Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

~ ..... '" New Yorkers Go Wild During By Don Woods ",' ii u. ~ w Z W ...J U >- U NEW YORK, N.Y., Jan. 25,1971 - To the music of a bombilating band, flourishing of majorettes' batons, celebrities waving, the usually blase New Yorkers welcomed professional motorcycle racing to the city of mass media for the first time since World War II. A s tanding-room-only, turn-away crowd of 17,250 saw one of the best indoor shows ever presented by the AMA. Over 130 riders from all areas of the country made it into the fifth floor arena to try for a share of the promoters gold and th e Yamaha Silver Cup. Leading the 80 qualifiers was Californian Keith Mashburn with fast time of the night of 8.61 seconds. Right behind Keith was four time World Speedway Champion Barry Briggs, in one of his first attempts at another form of rating. Third fastest qualifier was Dalton, Georgia's Ed SaUey. Eight heats of ten riders fought for positions in the semi-finals, with super rider Dave Aldana winning the fastest heat of the evening. Crashing and banging their way to other heat wins were Mashburn, Dennis Palmgren, Ed Salley, Jim Fortune, Sam Morgan, Joe Henry and Jimmy Odom. Never has a motorcycle race ,crowd been more enthusiastic. The Garden would almost collapse from the cheers, eV'en when a rider would get his bike started after fouling a plug or making an adjustment on the starting line. The first semi saw Aldana get a quick lead with only Fortune, the Indoor Novice Expert from Webster City, Iowa, giving him competition. Bob Goodman took third and Russell Powell got fourth after being set back to the penalty line at the start. The second semi had one of the biggest tangles of the nightas four riders rode over one another in the first corner. Robert Martin wouhd up riding two of the bikes in the crash into the hay bales. adorn outraced Mark Brelsford to tak'e the checkers. The small polished concrete track held speeds down to the point that all the crashes hurt only the riders' dignity. The third and final semi saw the majority of the Northern California riders stacked into this one race. These riders, racing regularly at San Francisco's Cow Palace, were the only ones who seemed to be able to pass other riders without being caughf in the Roller-Derby-type crashes. Al Kenyon, a first year Expert riding a Bultaco, gave a hint of things to come as he proceeded to dust the field. He was followed across the line by Mashburn and Dave Hansen, who had made an amazing dash from PACER IS PACESETTER IN' BAJA I Straight~cut primary drive gears reduce friction, heat by removing side·thrust from crankshaft, contribute to all power-adding equipment. For AT-1. CT·1. DT-'. RT·1 Yamaha Enduros. Adjustable fork tripleclamp extends rake for high-speed stabilitY or neutralize steering for close-quarter maneuvering work such a-s - PatricIc -YAMAHA setnew I. hr. 31 min. RECORD in BAJA using PACER Performance Product. 8S trials. Five-position plates give wide range of angles. 1/1 III Unique fork damping, oil recirculating system is new suspension miracle. Includes S&W dual-rate springs, Teflon bushings. Greatest boon to handling since telescopic forks! Patrick-Bowers use these and other PACER products. ShorlT~ack the rear of the pack to challenge at the finish. During the intermission before the feature race of the evening, the top riders in the National Point Standings . and Barry Briggs were brought out for a special rna tch race. The 10 riders were given Yamaha Mini-Enduros to ride and they put on the show of the evening with their pushing and shoving in the comers. Larry Darr got an early lead by passing Gary Nixon. The two riders were way in front of the pack, busy having fun knocking each other around. Nixon finally ran away with the race by

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