Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

For years all of us have complained that the big daily newspapers have. ignored bike racing and bike racers on their sports pages, but low and behold within a week, two of the biggest ran a feature on riders. Do you think some of these sports editors are finally starting to realize there are other' sports than basketball, baseball and football and there are other athletes to be interviewed other than a $50,000 a year golfer? (How a grown man ~an play with a little white ball for that kind of money and be termed an athlete is beyond me when you figure out what our professional riders get paid or what a beginning linebacker receives for real work ...now be nice, Maureen) ...anyway our sport had two nice write-ups. The Brothers Bast had a good one in the Los Angeles Times and the Independent-Press Telegram interviewed scram6lfin' a.r'ound Lakewood's Dave Smith, and all three riders are products of District 37 scrambles and motocross. Hope some of you read the article Car and Driver did on Swede Savage in the current issue, he's another product of our local scene, and would you believe, the one driver that Parnelli Jones sweats out 'every time he gets out on the track for practice. Rufus Paul always wants to know what time Savage is turning. Cars are a natural progression step up for bike racen and evern after all these years since he raced bikes you can bet that Joe Leonard has spent more time racing on a track than'drivers who started racing in cars and track experience never hurt anybody. Now th.e car boys will have Gene Romero to think about as he's going to start driving. Here's the latest work on the Corriganville, 'scuse me Hopetown situation. Between the lightweight and heavyweights, Jim Peterson figures he and Sam Crooks logged in 700 entries the first day. The 500 Novice class was filled the first day, don't say we didn't warn you to get those entries in early! A word to you riders who are eligible to ride the International Exhibition. The class is filling up and it's limited entry too, so 'don't be left out for a chance at that $1,000 first place purse. A thousand dollars isn't bad payment for a few laps of fun-type riding on a nice afternoon! The Maynards have signed in, so has Bob Messer and Larry Watkins is another one on a machine we want to take a look at, a Suzuki, as this could be a proto-type from the information on his entry blank. Keith Mashburn has signed up and we often wish he had stayed more with motocross than with Ascot. A few years back when he was a kid, you never saw anybody better on a Greeves in the real mud and slop than· Keith and that's no lie! If he hadn't turned his talents towards Glass C he could easily be our number one motocrosser. Anyway, if you have any desires towards riding any class at Hopetown, don't horse around, get those entries IN!! We covered the Jackrabbits motocross at Seabreeze Park and if you didn't read the stroy, we'll give you a bit of information about the circuit. It would be worth any riders while to go down and put in some time on it because it is different than any of our other courses, mainly because of the severe 0 ff.·cambers. It's a good one though and will be a welcome addition to the selection of courses we now have especially )Vhen it's a hot day, and because it is different terrain than Saddleba.ck or 'Bay Mare. The Bushmasters are having a motocross, Sunday, Oct. 18th at their Beaumont track so that should be a place we all head for to tryout, it's for District 37 p,:,in~ so let's keep supporting our DIstrict clubs as well as the independent promoters. There are enough events and enough riders around to keep everyone going so let's not load up in 'one or two places all the time! If you haven't tried the CMC's Thursday Ascot events, add that one to your list. It gets pretty wild and I Just know some nervous novice is going to nail starter Stu Peters one of these m.oonJight nights! It also gets hairy. when the showy ones pull wheehes down the front straight after taking the f!nish flag to impress the paymg folks m the stands. One pulled a little too hard on the bars a week back and rather embarrassed himself with a complete "El Loopo". We've always felt that racers should leave their race on the track and not horse around coming in, if they have any energy left for that they haven't been riding hard enaugh! (Continued from page 17) Speedway being disqualified, he would be started from the 20 yard line. Bast broke the tape in the first heat, and was never able to overcome the handicap, finishing second behind Larry Shaw. Woods took well deserved victories in his first four races, getting the checkered in event 4, 6, 11 and 13 of the 20 event program. And then came the final and deciding round. A Hollywood writer couldn't have planned this one any better, as Cody, Woods, Bast and Don Cullum wheeled their machines to the starting line to be introduced. The ovation for the riders was thunderous. The fans knew that this was it. If Woods won, he would have a perfect score of 15 and be the undisputed champion. If Bast took it, it would mean a runoff and even if he lost, he could always say that he beat the champ on the nigh t he won the championship. This condolence was afforded Rick Woods last year, when Steve won the title as Rick had beaten him in their race. But Steve had fared better in his other four rounds and came up the champion. The fans also knew that Bill Cody was in this one and he is always a force to reckon with. The tension in the crowd was thick enough to cut with a knife as they edged up to the line and waited for the flag to drop. Here was where an edgy rider could jump the gate and get