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/125704
It> CYCLE NEWS WEST section 2 Sportsman winner Scott Smith coming in for the win. By Bill Spencer ODOM STEALS SilVER CUP LONG BEACH, CALIF., Dec. 19, 1970 - Northern California's crack indoor riders weren't about to let a little thing like the West's worst stonn in 14 years, keep them from coming down and devastating their Southern rivals. Seven out of the ten racers in the Yamaha Silver Cup shQrt track main event, on the concrete floor of the snug indoor Long B~h Sports Arena, were from the N o r t h . . , .; It was more than the purse put up by promoter Don Brymer that inspired the Northerners to fight through the snow-closed passes. After dominating the Cow Palace and San Jose indoor series for years, they were out to steal Yamaha's silver chalice from the South's own bailiwick. San Francisco's Jim Odom passed Joe Henry of Sacramento with but three to go of the 15-lap main event, to take home Yamaha's Silver Cup and a very healthy share of the purse 'in excess of Sl,OOO'. Odom also captured the trophy dasb. Odom's pass wasn't as easy as it sounds. Henry was on the pole and the only other Amateur, AI Kenyon, was second. Henry had set a very fast and smooth semi to capture the pole and led off the 15-laps with a fine lead over a faltering Kenyon, Dave Hansen at>d Odom. Odom's pass came when Joe lost the front end just slightly so that he slid out wide enough for Odom to get a good drive through. Kenyon's mechanical ills were a tough break, for his efforts were no less than great. He gained a berth in the dash, a heat win and a semi win. In the final race he may have finished last, but his earlier rides were much better. In back of the Odom/Henry duel came Dave Hansen and Ralph Waldman, with "Rapid Ralph" coming on very ·strong at the end. Fifth spot went to Dallas Baker on an Ossa with Butch Corder having a heap of bad luck in sixth. It wasn't all bad for Corder though. He had qualified only as first alternate for the main, but when Mark Brelsford couldn't make it, Butch was in. Mike Yam brought up seventh on Dick Steinke's Bultaco followed by Bob Bailey and Grand National Champion, Gene Romero. Heat race winners were Odom, Brelsford, Yarn, Keith Mashburn, Henry and Kenyon. Mashburn, on a Yamaha, was eliminated in the semi by Yam when Keith left Yam just a little room to get a wheel underneath his, and then pushed him out and Keith bailed off. That was Yamaha's only chance for getting a bike in the main as the Yamaha regulars Coppage, Palmgren and Haaby had been eliminated in the heats. The Joe Henry heat was a thriller as Joe got a straight-up jump on the field, followed closely by Butch Corder. At the end, Corder tried to pass but bounced back off and the'.' took IO-'ojll' ".n for 8, . pro veil ell' ,.... GUEST EDIT DRill: 'II another bump from Dave Aldana, who was also working hard to pass. The sportsman final was a satisfactory one for Yamaha as Scott Smith led wire to wire on his K&N racing team Yamaha. Second wen t to Dan White on a Sherpa Bultaco and third to Phil McDougal on a Honda who gave chase to White throughout. In the mini-enduro race, Rex Beauchamp won for J obn Dellinplane of Bakersfield. (Results on page 42) 0. ~ Ol This was a year of motocross expansion, with a full calendar of racing by CMC and ~ the splendid effort by IRE as wen as the open competition by some of the larger M AMA clubs. .: Among the best organized shows include the High Sierra MC Mammoth Mountain ~ Motocross, Dirt Diggers North Hangtown MX, IRE & CMC all star show, Dirt Diggers '" Hopetown, and the Carlsbad Trans-AMA race. ;:u "" Among the stinkers we must mention the Viking Summer Series with special z emphasis on the Puyallup Washington fiasco, Prospectors MC Bay Mare race ~ (everyone remembers the publicity that it got), IRE North-South show at Bay Mare u (looked more like a gang war than a race), Dirt Diggers California State ~ Championship at San Clemente, the Decemher Iner-Am at Saddleback (Wow, all that prize money for two days of racing) and a host of CMC races that were over entered and ran from dawn until dusk. With very few exceptio,!s these races are staged with the revenue from rider entry as the main source of income, knowing that for each rider, there is at least two spectators as part of the riders family or friends that make up his pit crew. There is no effort made to attract other spectators or to provide them with a concentrated, well announced show. Costs are also going up for the rider, as an example here are some of the costs to attend a race: CMC entry, mail $5 or post $10 plus $2.50 per each adult and $1.50 for children. About the same for IRE. The Inter-Am really gets out of sight with $10 just for the Sportsman class plus a pit pass for your pit helper and $5 for his gate entry. Now add to this the annual cost of membership to the various organizations and you begin to wonder where it is going to stop. N ow the 1971 membership dues are taking a change. CMC, for instance, now requires a $2 membership (whatever that's good for. You used to get a monthly news letter with results) and $5 on top of this for a competition license (shades of ACA!). This license will get you a 10% discount at selected