Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

'"co l ,.. '" '" ~ oS: ~ :;; ~ .w z ~ u ~ -OF A BIG YARN INDOOR TALE By Bill Spencer SAN FRANCISCO, CAL., Feb. 26, 1971 - With indoor short track racing coming of age in the past few months, the final race of the winter indoor season at the Cow Palace was bound to be a thriller. San Jose indoor champ Dave Hansen was still in the lead by a point dispite a layoff by the A~1A. His one point advantage over Madison Square Garden winner, Al Kenyon, may have been slim but with former indoor champ Mike Yam still in contention and Ken Roberts on a winning streak, it looked even closer. As qualifying heat No. 10 lined up, there sit Jim Odom on the pole on his shiny new Yamaha. That's right race fans, a Yamaha. Odom signed with Yamaha last weekend and in a very short four days, Doug Schwerma build a frame, A&A Motors set up an engine and Odom is aU the way with Yamaha. Also in this heat were point leader . Hansen and Kenyon, the second place man. Remember, only two transfer. Odom followed Jeff Hammond into the first corner but sets him up well and makes the pass. Hansen gets ready to pass the young Novice but tangles with him and Mike Yarn goes down. At the same time Kenyon gets boxed in on the outside and can only get a third, which means you load up and go home. Right? Well, almost. Odom's qualifying heat was fastest. That makes Kenuon's third place, the first alternate. When Al was apprised of this he had already changed clothes and was ready to sit in the stands and see the action progress. Anyway, nobody drops out of these short tracks. At this point, Al remembered the 1970 Sacramento mile when he was first alternate and someboy couldn't make the grid and second alternate Kris Bakke did. So Al got dressed and proceeded to wait it out. Heat 1 wa' all Odom's with Bob Goodman right behind until the flag lap. Goodman was fourth at the Garden and really looked good, but as fate would have it, he hit an oily patch and smacked the concrete. Heat 2 was easy for Mike Yarn, with Joe Henry right behind. Both of these riders were at the Garden and Yarn did well in the main. Heat 3 lined up with its eight riders and after in troductions, start your engines. Not so for Ben Ostarello. A new plug now in Ben's spring and bump start. Cough but no go. He still has 30 sees by starter Hoy Odom's stopper... too late. The stands come alive with cheers as AI "King" Kenyon makes the program. Greg Hodges won that heat with Corder second, Joe Soto third and AI charging from the back of the pack to transfer to. the Semi. The fourth heat went to Steve Foster, another Sonny Kenyon racer with Randy Bailey second for Selby Motors. Chal De Cecco hung in for third with newcomer Gary Lozano becoming the last man to make a Semi. Hodges was back to win the first Semi over Odom, Corder and Kenyon got Soto. Those five are half the main. The other half lined· up and Joe Henry led it off. Yarn and Roberts were close behind with Powell, De Cecco and Bailey trailing. Fate again struck, this time it was Henry. Exiting a corner, for some unknown reason, he slid and crashed. Yarn and Roberts pulled away with Kenny giving one try for a pass and nearly fell. Enough of that and he settled for the second. After Odom took the Trophy Dash Jerry Baugh led off the 10 lap consolation but looked back to see Terry Sage get underneath. George Carter gave up third when he fell and Ralp Waldman wound up second 10 Sage. On the pole for the 15 lap main was Yarn, Hodges, Roberts, Odom and Russ Powell sharing the front row. Yarn, Roberts and Kenyon were the only ones that were mathematically still in the running except if they failed to finish above a second. No matter what Kenyon did he would receive at least one point to tie with Hansen, but he would have to do at least a third if either of the othe,rs were to win or tie. At any rate, Odom led it off only to bail off in the first tum while Yarn and Hodges left town. On the nex t . lap Kenyon biled and that left Yarn and Roberts to do their thing. In our last thrilling episode, Roberts waited until the proper moment and then zapped Yarn. Mike was really CONVERSATION PIECE This conversation was overheard in the pits at a recent Carlsbad Moto·Cross: "Hey. what's that you've got there?" "It's m.y new Aiay Stormer'" "What on earth made you buy that?" 'Well, my other ring-a-ding was getting a bit bent up and I just liked the look of the AJS standing on the shop floor. They're really well finished, you know." "True. but it strikes me that AJS hasn't been around long enough yet to get established." "That's what I thought ttll I went into it. Apparendy they started seUing them on the West Coast last April but they had them in Europe a year before that .nd have won two British Championships. Don't forget, they've got Norton behind them." 