking a second in the 350 and a third overall. The Senior GP event saw Kerker win on his Production Norton Commando. In the process of doing so he turned a 1:08 lap time, the fastest ever for the track. McGillivray scheduled to ride his 750 Norton GP bike found the brake pad missing from the rear brake and consequently took the production BSA out on the grid. The GP Norton has been plagued by minor ailments much to the chagrin of McGillivray. At Vaccaville it was a flat tire and at Carlsbad an oil line broke in practice while Richard l'eist was riding causing him to spill on Turn two. Then, in the Heat Race the header pipe came loose. Pat Hynan on a Ymaha TR2, who had earlier won the heat race, took the lead at the start closely pursued by McGillivray and Kerker. The incredible horse power of Hynan's bike was obvious on the front straight when he and Kerker would come around the last turn together and onto the straight. As they both accelerated down the straight Hynan's bike would pull ten lengths on Kerker by the time they began braking for Turn one. However. on Lap six Kerker took the lead from Hynan going up the hill and never relinquished it. Apparently Hynan lost fifth gear and had to ride the rest of the race with only four speeds. A sobering note to the day's racing was the death of Robert Krutchfield from El Monte who got into a tank to tank speed wobble during practice, was thrown from his bike and suffered head injuries. He w~s rushed by ambulance to Tri-City Hospital where he later died. This writer extends sympathy to his wife and family. The next event for road racing is Orange County on Sunday, Sept. 13, which will be hosted by the Los Angeles Chapter of AFM.