Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

Cll . ... 8, ~ w Z w ~ u >u DAYIONA PREVIEW A decade ago it was the unique aspects of racing on the sandy Daytona beach that lured America's best dirt track racers to Florida for a once-a-year outing. Until a few short years ago road racing interest centered world-wide on the 37-mile-per-lap Isle of Man off the coast of England. Now there is no question which track draws the most attention throughout the racing world. It is the Daytona International Speedway. The 3.81 mile combination oval/road course located just a few minutes away from the famous old beach course that has a posted 5 mph speed limit for pedestrians and vehicles alike. Every major motorcycle other always c-omes along. manufacturer will challenge . After the d~II";"S came. the foreign Daytona this year. Some with nders, all !,roclaumng t~at It would be a breeze agamst the full-tIme dirt trackers a~!1ounced factory teams, others who were only part-time road racers. With a team but not announced. Every big name in European road Every great rider in the world, racing, again give or take ~ybe on~, with one exception will challenge has h~pped to Daytona to pIck up hIS vacatIon pay and gone home . b ! . th e200 miles ~rrJer If the rules . empty.handed until 1970 when one, Kel permit them to ride. Carruthers, finally cracked the The challenge started back in American citadel of speed. Even this 1937 as a Fun & Games gathering single victory was not in the 200 but to get away from the cold weather . rather in the s~~ondary lightweight event for half the ilistance. and get the new season started. Many believe that the "Little Guy" At first it was a Harley-Davidson has no chance at Daytona. They are vs. Indian affair. Later it became a right, the little guy had his last chance Harley vs. Indian vs. Norton whe~ they still called a s~p of ~nd and . a stnp of asphalt a 200 mile natIonal. outing. . . Little guys are not capable of riding Then It turned mto an expanded plus BSA ,,:nd Triumph. It rernamed that way until the old Beach was left to the_seagulls and the cycl~s moved to the current S~eedway m 1961. Then the gang was Jomed by the Jap~ese brands and a sprinkling of Italian motors. It was still just fun with a modest purse attached, enough to pay the winner's expenses home again, until a few years ago when the prize money and people ~tarted to increase. It appears that If you ean get one, the thre~ome, motorcycles 160 mph for 200 miles without falling down or getting in some other rider's way. Talent and experience make big guys out of little guys. The AMA still sees fit to provide time and space at Daytona for the little guy in, Amateur trophy events, Novice . lightweight races and Junior division lightweight and big bike events. Factories spend money on racing, all factories. Some out front for public consumption, others through the back door as a well-kept secret to ballyhoo loudly - if they win. • .aja wins .again! European Scrambles Feb. 7,1971 100 Am/Ex. class 1st Mitch Mayes-Baja 100 2nd Jim Summers·Baja 100 5th Randy Milligan-Baja 100 Laguna Salada 200 Feb. 6,1971 1st 0·125 class Larry Roesler/ Earl Roesler·Baja 100 (4th overall I Factories attempt to select the best riders they can obtain. A factory-backed rider will win the Daytona 200 as one has every year since the Speedway opened its doors to cycle racing in 1961. In the ten years on the pavement Harley-Davidson has won six, Triumph three times and Honda once. All will be back on March 14th. Alphabetically (almost), this is the way they line up and within the list is your 1971 200 mile champion. BSA For Daytona a five rider team and the best effort ever. 1970 winner Dick Mann and new rookie Don Emde bring road racing strength and experience that BSA has lacked. Mann is old enough to be Emde's father but has the experience. Dick's fast start in the point race at Houston should find him pumped. Backing up these two are dirt trackers Jim Rice and Dave Aldana. Rice admits to not staying awake at nigh t dreaming abou t road racing while Aldana will go fast whether he has the experience or not. Aldana has raced only- four road races, all nationals last year, and scored well in all four. Talent and horsepower can make up for experience. To top off the BSA team there is Mike Hailwood who many in Europe think can walk on water all the way from England to Daytona, go through the motions the required amount of laps and win the race and the money. Hailwood has raced only once in the past two years, for eight Japs in the last Daytona 200. He was super-smooth all week in practice but retired early in the race while running second to Gary Nixon and just a few feet ahead of five other riders. If past victories and experience is the total consideration "Mike The Bike" is a shoo-in. BSA has never won the 200 or even come close. With the talent they have lined up this just may be the year for them. HARLEY·DAVIDSON Cal Rayborn; hope, and three prayers make up tl;1e once all-powerful, ever-dominating team for Daytona. Milwaukee still spashes a "I" insignia on anything and everything but instead of victory on the track it means fastest motorycle at Bonneville. Rayborn, the two-time Daytona winner on the now moth-balled 750 sidevalves, is the top threat to pull off the win for the all·American team. An age-old question as to who is the best American road racer will always include Cal but it ends there for the orange and black. The hope is Mark Brelsford who has shown Dashes at certain road race tracks but not as yet at Daytona. The kid has class on road race counes and TT tracks and will give H-D at least two for depth. Lawwill, like Jim Rice, cannot for some reason get excited about road races. If a choice were given he would probably forget the whole week and stay home. Past proven ability and experience is here but desire is lacking. In the past Harley has always come to Daytona with ri!lers who all had at e Specillze ill C .WI/(-Z,] the specialty machines. The Bike Shop 2021 Via Burton Anaheim, Calif. 92806 (714) 635-1450 (On State College Blvd. 1 blk. north of Riverside Fwy.l Jo" .".,,4 '.s.,••ce 51'S "He, Mr. Dealer'" the BarleyDavidson ~---.. outpsnormsrs We carryall types of insur.ance coverage - garage I iabi I ity fire - theft & dealer bonds S... U, To 251 JOHN •• MAYNARD INS. 3441 Meter Ave., LA., Ca.

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