set back. But here was also the time to be first into the comer. Up went tIie gate, and Woods shot Grand Prix there wasn't quite enough time, so the race ended with the Moffitt Triumph first, Meter's Greeves se,cond and Person a very distant third. For a Grand Prix, the Four Aces event was rather lightly attended, with only 7·800 entrants. This was a shame because the racing was really excellent. On the other hand, the smaller number of riders helped to assure that the race straight into the comer: Cody was a little axnious and his wheel came up, as he drifted over and blocked a good start for Cullum and Bast. Bill set it down and dove into the corner without any harm, but that one second of hesitation on Steve's part dropped him to third. Having to start on the outside was bad for Steve, but he had hoped to be at least second into the lrrst comer. But now he had two men between him and a chance at the championship. Steve moved up beside Bill in the next lap and moved up on the leader. He wanted this one badly. Rick was up front and as he went into the corner, he sneaked a look back to see how close the next man was. He kept his cool even when he saw a fast closing Bast, and as he went into each comer he kept on the inside line, as Steve was right there beside him waiting to move in if he should drift. As they went into the last corner, the fans were on their feet, the cheering drowning out the noise of the engines. This was the big comer and they both went in hard and fast. Rick didn't give Steve the hole he was looking for, however, and despite a valiant charge for the line, Rick took the win and the championship. Rick was then led into the flower-bedecked winners circle to be presented his trophy and flower wreath by the Supporters Club. Before this presentation was made, the crowd was held back while Shaw, Fishburn and Mike Bast had a run-off for third. Larry Shaw had· the lead, but Mike Bast kept up his classic style for the evening and proceeded to take the win for third spot with Fishburn and then Shaw. When asked if he had any strategy for the night as he went into these races Woods replied; "I knew I had to keep my head. In racing as fast as this, it's easy to get psyched out and when you do, it's all over. When you're racing against top riders like the Bast brothers and Bill Cody, you can't afford a mistake. I just went out for each race telling myself not to get rattled and it worked." When asked about Nutter's chances he replied; "It's too bad he was injured last week. Sonny was ready for this one his bike is real strong and he would hav~ been hard to beat. But that's all part of racing; sometimes things seem to go your way and other times nothing goes righ t." Rick's pit crew was as happy as he was about winning. As soon as he stopped the machine in the fineld, they rushed out and taped a big No. I on the back of his leathers. The night was topped off by a celebration by the Supporters Club for the new Champion at Action Cycle in Huntington Beach. Another Championship race is history, but although it is gone, it is not forgotten, for this· was an evening of racing that was indeed racing of championship calibre. .... '" 1 o ,... 0> lSi ti o ~ w Z w ~ (.) > (.) .. (Continued from page 3) was a success. If there had been, say, 2000 riders, it is my feeling that both facilities and score keeping ability would have been seriously strained if not overloaded. 'As it was, things were just about right and I'm sure some of the Four Aces are already thinking about what they're going to do next year. Be sure to send me an entry blank. Vince Graves Seriously '" RJVERSIDE, CALIF., Sept. 27,1970 Vince Graves, the 1968 Perris lightweight high-point winner, is in very serious condition at Riverside Community Hospital with spinal meningitis. His future is still unknown as he is currently in the most critical 48.hour period. Donations are needed and are accepted at Paul's Harley Davidison, 16211 South Lakewood Blvd., Bellflower, Calif. Also, $2 donations will be sought at Perris Saturday night with a full coverage helmet being given away. Cards may be senl: to the Hopsital in Riverside, Calif. Graves, who has no insurance, is sponsored by Paul Lass, owner of Paul's H-D in Bellflower. The long, lean and lanky Graves returned to Perris last year after he started a small equipment rentaJ yard in Bellflower. He continues to race, and has just sold his 360cc Maico with a 400cc in mind. RUSTY BRADLEY: National Amateur Winner. 1. Daytona. Fla. - 1OO~Mile Road Race - 3170; 2. Talladega. Ala. , DO-Mile Road Race - 5170: 3. Loudon, N.H. - 60-Mile Road Race - 6170. .. EDDIE 'MULDER: National Expert Winner .. . Sanle Fe Park. III. - 25-Lap IT Race 2170. PORTERVILLE, CALIF., Sept. 20. 1970 - It was a battle of the Triumphs ridden by Jim McCraken (99) and Carroll Jackson (7) in the Open Expert showdown in today's TT Scrambles sponsored by the Porterville Spinners M.C. McCraken finally won the tassle with Jackson second. Yamaha's Expert rider Ron Tobey sheliled the gold from the other .two Expert classes: the 125cc and 250cc. Triumph also had one-two finishers in the '500. and Open Nov-Am. divisions. Sam Cravens and Mike Burchett had the top slots sewed up in the 500 and Pete Hixon and Ernie Smith did likewise in the Open. Report and photo by Jack Light. (Results on pa!!e 22.) These top stars demand the best they chose Buco Safety Helmets for performance proven protection. See why more professional races are going to Buco Safety Helmets. Send 25 cents handling cost for 1970 catalogue of the complete SueD Cycle Accessory Line. )I BUCO PRODUCTS 2400 FISHER BLDG. DETROIT, Ml. 48202 ... c

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