shops, but what serious competitor doesn't get 10 or 20% at his I~cal shop? Around 2000 members at $7 a head makes for a bunch of bucks and should get the riders at least some insurance. The AMA is not any better, since you pay $2 for general membership, $3 for a district number, and if you want to ride in a Trans-AMA event it costs you $20 for a competition license plus your mechanic has to buy a special license! Now that the FlM is represented by the AMA an international license has to be obtained from them, which will entail who knows what tariff when application is made. . Back to CMC, a nominal fee for membership is more realistic and let's forget the competition license nonsense, or give us our money's worth: 1. Race entries limited to a specific number of riders or se~arate race dates for specific classes. 2. Riders insurance fund. 3. Divide the program so that Experts run separate from the Juniors so that wives don't have to sit in the heat and dust all day. 4. Open competition for all license holders, be they AMA, CMC, FIM, ACA or AFofL. 5. Have P.A. systems that can be heard. 6. Rent sanitary restrooms, especially at Carlsbad. 7. Keep spectators from riding in the pits and throwing dust on riders trying to rest between m-otos. 8. Insist that promoters keep the tracks in better shape. Saddleback is always in good shape but most others are seldom touched. 9. Use the rubber band start at all races. This seems to be the most fair and safest starting system. 10. Improve purses for the amount of money that is going into the races, prize money is very small, almost non-exist.ant. Lets all take a long hard look at the past year and try to get the thing we did not like changed so that we can all enjoy the sport more. All comments and/or suggestions are invited, write tOi Motocross Riders Union, 2818Y, Prospect St., National City, Ca. 92050. New Year MX For Trails. Like a wolf on the fold, Jim Odom reli eyed th e So. Cal. locals of the Yamaha cup. N The San Mateo County Motorcycle Association is hosting a Motocross and fun day to raise money to promote public cycle riding trails and to fight anti-motorcycle legislation. Among the top riders who have agreed to ride for this urgent cause are Carl Cranke, Bob Grossi, Mark Brelsford, Brad Lac.key and Tom Rapp. Besides a full program 01 motocross rac.mg, there Wl1I also be a minibike' mo tocross, a trials demonstration by trials master Vic Boocock and $2000.00 worth of door prizes. Entry fee is a mere three dollars with a 1.00 gate admission. All proceeds go to the Association which will use its money to procure trails. ·Sign up is at 7:30 with the first race scheduled for 9:00 a.m. Three large number plates are required, the better to see you with, and all cards will be honored. Classes are 125,250 and Open. The event will be held at the Cycle Hills Motorcycle Park in Morgan Hills, California. Lime from Bailey Road. The San Mateo County Motorcycle Association has already done a number of good things but they are most well known for their efforts in defeating Carl Britschgi. SMCMA plans much other such action in the future, but it needs your help and support. Go race away your hangover,January 1,1971 at Cycle Hills. WASH. TURKEYS By N.A. Williams WOODLAND, WASH., Dec. 13, 1970Some 190 riders went out shooting for turkeys in Benefit Scrambles today and Bill Cook claimed two birds in Trophy Dash showdowns. A medium sized crowd added to the day's success and all proceeds were given to the Holiday Childrens Center in Portland, Oregon. (Results on page 42) $32,000 INDOOR PRIZES Added to the popular January 29 and 30 Astrodome indoor races this year will be an indoor program at Madison Square Garden in New York City. January 25, 1971 motorcycles will race in professional short track competition for the first time ever in the Garden, America's prestige sports center. Though the AMA sanctioned event will not pay Championship points, its purse. and close proximity with the Astrodome races will insure an outstanding field of Championship riders. Racing begins on the ceinent track at 8 p.m. Riders will compete for a total of $12,000 in prize money, $6,900 of which is provided by Yamaha as bonus money in its Silver Cup series. Riders are eligible for these bonuses regardless of the brand of motorcycle that they ride. For tickets to the Yamaha Silver Cup Races call (212) 564-4400 or (212) 644-4400. Special group rates are available. For tickets to the Astrodome National Championships write: Pace Management Corpora'tion, 3003. West Albama, Houston, Texas 77006. Weather Stops Some Events, New Dates Set The weekend showers was the cause for several top even ts being postponed. Ascot Park's State Half-Mile Championship has been moved to Sunday, Dec. 27, while the' CMC motocross set for Saddleback has been rescheduled for Sunday, Jan. 3. Trojan Speedway's TT and Flat Track was cancelled and the park will hold its new season of races beginning Jan. 8. Kimball Will Attempt Take Record Back Monlesa distributor Kim Kimball, previous holder of the 1000 mile Tijuana-to-La Paz Baja California record broken last week by Doug Douglas (AJS), says he will "do it again and get it back." Kimball will try to squeeze in the new record attempt early in the year.