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/125699
~ w Z W ..J U >- U He didn't spill!! By Maureen Lee IRVINE, CALIF., Nov. 15,1970 - The Suzuki team of Robert and Pettersson had quite a day for themselves at Saddleback on Sunday. The incomparable Robert won the two International rounds with Pettersson taking a third in the first round and a second in the second. In the first round it was Robert into the lead followed by two of the BSA boys, Nicoll and Banks. These two are much larger men than a lot of the motocross riders we're accustomed to seeing but with a good works bike under you, that helps to keep the traction down where i~ belongs, on the ground. Robert was up' in the lead and at one point didn't seem to realize how much John Banks was closing in on him, but once he did, it was adios. For a while Banks and AJS star Maclolm Davis had a good one going and in one turn there was a very neat bank shot (pun intended) that went on. It was to be a battle eventually for points between the BSA team and the Suzukis. In the second round, again Robert shot into the lead followed by his Swedish teammate and once again, Banks. Then John~ot off ("very silly of me" he said later) and because the Beezers have no kickstarteR on them it took him some time to get .going again 'Jle Pettersson's "!larks Suzuki. and he started off again in the midst of the pack. Working his way back up it looked for a while that if he could improve his position from his then seventh running place he could tie for a second but the 30 minute round didn't give him enough time. ' Jeff Smith was another who dropped it and American star Brian Kenny (Hus) who went into the race as leading American really came a cropper on the steep downhill. But busted handlebar and all he attempted to continue. This Ohio rider caused quite a few comments amongst the Californians who had never really been aware of him. and then suddenly, there he was. . Billy Clements (Hus) was first American after turning in two excellent rounds against some of the toughest competition in the world. Once again, most of our guys were back., but they are finishing higher up in the over-all results every race. Some of the things that happened at Saddleback Sunday were funny and some not so funny. Like the appearance of Jeff Smith and John Banks walkingaround in swim trunks, and Smith's hat would have done credit to Hedda Hopper. At the riders meeting he and Dave Aldana stood quietly together listening for about four minutes, looked at each other and started walking up the ...And Jeff Smith's works BSA. hill, looking for all the bad stuff they could find before the real action started. The track security was excellent. If you had correct credentials there was no hassle whatsoever, but if you didn't ...well ...we've never seen so many officers at a race in our life. All equipped with walkie-talkies they were on the lookout for people trying to sneak' in over the hills. Once a whole bunch of little kids got caught, but the officer's story of the days was when a church bus pulled into a sheltered area and let a whole bunch of youngsters out to sneak in. They didn't make it. A lot of other people didn't make it either, only as far as the gate and when they saw that five dollar tab, that was it.