't-lmmmmmmmmm! Does the yellow tank mean it's a 360 or something?" "Sort of, except it's Ictually a 370," "How does it go?" "Prettv good once I got used to the gear change on the other side:' "Their ads are always on about their handling. Is it really any better than the other bikes?" "You're not kidding. I've no idea how but, boY,:t just sails over the bumpy stuff. The Dealer said the frame was designed by the same guy who did the Commando Superbike." "Well, I suppose it's quite a good bike for the novice." "You're absolutely right. I've only been Mota-Crossing five months and some of these bikes are too damn hard to run unless you're Bob Grossi or Ake Jonsson. It strikes me that AJS has concentrated on making a very simple, easy to ride but fast scooter which will take riders into the Experts during their first season." ''That can't be bad. Jeez! You adjusted that chain real quick." "Oh, sure, they've got a lot of little ideas like that eccentric cam method." "Yeah! You know, you've really got me thinking. How much do these things cost, anyway?" "Well, that's really up to your Dealer, but it's easily the cheapest of any European bike." "'s that so?" . "And another thing I like is the Parts Prices. They're a little leu ttlan most of the others and so far every part I've wanted has been available over the counter. I'm very happy, anyway," "Okay, glad I ta~ked to you. I may see you at Indian Dunes." .. ... AND HE DID ... WITH A STORMER OF HIS OWN .. _AND NOW HE'S HAPPY TOO!! Yarn (46z) has the right line while Odom (18) is about to bail and Roberts (80y) is "aving problems. doing his thing now and Roberts had to get by Hodges which he did but in doing so, Yarn stretched his lead. Yarn then started to lap the field and this created a problem Yarn tucked in behind De Cecco and Chal didn't see or know he was there and just one circumference of the track brought Roberts right up to the rear wheel of Dick Steinke's Bultaco with Yarn perched right on it. Chal moved over and both got by. In the flag lap Roberts made his ... move. With a beautifully executed low dive into the last corner, Roberts came out underneath Yarn and really twisted the grip, but that was too much for the rear wheel and he slipped out with Yarn taking the checkered and Roberts second. Mike Yarn was Champ back in 1968 and has really made a comback with the able assistance of Dick Steinke and Sonny Kenyon. Good luck to Mike and he dserves a bunch. (Results on page 26) Kirk Redding powered to a Trophy Dash win and two Main Event victories. Redding, Corbett Share Honors By Eddie Smith SOUTH GATE, CAL., Feb. 26, 1971 Kawasaki rider Kirk Redding and Bultaco standout Dan Corbett each powered their way to a pair of Main Event victories at Trojan Speedway's regular Friday night TT and Flat Track action. Redding's two wins came at the expense of the remainder of the IOOcc field as he gained the checkered in both the TT and FT classes. Redding also collected a trophy in the 100 TT Dash. In winning his pair, Redding had to hold off the hard pressure of Tom Doty's Honda and Wally Jones' Suzuki in the TT and Ron Williams and Jones in the FT. Corbett, who has really picked up the action in the past few weeks, garnered his two Mains in the 125cc classes of TT and FT as well as collecting an additional 125cc TD. Steve Young (Yam) took runnerup spot in the TT Main behind Corbett and was followed by Doty while in the FT Main Chris Davidson filled the second slot and Richard Gunn the third. Chris Smith, riding a Montesa from Don's Tire & Cycle and co-sponsored by K & W Products, collected a 250 TT Main and added that to a 250 TT Dash. In this main, Mike Hannon took second. Hannon wasn.'t denied all night, however, as he out·dueled Gary Scott for the 250 FT Main. Scott had won the 250 FT Dash. The remaining two TDs were Wodaka Mantesa lire.... Motorcycles Rickman, Carlsbad's MX Baron By Jon Stevens CARLSBAD, CAL., Feb. 21, 1971 Bruce Baron proved once again mat engine size isn't always the deciding factor in racing. He took two seconds and a first in the 250-500cc Sr. motocross. Had he not gotten away last in the first moto he would have had two firsts and a second overall. He was needless to say the 250 Senior winner. It was he, Ronnie Bunn, the 500 Sr. winner, and Carl Cotton who provided the excitement in the big hike matos, but it was Reuben Benites who did it all in the smaU bike competition. He was leading the first moto on his Metisse- Montesa when three laps fTom the end, it broke. Undaunted hc then borrowed somebody's bike and proceeded to win his next two motos. It was all for anught though since he didn't finish the flrst moto he was disqualifed. . (Results on p~ge 26) . - - ,~ Metlss. Wes,.i.s'er Spor' C,ele Guy R. Louis garnered by early season power Bob Sanders. The bikes were out in numbers again for the night's racing, apparently in preparation for this Sunday's 250cc 50-lapper. (Results on page 26) (114) 893-1051 7574 Westminst.r A •••• Westmlnstllf Ca • SAN DIEGO SUZUKI FACTORY AUTHORIZED SALE & SERVICE 714·286-1001 4825 EI Cajon 8/vd., S.D. YWHA of COlONA 1101 E. 6th St. - Corona (U4) 13~TT21 I. V.Ea'erpr;ses European Scrambles March 14th orth of Adelanto 0% Tro ies and Finisher ins.

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