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/125700
lD _0 ~ ~ W Z W ..J U >U WILVERT BAGS CASTROL GP By Phil Pascoe Photos by Marty McGillivray Jody Nicholas crashed, but wasn't hurt. ORANGE CO. RACEWAY, Nov. 21ยท22, 1970 - The running of the Castrol Grand Prix Road Race was superb, drawing from the ranks of both the AMA and AFM as well as drawing machines from the largest factories: BSA, Triumph, Norton, Suzuki, Kawasaki and Yamaha. Riders from as far away as Canada and New York were also on the scene. Hurley Wilvert "ode his Kawasaki HIR smoothly with Koni shocks and this proved to be the winning combo in the climactic final race, the 251-1000cc International GP. He consistently rode the grueling 30-lapper with a cool head while other riders were dropping out with mechanical problems caused by the wear and tear of the course. In the process, he gained $1000 contingency cash from Kawasaki. The fIrst lap saw Ron Pierce take the lead hotly pursued by J ody Nicholas (Suz) and Don Emde (Yam). This trio . set a scorching pace while they slowly pulled away from Jimmy Deehan and Wilvert. After 17 laps, the pace began to show as Pierce, who had been dogged with mechanical troubles all day, dropped out when his ignition timing slipped.' Seven - laps later, Nicholas dropped his machine attempting to recapture the lead from Emde. Further back, Deehan lost his. rear. brake torque '!-rm thus slowing his pace. Wilvert took the advantage and slipped into second, 28 seconds behind Emde. Four laps from the finish, Emde was forced to retire and Wilvert shot into the lead for the remainder of the race. More sidecars than ever before started and made the fIrst turn a real squeeze. It didn't take long for Dean Hummer and Roland Gilbransen to take their traditional lead, having never lost a race in which they have fmished:' Reg Pridmore and Ernie Ceasar had the early lead after a fine start but lost it soon afterwards. Hummer/Gilbransen were forced to retire, however, with a half-lap lead and Pridmore/Ceasar took the win. The International' Production event, 251-1000cc, was dominated by the Norton team of George Kerker, Jack Simmons and Bill ManleY. John McGillivray, riding a BSA Rocket Three, put on a superb display of riding ability as he desperately wrestled his heavier and weaker machine to a commendable third place behind winner Manley and Kerker. Rick Sherer held off his fellow Honda riders to take the 350cc class, first division. In the 500cc Division it was Jim Cordero on a Kawasaki Mach III in first.'_ The next AFM Road Race is scheduled for March 14 of next year. In looking back on the season, congratulations go to Jim Manning for his tireless efforts for better road racing in the state. (Results on page 20) Second place finisher Reg Pridmore. A rizona Starts Winter TT Season Photos & Story by Jim Brooks SIERRA VISTA, ARIZ., Nov. 15,1970 - This time the TT races came to Sierra Vista. TheTT season is now open for monthly races until the hot summer returns.. . Due to the Phoenix Inter-Am tiLe crowd was small with only 53 riders on hand. Officials stated that 20 pf these had never ridden this track before. The size of the crowd and shortage of riders made a short racing day. Many of the races were combined. Tucson riders dominated the day. But not just because they were good riders. They out-numbered the rest of the field by better than four to one. Best showing of the day was made by Nomurt Seelman riding a 250cc Suzuki. Seelman rode the 250 Novice and Open Novi'ce on the same bike. With it, he took IlI'st in both classes. That wasn't all, he then came back to place fourth in the Handicap Main Event. The Semi and Main were run on a handicap system. There was ab'out a 50 yard distance between lhe 100 and open class on the starting line. The Semi turned out to be quite an exciting event. finally going to Jack Dodson on a Honda 100, after battling out the fulJ ten laps with Woody Woodsworth, on a 250 Ossa right on his rear wheel. This is the way the races went the entire day. FulJ of,spills and true competition. (Results on page 20)